Topic: Whats it worth?

[Magilla]

I know the real answer is "what ever someone will pay for it"  I also know that I am not looking to sell it.  What I am is curious about the value of the bike as it sits.  What do you think it would sell for in your neck of the woods (in the spring, bikes don't have much value in the winter).  Do you think I would get my money back or have I exceeded its value?  Don't really care, just curious.

Bike:

1976 CB750K.  16K miles.  Mostly stock except the paint.  Everything is now working except the brake light does not work with the front brake lever.

What I have into it:

$1000 base price
$100 new gages
$400 carb work
$300 Tank and side covers
$500 paint products
$??? Lots and lots of elbow grease
$100 misc supplies

[DustyRags]

Looks like you've got about $2,300 or so invested- you can probably get at least $3-4k for that in the San Francisco Bay Area. I just sold a '76 CB550K with stripped and slightly dented tank, aftermarket side covers, seat cover, blinkers, grips and probably bars, with lots of spray paint and a recently-rebuilt top-end and just about 19,000 on the clock for $2k and my phone rang off the hook. Probably could have played some buyers and got $2,500 for it. Of cours, the 750s seem to be less in demand around here, so who knows?

[CBNJ74]

The pipes being the biggest deal in my opinion. I'd say around 6K to the right buyer of course.

[Magilla]

The pipes being the biggest deal in my opinion. I'd say around 6K to the right buyer of course.

Finding a decent set of original pipes for less than a mortgage payment has been hard.  These are in pretty good shape except they are rusty.  Hence the wrap on them.  I have debated having the re-chromed but that too is expensive.  Still in the thinking process on what to do with them.

I know that finding these old bike with the factory pipes is getting harder and harder so I don't want to stray from factory installed on this bike.

[CBNJ74]

I restored my 73 back to bone stock. The cherry on top would be the pipes but I cannot bring myself to spend $2600 on pipes. I bought the bike with14K miles a year ago on CL for $1600. It was running fine but I just love to tinker and can't leave well enough alone. I probably invested close to 5K so far. If I were to sell mine I'd start at 6K and take no less than 5K.

It is as reliable as my other two bikes and I ride it everywhere with out a worry. 

[CycleRanger]

In Texas now you probably could get could get $3500 or even more. On ebay, I'd put a ~$3K+ reserve and the sky's the limit.
Either way, I'd wait until Spring to list it anywhere for max profit.

[flybox1]

$2500+ here in the PNW is pretty common.
Most are in the $3000+ range for that condition.

[Dimitri13]

You get an easy $5000+ out here in the islands.

[Greggo]

Looks like you've got about $2,300 or so invested- you can probably get at least $3-4k for that in the San Francisco Bay Area. I just sold a '76 CB550K with stripped and slightly dented tank, aftermarket side covers, seat cover, blinkers, grips and probably bars, with lots of spray paint and a recently-rebuilt top-end and just about 19,000 on the clock for $2k and my phone rang off the hook. Probably could have played some buyers and got $2,500 for it. Of cours, the 750s seem to be less in demand around here, so who knows?

I say $4-5K, and yes, on ebay the sky is the limit.  It's an exceptionally nice looking bike in the pictures I've seen.

[DustyRags]

I'm gonna defer to Greggo here, he knows way more in his pinky finger than I know in my whole noggin. But check locally, there are a few 750s up on CL right now, and judging by those I'd say my estimate was on the low side of smack on for right now, Greggo's probably more accurage for spring.

[Greggo]

I'm gonna defer to Greggo here, he knows way more in his pinky finger than I know in my whole noggin. But check locally, there are a few 750s up on CL right now, and judging by those I'd say my estimate was on the low side of smack on for right now, Greggo's probably more accurage for spring.

Okay, I forgot about the wrapped pipes, which could make a difference for the bigger money folks.  You're right about there being a few long running CL ads for 750's but they're not really nice looking bikes.  I dunno, we're not too far apart...I'm no expert, and aside from ebay only the buyer and seller know what the final price ends up as.

[DustyRags]

Yeah, who knows. Could be anywhere from $3k-5k, depending on who buys and when and what they're looking for.

Also, that's here, and the bike very much is not. Sounds like it needs to be shipped to Hawaii to really make some bucks

[Magilla]

I am not looking to sell it.  Just wondering out loud, what it might be worth.  The more its worth the easier it will be to buy it lots of Christmas presents!! 

[Stev-o]

We're assuming you have clear title. And it's in good running cond?

[750K]

Around my parts you could get 2-3k maybe $4000 if some hipster with cafe racer dreams was looking for one and there are a lot of those around here...

[Terry in Australia]

I look at Ebay every day, and it's definitely a buyers market at the moment. Lots of uncertainty means that lots of folks are selling their toys, it's almost winter and Christmas is just around the corner so folks are hesitant to buy. Because of all this, there are plenty of bikes for sale with low starting prices. The ones asking for start bids over $3500 are still there week in, week out, which I think gives other sellers a false sense of what their bikes are actually worth.

The older your CB750 is, the more it's worth. Sandcast and diecast K0's are where the money's at, followed by minty K1's. Anything after that really depends on how original it is, and how clean. The K6 was the last of the "proper" K's, and while arguably the best, it's also the least valuable of the K's. One that's been repainted is a gamble, how much putty is in the tank, are the sidecovers busted and repaired, what's under the header wrap, what's the real mileage, etc?

I think a realistic price in your neck of the woods is around $2000 - 2500, and if you get more than that, well done, but don't expect it and you won't be too disappointed. Cheers, Terry.      

[Magilla]

We're assuming you have clear title. And it's in good running cond?

Clean title.  Currently registered and runs great.

[Magilla]

I look at Ebay every day, and it's definitely a buyers market at the moment. Lots of uncertainty means that lots of folks are selling their toys, it's almost winter and Christmas is just around the corner so folks are hesitant to buy. Because of all this, there are plenty of bikes for sale with low starting prices. The ones asking for start bids over $3500 are still there week in, week out, which I think gives other sellers a false sense of what their bikes are actually worth.

The older your CB750 is, the more it's worth. Sandcast and diecast K0's are where the money's at, followed by minty K1's. Anything after that really depends on how original it is, and how clean. The K6 was the last of the "proper" K's, and while arguably the best, it's also the least valuable of the K's. One that's been repainted is a gamble, how much putty is in the tank, are the sidecovers busted and repaired, what's under the header wrap, what's the real mileage, etc?

I think a realistic price in your neck of the woods is around $2000 - 2500, and if you get more than that, well done, but don't expect it and you won't be too disappointed. Cheers, Terry.    

The milage is documented at 16K.  Not a super low milage bike but not high milage by any means.

The body work was well documented with high rez photos.  There is only a skim coat of filler used to fill low spots.  No major dents in the tank and the inside is 100% rust free.  The side panels each have some crack repair work done.  I did it with a 2 part epoxy that goes on thin and should last a life time.  I also have two spare side covers that are in excellent shape and have no repair work.  I did not have them when I painted it so I will paint them in the spring.

On a scale from 1-10 I would rate the bike as a solid 6.5-7.0  plenty of room to get better and plenty of room to be worse.

I think I have a line on some rims that are 100% rust free so that will be a nice addition in the spring, if I can get them.  My rims look nice from a few feet away but need to be respoked to look better.

[Tews19]

Not to be Debbie Downer, but in my neck of the woods maybe 2k... Pipes are a huge factor.... Wrapped makes it less valuable.........

Didn't you post a thread saying it isn't running good the other day and how you been having issues with it all summer? If you do plan to sell, always disclose as much history as you can....

Bike karma has a funny way of life in itself....

Of course this is just my opines and we all have different thoughts..

[Magilla]

Didn't you post a thread saying it isn't running good the other day and how you been having issues with it all summer? If you do plan to sell, always disclose as much history as you can....

The bike had issues when I bought it back in March.  I spent from March through August working them out.  The in Sept. the timing advance bolt came lose on my first ride.  Bummer indeed.  That is now fixed and mechanically its pretty fit.  Not that it matters because I don't want to sell it.  Just trying to get an idea of its value.

I sold an 82 CB750 today.  IT ran but leaked gas out of one of the carbs.  In ugly but solid condition.  A good project bike with a clean title.  Its value at this time of year was $850.  I posted it at $950 and had no calls.  I re-posted at $900 and had no calls.  I re-posted at $850 and my phone rang off the hook.  So $850 was its value for sure.  In the spring it would have fetched more but its off to a new home with a guy that was thrilled to get it.  Everyone was happy.

[Tews19]

Your bike is great looking, don't get me wrong... Didn't want to come off the wrong way... Congrats on the new sale too

[Magilla]

Your bike is great looking, don't get me wrong... Didn't want to come off the wrong way... Congrats on the new sale too

Tews,  I didnt think you were bashing my bike.  Even if you were I put it out there to be judged so judge away.  My bike is OK.  There are many out there nicer and a few that are worse.

[bollingball]

I say with what you have in it don't put any more money in it. You are playing a big gamble if you spend much more.
Ken

[dhall57]

Mag, it's all fine and dandy to put your bike out there and ask for feedback from other members on there opinions on what they think the value is. But what good it does I really don't know. As you can see you've got a wide range of $$ figures that are all over the place. The low side $2000 and on the high side $6000 and alot that fall somewhere in the middle. Now I bet your really confused 

[Stev-o]

I don't think he should be confused.  He has $2400 or so into his bike, it is easily worth that and probably more.
I agree with Bolling, don't spend much more on it as it probably won't increase the value.
In time, the value will appreciate, unlike most motor vehicles.