Vehicles: Why do motorcycles retain their resale value ?

[cbelt3]

Just curious... they seem to retain resale insanely well. Buddy has a '75 Kawasaki that he's been offered 10 times what he paid for it.

[Filliam H. Muffman]

It depends on the bike. Is this a 750 Widowmaker? Why do people pay so much for a 1965 G.T. 350 Mustang?

[Yoyodyne ArtWorks]

Depending on the model your friend's Kawasaki may be considered highly collectible.

New motorcycles depreciate at a fearsome rate, making it easy to pick up a two- or three-year old model for a fraction of its original price.

[cbelt3]

Filliam H. Muffman wrote:
It depends on the bike. Is this a 750 Widowmaker? Why do people pay so much for a 1965 G.T. 350 Mustang?

As a matter of fact, yes. He was talking about owning 'scary fast motorcycles'. And he's in his early 60's. And still rides.

[The UnDoug]

A lot of those older Japanese bikes are bought by "hipsters" (and others) and turned into "cafe racers".

That happens here in Philly a LOT!

I've been watching Craigslist trying to get an old Honda for a cheap price, and they don't come up often, and when they do, they seem to get snatched up really quickly. Sellers know, and ask for higher prices as a result.

[ztirffritz]

I bought a 1983 or 84 Honda Rebel in 1998 with 250 miles on it for $1100. I put about 15,000 miles on the bike over the next 12 years, treated it like crap, and sold it for $750 last year. That was money well spent in my opinion. A new Honda Rebel can still be had for about $3000 and it is virtually identical to the bike I had. Very little has changed. I was shocked at the resale value too. I was expecting to get maybe $250. I don't really understand it either.

[N-OS X-tasy!]

Yoyodyne ArtWorks wrote:
Depending on the model your friend's Kawasaki may be considered highly collectible.

New motorcycles depreciate at a fearsome rate, making it easy to pick up a two- or three-year old model for a fraction of its original price.

This.

[decay]

I thought Harley-Davidson motorcycles held their value since there used to be a months-long waiting list to get one.

Has that changed?

[Catzilla]

Craigslist is full of HD's, I don't think they as sought after as they once were.

[decay]

it used to be you could drive a H-D off the lot and sell it for more than you paid.