You're right about many of those bikes but the important thing when considering future value will be originality. Some of the bikes you looked up were horribly modified and would take significant expenditure to sort out. I've never understood why so many people throw away original exhausts, airboxes and take a hacksaw to the rear mudguard. Having restored a couple of bikes over the years I can confidently say that these parts can become almost unobtainable and their absence will seriously affect future value.
The main reason sports bikes are cheap, and will probably remain cheap, is because older bikers, who are the majority of riders now, don't want something uncomfortable. Most of the bikes you chose would not be considered by people in their 50's and 60's. Even if the average biker age comes down, demand for old sports bikes will not increase because younger people don't have the nostalgia associated with these things. Freddie, as a young man, you are a marvellous exception to the rule when it comes to enjoying classic bikes I fear. I hope I'm wrong and the value of my VFR800FI goes up, but I doubt it. In the mean time, I'm just enjoying it for what it is. A massively over engineered, quality, frugal, powerful, sweet handling work of art! Keep up the good work.
Back in the 90’s, the ZZR1100D was fastest bike in the world for 6yrs. It was the big bruiser everyone talked about. After all these yrs I eventually bought one and will confess it is very very quick. Picked mine up for 2 grand. The old 250 two strokes ie KR1 S, RGV, TZR etc. A pristine RGV250M will go for 15 grand now.
When I got my Suzuki AP50 in 1978 and my Yamaha RD 250 in 1979 they were plentiful and i could NEVER have guessed they would be commanding the prices they do nowadays so i think you would need a crystal ball to predict a future classic . Add to that the fact that bikers are a dying breed (literally) then you have to wonder who are they going to be of value to !? Interesting conversation anyway !
Honda RC51 sp1 and sp2 would be my tips: v-twin, ducati beating, championship winning bikes, not popular (in UK) due to R1s and Blades and 25th anniversary soon. They're lovely bikes to ride on the road, with a few mods and look sublime.
Hi Freddie I own a Horda CBR1100 blackbird. It’s a beautiful bike. It’s only done 5000 miles it’s like new. And 24 years old. The person I bought it from he had it in his front room. I have been riding around 50years. I do not like the new bikes with all the riding modes. It takes all the pleasure away because you are not in control. All the new gadgets on bikes will be a problem later on. Many of the older guys like me perfer the classics. Looking forward to seeing your next videos kind regards Ian.
I really don't think we're going to see the sort of price explosion with bikes from the 1990s and onwards that we've seen with those from the 1960s-80s. The simple reason is the relatively small customer base. Motorcycling peaked in the UK around 1980, with 300,000 new machines sold. It then dropped sharply and has never recovered those sort of sales, due mainly to demographic change and the barriers to entry from licensing regulations. High classic prices are driven by those wealthier older men who remember their youth on bikes. Take a look around, we're dying out, there aren't the number of Generation X/Z/Millenial bikers out there to fuel demand for later bikes. With specific regard to the Kawasaki GPz900R, it was tipped as an emerging classic as far back as 2004, when I bought my first example. It is a direct descendant of the legendary Z1. However, prices have gone nowhere, whereas a Z1 from the '70s has gone from £5k to £25k. Ecce Signum.
I would suggest the first generation of the ZZR 1100/ZX11 as a classic bike in waiting. This one was the fastest production motorcycle on Earth between 1990 and 1996. Even today, this thing can be scary in terms of acceleration and performance. Even the mighty GSXR 1100 could not cope with it on the straight at that time.
100% mate! I had a ZZR 1100C1 and a ZZR 1100D1 which I still have tucked away. As a guess, a D1 in orange and purple will be the most wanted or mine that is black and anthracite.A good original really is a classic in waiting! They set the standard for fast sports tourers.
I stil regret selling my black/bleu zzr 1100 . I had a zxr750 ,then i road my brother in law,s zzr and was in heaven. What a power ....could not sleep til i had mine ...
@@EnglishVeteran I like C and D generations equally! For the time being I am a proud owner of D4 candy wine red machine. But I still hope that someday I will buy a C model, the very first one who had the courage to be the first hyper bike of the 90s.
My family acquired a Suzuki GSX 1400 in the oddest way possible... when my dad was reversing his car to get out of the parking spot he missed the GSX that was right next to him and of course he nudged it down and the bike tipped over... the owner saw everything happening and wanted my dad to pay for all the cosmetic repairs that would have been required, a couple of scratches here and there and a broken turn signal, nothing major at all. My dad complied and got a motorcycle mechanic to look over the bike to see how much it would cost to do it all. The mechanic estimated around 2000 Swiss francs... he was not amused with that price tag because if he paid the 2k he would lose the money get nothing out of it so he talked to the owner if he would be willing to just sell the bike to him. The owner complied because he wanted to sell the bike for roughly around 5k. My dad, the absolute top dog, managed to haggle it down to 3k. Now the bike is just sitting in our garage because I still don't have my proper licence to ride "big bikes" yet.
I generally agree with all your selections Freddie. There are some great bargains around. Just a thing about the 70s Kawasakis - I was riding daily then on a GT 750 Suzuki until it got nicked. But the thing that made the H2 and Z1 so notorious at that time wasn’t their performance so much as their bad handling and single disc front brake!!!
Bikes don't appreciate in value as much over the years as you might think. I bought a new Honda CB400F in 1976 for £606, which in todays money would be around £4,600. I can buy a working example today for about £6,000. It's not a loss if you ignore the costs of maintenance over the last 40 years or so, but it isn't a great return either. Bikes are labours of love, we buy them because we want to ride them, and in 40 years or so time I'm sure a decent example of, say, a Kawaski Ninja 1000SX will sell for much more than it costs to buy one new at the moment, but in real terms it won't be that much of a profit, and probably not worth waiting 40 years for! Some classic cars from the past, like works of art, sell for millions. Very few old bikes sell for much more than £50,000, and most cost less than £20,000. Yes, probably a profit on a long term basis, but a very small return over the decades.
GPZ900r , a forgotten bike but did you know the engine is the design model for the early Triumph engines , so without the GPZ would triumph be where they are today as far as 3 and 4 cylinder engines go
To be honest I'm not to familiar with the 80/90s bikes as I took a family priority break at that time but returned in 1999 to new modern bikes then later to buying rare 60s and 70s Japanese classics which I restored then later sold on and always made a healthy profit as prices were increasing, I didn't do it for the money no it was my new hobby as I showed them successfully as well around the country. Today I have just one sensible classic 1972 Honda, fully restored and ultra reliable. On a different topic Freddie I came across a face book chat about who would be best suited to be the next James Bond? I put your name forward, hope you don't mind?
Very few bikes appreciate over time and even then they have to be original and not used and dry stored. For me i would probably go for a Bimota ( not all as some are munters) . The market for bikes is just not the same as for cars. Don't expect to retire on your investment.
I have problems with seeing race-inspired bikes becoming classics??? The roads are clogged with traffic, and speed restriction everywhere + Cameras, and the young generation not interested in speed or going fast (you cannot use your phone at 120mph)
With the new Royal Enfield Himalayan 452 water cooled version being showcased in Milan at EICMA this week, perhaps the original Himalayan 411 will attain a similar nostalgic status that the Bullet 500s have in due course. Other than that, I'd probably offer up the Honda VFR800 as a bike for a future classic (not that I've looked at the prices) but it does have features and styling that sets it apart from the bikes that came before it, and that haven't been since replicated.
Real bikes , got a life of there own . harder work than a modern bike , but more rewarding . my best bike was my Suzuki Rg 500 , Flawed , but great fun . The most uncomfortable seat that ever was , but such good fun .Drove from Cheltenham to Truro and back in a day , couldn't walk for a week after. Must have stopped for fuel about 6 times at least .Happy days . But ,ahem (starts squirming now) wrote it off in Wales going a little too fast in a corner, ended up in hospital .
I'm with, 'MorrisMinor56' . The GPZ900R. Especially now that the rebirth of the modern classic is about to launch for 2024. It precedes many of the sports bikes mentioned and widely known as Maverick's bike in Top Gun. I also love the look of the slab side GSXR's. Given a choice, I'd opt for the 750 over the 1100 personally. Then again who could possibly knock back a Gen 1 Blade with the 16inch front wheel?
Why the 750 over the 11? I had an 85 750F and an 86 1100G. The 1100 was far better. Also had a 750M but being a slighshot rather than a slabby its a different comparison.
I've had a few 1980's classics and been looking at buying others, in the last few years the prices have been dropping, things like GPZ900's GSX750 slabsides, and RD350 and 350YPVS have come down. There have been loads of bikes that either remain unsold or the seller has dropped the price which was a price it would have sold for a year or 2 ago. Maybe partly because of the financial climate people are selling their bikes, also there seemed to be a period a couple of years ago when a load of classic bikes that had sat in storage came on the market, my guess was people were looking to make a home office and were having to clear garages and sheds. The other classic bike market you missed out on was the learner bike, I have friends who buy and restore 50cc and 125cc bikes from the 80's and 90's, for what they are they fetch good money, they tick the nostalgia box, also many were trashed back in the day so good examples are rare.
Freddie, you cant group all GSXR11s in to one. First there was the G,H,J Slabby with the 1052cc motor and 18" wheels. Then a redesign and now known as the Slingshot with a new frame and 1127cc motor and 17" wheels. The K with RWU forks then the L,M,N with upside down forks. After that the 1100 went water cooled not oil cooled and to many including myself arent "real " GSXR1100s! 😂 I had 2 1100G back in the day, one of which had a Wiseco 1109 big bore, bigger carbs, cams and a gas flowed head. Regardless of what power they they allegedly made they were dynoed at around 108hp stock. My tuned one was dynoed at 138hp. A stock 98 R1 on the same dyno on the same day made 133hp! Had a 750F and a 750M too. Loved all my oil boilers but spend my time on a KTM 1290 now.
I know a guy who owns a GPZ900 - he's had it 30+ years. About 20 years ago he told me prices were poised to explode and still nuffin has happened......
*Caveat emptor. The low price tells you no one desires it.* It's possible no one may ever desire it enough to get a high price. Buy a bike because YOU like it. YOU have to want to ride it every day - even when you can't.
In the past, I've brought a Honda VFR1000RR 1980s vintage I paid £1200 for it sold it 2 years later for £2000 the only other bike I've actually turned a profit on was a 1st gen Speed Triple paid £900 for it and sold it for £1750 a year later. Every other bike I've had has cost me money. I've currently got a Triumph Speed Four, which I paid £850 I'm hoping to turn a small profit on that. I've been after a Honda 600 or 650 Transalp for a while, but someone did a review on one a year or so ago, and now the £1500 bikes are fetching £2500. Thanks for that, Freddie !
When the first R1 s came out sold like hotcakes but quite soon after so many on the market ....they did a survey into why so many sold with low mileage just a few months ...basicly they scared people so fast ..for there time .
Surprised you did not list the infamous 1999 Copper/Silver Hayabusa. Now that was a game changing bike not just in performance but color too and todays prices reflect that. I had one for 21 yrs, sold it in 2020 for AU$10,500 with 92k on the clock, when many similar bikes could be had for $5-7000. So it was already going up in value and with so few left I can see prices going much higher. The iconic Copper/Silver Hayabusa.
I remember a review about Ducatis re investment potential, outside of the bevel Ducatis which already have become for the most part very expensive and the recommendation they gave included the Monster (ie. original series so think 600/620,800/900S4 etc, the Sport Classic 1000, 848, 851, 900SS, 916 and my additional one to add to this list would be the Panigale. Outside of these there a bunch of high spec models which I don’t know much about.
Very interesting Freddie, love these reviews. I still have my 99 BMW R1150GS, purchased new when they were announced for a trip across north Africa - a while before Long Way Round, planned to sell it on my return as availability poor, with a long waiting list and second hand prices higher than list. It’s 25 years old next year, has shared the garage with more than dozen bikes over the years that have come and gone, BUT it’s the only one I cannot part with. Every ride is an event. Rode the GS1300 last week, it’s like an 1150 with no soul or character, but heaps more electronics and power.
We all have our different views on this but its so much more interesting than talking about new bikes. A lot depends on whether you can do repairs/servicing yourself because mechanics cost money that quickly eats up any profit and then there is trying to find a decent one.....
Anything air cooled might have a chance of being a classic, eg Honda CB1100, GSX1400, XJ1300, ZRX1200, V7 series Guzzis, Royal Enfields, Harley Davidson (non-liquid cooled). Put Triumph Bonnevilles in there, plus a any of the Ducati "racebike with lights & mirrors" models. Honda Goldwing ... hard to say. Last of the Yamaha V-Max's ... possibly. Anything with a Vespa badge hasd got a good chance also. Anything out of the Bimota camp is special, but I wouldn't label them a 'classic'. The most modern bike owned by Jay Leno will be the last of the classics, so perhaps we'll go by what he's got in his garage.
Getting in early but I'm pretty sure that eventually the Mk1 Street Triple 675 with the chrome headlights (especially the R in matt grey) will be a future classic. It was a game changer with iconic design that can still be ridden in London (ULEZ)...get one...keep it!
Having owning a R1150GS in the past i would say it one to avoid they are all getting very old now and the electronics tend to go hay wire as in my case the bike had a brand new TPS, CPS and even rebuilt trottle bodies but refused to run without cutting out at motorway speeds. The joke was my 1994 Ducati 750ss made it to bike shed from somerset where as the BMW broke down. So i would certainly nominate the Ducati over the BMW.
I gotta say Freddie!, all but one of those bikes were sport bikes and there's so many more classic bikes out there. I'm a few years older than you and i grew up in a very different place so maybe i see the world of motorcycles from a different perspective?. In the summer of 1984 i bought a 4 year old, for me dream bike, off a mate. It was a 1980 Yamaha XT 500. A bike that entered production in 1976?. And was the bike that won the first two Paris to Dekar rally's in 79 & 80. It became a legend in its own time & if you can find a knackered one for under £6,000 it's only because the person selling has no idea what they have. From the highly modified XT 500s that won Dekar was born the XT 600 tenere first produced in 1984. That bike, not a BMW GS is in fact the birthplace of the modern adventure bike. It was also the first truly rally ready bike ever produced for the mass market. It's not just a bit of nastalga from your youth that makes a bike a future collectable. It's bikes like the Yamaha XT 500 that truly broke new ground and changed everything else that came before. A bike also by Yamaha that came only a few years earlier was the DT 1. A 250cc two stroke enduro bike that was literally the very first bike of it's kind. Before that bike you only had scramblers, modified street bikes that could kinda do off road. There were also a handful of European companies making the very first Motorcross & trials bikes like Montesa and Bultaco but those bikes couldn't, even in those days be ridden on the road. Yamaha with the DT 1 literally invented the enduro bike now popularly called a duel spot. If you want to find a bike that will be a true collectors investment look to the bikes that reinvented the market. if it's a road bike you're after than it has to be a Honda CB 750 or a Suzuki gixer 750. Those bikes broke the mold and are the bikes that your investment will never look back on. Everything else is just a temporary bit of nastagic fluff. Yes im fully aware of the Ducati 916 that took super sport bikes to a whole new level, but they're still no Picasso. The incredibly gorgeous Ducati 900 SS that came before it is still worth more and even it didn't break new ground. Loved the video Freddie and it did make me think, but if you'd ever owned a bike 38 years ago and now can't believe you were so blind to sell & let it go, you like me would be kicking yourself up the backside. The bikes of real collectors value are the ones that changed everything we thought we understood before. For me the Yamaha DT 1 & XT 500 were just such bikes and if you can get your hands on on now you've just bought your retirement pension.
I grew up in the 90s so when I picture a motorcycle, it's generally a faired sports bike or sports tourer, and in a way they're beautiful to me. However I don't really want 180bhp and no ABS. I think there's a real market for retro styled sports bikes with reasonable, usable power (60-120bhp) and all the safety tech.
An interesting and eye opening video. I am more familiar with classic cars than bikes and the trend in cars is quite simple - men in their mid forties and fifties often have the money to buy what they drooled over aged 15 or what they had as first cars before life tied them down in mid twenties. So mid 90's and early 2000's (especially sporty Fords and Subarus) have been increasing. Bikes are relatively much cheaper and take up less space so they are often kept rather than sold so I agree with Mike at 20:00 in that it will only be game changers that really appreciate.
Im a retired expat from the US livjng jn Thailand 5 1/2 yrars. About 11 years ago, when i lived in the U S had a 2002 Honda Fireblade 954. Yher was an aweskme bike. Fast, handled great, comfortable. Now jn Tland have a 2004 Honda CB 400 Super Sport and a RE Continental GT. Both great bikes. Big bike culture here. Not all thoe cool old bikes, but pretty good selection. culture here.
Oh Freddie, you touched upon so many fond memories in this episode! I've been admiring an FZR600 on marketplace which is in a colour scheme particular to the year & model (burgundy with big far letters on fairing)😍 There is also a YZF750R on there & they were a lot rarer in their day, but after the Genesis came Exup & after that the YZF (a friend had a YZF750 (after a GPZ600) & I remember clearly him putting it through a hedge (after a tight bend) as I followed on an '87 GSXR1100H (more on that in a minute). I had another acquaintance who rode a GPZ900R & I refused to test ride it as it was such an intimidating bike (I had a Kwak Zephyr 550 at the time, my first bike) 😱 Another mate had a first gen fireblade, which apparently had a small front wheel & made riding quirky to that model, but he was always on the back wheel anyways. 😈 I moved onto a sportier bike when I got an '87 GSXR750H, which I crashed on the way back from Cornwall (to Essex) from my dads funeral 🤕 Having fixed it up, I then found my GSXR1100H in a local shop & after a test ride (on the back) I was hooked. Dad had left me some money, so I sold the 750 & rode the 1100 for many many years until a white van man pulled across the road ahead of me (in the wet) & hard as I tried to stop, I smashed into the side & was thrown over the top of his van & into an ambulance. The most frustrating thing about that was the following year was the 30th anniversary of the GSXR & I had wanted to take my first get model to Brands Hatch for a commemorative gathering by Suzuki. My dads gift to me was destroyed & I've never forgotten this sadness. By the way it was the exact model that you showed paint scheme identicle & that's a really good price for on too as they're usually closer to 7grand (I keep an eye on them). Whilst I've had several other large capacity bikes (all Suzuki's) I recently went from first gen Hayabusa (full power model) to a GSX1400K3. The bike you showed had many aftermarket parts & bits missing or modified, hence why the price was as low as it was. Try to find a decent unmolested original condition example & again you'll be looking at 5-6grand. Original spares don't come cheap & (as you know with your own exhaust, an oem Suzuki 4-2 system could collectively reach over 2grand when all the parts are required. That's before you start replacing indicators, mirrors & hacked up rear undertray/mud-guards. She's not a good handling bike like the GSXR series or even the Bandits I've owned, however the power is intoxicating & I don't want to ride like a 20yr old anymore (being over twice that currently) as there are too many coppers & cameras & other idiots (I am one too, make no mistake) especially those of a four wheeled variety. Bikes are dangerous, but isn't the thrill a big part of why we enjoy them so much. Your videos keep me enthralled, this one was no exception. 👊
I spent six months looking for excellent cosmetic 1970s vintage Japanese Kawasakis, Yamahas, Hondas and a few Suzukis. The very good to cosmetically excellent bikes run $12,000 to $30,000. I'm at the age (70) that I don’t want a bike requires constant piddling, finding replacement parts for a 50 year old bike and then be afraid of riding it and ruining the value. Triumph, Kawasaki, Ducati, Honda, Royal Enfield, Norton and Moto Guzzi all make some beautiful retro models that handle and perform better while being more reliable as daily riders and at a lesser price than the vintage stuff. I'm moving on from the vintage 50 year old bikes to beautiful and reliable bikes made today.
A few years ago, 3 maybe 4 years ago, I saw a 92 blade, outside a house in the village for £1995, I Thought it was cheap and looked lovely, would have bought, but no room in the garage, it sold in a week parked outside that house, shame. I owned a 98 R1 in 98 in red and white, and they have a premium of £500 over the blue ones, would have another one if I had room in the garage. Still have Kawasaki ZX636 in the garage which I bought in 2005. The Suzuki TL1000S is going up was was also called a widow maker, bottomed out just under £2000, won’t get one now for that price.
Hi . I think that the Honda CB1300 has be a bike for the future . Great bikes and bullet proof . Also the Bandit mk1 still a great bike and now becoming hard to find . I owned a Yamaha XJR 1300 SP . What a bike . I paid £3500 8 years ago buy if you find a very nice bike you will pay around £5000 - 6000 . The bike that i should have kept is my old FZR 1000 EX UP. I also had the 750. Great bikes and great fun .
Have to say the bikes you should be classics in the future where I go to squires on Thursday night in the summer the classic bikes are usually two strokes bikes the z range cb Hondas old four stroke yamahas Italian machines old ones the suzuki like the one you where showing and old katanas old lambrettes vespas then you get the GPZs 900 1100 750 and some turbos of different makes and there are lot more to mention like all the British ones to my self I think it hard to what will classic next but that's just me Mr Dobbs
Once these bikes reach classic status ,the good ones rise in price & end up in dealers showrooms for big money ,There is hundreds of bikes for sale but if you delve deeper into there history you find dozens of previous owners ,repaired crash damage ,Pimped up junk anodised coloured bolts & coloured screens hacked rear fenders aftermarket exhausts , the ones which rise in value are usually the standard low owner unmolested ones .There is a lot of crap to wade through before you find a real diamond .!!!!!
Hi Freddie Seen your latest video on future classics, in this world it's just pure speculation as to what might reach the higher prices, there's a lot of factors against these bikes that you are talking about going up in value such as being very difficult to get parts and that they are sports bikes and the speed limits are coming down which makes them completely useless in the world that we live in today, with speed cameras everywhere, people just want new technology and also the big factor if they abolish E5 fuel they just will not run on E10, it will just reck the carburettors and the fuel lines and as the old saying goes it's better to ride a slow bike fast than a fast bike slow. Riding a fast bike slow is so boring you might as well watch paint dry. I know that you are talking about future investment but that is just pure speculation, if you don't mind missing money then by all means take a gamble. But I am not a gambler. Freddie they are cheap for a reason 🤣🤣. Proper investments are the ones that motorcycle museums have and don't forget they are just for display purposes for the public to view, sometimes they might make money on them if they decide to sell. We are at a crossroads at the moment as to which way things are going to go for motorcycles and trust me the government always gets what it wants. We elect them every 5 years to govern over us and that's exactly what they do, so whether it be electric or synthetic fuel I don't see any hope for being able to make money on old motorcycles All the best Pete
Freddie why do you think only Japanese sport bikes are the only bikes that are gonna appreciate in value?? All Japanese sport bikes are the same. They all have about the same hp and all look the same. Sole less machines covered in plastic. Don’t get me wrong. There are good Japanese bikes that offer speed and class. The Honda CBX, Suzuki Katana Kaw H2 z1000 etc. But Freddie if you want a bike that will always. ALWAYS! Appreciate in value is any Harley-Davidson. My personal pick is my 1998 FLSTS Heritage Springer black with red stripes. They made them for only three years. One year only in that paint combo. 1997 was the first year with the new old style springer. My bike is 25 years old and there prices are only going up every year. You can buy a Harley ride it for most of your riding life and sell it for a profit. Unlike the guys that buy gold wings and end up in dumpsters.
Loving the upgraded interview room, much better. Just a small point..... When referring to the GSXR, in the UK it is pronounced Gixer, the G as in Golf not like a J. Keep up the sterling work. 😊
I do regret selling my 2002 R1150GS (in yellow!) which took me to the Sahara and back and all around Europe. But an MOT check shows its last mot expired in 2015. So I guess it has died, which is very sad.
honourable mentions, c90? although already gone up in price theres room to climb i reckon, DT125R definitely too, bulletproof as 2 strokes go and yamaha still producing parts for them unlike the kawasaki kmx's
Newtons 3rd Law for every action there’s a equal and opposite reaction. Hey what goes up most come down. Are they putting a camera up. What would newton say. It must come down.
Interestingly. The guys on long way round approached KTM for the 950 adventure who three weeks before filming pulled out and they switched to BMWs GS. I wonder what could have been so different ???
Hey Freddie for me it's got to be the Honda c90 and the new version the Honda super cub 125cc anyway on a different note I've just bought a brand new scooter it's a Suzuki burgman Street ex 125cc brand new from my local Suzuki dealer and not forgetting greetings from Cornwall mate
Hi Freddie, back in '89, I helped a friend to un-crate & prep a range of Ducatis for a dealer in Dorking. Among them were 3 of the super-new 851s, (a whole new ballgame after doing several 900SS), they were tho' an absolute joy to work on & a most educational tool to (nervous & carefully) road test. I do wonder as to their eventual fate, & if they did make it through the madness, what £££ now? : )
Freddie, I worry about parts accessibility. You were screwed by this yourself, and I’m sorry to say, Japanese bikes are also having parts shortages. . .
Freddie, on the YZR'S you need to look at the best one which was the suplime R7, just as fast as its big liter brother but with better handling and arguably better looks, thats the bike I put my money into
You will never predict what will be “classic” in the future. Rarity is a key but so is desirability. Harley doesn’t often flop in the marketplace but in the early ‘80s they did twice! The original XLCR café racer was a joke. It was heavy but it was also slow😂. It was a Harley with a solo seat, so no picking up chicks. Nobody bought them. The second year they made a 2-up seat but by then it was too late. Then, for some reason, some the last generation of iron barrel Sportsters, XR1000, got a set of XR750 aluminum racing heads, the giant flat track twin carbs and a set of flat track high exhaust pipes! But a 2 gallon peanut tank and an overstuffed solo seat made it look just like the base model Sportster when in fact it was the fastest Harley yet to be produced. It only lasted a year. The only silver lining is that Erik Buell was desperate for a powerplant for his upcoming road bike and Harley had a warehouse full of race bred engines that nobody wanted. Some clever folks realized that the XLCR with an XR1000 engine would be the perfect combination! A few were cobbled together and an instant classic was born. Who knew two anchors could float?😂 When I was in High School I drove an Austin Healey 3000 Mk II. My dad drove a Ferrari 246 Dino, a car that was ten times better in every respect than my beautiful Healey. About 30 years later I saw a Mk II 3000 sell at auction for more than a Dino. That is insane. Imagine in 40 years if a 50cc Vespa sold for more than a Triumph Rocket 3😂. But it might happen. You never know.
Freddie, great viewing. What about the first RE Himalayans? Surely a game changer and original condition first edition bikes will only go up in value ?
I think that bikes will be a bad investment per se. My reasoning most bikers are already 55+ yrs old ( generally) the youth don’t have the interest and are financially punished. I think there will be more bikes than riders in the future creating an oversupply. Don’t dispute the desirability but everywhere I go I see silver surfer riders and this thought crosses my own mind at 64. My FS1E i paid £185 new for in 1974 now £6-10k. Think it will be the simplistic toddlers that will be worth buying now ie C90
@@BibTheBoulderTheOriginalOnelove a VFR. My 2014 VFR is utterly as new. Only 3000 miles. Don't think I will ever sell it. With the SC Project can it sounds as good as any engine.
Any major market Honda that was made after 1980 will never be a collectible increasing in value. Honda’s are great bikes with extremely reliability and dependability, but please don’t confuse those characteristics with what people (collectors) want in an investment type motorcycle. There is nothing beautiful and unique about any Honda built after 1980
@@WilliamWBG I understand your statement, but i do disagree, Bikes like the NSR250 MC28(94), VFR400 NC30(92), VTR RC51 SP1/SP2(00-06) are already technically classics that have increased in value around the world. Also pretty much any original condition 600 will increase in value as they have stopped manufacturing them, just like most 2-storkes increased when they ceased manufacturing them.
The problem is that we may well be unable to get petrol in twenty years. Even if we CAN buy e-petrol, riding ICE bikes on public roads may well be verboten anyway. Finally, another issue is - if it's an investment, you would have to realise that investment at some point. When do you sell? Why would you sell? I couldn't sell any of mine, I'm far too invested in them personally. It would be like selling a family pet. Maybe my kids would be OK selling them, when I'm gone. If you have five grand you want to invest, buy Krugerrands. Sorry to pi$$ on the parade and all that...
Why all sports bikes ? They are worthless now and will be even more worthless in the future. The cost of parts the ridiculous riding position is uncomfortable. The suspension wouldn't be good on normal road. Awful mpg i know that's not the point but money is tight for almost everyone now, and when you ride one you end up going speeds you shouldn't because these are all like race bikes they are only designed for one thing, and doing said thing will mean points fines and maybe even jail
My zzr1100 cost me 2grand, parts are cheap, I get 40mpg, it’s easy to maintain, reliable, fun. It will only go up in value as it won’t go any lower. The only issue I have with it is I want to go fast everywhere, but I love it, and that’s the point.
You're right about many of those bikes but the important thing when considering future value will be originality. Some of the bikes you looked up were horribly modified and would take significant expenditure to sort out. I've never understood why so many people throw away original exhausts, airboxes and take a hacksaw to the rear mudguard. Having restored a couple of bikes over the years I can confidently say that these parts can become almost unobtainable and their absence will seriously affect future value.
Absolutely, a bargain isn't always a bargain
The main reason sports bikes are cheap, and will probably remain cheap, is because older bikers, who are the majority of riders now, don't want something uncomfortable. Most of the bikes you chose would not be considered by people in their 50's and 60's. Even if the average biker age comes down, demand for old sports bikes will not increase because younger people don't have the nostalgia associated with these things. Freddie, as a young man, you are a marvellous exception to the rule when it comes to enjoying classic bikes I fear. I hope I'm wrong and the value of my VFR800FI goes up, but I doubt it. In the mean time, I'm just enjoying it for what it is. A massively over engineered, quality, frugal, powerful, sweet handling work of art! Keep up the good work.
Back in the 90’s, the ZZR1100D was fastest bike in the world for 6yrs. It was the big bruiser everyone talked about. After all these yrs I eventually bought one and will confess it is very very quick. Picked mine up for 2 grand. The old 250 two strokes ie KR1 S, RGV, TZR etc. A pristine RGV250M will go for 15 grand now.
When I got my Suzuki AP50 in 1978 and my Yamaha RD 250 in 1979 they were plentiful and i could NEVER have guessed they would be commanding the prices they do nowadays so i think you would need a crystal ball to predict a future classic . Add to that the fact that bikers are a dying breed (literally) then you have to wonder who are they going to be of value to !?
Interesting conversation anyway !
Honda RC51 sp1 and sp2 would be my tips: v-twin, ducati beating, championship winning bikes, not popular (in UK) due to R1s and Blades and 25th anniversary soon. They're lovely bikes to ride on the road, with a few mods and look sublime.
I'm going with the 79-82 Honda super sports I was able to pick up 750 and 900 this year. Together cost was less than 900$ in the states.
I've got a Kawasaki zx9r B1 1995 it was an import bought it in 1998 and I absolutely love it, can't beat that airbox roar.
Hi Freddie I own a Horda CBR1100 blackbird. It’s a beautiful bike. It’s only done 5000 miles it’s like new. And 24 years old. The person I bought it from he had it in his front room. I have been riding around 50years. I do not like the new bikes with all the riding modes. It takes all the pleasure away because you are not in control. All the new gadgets on bikes will be a problem later on. Many of the older guys like me perfer the classics. Looking forward to seeing your next videos kind regards Ian.
I really don't think we're going to see the sort of price explosion with bikes from the 1990s and onwards that we've seen with those from the 1960s-80s. The simple reason is the relatively small customer base. Motorcycling peaked in the UK around 1980, with 300,000 new machines sold. It then dropped sharply and has never recovered those sort of sales, due mainly to demographic change and the barriers to entry from licensing regulations. High classic prices are driven by those wealthier older men who remember their youth on bikes. Take a look around, we're dying out, there aren't the number of Generation X/Z/Millenial bikers out there to fuel demand for later bikes. With specific regard to the Kawasaki GPz900R, it was tipped as an emerging classic as far back as 2004, when I bought my first example. It is a direct descendant of the legendary Z1. However, prices have gone nowhere, whereas a Z1 from the '70s has gone from £5k to £25k. Ecce Signum.
I would suggest the first generation of the ZZR 1100/ZX11 as a classic bike in waiting. This one was the fastest production motorcycle on Earth between 1990 and 1996. Even today, this thing can be scary in terms of acceleration and performance. Even the mighty GSXR 1100 could not cope with it on the straight at that time.
100% mate! I had a ZZR 1100C1 and a ZZR 1100D1 which I still have tucked away. As a guess, a D1 in orange and purple will be the most wanted or mine that is black and anthracite.A good original really is a classic in waiting! They set the standard for fast sports tourers.
I stil regret selling my black/bleu zzr 1100 . I had a zxr750 ,then i road my brother in law,s zzr and was in heaven. What a power ....could not sleep til i had mine ...
@@sam20736 Thanks Sam. Your bike was a C1. I had one. Beautiful bike!
@@EnglishVeteran I like C and D generations equally! For the time being I am a proud owner of D4 candy wine red machine. But I still hope that someday I will buy a C model, the very first one who had the courage to be the first hyper bike of the 90s.
@@jawaman24 Nice one! Great buy! If it’s not de-restricted you can simply change the carb tops, there used to be loads around. Makes a big difference.
The real granddaddy of adventure bikes was the BMW R80G/S from the 1980s. I would love one if I could find one 😀
My family acquired a Suzuki GSX 1400 in the oddest way possible... when my dad was reversing his car to get out of the parking spot he missed the GSX that was right next to him and of course he nudged it down and the bike tipped over... the owner saw everything happening and wanted my dad to pay for all the cosmetic repairs that would have been required, a couple of scratches here and there and a broken turn signal, nothing major at all. My dad complied and got a motorcycle mechanic to look over the bike to see how much it would cost to do it all. The mechanic estimated around 2000 Swiss francs... he was not amused with that price tag because if he paid the 2k he would lose the money get nothing out of it so he talked to the owner if he would be willing to just sell the bike to him. The owner complied because he wanted to sell the bike for roughly around 5k. My dad, the absolute top dog, managed to haggle it down to 3k. Now the bike is just sitting in our garage because I still don't have my proper licence to ride "big bikes" yet.
I generally agree with all your selections Freddie. There are some great bargains around.
Just a thing about the 70s Kawasakis - I was riding daily then on a GT 750 Suzuki until it got nicked. But the thing that made the H2 and Z1 so notorious at that time wasn’t their performance so much as their bad handling and single disc front brake!!!
Brilliant!! I had no idea about this😳
Bikes don't appreciate in value as much over the years as you might think. I bought a new Honda CB400F in 1976 for £606, which in todays money would be around £4,600. I can buy a working example today for about £6,000. It's not a loss if you ignore the costs of maintenance over the last 40 years or so, but it isn't a great return either.
Bikes are labours of love, we buy them because we want to ride them, and in 40 years or so time I'm sure a decent example of, say, a Kawaski Ninja 1000SX will sell for much more than it costs to buy one new at the moment, but in real terms it won't be that much of a profit, and probably not worth waiting 40 years for!
Some classic cars from the past, like works of art, sell for millions. Very few old bikes sell for much more than £50,000, and most cost less than £20,000. Yes, probably a profit on a long term basis, but a very small return over the decades.
GPZ900r , a forgotten bike but did you know the engine is the design model for the early Triumph engines , so without the GPZ would triumph be where they are today as far as 3 and 4 cylinder engines go
To be honest I'm not to familiar with the 80/90s bikes as I took a family priority break at that time but returned in 1999 to new modern bikes then later to buying rare 60s and 70s Japanese classics which I restored then later sold on and always made a healthy profit as prices were increasing, I didn't do it for the money no it was my new hobby as I showed them successfully as well around the country.
Today I have just one sensible classic 1972 Honda, fully restored and ultra reliable.
On a different topic Freddie I came across a face book chat about who would be best suited to be the next James Bond? I put your name forward, hope you don't mind?
Freddie I broke into a cold sweat with all this talk of exploding bikes.
Very few bikes appreciate over time and even then they have to be original and not used and dry stored. For me i would probably go for a Bimota ( not all as some are munters) . The market for bikes is just not the same as for cars. Don't expect to retire on your investment.
I have problems with seeing race-inspired bikes becoming classics??? The roads are clogged with traffic, and speed restriction everywhere + Cameras, and the young generation not interested in speed or going fast (you cannot use your phone at 120mph)
With the new Royal Enfield Himalayan 452 water cooled version being showcased in Milan at EICMA this week, perhaps the original Himalayan 411 will attain a similar nostalgic status that the Bullet 500s have in due course.
Other than that, I'd probably offer up the Honda VFR800 as a bike for a future classic (not that I've looked at the prices) but it does have features and styling that sets it apart from the bikes that came before it, and that haven't been since replicated.
To build the vfr800fi in the quality it was made in reckon cost lot money now. Mine was so superiorly engineered
Real bikes , got a life of there own . harder work than a modern bike , but more rewarding .
my best bike was my Suzuki Rg 500 , Flawed , but great fun . The most uncomfortable seat that ever was , but such good fun .Drove from Cheltenham to Truro and back in a day , couldn't walk for a week after. Must have stopped for fuel about 6 times at least .Happy days .
But ,ahem (starts squirming now) wrote it off in Wales going a little too fast in a corner, ended up in hospital .
I'm with, 'MorrisMinor56' . The GPZ900R. Especially now that the rebirth of the modern classic is about to launch for 2024. It precedes many of the sports bikes mentioned and widely known as Maverick's bike in Top Gun. I also love the look of the slab side GSXR's. Given a choice, I'd opt for the 750 over the 1100 personally. Then again who could possibly knock back a Gen 1 Blade with the 16inch front wheel?
Why the 750 over the 11? I had an 85 750F and an 86 1100G. The 1100 was far better. Also had a 750M but being a slighshot rather than a slabby its a different comparison.
I've had a few 1980's classics and been looking at buying others, in the last few years the prices have been dropping, things like GPZ900's GSX750 slabsides, and RD350 and 350YPVS have come down. There have been loads of bikes that either remain unsold or the seller has dropped the price which was a price it would have sold for a year or 2 ago.
Maybe partly because of the financial climate people are selling their bikes, also there seemed to be a period a couple of years ago when a load of classic bikes that had sat in storage came on the market, my guess was people were looking to make a home office and were having to clear garages and sheds.
The other classic bike market you missed out on was the learner bike, I have friends who buy and restore 50cc and 125cc bikes from the 80's and 90's, for what they are they fetch good money, they tick the nostalgia box, also many were trashed back in the day so good examples are rare.
Freddie, you cant group all GSXR11s in to one. First there was the G,H,J Slabby with the 1052cc motor and 18" wheels. Then a redesign and now known as the Slingshot with a new frame and 1127cc motor and 17" wheels. The K with RWU forks then the L,M,N with upside down forks. After that the 1100 went water cooled not oil cooled and to many including myself arent "real " GSXR1100s! 😂
I had 2 1100G back in the day, one of which had a Wiseco 1109 big bore, bigger carbs, cams and a gas flowed head. Regardless of what power they they allegedly made they were dynoed at around 108hp stock. My tuned one was dynoed at 138hp. A stock 98 R1 on the same dyno on the same day made 133hp! Had a 750F and a 750M too. Loved all my oil boilers but spend my time on a KTM 1290 now.
I know a guy who owns a GPZ900 - he's had it 30+ years. About 20 years ago he told me prices were poised to explode and still nuffin has happened......
*Caveat emptor. The low price tells you no one desires it.* It's possible no one may ever desire it enough to get a high price. Buy a bike because YOU like it. YOU have to want to ride it every day - even when you can't.
Freddie after watching your brilliant video about future classics i thought the naked blackbird could be a contender? Alan Northern Ireland .👍the x11
In the past, I've brought a Honda VFR1000RR 1980s vintage I paid £1200 for it sold it 2 years later for £2000 the only other bike I've actually turned a profit on was a 1st gen Speed Triple paid £900 for it and sold it for £1750 a year later.
Every other bike I've had has cost me money.
I've currently got a Triumph Speed Four, which I paid £850
I'm hoping to turn a small profit on that.
I've been after a Honda 600 or 650 Transalp for a while, but someone did a review on one a year or so ago, and now the £1500 bikes are fetching £2500.
Thanks for that, Freddie !
When the first R1 s came out sold like hotcakes but quite soon after so many on the market ....they did a survey into why so many sold with low mileage just a few months ...basicly they scared people so fast ..for there time .
Surprised you did not list the infamous 1999 Copper/Silver Hayabusa. Now that was a game changing bike not just in performance but color too and todays prices reflect that. I had one for 21 yrs, sold it in 2020 for AU$10,500 with 92k on the clock, when many similar bikes could be had for $5-7000. So it was already going up in value and with so few left I can see prices going much higher. The iconic Copper/Silver Hayabusa.
I remember a review about Ducatis re investment potential, outside of the bevel Ducatis which already have become for the most part very expensive and the recommendation they gave included the Monster (ie. original series so think 600/620,800/900S4 etc, the Sport Classic 1000, 848, 851, 900SS, 916 and my additional one to add to this list would be the Panigale. Outside of these there a bunch of high spec models which I don’t know much about.
Very interesting Freddie, love these reviews. I still have my 99 BMW R1150GS, purchased new when they were announced for a trip across north Africa - a while before Long Way Round, planned to sell it on my return as availability poor, with a long waiting list and second hand prices higher than list. It’s 25 years old next year, has shared the garage with more than dozen bikes over the years that have come and gone, BUT it’s the only one I cannot part with. Every ride is an event. Rode the GS1300 last week, it’s like an 1150 with no soul or character, but heaps more electronics and power.
Gsx1100 though is very tempting, as is an early blade and a…….
We all have our different views on this but its so much more interesting than talking about new bikes. A lot depends on whether you can do repairs/servicing yourself because mechanics cost money that quickly eats up any profit and then there is trying to find a decent one.....
Yeh totally agree with you
1983 Marysville USA built Honda VFR750 Interceptor and the European version with the gold wheels.
The DobFather.
Anything air cooled might have a chance of being a classic, eg Honda CB1100, GSX1400, XJ1300, ZRX1200, V7 series Guzzis, Royal Enfields, Harley Davidson (non-liquid cooled). Put Triumph Bonnevilles in there, plus a any of the Ducati "racebike with lights & mirrors" models. Honda Goldwing ... hard to say. Last of the Yamaha V-Max's ... possibly. Anything with a Vespa badge hasd got a good chance also. Anything out of the Bimota camp is special, but I wouldn't label them a 'classic'. The most modern bike owned by Jay Leno will be the last of the classics, so perhaps we'll go by what he's got in his garage.
Getting in early but I'm pretty sure that eventually the Mk1 Street Triple 675 with the chrome headlights (especially the R in matt grey) will be a future classic. It was a game changer with iconic design that can still be ridden in London (ULEZ)...get one...keep it!
yikes ...I was at Honda in 1992 when the fireblade first came out ... did all the factory training ,,, yikes that was only yesterday
I have a classic in my shed, its called a Royal Enfield Classic 350.
Having owning a R1150GS in the past i would say it one to avoid they are all getting very old now and the electronics tend to go hay wire as in my case the bike had a brand new TPS, CPS and even rebuilt trottle bodies but refused to run without cutting out at motorway speeds.
The joke was my 1994 Ducati 750ss made it to bike shed from somerset where as the BMW broke down.
So i would certainly nominate the Ducati over the BMW.
I gotta say Freddie!, all but one of those bikes were sport bikes and there's so many more classic bikes out there.
I'm a few years older than you and i grew up in a very different place so maybe i see the world of motorcycles from a different perspective?.
In the summer of 1984 i bought a 4 year old, for me dream bike, off a mate. It was a 1980 Yamaha XT 500. A bike that entered production in 1976?. And was the bike that won the first two Paris to Dekar rally's in 79 & 80. It became a legend in its own time & if you can find a knackered one for under £6,000 it's only because the person selling has no idea what they have. From the highly modified XT 500s that won Dekar was born the XT 600 tenere first produced in 1984. That bike, not a BMW GS is in fact the birthplace of the modern adventure bike. It was also the first truly rally ready bike ever produced for the mass market.
It's not just a bit of nastalga from your youth that makes a bike a future collectable. It's bikes like the Yamaha XT 500 that truly broke new ground and changed everything else that came before. A bike also by Yamaha that came only a few years earlier was the DT 1. A 250cc two stroke enduro bike that was literally the very first bike of it's kind. Before that bike you only had scramblers, modified street bikes that could kinda do off road. There were also a handful of European companies making the very first Motorcross & trials bikes like Montesa and Bultaco but those bikes couldn't, even in those days be ridden on the road. Yamaha with the DT 1 literally invented the enduro bike now popularly called a duel spot.
If you want to find a bike that will be a true collectors investment look to the bikes that reinvented the market. if it's a road bike you're after than it has to be a Honda CB 750 or a Suzuki gixer 750. Those bikes broke the mold and are the bikes that your investment will never look back on. Everything else is just a temporary bit of nastagic fluff.
Yes im fully aware of the Ducati 916 that took super sport bikes to a whole new level, but they're still no Picasso. The incredibly gorgeous Ducati 900 SS that came before it is still worth more and even it didn't break new ground.
Loved the video Freddie and it did make me think, but if you'd ever owned a bike 38 years ago and now can't believe you were so blind to sell & let it go, you like me would be kicking yourself up the backside. The bikes of real collectors value are the ones that changed everything we thought we understood before. For me the Yamaha DT 1 & XT 500 were just such bikes and if you can get your hands on on now you've just bought your retirement pension.
The GS, yes. The rest, uh, I dunno, man....
996 SPS...definate future classic.
I grew up in the 90s so when I picture a motorcycle, it's generally a faired sports bike or sports tourer, and in a way they're beautiful to me. However I don't really want 180bhp and no ABS.
I think there's a real market for retro styled sports bikes with reasonable, usable power (60-120bhp) and all the safety tech.
1992 - 1998 Second generation Ducati 900 Supersport...... cause I got two !
An interesting and eye opening video. I am more familiar with classic cars than bikes and the trend in cars is quite simple - men in their mid forties and fifties often have the money to buy what they drooled over aged 15 or what they had as first cars before life tied them down in mid twenties. So mid 90's and early 2000's (especially sporty Fords and Subarus) have been increasing. Bikes are relatively much cheaper and take up less space so they are often kept rather than sold so I agree with Mike at 20:00 in that it will only be game changers that really appreciate.
The cat was looking at me🐾👀 throughout the video man, scared tye sh*t out off me😂
I asked her to leave, but she kept awkwardly hanging around in the background!🐈
@@tuesdayatdobbs made you look 😁🥳
Im a retired expat from the US livjng jn Thailand 5 1/2 yrars.
About 11 years ago, when i lived in the U S had a 2002 Honda Fireblade 954. Yher was an aweskme bike. Fast, handled great, comfortable.
Now jn Tland have a 2004 Honda CB 400 Super Sport and a RE Continental GT. Both great bikes.
Big bike culture here. Not all thoe cool old bikes, but pretty good selection.
culture here.
The 954 is a highly underrated motorcycle
Great subject Freddie, my pick is the Suzuki GSX 1400, extremely reliable and owner service friendly.
Oh Freddie, you touched upon so many fond memories in this episode! I've been admiring an FZR600 on marketplace which is in a colour scheme particular to the year & model (burgundy with big far letters on fairing)😍
There is also a YZF750R on there & they were a lot rarer in their day, but after the Genesis came Exup & after that the YZF (a friend had a YZF750 (after a GPZ600) & I remember clearly him putting it through a hedge (after a tight bend) as I followed on an '87 GSXR1100H (more on that in a minute). I had another acquaintance who rode a GPZ900R & I refused to test ride it as it was such an intimidating bike (I had a Kwak Zephyr 550 at the time, my first bike) 😱
Another mate had a first gen fireblade, which apparently had a small front wheel & made riding quirky to that model, but he was always on the back wheel anyways. 😈
I moved onto a sportier bike when I got an '87 GSXR750H, which I crashed on the way back from Cornwall (to Essex) from my dads funeral 🤕
Having fixed it up, I then found my GSXR1100H in a local shop & after a test ride (on the back) I was hooked. Dad had left me some money, so I sold the 750 & rode the 1100 for many many years until a white van man pulled across the road ahead of me (in the wet) & hard as I tried to stop, I smashed into the side & was thrown over the top of his van & into an ambulance. The most frustrating thing about that was the following year was the 30th anniversary of the GSXR & I had wanted to take my first get model to Brands Hatch for a commemorative gathering by Suzuki. My dads gift to me was destroyed & I've never forgotten this sadness. By the way it was the exact model that you showed paint scheme identicle & that's a really good price for on too as they're usually closer to 7grand (I keep an eye on them). Whilst I've had several other large capacity bikes (all Suzuki's) I recently went from first gen Hayabusa (full power model) to a GSX1400K3. The bike you showed had many aftermarket parts & bits missing or modified, hence why the price was as low as it was. Try to find a decent unmolested original condition example & again you'll be looking at 5-6grand. Original spares don't come cheap & (as you know with your own exhaust, an oem Suzuki 4-2 system could collectively reach over 2grand when all the parts are required. That's before you start replacing indicators, mirrors & hacked up rear undertray/mud-guards. She's not a good handling bike like the GSXR series or even the Bandits I've owned, however the power is intoxicating & I don't want to ride like a 20yr old anymore (being over twice that currently) as there are too many coppers & cameras & other idiots (I am one too, make no mistake) especially those of a four wheeled variety. Bikes are dangerous, but isn't the thrill a big part of why we enjoy them so much. Your videos keep me enthralled, this one was no exception. 👊
I spent six months looking for excellent cosmetic 1970s vintage Japanese Kawasakis, Yamahas, Hondas and a few Suzukis. The very good to cosmetically excellent bikes run $12,000 to $30,000.
I'm at the age (70) that I don’t want a bike requires constant piddling, finding replacement parts for a 50 year old bike and then be afraid of riding it and ruining the value.
Triumph, Kawasaki, Ducati, Honda, Royal Enfield, Norton and Moto Guzzi all make some beautiful retro models that handle and perform better while being more reliable as daily riders and at a lesser price than the vintage stuff.
I'm moving on from the vintage 50 year old bikes to beautiful and reliable bikes made today.
A few years ago, 3 maybe 4 years ago, I saw a 92 blade, outside a house in the village for £1995, I
Thought it was cheap and looked lovely, would have bought, but no room in the garage, it sold in a week parked outside that house, shame.
I owned a 98 R1 in 98 in red and white, and they have a premium of £500 over the blue ones, would have another one if I had room in the garage. Still have Kawasaki ZX636 in the garage which I bought in 2005.
The Suzuki TL1000S is going up was was also called a widow maker, bottomed out just under £2000, won’t get one now for that price.
It the 93 Honda fireblade for me. I have one of less desirable Honda fireblades. The 929
Hi . I think that the Honda CB1300 has be a bike for the future . Great bikes and bullet proof . Also the Bandit mk1 still a great bike and now becoming hard to find . I owned a Yamaha XJR 1300 SP . What a bike . I paid £3500 8 years ago buy if you find a very nice bike you will pay around £5000 - 6000 . The bike that i should have kept is my old FZR 1000 EX UP. I also had the 750. Great bikes and great fun .
Have to say the bikes you should be classics in the future where I go to squires on Thursday night in the summer the classic bikes are usually two strokes bikes the z range cb Hondas old four stroke yamahas Italian machines old ones the suzuki like the one you where showing and old katanas old lambrettes vespas then you get the GPZs 900 1100 750 and some turbos of different makes and there are lot more to mention like all the British ones to my self I think it hard to what will classic next but that's just me Mr Dobbs
Freddy you are making me feel old. 1960 is antique ? I must be an antique now then 😥😥😥
That's my R1150GS!
Very interesting episode!
Bikes in films help make them Desirable just look at the bikes in the original Mad Max film
Once these bikes reach classic status ,the good ones rise in price & end up in dealers showrooms for big money ,There is hundreds of bikes for sale but if you delve deeper into there history you find dozens of previous owners ,repaired crash damage ,Pimped up junk anodised coloured bolts & coloured screens hacked rear fenders aftermarket exhausts , the ones which rise in value are usually the standard low owner unmolested ones .There is a lot of crap to wade through before you find a real diamond .!!!!!
Hi Freddie
Seen your latest video on future classics, in this world it's just pure speculation as to what might reach the higher prices, there's a lot of factors against these bikes that you are talking about going up in value such as being very difficult to get parts and that they are sports bikes and the speed limits are coming down which makes them completely useless in the world that we live in today, with speed cameras everywhere, people just want new technology and also the big factor if they abolish E5 fuel they just will not run on E10, it will just reck the carburettors and the fuel lines and as the old saying goes it's better to ride a slow bike fast than a fast bike slow.
Riding a fast bike slow is so boring you might as well watch paint dry.
I know that you are talking about future investment but that is just pure speculation, if you don't mind missing money then by all means take a gamble. But I am not a gambler.
Freddie they are cheap for a reason 🤣🤣.
Proper investments are the ones that motorcycle museums have and don't forget they are just for display purposes for the public to view, sometimes they might make money on them if they decide to sell.
We are at a crossroads at the moment as to which way things are going to go for motorcycles and trust me the government always gets what it wants. We elect them every 5 years to govern over us and that's exactly what they do, so whether it be electric or synthetic fuel I don't see any hope for being able to make money on old motorcycles
All the best
Pete
Who was waiting for Mr. Whiskers to move?
Hey Freddie, if you're looking for topic ideas for next week, EICMA is currently on, would be good to see what you think about all the new releases.
Freddie why do you think only Japanese sport bikes are the only bikes that are gonna appreciate in value?? All Japanese sport bikes are the same. They all have about the same hp and all look the same. Sole less machines covered in plastic. Don’t get me wrong. There are good Japanese bikes that offer speed and class. The Honda CBX, Suzuki Katana Kaw H2 z1000 etc. But Freddie if you want a bike that will always. ALWAYS! Appreciate in value is any Harley-Davidson. My personal pick is my 1998 FLSTS Heritage Springer black with red stripes. They made them for only three years. One year only in that paint combo. 1997 was the first year with the new old style springer. My bike is 25 years old and there prices are only going up every year. You can buy a Harley ride it for most of your riding life and sell it for a profit. Unlike the guys that buy gold wings and end up in dumpsters.
Loving the upgraded interview room, much better. Just a small point..... When referring to the GSXR, in the UK it is pronounced Gixer, the G as in Golf not like a J. Keep up the sterling work. 😊
Kawasaki ZRX 1100 /1200 and Honda SP1/ SP2
I don't think my Buell XB12X Ulysses will ever be a classic. It's good, though. Nick J
I do regret selling my 2002 R1150GS (in yellow!) which took me to the Sahara and back and all around Europe. But an MOT check shows its last mot expired in 2015. So I guess it has died, which is very sad.
honourable mentions, c90? although already gone up in price theres room to climb i reckon, DT125R definitely too, bulletproof as 2 strokes go and yamaha still producing parts for them unlike the kawasaki kmx's
Newtons 3rd Law for every action there’s a equal and opposite reaction. Hey what goes up most come down. Are they putting a camera up. What would newton say. It must come down.
Interestingly. The guys on long way round approached KTM for the 950 adventure who three weeks before filming pulled out and they switched to BMWs GS. I wonder what could have been so different ???
Hey Freddie for me it's got to be the Honda c90 and the new version the Honda super cub 125cc anyway on a different note I've just bought a brand new scooter it's a Suzuki burgman Street ex 125cc brand new from my local Suzuki dealer and not forgetting greetings from Cornwall mate
Hi F. Was hoping the bikes in my garage were going to be mentioned. 😭😭😭😭Never mind. 👍
Hi Freddie, back in '89, I helped a friend to un-crate & prep a range of Ducatis for a dealer in Dorking. Among them were 3 of the super-new 851s, (a whole new ballgame after doing several 900SS), they were tho' an absolute joy to work on & a most educational tool to (nervous & carefully) road test.
I do wonder as to their eventual fate, & if they did make it through the madness, what £££ now? : )
Freddie, I worry about parts accessibility. You were screwed by this yourself, and I’m sorry to say, Japanese bikes are also having parts shortages. . .
Freddie, on the YZR'S you need to look at the best one which was the suplime R7, just as fast as its big liter brother but with better handling and arguably better looks, thats the bike I put my money into
..and dont bother Freddie, just seen one at a auction and its was listed at £32k..we stay on R1's and R6's lol
You will never predict what will be “classic” in the future. Rarity is a key but so is desirability. Harley doesn’t often flop in the marketplace but in the early ‘80s they did twice! The original XLCR café racer was a joke. It was heavy but it was also slow😂. It was a Harley with a solo seat, so no picking up chicks. Nobody bought them. The second year they made a 2-up seat but by then it was too late. Then, for some reason, some the last generation of iron barrel Sportsters, XR1000, got a set of XR750 aluminum racing heads, the giant flat track twin carbs and a set of flat track high exhaust pipes! But a 2 gallon peanut tank and an overstuffed solo seat made it look just like the base model Sportster when in fact it was the fastest Harley yet to be produced. It only lasted a year. The only silver lining is that Erik Buell was desperate for a powerplant for his upcoming road bike and Harley had a warehouse full of race bred engines that nobody wanted.
Some clever folks realized that the XLCR with an XR1000 engine would be the perfect combination! A few were cobbled together and an instant classic was born. Who knew two anchors could float?😂
When I was in High School I drove an Austin Healey 3000 Mk II. My dad drove a Ferrari 246 Dino, a car that was ten times better in every respect than my beautiful Healey. About 30 years later I saw a Mk II 3000 sell at auction for more than a Dino. That is insane. Imagine in 40 years if a 50cc Vespa sold for more than a Triumph Rocket 3😂. But it might happen. You never know.
Cbr 600 jellymould .
Freddie, great viewing. What about the first RE Himalayans? Surely a game changer and original condition first edition bikes will only go up in value ?
I think that bikes will be a bad investment per se. My reasoning most bikers are already 55+ yrs old ( generally) the youth don’t have the interest and are financially punished. I think there will be more bikes than riders in the future creating an oversupply. Don’t dispute the desirability but everywhere I go I see silver surfer riders and this thought crosses my own mind at 64. My FS1E i paid £185 new for in 1974 now £6-10k. Think it will be the simplistic toddlers that will be worth buying now ie C90
Great content. What's your opinion on bmw r1200c as a future classic
The late 1970's Honda CB750 4-cylinder was instrumental in leading the Japanese sports bikes replacing unreliable European offerings surely?
Future classic bikes?? Anything with an internal combustion engine 😀😀😀
The next generation have little or no interest in bikes .
So long-term values do not look positive.
But fuelling wise they are carburettor bixe so your previous video on such bixe would say to avoid them?
Really Freddie only 1 Honda on your list?
Anyone would think you are a Honda fanboy Mr VFR....pmsl
@@BibTheBoulderTheOriginalOnelove a VFR. My 2014 VFR is utterly as new. Only 3000 miles. Don't think I will ever sell it. With the SC Project can it sounds as good as any engine.
Any major market Honda that was made after 1980 will never be a collectible increasing in value. Honda’s are great bikes with extremely reliability and dependability, but please don’t confuse those characteristics with what people (collectors) want in an investment type motorcycle. There is nothing beautiful and unique about any Honda built after 1980
@@WilliamWBG I understand your statement, but i do disagree, Bikes like the NSR250 MC28(94), VFR400 NC30(92), VTR RC51 SP1/SP2(00-06) are already technically classics that have increased in value around the world.
Also pretty much any original condition 600 will increase in value as they have stopped manufacturing them, just like most 2-storkes increased when they ceased manufacturing them.
The problem is that we may well be unable to get petrol in twenty years. Even if we CAN buy e-petrol, riding ICE bikes on public roads may well be verboten anyway. Finally, another issue is - if it's an investment, you would have to realise that investment at some point. When do you sell? Why would you sell? I couldn't sell any of mine, I'm far too invested in them personally. It would be like selling a family pet. Maybe my kids would be OK selling them, when I'm gone. If you have five grand you want to invest, buy Krugerrands. Sorry to pi$$ on the parade and all that...
1.gen Suzuki Hayabusa... only unrestricted version - and only standard street bike with ridiculous +300 km/t topspeed.
1st gen suzuki van van
The Suzuki GSX is an amazing restoration but there was a reason why they are rare. No one liked the looks unfortunately.
Why all sports bikes ? They are worthless now and will be even more worthless in the future. The cost of parts the ridiculous riding position is uncomfortable. The suspension wouldn't be good on normal road. Awful mpg i know that's not the point but money is tight for almost everyone now, and when you ride one you end up going speeds you shouldn't because these are all like race bikes they are only designed for one thing, and doing said thing will mean points fines and maybe even jail
My zzr1100 cost me 2grand, parts are cheap, I get 40mpg, it’s easy to maintain, reliable, fun. It will only go up in value as it won’t go any lower. The only issue I have with it is I want to go fast everywhere, but I love it, and that’s the point.
He included a GS
Yea…but they’re a lot of fun!
Drive it like you stole it😮
I don’t know why but sports bikes do absolutely nothing for me. Can’t understand the fascination so many bikers have with them, my mate included.
Would a zx6r 1997 rate as a future classic? Completly original from the factory,then again maybe not.