Vegas Classic Bike Auction

[firko]

Here's the results from the big Las Vegas classic bike auction held on January 8-10. It appears that there's still a healthy quid available for a decent collectable bike but some of the prices don't make sense. The auction got $4000 for a 1980 440 Maico, one of the companys least popular models, but could only raise $3.9 k for a more desirable and in my opinion much nicer '81 490 Mega II. Compare those prices to the amazing $8k for the trick '79 RM 440(?)N Suzuki but only $3100 for a concourse '73 Honda CR250 and it would seem that the love affairs with certain model bikes may be on the decline.
http://www.midamericaauctions.com/showauction.asp?sort=Conditiondesc&page=23&ID=110&PersonID

[maicomc490t]

Good on ya Firko - as if I haven't enough to do  !

Now it will take two mugs of MAC just to scan through all the bikes. The first one I opened up was a sweet looking Ossa and the most expensive was the $230KUS Brough Superior!!!

As for the Maico's I am still trying to work that one out but the 80 did look pretty good even if they aren't much chop! I'd take the 490 for sure.

An interesting post.

How's the mountain bike going?

Dave Mac

[paul]

hindall cheney scaremongering in at   its fullest as a matter off fact that about your third attempt at devalueing the maico on here mr firko

[firko]

Not scare mongering at all Paul, just making an observation. As much as I love and respect the '81 490 Maico, in my humble opinion they've been overvalued since everybody decided that they were the next big thing. The same thing happened with Falcon GTHOs. I'd hate to have paid 600k for a car that's now worth 150k as much as I'd hated to pay 12k for a Mega 2 that now appears to have dropped an equal dollar percentage as the Falcon.
What's happened is that the downturn in the economy has injected a bit of common sense into the equation and bikes/cars are now going for their real market worth without the bull market speculation of a year or so ago. Get used to it. It'll be quite a while before we see such a huge value spurt on so called "trendy" bikes again.

And..my name is spelt with a capital F not a lower case k.

[paul]

YEAH I KNOW IM JUST PLAYING AROUND STILL  I KNOW 2 WHICH HAVE SOLD IN THE LAST COUPLE OFF MONTHS HERE FOR 12,500 AND 13.500 RESPECTIVLEY  SO SOME PEOPLE A WARY OFF BUYING OS IT A BIT SCAREY TO SEND LOTSA MONEY AND GET RIPPED OFF FOR EITHER A PUSS BOX OR SOMETHING THATS NOT WHAT IT SUPPOSED TO BE
 PS  SORRY ABOUT THE SPELLING MISTAKE 

[husky61]

Ah come on guy's.

Its just like buying blue chip shares , the prices can vary quite significantly over time . They always come back to a good point.

If your a wise investor , you will always get a good return . (long term)

However , If your prime purchase price is reasonably high and then you ride it , that changes the dynamics of the equation in relation to your return on investment.

Either way (IMHO) , the 81 MC 490  is a good investment and besides that , they look real nice in the shed.

Shoey

[paul]

THEY DO LOOK GOOD IN THE SHED LOL

[Husky500evo]

I don't know what was so special about the '79 RM (440 ?) , for it to go for $8k , as it looked pretty shabby to me . It looked to have paint peeling off the sidepanels , poorly fitted seatcover & an incorrect front wheel ( off an X model or later ) . Maybe with the # 1 plates , it was a vintage title winning bike in a class that Maicos aren't allowed in  ?

[Mark Austin]

I reckon the best value of the sale was this one:
http://www.midamericaauctions.com/showvehicle.asp?VehicleID=16382


Only 5,500 USD! Its a bloody bargain mate...

There were some seriously cool bikes there, they old Trumphys and Vincents went for very good money.
Oh to have an unlimited cheque book.

Cheers,
Mark

[paul]

SCAREMONGERING OR NOT MR MONTESA HAS JUST RUNG TO MAKE A GENERIOUS OFFER FOR THE 490  HE SEEM TO THINK THAT WITH THE DEVALUATION  HES NOW IN THE RUNNING FOR A NEW SET OFF WHEELS LOL  ROSS ROSS  COME UP WITH A DECENT TRADE AT LEAST

[paul]

no

[holeshot buddy]

come on paul everything is for
sale for the right price

[jimg1au]

reading the story of the 1979 cbx1000 it is nealy the same as a freind of mine her husband died of the big c about 10years ago but the bike has just sat in the shed along with a cb1100rc both are near purfect condition tust never turned over for the past 10 years the cbx is the same colour as well.he also had a collection of aussie musell cars but she has sold them.i have told her not to let anyone try and start them as they will need a lot of preperation before the bikes can be started.

[lukeb1961]

the RE5 looks uglier today than it did before - and that is saying something.