Crazy prices, THIS HAS GOT TO STOP!!!!

[evo550]

There was a thread on the old forum on the prices people are paying for Vintage mxer's, I will admit I was a bit of a fence sitter at the time when people started to voice there opinion on what they considered silly prices people where asking for bikes, at the time most of the desirables where hovering around the $4000 to $5000 mark I thought, OK, thats expensive but they will peak at that price. How wrong I was, not 12 months later a Mega 2 goes for almost $11500 on "E", and someone else wants and will probably get $7500 for  some evo huskies.
Are these bikes really worth that? I know I will hear the "Thats market value" arguement (although I think your insurance company or the bank might dissagree).
I honestly believe that the constant price rise of bikes will be detremental to the sport, I personaly know of two people who have turned away from the sport because of bike prices, they now race the vet class at  modern events on 3 year old 250 two strokes that they bought for less than they could pick up a open class pre "85 bike.
Seen a vet class lately, they are chockers..........not quite the same as a vintage meet.
I'm sure the guys who kicked it all off back in the early '90's did it to encourage a relaxed, CHEAP form of dirt bikes, (enter Firko)

Thoughts anyone?

*Amendment to the above Mega 2 price it's $11300.........but reserve not met!!!!!

[paul]

IF YOUVE GOT ONE GOING CHEAP LET ME KNOW   CAUSE I CANT AFFORD 11,500 FOR A MEGA 2
SO  BUT I WOULD LIKE TO OWN ONE  AND THEY ARE JUST TOO EXPENSIVE FOR ME 

[caps 999]

like anything whats for sale is only worth what people are willing to pay

[All Things 414]

Surely what we do isn't just about racing/riding a bike. If that's all I wanted to do then you're right. I'd just get a good second hand two stroke, race it and abuse it. Our bikes are very personal and I believe say an awful lot about ourselves. Just look at the thread on the best looking MX bike and see how much passion there is there. I can understand someone paying 13G+ for a 490 Maico. If that was what I wanted to show to the world what I thought was the "it" of dirt biking I'd be diggin' the cash out now. Most people have an idea of what floats my boat and I've spent ridiculous amounts of cash on it but as I say on my web site, "it's the bike they can bury me with!"
It's about the passion and you can't put a price on it.......
And how could you spend hours staring at your CRF 250? Eeurgghhh! 
As for getting it dirty? Well I have a swell preasure washer...
And breaking it? Well I have swell suspension.......

[Doc]

as I have stated once before it is our generation (over 40's) that's driving interest and these insane prices..I feel if you wait till our generation passes then the prices should come back to more realistic figures  seriously.. 

so much as I like the old bikes the prices of used much much newer models is also attractive for anyone who simply rides for the enjoyment of riding..an RMZ450 would run rings around my old RM in every department except for resale value..go figure..

[pokey]

I seen that maico when it was hovering on 7grand evo550 and i shook my head.
Its a nice bike but  as Ive said with the moderns . thats a lot of money to go play n the dirt with.

Sure some people have  the cash and wont mind paying OVER the generally accepted  value  but there is always people who will open the wallet.
 
Am sure there are many valid reasons and  complex mathematical  formula that can make paying what seems to me  an extraodinary amount  but i guess its not my money  so none of my business.


 I will keep playing with my budget  bikes and think my own thoughts about what bikes the rich kids are playing with  and know Im having just as much fun if not more with my heaps of shit... atleast I wont be scared to get them dirty or take that  iffy decision and risk breaking them... ... and still have enough  for a carton of bench racing lubricant  left in the wallet.


 Vive la difference'

[paul]

im preety certain there will be another one shortly  81 gs 490  or a  77/79 400 see what happens 

[Maico31]

Yeah Paul i agree with you....

[Nathan S]

AT414, you're 100% right, but how many people stop and think "Hmmm... $12k for an old bike, or $5k for a two year old one? Hmmm... I'll grab the '05 model thanks Eddie"...

Yes, I know that there's heaps of valid reasons why you'd spend the extra on the Maico, but no matter how strong their interest is, lots of people will find more valid reasons to spend less money on the newer bike.

How do you get lower prices? I've got no idea how - the current prices are driven by a market experiencing economic boom times which is going to remain a relentless, unstoppable force while-ever the boom times exist. I'm waiting (not hoping) for the inevitable bust, that will see values plummet (along with people's ability to afford them) but apparently that makes me a pessimist.  

I read Doc's post and initially thought "I'll be surprised if that prediction comes true" - look at all of the older (road) bikes and cars - their values are still held high (and increasing) even though the people with the obvious connection to them aren't around to appreciate them.
But then again, if you look beyond the prices of the glory machines (GTHO/XU1/MC490/good pre-75 MXers etc), and there are a lot of significantly older/rarer cars and bikes that can be bought for relatively little money - I'm not talking pocket money, but still relatively cheap compared to it's newer (but still old), more common counterpart.
I'm not suggesting that your beautiful original CR-RZ or RM-S is ever going to be worth $500 in the future - but in the longer term, your nice-but-not-wonderful YZ-E or CR-RD won't be particularly valuable simply by association.

[Maico31]

That 490 actually reached $12,350 and the reserve wasn't met!! I'd seriously consider selleng mine for that even though i vowed to never sell it.

[All Things 414]

I'm pretty sure Good vintage bike prices are like land prices-
They NEVER come down!

[paul]

wait a couple of weeks  and say that again  maico 31  . funny thing about all these high prices  is  when the old forum was running i asked firko about buying a 490  he said to look at a few place over seas  i check out there web sites  and with in the space off a 8 mth to a year the prices doubled    ive been saveing money for awhile now to do just that  and every time i get near it the prices jump  the way its going im going to have give it  a miss  even basket cases are expensive     any leads any body 

[Freakshow]

couple of you guys are right, you dont need one, if you just wanted to race ill sell you no end of pre 75 Dt 250/dt1 for $500, but when you start wanting somthing special you have to pay, thats not killing the sport, you want it you pay, if not get a Dt shitter and go racing.  Same as the XU1, GT's but unfortunatley you add the workwide appeal of these bike models and the price benchmark has to follow the gloabal market price, not just the local trends

[pokey]

$500 for a Dt shitter?......... Your  bloody  dreamin freaky 

[worms]

just paid $400 for a yz 125 g model for my daughter to race next year, you will allways have people prepaired to pay whatever for a bike, but i dont consider these few have any real impact on what we have as a sport, just because they have the rarest, paid a arm for bike,dosnt make them the fence post to aspire too. all the classic riders i know prefer the challenge of the resto, and dont believe everything you read i think evil net distorts the truth with so much dummy bidding, just ask your mates to bid ,thats easy

Cheers
Trev