New project XT500

[GiantPygmy]

Or knows its value and knows it will sell for 5 times that amount..

Remember, there is nothing as nostaligic as nostaglia...

[Voyager]

Originally Posted by balbas

I love it when people say that.

I wrote that on purpose just so MSLP (or others) didn't think they were about to score some bargain for peanuts.

Originally Posted by balbas

Knows it's value as in knows what a good one goes for and thinks his is worth that? Or knows it's value as it's a collection of bits in boxes which may or indeed may not be complete and therefore is worth precisely it's weight in scrap - less if he intends you to collect it?

He owns a bike shop. It is his own bike. He's had it for at least 15 years and he doesn't NEED to sell it. It will not be a bargain as he could leave it in bits for another 5 years and then think about getting around to doing it later and still not be that bothered about it.

Ergo he knows its value.

(I'd figure @£1200 in bits - but could be miles out.)

[MyLittleStudPony]

Originally Posted by Voyager

I wrote that on purpose just so MSLP (or others) didn't think they were about to score some bargain for peanuts.

He owns a bike shop. It is his own bike. He's had it for at least 15 years and he doesn't NEED to sell it. It will not be a bargain as he could leave it in bits for another 5 years and then think about getting around to doing it later and still not be that bothered about it.

Ergo he knows its value.

(I'd figure @£1200 in bits - but could be miles out.)

You'd only pay £450 for a XL185S that runs perfectly with an MoT and a warranty from a shop.... but £1200 for a XT500 in bits with some missing (and not many people take a perfectly running bike to bits either...)?

Thank you for the thought but nice XT500s are a bit more than I'm willing to spend.

[chillitt]

How come a shonky box of bits is 1200 quid, but a xl185 running and if it had a dealer warranty would only be worth 450?

Edit; too slow... dammit

[Peanut]

im glad your not going down the SM route as i hate to see nice off road bikes like this " spoiled " that way.

nice front end and rear shockers, bit of a make over and spruce up and it will be top notch

[Screwdriver]

Originally Posted by chillitt

How come a shonky box of bits is 1200 quid, but a xl185 running and if it had a dealer warranty would only be worth 450?

Edit; too slow... dammit

Well I took Voyagers post at face value - pointing out the seller realises the XT500 is one of those bikes that are becoming sought after, saved me from troubling him with a request. I'm only interested in bargains and bargains can only be had where people don't know when they have a rare machine.

When I bought my RG500 a few years ago, you could easily find quite a nice runner for well under 2k. If you can do that now, let me know! It's happened to RD350LCs too and certain varieties of RGV250 (one of which I narrowly missed from here (Eff Bee saw the light sadly...).

For the record, a nice runner (typically a US import XT500 alloy tank motocrosser), will go for upwards of £2k. Again, the real money is in first gen XTs, the one with the horribly ugly exhaust which enthusiasts will wet their pants for if one comes up for sale. Mine is a 1977/8 model but UK spec matching frame and engine numbers.

Now I'm not a dealer but as I have said a few times to people on here, if the end result can be a bike worth a couple of grand more than you paid for it, you can happily spend almost that much doing it up. I spent a fortune in time and money on a nice little KTM which because of its vintage, I knew I'd never see back.

This bike needs a bit of work to make it oil tight then I can happily use it for trundling about, secure in the knowledge that I will be able to sell it on without it costing too much, I might even make a few quid which will help towards the next bike. Then again, based on their desirability I could do a full restoration and make a packet. More likely I'll keep whatever standard bits I replace, make sure it can be put back to standard but run around with one that looks a bit like the yellow one up there.

I've no idea what they're like off road but they're just such damned good looking machines, I couldn't resist.

Screwd.

[Voyager]

Originally Posted by MyLittleStudPony

You'd only pay £450 for a XL185S that runs perfectly with an MoT and a warranty from a shop.... but £1200 for a XT500 in bits with some missing (and not many people take a perfectly running bike to bits either...)?

Nope. I'd not buy an XL185 for any money and I don't happen to want an XT that much either.

[balbas]

Originally Posted by Voyager

I wrote that on purpose just so MSLP (or others) didn't think they were about to score some bargain for peanuts.

He owns a bike shop. It is his own bike. He's had it for at least 15 years and he doesn't NEED to sell it. It will not be a bargain as he could leave it in bits for another 5 years and then think about getting around to doing it later and still not be that bothered about it.

Ergo he knows its value.

(I'd figure @£1200 in bits - but could be miles out.)

Ah, that kind of 'knows what it's worth'. I bet he will still have it in bits in his garage in 5 years as well. Probably still be there when they wheel him off to a nursing home. That's exactly the type of 'knows what it's worth' that I was talking about.

In his mind it's worth top dollar for a working bike despite being in bits, despite some of it being missing, despite a lot of uncertainty. In reality it's worth, as I said earlier, as much as you'd get for it's weight in mixed scrap, minus the time, effort and cost required to get it to the scrap man.

[Voyager]

Originally Posted by balbas

Ah, that kind of 'knows what it's worth'. I bet he will still have it in bits in his garage in 5 years as well. Probably still be there when they wheel him off to a nursing home. That's exactly the type of 'knows what it's worth' that I was talking about.

I'm sure that he knows perfectly well how and how much to sell it for.

Anyway if he doesn't sell it who cares - other than you? You don't have a right to decide what other people do with their stuff whatever.

Originally Posted by balbas

In his mind it's worth top dollar for a working bike despite being in bits, despite some of it being missing, despite a lot of uncertainty. In reality it's worth, as I said earlier, as much as you'd get for it's weight in mixed scrap, minus the time, effort and cost required to get it to the scrap man.

What has happened to you? You really are full of shit these days. 'In reality' it is worth what someone will pay. That would be a lot more than weighing it in for 'mixed scrap'.

[balbas]

Originally Posted by Voyager

I'm sure that he knows perfectly well how and how much to sell it for.

Anyway if he doesn't sell it who cares - other than you? You don't have a right to decide what other people do with their stuff whatever.

Aye true. I've a garage full of stuff myself that's worth more to me than anyone else. And a mate has just tried to flog me back my old landrover at about 4 times it's true worth. I'm very experienced in rose tinted spectacle valuations.

Originally Posted by Voyager

What has happened to you? You really are full of shit these days.

Really? Can't say I'd noticed anything changing. Maybe it's you.

Originally Posted by Voyager

'In reality' it is worth what someone will pay. That would be a lot more than weighing it in for 'mixed scrap'.

To quote you from another thread

Originally Posted by voyager

Only if the buyer is certifiable.

Hey ho, I neither want an XT500 (apart from in a general 'I wouldn't mind one of those' kind of way), nor would I want to buy bits of one in a box, so it's all rather academic.

[Voyager]

Originally Posted by balbas

To quote you from another thread

Hey ho, I neither want an XT500 (apart from in a general 'I wouldn't mind one of those' kind of way), nor would I want to buy bits of one in a box, so it's all rather academic.

Nope. I'd expect the 'mixed scrap' value of the XL185 and XT 500 would be about the same. I doubt even a dismantled XT would not be that hard to sell for four figures. Which would be at least £990 more than the scrappy would weigh it in for.

[balbas]

Originally Posted by Voyager

Nope. I'd expect the 'mixed scrap' value of the XL185 and XT 500 would be about the same. I doubt even a dismantled XT would not be that hard to sell for four figures. Which would be at least £990 more than the scrappy would weigh it in for.

If it was complete I might agree, but to acknowledge that bits were missing (without specifying what they were) would make it valueless to me.

My (limited) experience of old vehicles is that the most innocuous of items are the hardest to source when it's gone out of production.

Remember all of this is opinion - just like your opinion on the XL185

[Voyager]

Originally Posted by balbas

If it was complete I might agree, but to acknowledge that bits were missing (without specifying what they were) would make it valueless to me.

But you did not say it would make it valueless to you - having slagged off someone you don't know you then wrote '...or indeed may not be complete and therefore is worth precisely it's weight in scrap'

Then repeated it with 'In reality it's worth, as I said earlier, as much as you'd get for it's weight in mixed scrap.

Those are both utterly ridiculous and groundless comments.

Originally Posted by balbas

My (limited) experience of old vehicles is that the most innocuous of items are the hardest to source when it's gone out of production.

I wrote 'I'd wager some (non-major) bits are missing'. I do not know this but if missing passenger foot pegs or horn brackets are really a deal breaker for you than so be it.

Originally Posted by balbas

Remember all of this is opinion - just like your opinion on the XL185

My opinion of the XL 185 is just that, an opinion. I think it is a a shed that is never 'worth' £750. If some muppet is stupid enough to pay that - then more fool them.

[Screwdriver]

Could you boys get a room and have your discussion elsewhere? This thread is for connoisseurs of the venerable XT.



Screwd.

[MrTack]

Good luck.(ex owner of a much loved sr500).cracking engines to work on as they are simplicity themselves.