Author Topic: Where Are the Older Bikes?????? (Read 3620 times)

Popwood · « **on:** September 13, 2009, 06:48:59 PM »

I spent the first half the year checking Craigs list almost every day looking for an early to mid-70's 750. Finally in June scored a '75 that wasn't in too bad a shape but was less than what I'd hoped for after looking for so long. I remember reading on the Forum early in Spring that given the economy, there'd be one hell-of-a garage cleaning coming and just about every street corner would have a vintage bike in the front yard with a "For Sale" sign.

This hasn't materialized, as far as I can tell. Was talking with my son today who keeps a close eye looking for all sorts of 60' and 70's rides on Craig's List, both here locally and in drivable cities in our area. Very little to nothing showing up.

I know I'd be happy to trade the 750 I picked up for one that's in a bit better condition and more original, but they just aren't coming up. Is it my area or is this the case around the country? Or, are my expectations unrealistic? What are you all seeing?

Granted, I've only tuned into the scene over the past 8 months, so maybe its always been like this. You guys who've been around longer notice any more scarcity these days?

Beans · « **Reply #1 on:** September 13, 2009, 07:00:27 PM »

ive noticed in my search for a 750 that ive seen alot of bikes go for more then I think they are worth. i mean a none running 750 going for $1800 is not worth it to me. you will find them u just need to search harder and wait. took me 6 months to find my cb550 and it was free.

masonryman · « **Reply #2 on:** September 13, 2009, 07:03:31 PM »

It's all about how much you want to spend. I started messing with the 550's in the mid 90's, you could get at least 1 rider a year for less than $500.00, I think those days are just about gone. I live about 2 hours from Cinci

Mark

fmctm1sw · « **Reply #3 on:** September 13, 2009, 07:06:37 PM »

Try being in my area... bone dry. And when you do find something, guys want $800-$900 for bikes that don't even run.

CrashBar · « **Reply #4 on:** September 13, 2009, 07:13:24 PM »

Thats funny, because it seems like half the bikes on EBAY are in Ohio or Michigan. My CB350f came from Ohio 4 years ago - it was $400 to have it trucked here.

I bought a decent (i.e. all there but rusty, up and running after a few hours of the usual stuff) 78 CB550K for $600 delivered to my driveway off CL a few weeks ago. Just lucky, as I responded about 5 min after the post went up. I had to stop looking after that, or start sleeping on the sofa....

CB

1974CB750rider · « **Reply #5 on:** September 13, 2009, 07:16:44 PM »

These bikes are becoming sought after collectors items and people know it. I gave $500 for mine about 6yrs ago and it still needs paint but I wouldn't turn it loose for less than $1500.00 now. Another example, Oct 1998 I bought a 1969 Dodge Charger for $6500.00 dollars and drove it home. You'll pay $6500.00 for one now that you will have to trailer home.

teutonic9 · « **Reply #6 on:** September 13, 2009, 07:17:41 PM »

I'm fairly new to the whole bike scene. But I'm an avid Craigslist guy and live in Minneapolis. There seems to be a nice amount of older CB's in this area. I've checked a lot of other craigslist/cities and don't see much. There's always something popping up in Minneapolis for sale. My buddy just bought a '75 550 yesterday for $1500. Not cheap, but it has new tires, good paint, good/not perfect sidecovers, recently sorted carbs, an extra set of recently rebuilt carbs, shop manual, perfect seat, runs nearly perfect. Seemed like an ok deal considering a lot of people want $900-$1100 for crap.

fmctm1sw · « **Reply #7 on:** September 13, 2009, 07:37:31 PM »

I was riding around one day and had a revelation. The reason you don't see these old bikes littered around people's backyards here is because something else is in the backyard. ...boats. Never thought about it until a week or so ago. Rusted up boats are al lover the place here. I guess folks spend (or spent) their money on boats instead of bikes down here (or motorhomes).

CycleRanger · « **Reply #8 on:** September 13, 2009, 07:42:33 PM »

Most of the CB's I see on CL here in Central Texas have been made into various types of cafe racers and they average ~$1500-2500!
I don't see too many "unmolested" '70's CB's.
Still see a few low-mile late 70's-80's CB's come up but it seems like the owners think they're worth the same as the 70's bikes.

Holubs · « **Reply #9 on:** September 13, 2009, 07:50:02 PM »

I bought an '76 CB750F parts bike in Des Moines (Iowa) earlier this year for $400. More than I wanted to spend on a bike with no title that wasn't running, but didn't know when I would see another for sale. It had many parts (mostly the chrome and seat) that were in better shape than the barn find F1 I am working on.

Got it running with a little effort, mostly cleaning the carbs and minor electrical work. So I have lots of good spare parts, in case I ever need them.

seaweb11 · « **Reply #10 on:** September 13, 2009, 07:51:16 PM »

Bought my running 78K here on Island 5-6 years ago for $800.00.
I saw another 78K on the community bulletin board yesterday for $2500.00? Don't want it but I should go look at it

bender01 · « **Reply #11 on:** September 13, 2009, 07:53:42 PM »

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220477065333&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT
Ive been dodged by this guy for 10 months. He is in the Marines but 20 minutes from me. Ive seen the bike and it runs but its very rough. I offered him $600 last may. He wouldnt put a price on it. Told me a friend was going to see it also the next day.I offered him $600 yesterday but no reply. I guess ill have to wait for my 78 750f that i bought in june from VT to get here.Somethings wrong with that seat too.But i can live with it.

I have to go home in January to pick it up. $1350. heres a pic. New England has been good to me.

MickeyX · « **Reply #12 on:** September 13, 2009, 09:44:37 PM »

Y'all need to move to Oregon...

http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/mcy/1371325973.html
http://portland.craigslist.org/clc/mcy/1364957397.html
http://bend.craigslist.org/mcy/1370439475.html
http://eugene.craigslist.org/mcy/1373182711.html
http://portland.craigslist.org/clc/mcy/1371658995.html
http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/mcy/1367823482.html
http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/mcy/1363875765.html

and there's always this one if you have a sense of humor...
http://corvallis.craigslist.org/mcy/1337105608.html

There are tons of other sizes of older Hondas too at any given moment. The prices have been going up during the season. I have a call in right now to a guy for a '71 CL350 Scrambler for $100. I hope he checks his messages soon.

Really? · « **Reply #13 on:** September 13, 2009, 09:52:33 PM »

I check CL in DFW and really never see these bikes unless they are over 2k. I got lucky and found the ole ladies for the price I got it for. Still looking for a 78k for myself. I need something smaller than my own bike for around town fun. My bike is just too big for city driving but flippin' awesome on trips.

bucky katt · « **Reply #14 on:** September 14, 2009, 12:00:49 AM »

i've seen maybe 3 pre 1980 hondas in the past 4 years here for sale, and one was my 75 750f

IHWillys · « **Reply #15 on:** September 14, 2009, 08:39:32 AM »

I just checked Denver CL, searched "Honda CB" and counted 10+ ~1970-80 CBs of various displacements and I know that the ads have been slowing down from earlier in the riding season.

Ken

Beans · « **Reply #16 on:** September 14, 2009, 01:00:05 PM »

I think once winter hits people will be selling more bikes. Seen a couple in pieces here for sale but not everything is their. Not worth it to me if I don't have most of the parts. But am going to go look at a few this upcoming weekend I saw for sale today. One is just a 2 75 750f frames and another is a nice barn find I saw when cruizing the country yesterday. Hopefully I can swing both finds but will see.

72 yellow · « **Reply #17 on:** September 14, 2009, 05:20:36 PM »

Here in the Detroit metro area they pop up every now and them on Craigslist. But the same problem as every where else. I found mine through a friend. His roomie was moving (in a hurry) and he wanted to sell the bike (72 CB750) quick. He wanted 500.00. I went to see it. It was chained to clothes pole in a backyard next door to a drug house. It did not run, so I offered 150.00. He took it and ran. I got it running in about 2 hours. That was 2 years ago. Still playing around with it.

Popwood · « **Reply #18 on:** September 14, 2009, 05:31:01 PM »

Well, since starting this thread last night my son passed on a CL link to a '75 750 so I've traded a couple emails with the guy. Started out quoting a KBB number of just over $2K. Of course, that's for a dealer (as if these are sitting on dealers floors), for a completely refurbished bike ready to hit the road, including the dealer mark up and before any negotiation. Bike has a good title but hasn't started in 5 years, needs new tires, has surface rust; you've seen it all before.

So I get back to him with what it will need before the "unknowns" since it won't start. Says his top offer has been $850 but most have been $200 to $400. It looks all original, the paint looks good, he says the tank has no rust and you know, just a little TLC. Maybe so. He claims to have worked on bikes for 20 years and has raced them for 15. So I ask you, why would he neglect one for five. No response to my questions about if it was put up for storage properly.

I'm gonna sit on it for a day or so. I already have this same year/model 750, it and it just may be that if it's not a runner, the parts would be a good swap for my current runner.

fmctm1sw · « **Reply #19 on:** September 14, 2009, 06:10:49 PM »

Quote from: Popwood on September 14, 2009, 05:31:01 PM

Well, since starting this thread last night my son passed on a CL link to a '75 750 so I've traded a couple emails with the guy. Started out quoting a KBB number of just over $2K. Of course, that's for a dealer (as if these are sitting on dealers floors), for a completely refurbished bike ready to hit the road, including the dealer mark up and before any negotiation. Bike has a good title but hasn't started in 5 years, needs new tires, has surface rust; you've seen it all before.

So I get back to him with what it will need before the "unknowns" since it won't start. Says his top offer has been $850 but most have been $200 to $400. It looks all original, the paint looks good, he says the tank has no rust and you know, just a little TLC. Maybe so. He claims to have worked on bikes for 20 years and has raced them for 15. So I ask you, why would he neglect one for five. No response to my questions about if it was put up for storage properly.

I'm gonna sit on it for a day or so. I already have this same year/model 750, it and it just may be that if it's not a runner, the parts would be a good swap for my current runner.

The way I see it is the guy has two options. One: accept a low offer since the bike doesn't run or two: Get it running and mark up the price. I know from experience. I tried selling my '72 before I got the title worked out and before it was registered and licensed. I couldn't even get $300 for it. It ran great. On the flip side, a guy down the road told me he remembers seeing it on Craigslist and now that I've put almost 1500 miles on it, he's kicking himself...

jcarthel · « **Reply #20 on:** September 14, 2009, 08:14:30 PM »

Ebay is where you can always find at least 15 or so 1970's 750's at any one time year round. Go to ebay motors, click on motorcycles, and then enter Honda CB 750 in the search bar. The bikes range from flawlessly restored bikes, to nice low mileage original bikes, to parts bikes. Scan ebay for just a few weeks and you can find what you want.

Justin in Texas

PeWe · « **Reply #21 on:** September 15, 2009, 03:13:08 AM »

The CB 750's can be sold as parts to us others that need replacements.
I have seen Motorcyle junkyards, similar to Car dismantling companies where they sell parts from old bikes, the pictures shown no damages at all or just a little. I thought they all were smashed but not.
The price for parts will bring in much more $$$$ £££££ €€€€€€ !!

Steve_K · « **Reply #22 on:** September 15, 2009, 06:51:58 AM »

I had been looking for 3 to 5 years and along the way I found my GIXXER, 2 550 Hondas(no titles, not running for $100). Later that year I found a 77 550K and 2 months later a 76 550K. BTW the junkers have paid for themselves.
The 73 750 was a $300 find. It runs but the carbs need work and I have it in storeage while I finish other projects.
Be patient. They will come. Offer six packs of beer for finders.
Steve

andy750 · « **Reply #23 on:** September 15, 2009, 07:12:09 AM »

I dont know what all the fuss is about

Good CB750 from a Forum member...

http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=57786.0

Only $800!! Factor in the $400 to ship it anywhere in the States and it sounds like you have a deal -intact 4-4 pipes, luggage capacity, runs well, etc etc....

And yes Ben is a fellow New Englander SOHC rider ;-)

Good luck Ben!
cheers
Andy

71_CB750 · « **Reply #24 on:** September 15, 2009, 02:11:30 PM »

I am in Louisville Ky pretty close to you. I was watching Craig's List, EBay and Cycle Trader. It took me 3 months to find my bike. I was also looking anywhere within a couple hour drive. After hesitating on a good bike and loosing out I bought the next one that came along. I ended up settling and driving past Lexington KY, but got my bike... Anything worth a S^%# is $1600 to $2500... I never get so lucky to find that "Barn Bike"... I hope it opens up but I think the popularity is growing and it is only going to get worse. If I see anything I will notify you. I am still watching around here. Good Luck!

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Author Topic: Where Are the Older Bikes?????? (Read 3620 times)

masonryman

teutonic9

71_CB750