Are Prices Softening?

[chuckthebeatertruck]

The last several months I have been out hunting some unusual bikes. Not our typical HD or Indian fare on AMCA; but more blue chip British bikes.

Since June; I've watched two Brough SS80s and three 1948-1951 Vincent Rapides (B and C series) sell for amazing small amounts in very good nick. The latest Vinnie sale was on an overrestored 1951 -- but it went for a measly $25,000 on Hagerty Marketplace.

That same bike was 38-40K all day long just a few years ago.

I'm also watching Rudge 500s, Scott Flying Squirrels and all manner of Ariel thumpers and Norton Thumpers just tumble. My own loved Tridents are also dropping like stones.

Any theories?

[JoJo357]

Steve, i've noticed this trend also. The British Motorcycles have taken a healthy twist downhill in the past year. I've owned & sold many British Motorcycles over the long years, and for some reason, they've always had a finicky walk of one step forward and two back, or two steps forward and one back, take your pick. To this day, i haven't a clue as to why. But, it is a great time to buy, just a crap shoot whether you'll hold an investment.
The past Mecum Las Vegas Auction, in late January, was a complete disaster for the British Motorcycles. Almost every other make & model went up if you retract the auction sales & prices, which are still available for viewing on their website. I thought it was because of the switch of presidency, but it didn't begin to explain why American, Japanese & European did fairly well. Like the old saying in Michigan about the weather. ''If You don't like the weather, wait 10 minutes". But, realistically it might be a lot longer than a 10 minute wait unfortunately.
Some of my long time British buying friends aren't even purchasing, unless it is a supreme deal, which they can easily flip, with only a marginal profit. I will kick this around with the British guru experts this Sunday at the 2025 'Battle of the Brits' Show & Swap Meet, and post pictures and maybe an explanation as to...WHY!!!!

1959 Velocette Venom Clubman For Sale At Auction - Mecum Auctions <----
One quick example, but there are many more. *Note that Mecum is not always the criteria for current rates. But, some of these prices were downright ridiculous, even by Mecum standards. *You'll probably have to log in to view the selling prices?

Las Vegas Motorcycles 2025 - Mecum Auctions <-----


*M.A.D.*

[Steve Slocombe]

Certainly prices in general were down at the last Mecum auction. Once you remove the big money collector bikes there were some real bargains. And Bonhams just sold a 1946 Harley U for under $20k. Britain is a more motorcycle-intensive country that the US, so there are a lot of older bikes here with fewer buyers. How many young people even have motorcycle rider permits these days? And who wants to buy a six volt kickstart bike? In the last couple of years I've bought a 1914 Douglas, a 1950 Sunbeam S8 and recently a 1952 Ariel Square Four, all for sensible money and not to flip but to enjoy. The Sunbeam is a 500 cc inline twin with overhead cam and shaft drive, matching numbers, and just right for road runs. Those Vincents are not rider bikes, but just sit in rich mens living rooms as a store of value. Like art, stamps, E-type Jags, the fashions ebb and flow. If you like riding old motorcycles this is a great time to buy.

[otis71]

I haven’t followed rarer Brit bikes closely but triumph 650s and their parts have been way down several years now.

[JoJo357]

Attended the 2025 42nd Annual 'Battle of the Brits', and inquired with a lot of old British Guru acquaintances in regard to this topic~Guess what? No one really had a substantial answer for this past slump with the current British Motorcycle dilemma. *Clueless in...Michigan. Oh Well.


*M.A.D.*

[Steve Slocombe]

Dear All, it's not just Brit bikes. At Mecum away from the exotica of 1500 lots were 165 unsold where 'the bid goes on'. This included two Crockers not going past $250k and three 1920s BMWs which had fetched fancy money in earlier auctions. Undocumented eight valve bikes were going near the cost of building them, custom bikes and choppers were either unsold or going cheaply, and there were some late model bikes I thought were bargains. In thousands of dollars there was a 2002 Harley V-Rod for 5.5, a 1988 chopper for 3, a 1985 FXEF for 2.75, a 1969 XLH for 3.3, a 1973 FLH for 3.3, a 1969 XLH for 1.9, and a 1981 XLS for 1.1. Several knuckleheads went for under $50k.

[BigLakeBob]

I wonder if the people that complain about not being able to afford an older motorcycle will take advantage of this market or will they still have an excuse?

One example.

The last several pages demonstrate why nostalgia is so incredibly dangerous.

A poster says they managed to come up with $1000 50 years ago when they only made $2.25/hr. They think that this "ratio" is still reasonable today and that young people who want a classic bike bad enough will find a way. This is nostalgia - not reality.

Put simply; the USD is not worth 15 percent of what it was 50 years ago.

Rather than debate "lifestyle" -- let's just use facts and math to illustrate.

The first step is understanding the value of a dollar is different from the value of a motorbike. Unless the bike is brand new -- it is not tied to a market index related to production value. It is a floating variable and does not (and never has) moved with general market for day to day commodities like groceries, housing, and health care.

With that understanding, you can start debunking all this "but I did it" bs.

To illustrate: a $1000 bike in 1975, as shared in this thread, is the equivalent of a $5,866 bike today in 2025 dollars. Go ahead and look it up on inflation calculators.

Now that you've picked your electronic jaw up off the floor because you didn't realize that 1975 isn't 2025; please tell us all where we can find "rideable, reliable" 1941 EL harleys for under $6,000. Considering all the "rideable, reliable" bikes we've seen are north of $30-35K . . .

Similarly, the national minimum wage in 1975 was $2.10/hr. That works out to $12.32/hr now. Except, the national minimum wage is $7.25/hr -- a HUGE difference of 70%.

So; to recap - if a young person is making just north of the minimum as our poster in 1975, well, they'd only be making 70% less in real 2025 dollars AND chasing a bike worth a real world 700% more than it was in 1975 when adjusted for inflation (not 1000 x 700 but rather 5,866 x 7 for those who don't like math).

To put this back into 1975 -- exactly how many 30 year olds did you guys know who had $7,000 (yes, 7000 in 1975) burning a hole in their pocket for a vintage bike? That 7000 is equivalent ot $41,000 today?

However, this is a dramatic over simplification.

We're forgetting something very important -- age of machine.

In 1975, said $1,000 1941 Harley was only 34 years old. That's the equivalent of a 1989 Evo powered Electraglide which DOES sell for around $5,000 for a good, clean, reliable rider.

So, indeed, 30-35 year old Harleys DO still sell for the same as that $1000 35 year old harley in 1975.

The problem is the 1941 is now 84 years old . . .hence the value is higher than a 35 year old Harley . . .

The challenge with this thread is the older members are looking for reasons to disprove the younger members and to continue talking down to the younger members by telling them they don't want it bad enough.

None of it is true and this isn't an "us vs them" battle. Continuing to denigrate younger club members based on belief, not fact, is how club's slowly fade.