Uk prices

[Mathh]

James- I thought Mathh's bike was your Black Beauty. Definitely a Black Beauty in it's own right! Nice bike Mathh. One thing I did notice was your exhaust is tapered differently than our's. I hate seeing that bike sooooooo much, as it makes me want to pull my engine and paint it. Grrrrr.

The mufflers in the pics aren't oem but aftermarket from Sito. I replaced them with oem after the pics.

[MaximPhil]

The mufflers in the pics aren't oem but aftermarket from Sito. I replaced them with oem after the pics.

Hi Matth,
Am i reading your signature correctly ? You have 20 motorcycles
Phil

[TomB]

20? nah, he only lists the shiny ones he's proud of

[Mathh]

20? nah, he only lists the shiny ones he's proud of

To my shame I must admit that Tom is right

[James England]

To continue my 'wife' analogy, he has a bloomin' harem!!

[TomB]

Hey Math, this is the XS/XJ1100 forum, only list your XS1100's and XJ1100's.

Works for me

[IanDMacDonald]

No way Tom, Mathh is a bad-ass with some of those bikes, lol. My old sig used to read "You'd think I was lying if I listed all the bikes I own." I have only bought six. All the others were inherited.

[James England]

Haha nice one.


As for the red XS, (macho maroon?) I know the owner and the bike, it is as good as it looks in the photos, as you say photos usually make bikes look better than in the flesh but in this case I think the camera has highlighted minor faults.

Yes I think if you want to do a full resto you'd need to paint the frame and once you have it down that far you'd do the rest too, and I think that answers your question about why is it too good to restore, if I wanted a bike to do that to I'd buy a bike that's a lot rougher/cheaper to start with. Some folk aren't skilled or rich enough to have an immaculate bike so Gus's bike is spot on for them, good but not a €7000 bike like Maths.

Still unsold, with only 5 hours to go on the auction...... No way it's gonna sell for £3,100

[TomB]

Not really the right time to sell I 'spose, he's got one offer, is that you James?

[James England]

Not really the right time to sell I 'spose, he's got one offer, is that you James?

It's the price, Tom, not the time of year. I mean, it's a great time of year for anyone who wants a classic bike project. The auction has ended now, unsold. No, I didn't make that offer as I am wary about making what people perceive to be an 'insulting' offer. That's always the problem with what I think are unrealistic asking prices. If one makes a realistic offer, it's perceived as insulting when it's not meant to be. So I don't make 'em!

When you say it's the wrong time of year, you mean winter, cold rainy and that if it were summer, more people would be after bikes etc...right? I agree. But...for only £2,000 you can easily buy an XJR1300 in better condition which will do the job perfectly. Comfortable, much faster and better handling than an XS1100, easy to find spares and so on. There were 130 of them on eBay uk recently!

Love the old XS1100s as I do, an XJR can eat them alive and the chances are that, being more modern, it won't require as much attention. Anyone wanting a bike for the summer would be better picking a more modern bike...buy it and go. The XS1100 is an old, classic bike, passé in terms of design and performance (which is why we love them!) and, as we see on this forum, they need fairly expert knowledge and care and attention...the people who are able to give them this are not buyers who bother about summer or winter. Quite honestly, that bike will not sell at any point of the year for £3,100. Absolutely no chance. And I don't mean that spitefully. In a way, it's a shame because, with time, money and TLC spent on it, it could be made exceptional. The seller thinks it would be shame to restore it and I think it would be a shame not to! Each to their own...

[TomB]

Dya know I find the folk on this forum a bit of a conundrum, one minute they're complaining that the prices of their beloved XS1100's are not as high as they should be when compared to bike like Z1's and CBX's, recently one member was praising the fact that at last the values seem to be going up, but as soon as the values seem to go up we moan about having to pay that much when wanting to buy one, and not just you James.

I totally agree that the XJR is way better bike and why would you pay more for an XS than a good condition XJR, I wouldn't. I like my XS's because they're a cheap bike, I haven't paid over £500 for an XS/XJ11 since 1983 when I bought my first XS11 for £900 second hand, I ride with a bunch of locals who ride brand new Ducati, Triumph, Kwak GTR1400 who moan that they can't keep up so its more than capable still.

James you sold your last XS11 for £5000, I wouldn't pay that for it for the same reasons as you quote, I could have a really good modern bike for that sort of money, or my old XS's AND a really good XJR.

[James England]

Dya know I find the folk on this forum a bit of a conundrum, one minute they're complaining that the prices of their beloved XS1100's are not as high as they should be when compared to bike like Z1's and CBX's, recently one member was praising the fact that at last the values seem to be going up, but as soon as the values seem to go up we moan about having to pay that much when wanting to buy one, and not just you James.

I totally agree that the XJR is way better bike and why would you pay more for an XS than a good condition XJR, I wouldn't. I like my XS's because they're a cheap bike, I haven't paid over £500 for an XS/XJ11 since 1983 when I bought my first XS11 for £900 second hand, I ride with a bunch of locals who ride brand new Ducati, Triumph, Kwak GTR1400 who moan that they can't keep up so its more than capable still.

James you sold your last XS11 for £5000, I wouldn't pay that for it for the same reasons as you quote, I could have a really good modern bike for that sort of money, or my old XS's AND a really good XJR.

Actually it was £5,400!!!

I think wanting prices to go up is only relevant if you have several of them stashed away and plan on selling some. I agree with you, I prefer them to be a cheap bike. The actual value of them doesn't alter what they actually are....a nice motorbike which is, IMO, exactly what a motorbike should look like.

Looking on eBay, I think the buying frenzy for CBX1000's and loads of other bikes, is barmy. Rather like a 'housing bubble' except with bikes. Just about any Japanese bike from the 1970's onwards is listed at some insane price.

Nah, for my money, I'd just buy a modern bike. Hell, you can buy a brand new 1700 Vmax for the cost of some of the classic bikes I've seen! I know which I'd be buying......

[DGXSER]

I enjoy the XS11 for what it is. A reasonable powerful bike, that is comfortable to ride, and dang easy to work on.

Anyone buying a bike in winter expects to get it cheap, I do not care what the condition of the bike, if your selling it this time of year your not going to get full value of it. Now come spring, when the weather stays in the 70s or so for a week, and the "bug" gets to biting folks, then you can sell a motorbike for a bit of a premium.

As with anything, if your wanting to pus the envelope of the price, your going to wait for those few folks who are willing to pay that. Drop your price, and more folks become interested. Me, I like to work on them for the fun of it. I do not get to see a lot of physical results of my efforts in my career, so it is nice to have a hobby where I produce visible results.

That being said, I know I can sell an XS1100 in the spring around this part of the world for around $1600. That's after I get it running well, and shine it all up. I can typically get a good guess on what it will take to fix one up, and how much the parts are running, so I work backward to my price to buy one. We would all like to think these will become some rare, esteemed, sought after bike. But I do not really think that will ever happen. A 80's vintage Yamaha is not likely to become the next Vincent Black Shadow. Not here in the US anyway. So I do not see the street price jumping on them any time soon. Well, that and I am a cheapazz, so I only buy them for very low numbers, helping to keep the price down.

[TomB]

Totally agree on EVERY point. Well said.

[James England]

I enjoy the XS11 for what it is. A reasonable powerful bike, that is comfortable to ride, and dang easy to work on.

We would all like to think these will become some rare, esteemed, sought after bike. But I do not really think that will ever happen. A 80's vintage Yamaha is not likely to become the next Vincent Black Shadow. Not here in the US anyway. So I do not see the street price jumping on them any time soon. Well, that and I am a cheapazz, so I only buy them for very low numbers, helping to keep the price down.

Agreed. Have a look on eBay UK at the 5 or so XS11's up for sale at daft prices. The sellers seem to think they dohave a Vincent on their hands. Which they don't. Which is why they sit there week after week, unsold. Worth a try if you're a seller, I suppose but, in the end, the market will decide their value.

Matthew and I got lucky with ours, I reckon, and found someone desperate to have our particulat bikes, in exceptional condition...hence the high prices.