Bike prices.

[skypig]

When I sold my freshly rebuilt RM125X for $700 in 1982.
I never dreamed I'd spend $1000s for one (that I hadn't owned from new ) in 2015.
(Hell, in 1982, I didn't think 2015, or 52yo would ever exist).

Makes me wonder if anyone will be willing to pay me more than I paid new for my 2008 YZ250f one day.

"Hell old man, that's in good condition! I had one of these internal combustion, hydraulic suspension bikes back in the day. Check out the disc brakes! Do they work at all?"

[Nathan S]

It's an interesting concept: a bloke getting upset or concerned at the price another bloke gets for his bike... The old adage "it's only worth what someone is willing to pay" comes to mind.

The OP's  predetermined price range in mind for each set/group/class of bikes is pretty spot on but I ask: what's the big deal if someone asks way above that range for their bike? Good luck to them I say, if they're a motivated seller they'll eventually meet the market - buyers determine what something is worth, not sellers.

What's more frustrating to me is the "what's this worth?" posts - fishing for bites instead of researching the market....
And the most weird: when some guy posts a pic of a handful of cash with the words "I've got $2500 what's out there?" Does that actually work?

I get frustrated by the bullshit that goes with it - including the fishing expeditions, and all the rest.
It's beyond frustrating when you see shit you want, advertised for silly money. You sit and wait for a month until the seller finally wakes up and starts dropping the price - and then sells it for LESS than you were abused for offering a week earlier...

There are bargains to be had if you can put up with the dipshits, but you'll waste a lot of your life dealing with 'gangsta' morons, and sad, lonely losers before you get the occasional bargain.

Time waster/scammer/moron behaviour:
"Offers" (which is totally different to $X, ono).
Price way above the market.
No/minimal details.
Asks for swaps, without ANY hint of what they're looking for.
Shitty photos.
No location.
Dodges direct questions.
No phone number.
General sense of self-importance ("Why should I put up info about the thing I'm selling?" or asking the seller to inbox them, etc).

I have a rule of thumb for items over $100: If there's more than three PMs without a phone call (or a phone number being provided, at least), then they're probably a time waster. Obviously there are exceptions, but its a good start.



Edit: "What's out there?" without any more details is about wanting attention. 
A photo of cash is a useful tool among the dumbarses. The photo of the cash 'proves' that they actually have the money, and might be the rare non-time waster...

[FourstrokeForever]

hey roost ill take 10 of those common cr 500 s
should have seen glen bell ride geoff holmes common bike at harrisville last year
ftw al (cr500 owner)

I didn't say they are "common" as you put it. I was just pointing out that there are more of them in Oz now than there was when they were new so that, in my book, makes them not as rare as they once were.

I did have every 1984 CR for a while there. 60 80 125 250 500. It was a neat collection but once my mate finally pestered me enough for the 250, I decided to let the rest go as well. Just as well I suppose, they were worth more then than they are now!

[mboddy]

Someone still has to buy them Walter. Don't forget about demographics.
All us oldies will have a lot of stuff to sell and there will be less youngies with less money. Buyers market pushes prices down.
Best sell your stuff to oldies while they still have money and are still buying because the youngies won't be buying it.

[Nathan S]

Now I can see your angle , Nathan . If I see it right , you are looking from a buyers point of view ,namely looking for sellers offering cheap and well preserved elderly products (eg 94 KX $500 top condition ) well illustrated, with documented repairs and new spares . All that delivered to your front door , with the option to try and  swap perhaps the classic AG 200 you got for a cartoon of Farmer Bill .  I can now understand that you are frustrated with some of the sellers that dont go along with that .

Really the best you can do?

[Tex]

What I don't get is why 'new generation' four stroke MX bikes are so cheap on the second hand market. Are they really that fragile/expensive to own? Is the resale value that poor?

A quick search around my area brings up 2003 - 2009 250F & 450F bikes from $2300 - $3300. Even bikes like the Honda CRF230F seem to command higher asking prices. 2T MX bikes from the 90s are often more expensive too. Is that perhaps a reflection that the CRF230F will cost far less in maintenance? The older 2T bikes are more collectible?

Tex

[skypig]

What I don't get is why 'new generation' four stroke MX bikes are so cheap on the second hand market. Are they really that fragile/expensive to own? Is the resale value that poor?

A quick search around my area brings up 2003 - 2009 250F & 450F bikes from $2300 - $3300. Even bikes like the Honda CRF230F seem to command higher asking prices. 2T MX bikes from the 90s are often more expensive too. Is that perhaps a reflection that the CRF230F will cost far less in maintenance? The older 2T bikes are more collectible?

Tex

Couple of factors:

1. With all race bikes, hardly any market for one only a few years out of date. Race guys want the latest. Can't register it. Relatively high maintenance (5 hrs max between oil changes). Not much fun trail riding (even if rego isn't an issue)

2. Modern 4 strokes are a lottery second hand. If the previous owner has put the air filter in incorrectly once, the time bomb is ticking. (Almost as bad, if the oil hasn't been changed often enough, or the previous owner was one of the growing crop of riders that redline the motor the instant it fires up to warm it up.)

Say you paid $3500 for a tidy 4 stroke, then it "let go". It wouldn't be hard to imagine a $2K (more "worst case") repair bill. Then, after rebuild, it's worth $3500, maybe.

2 strokes, less risk.
Anything that can be registered, has a bigger market.

[roost250]

Well elsinoreyz,  you could have 10 of those CR500s if the prices were what they should be!

[Nathan S]

What I don't get is why 'new generation' four stroke MX bikes are so cheap on the second hand market. Are they really that fragile/expensive to own? Is the resale value that poor?

A quick search around my area brings up 2003 - 2009 250F & 450F bikes from $2300 - $3300. Even bikes like the Honda CRF230F seem to command higher asking prices. 2T MX bikes from the 90s are often more expensive too. Is that perhaps a reflection that the CRF230F will cost far less in maintenance? The older 2T bikes are more collectible?

Tex

Yes, they are that much of a risk.
There's a constant stream of them on the local FB pages for prices that are low enough to make me think "that's a bargain!"... Thinks like alloy frame KXF250s for $2000, or 2012 450s for $3500... And I'm talking about tidy looking bikes that apparently run well.

 But then I remember how many other ones are available for similar prices, plus the risk of it all turning to shit...

[roost250]

Dont know about you guys, but its parts prices that are doing me in, especially when you have the US exchange rate and the postage costs....

[allan hughes]

i made a comment to roost250
and 4stroke forever responded
do you guys have multiple nicknames

[roost250]

Special post answering service.  Saves time and energy, also available on facebook.

[allan hughes]

so i ask a question of one person
and someone else answers
reminds me  of fawlty towers scene
the spoon salesman
and mate whomever you are you did say "common"
this is my final comment life is too short ftw al

[FourstrokeForever]

Yes, I do have a nickname that some people call me.....I thought we met at Broadford. My mistake

[topari]

Slightly off topic, in a similar vain old car prices... A 71 HG kingswood in good condition for $20,000, a 79 Holden Gemini with some mods for $12,000 !  Probably the same mentality.