You need to get these cleaned up, first impressions count, a low mileage BSA Gold star could fetch up to £10,000 ($15,000) in the UK, don't sell them as a job lot, clean them up, get them running and more importantly get them valued, you can do this yourself by comparing on the net, take your time and don't accept daft offers just because someone waves some wonga in your eyes. Personally if I was you i would tidy them up one at a time, if your in no hurry for the cash get them all cleaned up before selling, a bit of polish and elbow grease will go a long way. I don't know what your mechanical skills are like but you need to at the very least, clean the carbs, change oils, grease pivots, clean out the fuel tanks as they look like they have been stood for awhile, you will have to excuse our attitude, but you are selling for a quick quid an inheritance that for most blokes on here would be a dream come true, myself included.
Recently inherited 15 vintage British motorcycles---HELP
- Thread starter samp615
- Start date
S
smvirili
Guest
Jesus Christ, looks like jealousy has bitch slapped a few faces already. Settle down with the remarks.
jl, i don't know shit about britbikes but they look sweeeet as. How much space you got? I reckon you should be completely subjective and pick out the ones you like most (not based on monetary value) and set yourself a goal to restore them. Get a little money on the side from the others. Shiiieeeet, this is an amazing opportunity nonetheless. Just cause you want to sell them, it doesn't mean you don't appreciate the thought of whoever was responsible for this gift.
If this happened to me I'd be shitting bricks as I wouldn't know where to start. Let alone find the space to stash the bikes.
Only one guy here acknowledged your loss of family as well. I forgot to do that ealier since I was blinded by the figure 15. Sorry for the loss and I hope all this works out.
More pics too!!
jl, i don't know shit about britbikes but they look sweeeet as. How much space you got? I reckon you should be completely subjective and pick out the ones you like most (not based on monetary value) and set yourself a goal to restore them. Get a little money on the side from the others. Shiiieeeet, this is an amazing opportunity nonetheless. Just cause you want to sell them, it doesn't mean you don't appreciate the thought of whoever was responsible for this gift.
If this happened to me I'd be shitting bricks as I wouldn't know where to start. Let alone find the space to stash the bikes.
Only one guy here acknowledged your loss of family as well. I forgot to do that ealier since I was blinded by the figure 15. Sorry for the loss and I hope all this works out.
More pics too!!
I have no hate or jealousy towards him or the situation he is in. I gave my opinion.....if someone offered 50k for the lot, then take it ,if money is the main motive here. He asked what he should do and I feel the question was already answered by him. I am young, broke and need the money....someone offered you 50k, your money problem is solved and somebody has a great collection of bikes.
There are a number of auction houses that deal in vintage bikes (just Googled 'classic motorcycle auction') - they're often your best bet for an appraisal and possible avenue for sale if that's the plan.
They have a vested interest in the sale, given they take a chunk of the price, so they're going to work to get top dollar but there are no guarantees in an auction and setting reserve prices etc. ends up costing you money whether the bikes sell or not.
If you have the time and patience and facility, I'd take one at a time, sort out what it is, clean it up best you can and sell it on eBay or locally through Craigslist etc. depending on where you're located. The more people close by, the higher price you'll get. eBay is a good cheap way to advertise the bikes for sale globally too. Lots of people put eBay auctions up with high enough reserves that if they sell great, but often with no intention to sell but rather to advertise globally.
If you're looking to get rid of them quickly because the storage is costing money or is no longer available, then call the classic motorcycle auction places and one of them will for sure sort things out for you, in exchange for a chunk of the sale proceeds.
They have a vested interest in the sale, given they take a chunk of the price, so they're going to work to get top dollar but there are no guarantees in an auction and setting reserve prices etc. ends up costing you money whether the bikes sell or not.
If you have the time and patience and facility, I'd take one at a time, sort out what it is, clean it up best you can and sell it on eBay or locally through Craigslist etc. depending on where you're located. The more people close by, the higher price you'll get. eBay is a good cheap way to advertise the bikes for sale globally too. Lots of people put eBay auctions up with high enough reserves that if they sell great, but often with no intention to sell but rather to advertise globally.
If you're looking to get rid of them quickly because the storage is costing money or is no longer available, then call the classic motorcycle auction places and one of them will for sure sort things out for you, in exchange for a chunk of the sale proceeds.
Only sell if you're desperate for money. Vintage bikes are an excellent investment at the moment and prices have doubled in the past five years or so. There is no expectation that the return rate on bikes like these will drop in the near future.
Don't view these bikes as a physical commodity, treat them as you would any other monetary investment. Get them professionally appraised and then insured. After the appraisal, decide which are worth restoring. You may need to sell one or two at this point to fund the restoration process. Make sure they're stored indoors at all times, preferably in a climate-controlled area. You're probably sitting on at least a hundred grand worth of bikes and it's possible that will become two hundred in the next decade or so. These bikes could be your retirement plan if you play this right.
Don't view these bikes as a physical commodity, treat them as you would any other monetary investment. Get them professionally appraised and then insured. After the appraisal, decide which are worth restoring. You may need to sell one or two at this point to fund the restoration process. Make sure they're stored indoors at all times, preferably in a climate-controlled area. You're probably sitting on at least a hundred grand worth of bikes and it's possible that will become two hundred in the next decade or so. These bikes could be your retirement plan if you play this right.
On the other hand,none of them is in perfect condition and all require at least clean up work and probably a fair amount of restoration work. restored and running they are worth good money, but covered in dust, not so much.
The simplest approach is to just negotiate a price for the whole lot as one lot. That way you don't need to sort or label or clean or anything else. It's a quick and dirty transaction and avoids the pain of listing everything and trying to get a reasonable valuation on everything.
For someone in the business of buying and restoring bikes, that's a great find and represents a lot of work but a great return on investment.
Another way is to sell them one at a time and doing all that clean up work to try to get maximum return on each individual part of bike. If you have the time, cash and experience, that's the way to go, but it's a couple of years of work and no spare time. Maybe that isn't where you are in your life right now.
If it were me, I'd sell a couple to clear some debt/pay for a year of college and keep the rest. Then I'd take my time working through them and restore them and ride them and probably cull the field down to the half dozen I really liked the most. I'd probably see what bikes that relative loved and try to understand him a little better.
Of that list, R3, Goldie Norton 750 stand out. Unit construction BSA's are not my cup of tea, so I'd let them go unless one had emotional value. Pre-unit BSAs were a waste of good metal IMHO - they really didn't do anything right - except the RGS of course.
So for me, the Goldie, Atlas, one Commando, R3 and the Triumphs would be the lot and the rest could go to someone who appreciates them. Fortunately there are no old bits of Brit crap like Oilfields or AJS/MAtchless grey porridge.
But that's just me.
For this guy, the right answer is probably to let them go to someone who knows what to do with them and get on with life. We are all in different places in our lives and have different values. And although I have worked on ridden or owned all of those models, I'd hate to have to deal with someone else's collection. Seriously.
The simplest approach is to just negotiate a price for the whole lot as one lot. That way you don't need to sort or label or clean or anything else. It's a quick and dirty transaction and avoids the pain of listing everything and trying to get a reasonable valuation on everything.
For someone in the business of buying and restoring bikes, that's a great find and represents a lot of work but a great return on investment.
Another way is to sell them one at a time and doing all that clean up work to try to get maximum return on each individual part of bike. If you have the time, cash and experience, that's the way to go, but it's a couple of years of work and no spare time. Maybe that isn't where you are in your life right now.
If it were me, I'd sell a couple to clear some debt/pay for a year of college and keep the rest. Then I'd take my time working through them and restore them and ride them and probably cull the field down to the half dozen I really liked the most. I'd probably see what bikes that relative loved and try to understand him a little better.
Of that list, R3, Goldie Norton 750 stand out. Unit construction BSA's are not my cup of tea, so I'd let them go unless one had emotional value. Pre-unit BSAs were a waste of good metal IMHO - they really didn't do anything right - except the RGS of course.
So for me, the Goldie, Atlas, one Commando, R3 and the Triumphs would be the lot and the rest could go to someone who appreciates them. Fortunately there are no old bits of Brit crap like Oilfields or AJS/MAtchless grey porridge.
But that's just me.
For this guy, the right answer is probably to let them go to someone who knows what to do with them and get on with life. We are all in different places in our lives and have different values. And although I have worked on ridden or owned all of those models, I'd hate to have to deal with someone else's collection. Seriously.
Grahamworks
Been Around the Block
My condolences on the loss of your family member. I think you are on the right track to pick one or two and sell off the rest. If you were really in a position to keep them all, I'm sure you would not have considered selling in the first place. As much as I love bikes, I'd probably have to do the same thing in your position. If you can get some of these bikes into good homes with people who appreciate them and can maintain them that is preferable over holding them all and having them rot away in a barn from neglect. With the money made from the sale of most of these machines you can restore and maintain one or two in a really nice condition. Anyway, if you get them all cleaned up and dragged out, I'd love to see more pictures of the collection.
~chris
And seriously fellas, calling this guy out as a liar and a troll from the start? Not cool...
~chris
And seriously fellas, calling this guy out as a liar and a troll from the start? Not cool...
Catbird
DT250 epidemic - Patient Zero
I wish we all had that problem. Not the deceased relative, I mean the bikes.
I sympathize with your loss.
I also agree with SonicJK; whoever left them to you obviously felt highly about bikes in general, and for them to will them all to you, had to have also felt quite highly of you.
You should keep that in mind.
Obviously, if it is utterly impractical to keep them all, then you should consider parting with some. But with that kind of stuff it's usually cool to keep it in the family.
I sympathize with your loss.
I also agree with SonicJK; whoever left them to you obviously felt highly about bikes in general, and for them to will them all to you, had to have also felt quite highly of you.
You should keep that in mind.
Obviously, if it is utterly impractical to keep them all, then you should consider parting with some. But with that kind of stuff it's usually cool to keep it in the family.
Rpino7
A.T.K.H.
I would say get all the bikes looking new and running.... such as 
Since there is many bikes that need to get to this point, start one at a time bringing them back to there original state. and sell it when it is finished to the highest bidder.. yes this will involve you getting your hands dirty, and you may need to put in some money into them, but its better than paying someone what the bike is worth to do it for you and you'll get your money back plus way more!! Making it look new will increase the value of the bike. ;D
Selling the bikes in this condition
will get you half or less what you can get if you sold them in new sparkling shine condition. with that said do what ever you want, they are your bikes now. Enjoy them while you have them... 8)
Since there is many bikes that need to get to this point, start one at a time bringing them back to there original state. and sell it when it is finished to the highest bidder.. yes this will involve you getting your hands dirty
, and you may need to put in some money into them, but its better than paying someone what the bike is worth to do it for you and you'll get your money back plus way more!! Making it look new will increase the value of the bike. ;DSelling the bikes in this condition
maddog5150
Been Around the Block
SONICJK said:
THIS!!! KEEEP THEM YOU FOOL!!!!!!
I work in the firearms industry and it breaks my heart when I see kids bring in thier grand daddies Garand that he smuggled back to states with him after ww2 and want to hock it along with his fist gen Colt SAA, Remington Rand 1911 in mint condition, Colt Pythons in original box. They sell something that thier family member never intended to sell. If he did, they would of been out and gone and just given you the monies. KEEP THEM! You will regret it forever! If they were mine and I had a choice between my house and those bikes, I'd be sleeping next to them in a storage unit!
I love my bikes and would hate to see them go, but to be honest, after I'm gone, I'm gone and hanging onto my junk won't change that. If my kids or others want to remember me, then there are probably better ways to do that than to keep all my junk the way I have it.
The relative that passed did not apparently have a pristine collection of shiny bikes that he cherished. They may have been that way once but not by the time he passed, so I think that sentimental pull is less strong than we'd like to believe.
Life is all about choices we make. Everything we decide to get means deciding not to get something else. If we sell something valuable and piss the cash up against a wall, that's our loss, but the universe didn't change. That item is now owned by someone who clearly valued it more than we did.
If the bikes have no sentimental or emotional value, then let thenm go to someone who knows how to make cash on them and then on to someone who really appreciates them. That way even more people are happy.
The relative that passed did not apparently have a pristine collection of shiny bikes that he cherished. They may have been that way once but not by the time he passed, so I think that sentimental pull is less strong than we'd like to believe.
Life is all about choices we make. Everything we decide to get means deciding not to get something else. If we sell something valuable and piss the cash up against a wall, that's our loss, but the universe didn't change. That item is now owned by someone who clearly valued it more than we did.
If the bikes have no sentimental or emotional value, then let thenm go to someone who knows how to make cash on them and then on to someone who really appreciates them. That way even more people are happy.
Sonreir said:
When in doubt, listen to matt.
Sorry for your loss bud!
My advice, you were surviving before you received this DREAM COME TRUE, and now you are seeing the money flood your thoughts as you contemplate dumping for chump change what took a lifetime to collect. Look at it as a family heirloom. you don't hock your families prized collectables for a fast 50k or whatever you fetch for the collection. It would be a hell of a lot cooler to pass them on to your kids than to explain that you sold the whole lot of them for the sweet 50k that lasted you 6 months. Sell a few that you aren't too keen on, you'll still get some pretty pennies to rub together, then you can invest in fixing up the other bikes and sell them as you see fit, to people who are willing to pay for what you've got, which is a goldmine. Even at 10k estimates, there are probably some bikes in there that are worth a heap more than that, and the price will only increase over time--like matt said. Get them appraised, find out what is worth saving and keep those around for generations to come. Money is only money, paper deemed significant by a bunch of paper pushing monkeys in suits--come zombie apocalypse them bills will only work to fuel the fire that keeps you warm...whereas them bikes are always worth something. Don't go sell the lot, and if you do, we here at DTT will start a pool to gather the 50k or whatever you want so that we can have the lot divided between us...and on that note, those bikes aren't worth very much, you should sell the whole lot of them here on DTT... hahaha.
Good luck bud! jealousy breeds hate and folks are steamin' and drooling over the collection. You, willy wonka, have been given the golden ticket.
Barkingmadspeedshop
Sell the many to fund the few
The wife always says "if you sell it will it cost more to buy another when you miss it?" You will have a hard time replacing any of these bikes in the future. if they are in good shape and if storage is the reason for selling then look into loaning them for display. Bike shops etc may be interested and you get heated storage for them. Should you sell them? I wouldn't but thats me.
S
smvirili
Guest
Barkingmadspeedshop said:
you have a great wife.
if i ever get married, i'd picture her spraying up and telling me that there's no space for such shit in this house.
how dare she.
Wow, Jl87, just wow....
Take a breath and do not make a rush, emotional or uninformed decision on any of this. Money and greed can do strange things to people. You can always earn money and I would recommend hanging on to every possible thing you can. I have very few regrets in my life, but those I do have involve selling motorcycles. I tear up when I talk about my first Triumph and cannot even talk about the sale of my BSA Lightning, it hurts to even think about. Owning, maintaining and riding vintage motorcycles is one the best things in life and I am sure most DTT members will agree.
I also recommend the following:
Research comparable sales on the "completed" section of E-bay. Also look at recent motorcycle auctions results from in Las Vegas (Mid America and others) Use this information as a guideline only because many variables such as condition, location, time of year, scarcity will affect the price. It will give you a ballpark of where to start. We forum members always want to buy cheap and sell high and are not the best means to judge the vintage bike market.
If you need money, considering getting the bikes appraised and the go to the bank for a secured loan against the title of your bike(s).
If you must or want to sell some or all I would recommend selling the most produced, less scarce bikes on your list first. You may be able to buy one again in the future if need be. I would sell in the following in order: 1970 Kawasaki w1 Triple (right side shifter)1971 BSA 650 (oil in frame model), 1968 BSA a65, 1968 BSA Lighting 650, 1968 Norton 750, 1962 Norton Atlas in a Featherbed frame (6000 miles),1969 BSA Rocket 3 (6000 miles), 1975 Norton 850, 1970 Norton 850, 1968 Triumph Trident and then 1957 Triumph 650.
There is no such thing as a 1966 A10 BSA, they ceased production in 1962.
DO NOT sell the 1961 BSA Gold Star, despite the fact it is the most valuable bike on your list. You may not appreciate it now, but it is one of the finest motorcycles ever created, highly desirable, rare (less than 6000 made), extremely valuable and a blast to own and ride. Read my BSA Gold Star restoration thread. If you are considering selling the Goldie, see a psychiatrist to have your head examined.
Sell each bike individually.
Join britbike.com forum
Sell off some of the extra parts for cash but keep ALL tools, literature, photographs, documents etc. I am interested in BSA parts, transmissions, parts if you do sell. I would be happy to help you identify your spare parts.
Since you inherited these bikes and you are not in debt from them, store them until you make a well researched and informed decision. I am sorry for your loss, but the person who left them for you obviously had good taste and a passion for fine vintage bikes. Honor their memory by taking one out for a ride and think about what you are doing.
Good luck and keep us informed about your decision.
Take a breath and do not make a rush, emotional or uninformed decision on any of this. Money and greed can do strange things to people. You can always earn money and I would recommend hanging on to every possible thing you can. I have very few regrets in my life, but those I do have involve selling motorcycles. I tear up when I talk about my first Triumph and cannot even talk about the sale of my BSA Lightning, it hurts to even think about. Owning, maintaining and riding vintage motorcycles is one the best things in life and I am sure most DTT members will agree.
I also recommend the following:
Research comparable sales on the "completed" section of E-bay. Also look at recent motorcycle auctions results from in Las Vegas (Mid America and others) Use this information as a guideline only because many variables such as condition, location, time of year, scarcity will affect the price. It will give you a ballpark of where to start. We forum members always want to buy cheap and sell high and are not the best means to judge the vintage bike market.
If you need money, considering getting the bikes appraised and the go to the bank for a secured loan against the title of your bike(s).
If you must or want to sell some or all I would recommend selling the most produced, less scarce bikes on your list first. You may be able to buy one again in the future if need be. I would sell in the following in order: 1970 Kawasaki w1 Triple (right side shifter)1971 BSA 650 (oil in frame model), 1968 BSA a65, 1968 BSA Lighting 650, 1968 Norton 750, 1962 Norton Atlas in a Featherbed frame (6000 miles),1969 BSA Rocket 3 (6000 miles), 1975 Norton 850, 1970 Norton 850, 1968 Triumph Trident and then 1957 Triumph 650.
There is no such thing as a 1966 A10 BSA, they ceased production in 1962.
DO NOT sell the 1961 BSA Gold Star, despite the fact it is the most valuable bike on your list. You may not appreciate it now, but it is one of the finest motorcycles ever created, highly desirable, rare (less than 6000 made), extremely valuable and a blast to own and ride. Read my BSA Gold Star restoration thread. If you are considering selling the Goldie, see a psychiatrist to have your head examined.
Sell each bike individually.
Join britbike.com forum
Sell off some of the extra parts for cash but keep ALL tools, literature, photographs, documents etc. I am interested in BSA parts, transmissions, parts if you do sell. I would be happy to help you identify your spare parts.
Since you inherited these bikes and you are not in debt from them, store them until you make a well researched and informed decision. I am sorry for your loss, but the person who left them for you obviously had good taste and a passion for fine vintage bikes. Honor their memory by taking one out for a ride and think about what you are doing.
Good luck and keep us informed about your decision.
Thank you for all the opinions. I am going to start thinking about it all and will consider everything. I am in debt because of college plus it costs to ship and store everything so I do need to sell some and will keep some. Most likely I will sell a few in order to get cash to restore others. I want to make enough money in order to start a business or buy other neat rare bikes to resell or keep. I completely respect and love the history of these bikes, but truthfully as of now these are just objects to me and until i develop a "relationship" with them they will remain just that.
surffly
Over 1,000 Posts
Not for anything but the brit bike market is in the can right now....
Yes you have some nice rather desirable bikes but they are not light the world on fire....also i struggle to see anywhere near $50k even pieced out on the retail market.
It sucks alot for you right now because you seem to not be near them to take things slow and go throw the bikes one at a time. They all are going to need alot more then you might think to get the big bucks.
That said you should be able to move the bikes as is as the projects they are, but as with everything it would be at less money.
Yes you have some nice rather desirable bikes but they are not light the world on fire....also i struggle to see anywhere near $50k even pieced out on the retail market.
It sucks alot for you right now because you seem to not be near them to take things slow and go throw the bikes one at a time. They all are going to need alot more then you might think to get the big bucks.
That said you should be able to move the bikes as is as the projects they are, but as with everything it would be at less money.
