"Traveler's" 1977 CB550K Cafe build
- Thread starter Traveler
- Start date
Shit, I'd forgotten about all that attention seeking and BOTM stuff. I agree with the point about parts getting shipped about to help out and then the bike just getting sold off. If you're building for profit you should maybe leave the freebees alone. SO, Rich I owe you a few bucks I think!!
$6500 for a 550! Crazy. Whats that make my 200 worth?
$6500 for a 550! Crazy. Whats that make my 200 worth?
If I remember correctly, traveler had a reserve of like $3500 when He had it listed on ebay. I think the buy it now was $4500? I'm not sure what the current seller had to give, but he is making a healthy profit on doing nothing... Especially for a bike that uses oil like crazy!!
boomshakalaka
Over 1,000 Posts
diesel450 said:
honestly though, I feel like while the price of unbuilt bikes has certainly risen, the price of built bikes has just rocketed into the sky. So for us builders, its not bad yet. When non running crusty old cb350's start selling for $1500, then it will be bad... but as it has been said before, it will pass.. hopefully..
boomshakalaka said:
Yes, cafe racers are in the limelight at the moment due to CR tv and these sorts of sights, but the fact will remain that these bikes are OLD and are not available in the quantity they were a few years ago. Barn finds are being "found" and they get transformed into running bikes, and the price goes up because there isn't a pool of old non-running project bikes sitting in peoples garages "taking up space" and being sold off for $50.
To give you an example, my buddy has a Z1B Kawa with a Z1000 motor in it. It is "period correct" except for the engine, and in VERY good condition. Just the other day, he blew #4 big end bearing, so he has to rebuild the crank. Parts availability over here (Oz) is poor and expensive, so just to re-do the crank and all the other bits - if he does it himself - will set him back about $3K....MINIMUM. He is now considering getting a Z1B engine shipped from the US to make the bike "original" and worth over $11K. He could probably sell it with a blown "wrong" engine right now for $5K. Five years ago he could have bought a Z1B parts bike for $2.5K.
Moral of the story is old bikes are old bikes - there was a finite amount made, and they won't be getting more plentiful in years to come...cafe'd or otherwise.
DrJ
Over 1,000 Posts
hillsy said:
Yeah but the pool of 90s bikes is getting deeper every year. The new generation riders are spoiled on fuel injection and ABS and won't go near anything without. Up here in the Toronto area, mid 90s YZF750s are going for around $3000. Now if old CB750s are commanding higher prices until they intersect, guess which one I'm going to buy with my $3000. Screw the old CB and give me that YZF. I'm not that attached to nostalgia once the prices hit critical mass.
Exactly! because you're not concerned with being a cool deuche bag, but guess who's paying $6500 for a 550 thats using oil like a two dollar whore!
I see it all the time. guys that have the perfect Triumph or whatever but only ride a few days a year because the other days the thing is on the rack. that is not a love of motorcycling, that is a love of what that bike does for your image. Hey, I love the old stuff and that aspect of the whole thing too, but I'm not ashamed to get on an R1 and have a fucking ball.
I see it all the time. guys that have the perfect Triumph or whatever but only ride a few days a year because the other days the thing is on the rack. that is not a love of motorcycling, that is a love of what that bike does for your image. Hey, I love the old stuff and that aspect of the whole thing too, but I'm not ashamed to get on an R1 and have a fucking ball.
boomshakalaka
Over 1,000 Posts
bingo DrJ.
you can get a ducati 748 in immaculate condition (maybe with a few miles on it..) for under 4k..
you can get a ducati 748 in immaculate condition (maybe with a few miles on it..) for under 4k..
Beautiful resto!
This build is being featured in our directory here: http://www.bikebuilds.net/honda-cb550k-cafe-build-by-traveler
At this point, we're only displaying a reduced-size photo (similar to what you'd find in Google Images). We'd like to ask for your permission to publish the original full-size image with your build listing.
If anyone would like to have a build of their own listed, just send me a message with a link to the build thread and we'll take care of the rest.
Ken
This build is being featured in our directory here: http://www.bikebuilds.net/honda-cb550k-cafe-build-by-traveler
At this point, we're only displaying a reduced-size photo (similar to what you'd find in Google Images). We'd like to ask for your permission to publish the original full-size image with your build listing.
If anyone would like to have a build of their own listed, just send me a message with a link to the build thread and we'll take care of the rest.
Ken
