Interesting story at least...

[jwhughes3]

A new in crate XS650....

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1983-...#ht_500wt_1182

Wonder what the reserve is - too rich for my blood I am sure.

John

[crazy steve]

Yeah, it'll be interesting to watch this and see if he gets his reserve price, and what it is if he does. But while it's rare to find one still in the crate, it's also not an inherently rare bike.

There was a new-in-the-crate XR1000 Sportster listed a few years ago (and it really was still in the crate; Harley used a better quality crate ). This was a very limited-production high performance model with basically a hand-built motor (the cylinder heads were hand-ported/flowed on every one..), but didn't sell well because of the cost (almost double a 'standard' model). This was watched with great interest, but when the smoke cleared it ended up selling for only about a 10% premium over the prices that well-restored versions were going for.

I also wonder if any of those 'crate Nortons' are still out there. Those of us old enough to remember recall that when Norton closed it's doors in the mid-70s, remaining stock ended up being sold in the want ads with prices getting as low as $700 for a brand-new 850 Commando still crated. But with virtually no dealer or parts network, they didn't sell very fast. The ads appeared for a few years before finally disappearing...

[DGXSER]

I just don't get the concept of having a motorcycle as a piece of artwork. Meaning, not for riding, just for looking at. And I guess you would not want to ride it as after 28 years of sitting un used, alot of the rubber parts ar emost likely dry rotted like brake components, valve seals, petcocks, all that kind of stuff and most likely need to be replaced before you could put it into service.

So to me, yep personal opionion, it ain't worth as much as one that needs nothing, but looks just as good. Guess it is just the pragmatic personality of an engineer.

[Crusty Snippets]

Crate

A friend bought a 750 Ducati a long time ago. He decided it needed a few mods so he took it apart. It sat forever. He got $30,000.00 for it. Basically a new 750 Duke.
Anyone who would buy a Commando as a collector needs professional help.
I have actually been dreaming about trading my SV650S Suzuki in on a new 500cc Royal Enfield.
If the bike in question had little redeeming qualities when new, why drool over it now. I know I know, a lot of old junk fetches big bucks some day.
But the cost of maintaining old things often makes it all very futile.
I would rather be sailing or riding.

Unkle Crusty
41 9N Ford tractor
78 Chev 3/4 ton P/U
75 Tanzer 22 sailboat, 79 Tanzer 8.5 sailboat, 74 Viking 33 sailboat
47 blonde girlfriend.

[Dragon Tamer]

In years past I have owned a 650 Triumph Bonneville, a 650 Beezer, and a 750 Norton Commando. Time to time I really missed them here and there until last summer when one of my sons bought a running XS650 and drove it over to me to check it out and tune it up some. Working on it brought back a lot of good old memories until I was done and took it for a ride to see how it ran. Now, for the life of me I cannot think of why I owned one of them two cylinder vibrators, let alone three of them. My son drove my 650 Maxim while I was working on his XS and now he wants to trade me the XS for the Maxim. I told him $60,000 to boot, I don't want it.

[DenyP]

I'm the same way - never going back to a twin!!!

Deny

[jwhughes3]

hasn't hit reserve yet

And its up to $3,790!

John

[natemoen]

NOS or not, its still a 30 year old bike that has been sitting for 30 years. I hope whoever (if anyone) gets it rides the piss out of it!

[fredintoon]

Depends what you rode before

- - - Now, for the life of me I cannot think of why I owned one of them two cylinder vibrators, let alone three of them. - - -

Hi Tamer,
If British vertical twins were your first bikes and you transitioned to Japanese 4 cylinder machines I can understand how you think the XS650 is a vibrator.
OTOH, I transitioned from rigid frame girder fork British singles onto a Plunger frame tele-fork BSA vertical twin and my thought was "Wow, does this thing ever run smooooth"
So it's all in what you are used to. Had it been possible back then for me to try out a Japanese four perhaps my thought would have been "I might as well be riding a vacuum cleaner."

[Crusty Snippets]

[QUOTE=Dragon Tamer;316540]In years past I have owned a 650 Triumph Bonneville, a 650 Beezer, and a 750 Norton Commando. Now, for the life of me I cannot think of why I owned one of them two cylinder vibrators, let alone three of them.

My old 650 BSA was probably the best of the old bikes I had.
BUT, for less than $3000- my SV650S Suzuki is far superiour than any of the old stuff.
It makes 65 hp and weighs 370 pounds, does not vibrate and stops brilliantly. It also handles well.
As far as British bikes, I say " Never again "
I will pass on the Royal Enfield after checking the insurance brackets and rates. I probably will buy an RE side car for Yami.

Unkle Crusty

[crazy steve]

And its up to $3,790!

...And there it sat. Didn't make reserve, and I suspect it missed by a bit. Like I said, it's not that rare a bike...

[DGXSER]

My bet is he will be contacting the high bidder to offer to sell it to them at that price anyway.

[jetmechmarty]

New in crate

That's not the first "new" XS650SK I've seen in recent history. The '83 seems to be the only one that shows up that way, probably because it's the last. When I learned it was the last, back in '83, I had to have one. I always wanted a XS650 and I saw my chance slipping away. I bought it, and I still ride it. I'm sure it may be the same reason there are some still in the crate. I love that bike! At present, there are four of them in my basement.

As far as it being a twin, I like that too! Twisting the throttle coming out of a turn is a far different sensation than on the XS11. I've heard it said, and repeated, "It's more fun to ride a slow bike fast, than a fast bike slow." Not that the XS650 is all that slow.

[exquized1]

I have a 83 (I think) sitting in my garage. Was found in a barn on my uncles rental we cleaned out. So it sits without a title. I got it running sounds good hope I can find a titled frame or a state where a bill of sale will get a title. Would make for a good first bike for my son.