What are Airheads worth these days?

[ultracyclist]

James...

No one is calling anyone here an idiot.

I just fired off an email to the craigslist ad supplied by the realbatman.
/7? What kind of shape? who knows?

 

[na cl k9]

s09rwmb: Beautiful bike............where's the front brake caliper?

Air brakes...

 

[ultracyclist]

s09rwmb



That made my morning.

 

[mymindsok]

Air brakes...

I had to catch up on the posts but that was funny!

 

[SCJACK]

Air brakes...

Good one!!

 

[HODAG]

Looky hyere people..... I'm gonna step in the poop and say this; the middle of the road baseline price of an airhead is $3000.

yep
I got my rs for $4,000
bags and complete fairing added the bonus $1k

 

[beemerguru]

I play in the niche segment so these numbers are way off the curve....but realistic for the value.

The projects I deliver based on the original R80G/Ss and some STs are essentially 0 mile, updated, upgraded examples of what some riders are looking for. Several tried the R1XXXGS series with all the bells and whistles or came off other brands and wanted something unique.

That said, a fair number of the bikes went out the door at close to $15K for all the options with a low end of around $6K for a basic restoration.

http://gregsgssite.shutterfly.com/

They may look like show bikes when they leave but after a few weeks or months, they're battle scarred veterans of Copper Canyon, Alaska, Baja, 4 corners and numerous cross country trips...both north and south. And like all airheads,,you can fix them with a rock on the side of the road..if not, get a bigger rock

I had one buyer say the big difference for him was that his former R1XXXGS more or less told him where he was going and the G/S went wherever HE wanted to go. Never had so much fun. And he's typical.

I think the collector community would say the same about pricing for the R90S niche...a ground breaking bike with a racing heritage..while the G/S has PD as a birth event.

 

[mymindsok]

Talk about a shameless plug...!

 

[beemerguru]

Not really. This thread is about airhead pricing..and this is just another perspective.

I know a Master BMW tech who does beautiful restorations and gets this level of pricing. And a couple at the last 49er who are masters at K bike work..same pricing ballpark.

And there's another airhead who got an R80G/S in decent condition for $0.

There is no set pricing...just ranges. Pricing of "things" always seems to follow the standard bell curve...it just depends on how high and long the curve will be over time.

 

[beemerguru]

Talk about a shameless plug...!

And get your tail down to CAL BMW on the 20th for the big swap meet.

www.bmwnorcal.org

Now THAT'S a plug

 

[na cl k9]

I play in the niche segment so these numbers are way off the curve....but realistic for the value...
That said, a fair number of the bikes went out the door at close to $15K for all the options with a low end of around $6K for a basic restoration.

I think the collector community would say the same about pricing for the R90S niche...a ground breaking bike with a racing heritage..while the G/S has PD as a birth event.

Thank you for that input. It gives me a real idea of just how expensive a new airhead might be these days...and that the possibility exists to be able to own one. My favorite BMW airhead is the R80 G/S and I fully appreciate the reasons that your customers have for seeking out your services in that regard and their willingness to have one essentially re-manufactured to order. The G/S, the S and RS come to mind as focal points in the airhead line. All of them are more than worthy of the attention of collectors, riders and enthusiasts. That they might also be worthy of spending the money to ride a brand new one in 2010 if one wanted to is an individual choice and what a treat it would be.

 

[mymindsok]

I know a Master BMW tech who does beautiful restorations and gets this level of pricing. And a couple at the last 49er who are masters at K bike work..same pricing ballpark.

Yeah, I saw the fancied-up K-bikes at the 49er Rally last year but I also thought that the guy (I have his card here somewheres...) was being WAY optimistic as to pricing. Really... $12K to 20K for a K-75 with some chrome and a paint job? Well, I guess someone'll pay that but not me. Please note though... The bikes were cleanly done and attractive but nothing special in the world of fancied-up Beemers.

And you're right. Theres someone out there right this minute, who'll pay anything to get something and for whom 12K or 16K is nothing. I do appreciate the fact that it's possible to buy a newly re-manufactured Airhead though. In a world where a ground-up rebuild of an engine can easily reach the $5000 range, a complete resto for $12K could be a real bargain.

PS: I'll probably make the swap meet. Well, at least I'm thinking about it!

 

[markclark]

I find this thread interesting and timely. But as someone who is trying to find an airhead, the sort of normal prices people are quoting seem MUCH lower than any I se advertised on craigslist, ebay or the flea market here. I've been looking for the last 1 1/2 months and there doesn't seem much below 3K, many of those for questionable bikes, in terms of the resources that would need to go into them to make them reliable. Is there some secret list I don't know about where great airheads get bought and sold for less than 2K?

 

[James.A]

I find this thread interesting and timely. But as someone who is trying to find an airhead, the sort of normal prices people are quoting seem MUCH lower than any I se advertised on craigslist, ebay or the flea market here. I've been looking for the last 1 1/2 months and there doesn't seem much below 3K, many of those for questionable bikes, in terms of the resources that would need to go into them to make them reliable. Is there some secret list I don't know about where great airheads get bought and sold for less than 2K?

No, there is not.

I've said this before. 3 to 4 thousand dollars is the price of a ****ty Sportster. Ya get what ya pay for.

 

[markclark]

I agree, and 3-4K seems reasonable and typical for a well-cared for or well-restored airhead but some posters on this thread feel that's way too much. As an airhead wannabe, I'm just trying to get a reality check.

 

[SFAULKNER68]

No, there is not.

I've said this before. 3 to 4 thousand dollars is the price of a ****ty Sportster. Ya get what ya pay for.

I agree w/ woodnsteel, you get what you pay for. Can you find an airhead for 2K? Yes but it either will take thousands to be dependable again, or, you are one of the lucky to find a very rare buy, or, you are taking advantage of someone that probably inherited a bike and doesn't know what they are selling.

I bought this orange beauty in the foreground for 7K in 1999! Everyone thought I paid way too much but it is well sorted and still holds my record for longest day in the saddle on any bike (it's that reliable).

 

[RonKMiller]

OK, time to fess up. I normally don't like to talk about what I pay for stuff but thought it might be useful.

I paid $4K for what I considered to be a near flawless "9" 79R80 with 21K miles.

An ARIZONA bike that was garaged and had 8 oil changes before it was parked in 1990.

It was delivered here in Tucson in 1980, a one owner documented bike with full service records, yadda, yadda. Oh yeah, it came with a factory equipped "S" fairing, crash bars, dual disc brakes, steering damper and beautiful hard luggage.

It presented well, ran (well, sort of) and was being sold by a collector that had over 200 vintage motorcycles in his collection. I trusted the guy and was glad I did.

This was probably the first motorcycle of 30 or so I've purchased over the past 20 years that I did not negotiate the price.
I just plain said OK and walked away a VERY happy camper knowing that I found an absolute gem that just need some intensive love, grease and a spit shine. It was priced correctly considering the sublime condition of a 31 year old motorcycle.

It has taken a solid 8 weeks of full servicing, polishing, detailing, tuning and almost $700.00 in miscellaneous parts and components to restore it to "like new" condition - and I did all the labor myself. It is now 100% complete, right down to the parking lamp bulb in the headlight reflector. My best guestimate is that I have 200 hours of labor in it. My level of involvement is similar to what I would have spent on similar vintage aircraft inspection and renewal. (I've been a Commercial Pilot for the past 28 years)

It is certainly a looker but far from a concours garage queen. It WILL be ridden. A LOT!

I paid what I consider to be absolute top dollar but glad I did. The VALUE is beyond comprehension. This bike will be in my collection forever.

 

[James.A]

markclark,.. I have a really good R75/5 (white re-paint) that you could have for $3300. It is not original and it leaks oil. I have an original, un-restored R75/5 (Monza blue) that you can't buy for any reasonable price. It leaks too. I am offering the white one to Ultracyclist, (Howard K) Do I want to sell the bike?, NO. Would I sell the bike to Howard?, yes.

sfaulkner is exactly right. To buy an airhead from a solid owner is a boon. The best bet is to go ahead and buy a good bike and pay a good price. Get a good one, or learn the "inside baseball" after you have found a bargain. God's mercy on those who choose this path. This white R75/5, I would ride, and have ridden the bike for hundreds of miles on a trip. I use it to commute to work when the spring gives way to summer. I'd take the thing ANYWHERE. That's the kind of bike a person wants to buy. But your'e not gonna cut a fat hog on the deal. You'll know when you go to check out a bike. If the seller doesn't know much about it, it's a thousand dollar bike, if it starts and runs. If the owner can tell you the background of it and it runs good, your'e gonna pay......

 

[James.A]

I agree w/ woodnsteel, you get what you pay for.

I bought this orange beauty in the foreground for 7K in 1999! Everyone thought I paid way too much but it is well sorted and still holds my record for longest day in the saddle on any bike (it's that reliable).

I love your Daytona bike.
I was a member of the team that refurbished the last BMWMOA Foundation Raffle bike. It was an original R90S in original Daytona Orange. The derelict bike was given (donated), and the cost of the project, excluding the hours spent by me and 3 other members, was around nine thousand dollars.

 

[redbeemer]

I paid 1K for a one owner /5 three years ago. Good deal until the fact that it was under a plastic tarp for fifteen years come into play. In the end I could have gotten a good runner for the same monies but would have missed the fun of working it back into road worthy shape. So it looks to be that BMW really does mean Bring More Wallet