How much would you pay for a vintage motor bike?

I was adding up the cost of building my bike and it's roughly $500.

I'm not gonna break it all down, but to show how much it adds up, i started with a rusted old bike as a platform for $80.

Add the motor, Worksman wheels (which i got for $50, they'd cost $200 new,) tires, seat, different throttle and levers, incidentals like hardware, gaskets, tools, fuel, etc...

Not counting the 2-3 weeks to restore, paint, modify everything and put it together right...

to build another one, depending on the condition of the donor bike, it'd cost about that, $500-600.

I've had 3 serious offers from people to buy mine outright for $1000, which I think is a pretty good deal, compared to what some other so-called "custom" bikes cost, and mine, I think, is way better than 90% of them, and a million times better than the turn-key bikes based on a cheap china bike platform.

I don't want to sell mine, at least not now, but my question is;

Would YOU be willing to pay $1000 (or more, depending on your choice of parts) for a bike like mine?

You'd be guaranteed a quality job, and as trouble-free a bike as could be hoped for, since i'd work out the bugs for you, and by now, I would hope that i've got a good enough reputation around here that people would trust me, so? would you buy one?

My plan, is finding old bikes, mostly pre-war, made in America, heavy duty steel, and converting them into antique looking motor bikes. each bike would be basically one of a kind, unless i find 2 matching bikes, then, y'know, they'd be two of a kind, but each bike would be different, and waaay different than almost any bike out there.

I'm not doing Choppers, Lowriders, Stretch Jobs, or RePop Board Trackers. My goal is to leave the bike as original as possible. it just doesn't feel right to cut up and weld a vintage bike. i don't want to do anything to them that a wrench couldn't undo.

Mostly they'd be what motor bikes were 100 years ago, a cool, heavy duty bike with a motor on it.

I'm just looking for some input before i start spending all my money and end up with a garage full of old bikes.

here's a before and after comparison of my 1939 Colson, in case you haven't seen it already...

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Bairdco, the Monark I have on the sidecar thread has cost me as it sits almost $750 Canadian. With the parts ect. I've purchased to restore it over a thousand. Add the chrome, paint, tires and I'll have over $1,500 in it. The battery/motor set up is another $1,500. We can only have electric power here.

I would be happy to have paid a thousand to have a running bike. Like you said three other people agreed with me.
My thoughts would be, build one and see how it goes. Bet you will be runnimg to keep up with the orders.

Steve.

My basic bikes start at $500... The old bikes are based on how old & valuable they are & what parts I put on them, (like front disc brakes, springer forks & creative sprockets...)
I just sold the 1950 Phantom for $675 + a trade in on a motorized chrome Dyno stretch cruiser.

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my bike woulda cost more, but i got some great deals on parts, and some of the stuff i had already.

i was just throwing this out there, because i'm gonna build more bikes anyway, so i was seeing if anyone was interested.

what sucks is the people that are offering money, ain't exactly your motor bike types. they're Orange County rich jagoffs that live in big fancy houses on the ocean. if i sold them bikes, they'd be lucky to get ridden 2 or 3 times a year.

i'll still sell 'em to them, if they're willing to pay. it'd be awesome when someone i know walks into a lawfirm in Newport Beach and one of my bikes is roped off in the corner...

Bairdco, understand what your saying about selling them. Over the years of selling high end antique furniture and just nice antique furniture I always hoped it was going to a home where it was admired and used.

Once it is sold though I was no longer the owner and counting the money never got in my way.
Take the cash and figure once they are on a great bike, they may never get off it.

Steve.

Charge them good! they can afford it. Like the Japanese, The more it cost the more they value it.

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H.S.T.

yeah, another funny thing, is if i was selling a bike to someone who actually wants to ride the pi$$ outta it, it'd be 1000. if someone wants it just to show how cool they are to their golf buddies, i think i'm gonna double the price...

Bairdco,
As you can well imagine, I'll be following this thread closely. I think it is a matter of finding the right customers. Look at what a quality road bike costs and the spandexers don't think twice about it. Not everybody is as poor as you and me, but a whole lot of people will appreciate your bikes. All you need is one buyer for each one. Good luck to you...
SB

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Someday when I grow up I will probably lose interest in toys with wheels, but until then...

also, lookit the price of a new felt cruiser. they're like $499 and up. for that, you get all china parts, 14g spokes...

and think of how much you'd put into a cranbrook to make it last....

bikes are expensive. for a grand, i'm giving it away...

It is hard to measure monetary value of something perceived as "vintage" or "antique".

It is worth as much as buyer will pay for it.

Personally I would never pay a grand for MB.

For $1000 I'll get a 150cc scooter.

Beats any bicycle in comfort, speed and safety.