How Vintage Motorcycles Are Driving the U.S. Collector Market

Many people can't even afford to buy one motorbike, let alone two. But some people can have both a street bike and a classic or collector's bike. Because I loved riding bikes for a few years, I bought one. After that, I sold it for more than what I bought it for. (Okay, maybe the same price you paid the first time.)I could have spent the week at a warm "all-inclusive" vacation, but I used my "holiday" money to buy a collectible motorcycle instead. I'm not rich at all. But I've bought, sold, and used a few bikes over the years. Some of them were fun to own and ride, and when I sold them, they brought in some cash. There was no risk, but it was a fun way to make money.Is this possible for anyone?

Vincent Rapide and the Norton Isle of Man

A Norton Manx road racer was being sold to me for $7000 a long time ago. It's worth $40,000 now. I'm sorry, but I didn't buy that bike. I could buy an old Vincent Rapid 1000cc street bike for $23,000 five years ago. It's now going to cost $45,000. I didn't believe it was real.I didn't have $23,000 sitting around, but I might not have bought an old motorcycle with it even if I did. A GIC fund from my bank would have made me 1.5% more money instead.GIC has no fun factor at all. It was so much fun riding a Vincent to a bike night.Bimota DB1I had the chance to buy a bright white Bimota DB1 with a strong Ducati V twin engine a few years ago. Only a good home was important to its owner. For the price of a nice used car, you can get all of this. When I failed, my money was in a money market account with a low return.Do you notice a pattern?I know that some people can't buy a pricey motorcycle that they can't use right away to get to work. Yes, you do need to plan where to store the things and what to say to your partner, who thinks you're wasting money.The Greyhound that has Auto- BiI bought a 1909 Auto-Bi Greyhound motorcycle from the person who owned it before me in 1983. When it was made in Buffalo Falls, New York, the Auto-Bi Greyhound was a high-tech single-cylinder automobile. I had to pay for a new bathroom, so I sold it after two years. Right now, that bike would fetch between $60,000 and $75,000 if it were left alone. Someone in the US bought the bike and came from Iowa to get it. One is in the important Henry Ford Collection in Michigan. I really did need to keep it. At the time, I thought it would be smart to double my money.

It's unlikely that you'll find a motorcycle from before World War I any time soon

It doesn't have to be a real motorcycle, though. In the 1980s, you could get an Italian drum brake front wheel for a road race motorcycle for around $400. Today, Fontana, Oldani, and other brands of similar race wheels are selling on eBay for more than $1,400. A thousand-dollar win.The Dellorto SSI is aWhen I visited a motorcycle shop in Philadelphia, PA in 2007, I saw a brand-new Dellorto SSI remote float race carburetor made in Italy sitting on a shelf. I bought it for $350 and took it home. Today, it's worth around $700 to $1000.Things that will go up in value are things you can buy. Some people might do this to make money, but most people don't. I'm a fan. I'm not doing it for the money either. I am not a "motorcycle business." Anyway, it's good to know that my hobby doesn't cost me cash.Things that make a motorcycle interesting to collect

What does this story have to do with anything now

I just now found a new "buy it now" bike. Something whose value has dropped and is about to rise again. If you want to buy an old motorcycle, here are some things you should look for:

1. They only made a few bikes

2. Already has a cult following 3. The one you want has few or no miles on it.

4. Look for street bikes or bikes that can race.

You won't get much use out of most "cruisers" and "touring" bikes. Except for a few from before 1960, most of the motorbikes that people want to collect are performance or racing bikes. Do you need a case study? It's worth between $3,500 and $4,500 to buy a 1977 Harley-Davidson Sportster. A 1977 Harley-Davidson XR750 dirt track race bike is worth between $20,000 and $35,000. That means you should work on sports bikes or race bikes.