top prices or what

[nevhunter]

Replica G 50's and Manx Nortons are pretty common so the figures needed to buy these don't seem to be much of a problem, and you don't run them around racetracks for nothing either. If you care about the future of bikes you dispose of don't look too hard at the fate that befalls some of them or it won't make your day sometimes. Something that has survived 70-90 years can turn to junk in the wrong hands. It's a throw away society today, because labour costs v/s initial cost are high. unfortunately it doesn't make sense to repair it... Nev

[adrie.degraaff]

Now no one has mentioned the very original VHA on Ebay, so that would mean you all want to have it.

It's a shame they left it where it was for so long but the browner it is the more pounds it will bring.

There will be some one with a 1953 petroltank getting top price.

[brenton.roy]

Adrie, even you couldn't bring that to life!
Or probably only you. You'd have to build a new one from scratch. It just wouldn't be worth it.

[adrie.degraaff]

It's only 1500 hours work, I would make the tank, if they can do it in India we can do it here.
Taking it apart is the most difficult thing, lots of heating.

But we already have a VHA with a spare head, so not me.

[barry.swanson]

Chris said..."Anyone for my G-special somewhere between 25 k and 30 k ?"

....careful Chris, there could be someone among us for whom price is no object and they really want a G Special!...but we all know you are only joking (aren't you ?)
I saw it happen afew years back, a guy said to another, "I would like to buy your bike please, how much" the bike owner replyed with what he thought was a crazy high price , and the guy said "deal"and got his cheque book out. The owner was stunned and had to apoligise his way out of a transaction he thought would never happen...

[Keith.owen]

Saw those square 4's on Ebay and my mouth started to water. The trouble is that it's not just what you pay at the auction -it's the rest. And I do absolutely everything i can myself, bar specialist jobs like reboring.

How things have changed. I remember a time when people would come up to me in the street when they saw my Ariel (we are talking about the mid-late seventies) and offer me bikes for £25 -nobody wanted them!

Unfortunately for those of us who are Jo averages (income wise) but genuine enthusiasts (have been since my teens, but family responsibilities have to come first) it is impossible to compete with the investors. For me the pleasure lies in riding and caring for them, not just knowing that I have a classic bike in my garage thatif I hold onto it long eneough will make me money (probably not condidering what I've spent on it)!!

As for comments about Sheiks in the Middle East, it probably won't be long before they buy up Buckingham Palace and shit that back to the desert. I know thw Qataris have bough a Picasso for £45 M at a price our museums couldn't match!
Keith

[huw.parsons]

Interesting thread this.
I recently got a large lump of cash back from my building society on a ppi claim post divorce and selling the house a few years back
I've been looking for a mid vintage sporting bike for ages and have discovered that even the dealers are struggling to find bikes now. The supply of bikes is of course finite and many are now simply going abroad at crazy money.
I was chasing a privately owned 1922 long stroke Sunbeam TT model in oily rag/ original paint for a couple of years.
I thought we were getting close to a deal at just over fifteen grand. A lot of money but a rare and desirable bike that goes like shit off a shovel.
A German collector of original condition Sunbeams paid the guy £35,000. the few traders I know we're as shocked as me.

20's and 30's Ariels are just far more in demand now because the wider motorcycling community have finally realised
what fantastic bikes they are. It's just sad that some are being bought for investment only and won't do what all bikes are meant for and get ridden.

Anyone got a '26 model C for sale?!

[brenton.roy]

Yes, Huw - it is an interesting thread.
I have a theory that a lot of it is about marketing, more so as time passes, memories fade and information /communication technologies become the norm.
In a lot of ways, we are the Ariel marketing dept.
Having a strong club and specialist parts suppliers is critical. Other things being equal, I would spend more money on a brand which included spares information and support.
Clubs that can do this will maintain numbers into the future (and $ bike value).

Out of interest, pick a marque that's no longer manufactured, and google their main club. There will be very few websites that come even close to ours.
You won't find a lot of open forum's either.
I don't want to bag any other brands (except bsa), but you'll see really good brands with really crap support.

Unless I've got it wrong, Ariel prices are quite strong in the UK / Europe at the moment.

[chris.vredenbregt]

Of course I am joking although I hear some comment of my wife in the background(that much for the old barrel) Do you know what you can do with that money? well,I cannot ride it f.i. and if this sick gourvernements of ours know about it they will come and take it from me

[Wali.Badger.Taylor]

Huw, why do you need a sporting machine? If you want to compete (and I know you do!) go the path that I have and build a special based around a standard machine. The fastest vintage sprint bikes today are 1920s for and aft Douglas fast twins that run low 13s but they have been worked on to hell. If you look at Ariel sprint times from the 1960s they are in the 18/19 second range, I run low 15s.