What's it worth?

KJ790

XS650 Enthusiast
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Looking to see what the general consensus is on this bike's value. Someone gave me an offer out of the blue (bike wasn't even for sale) and I'm wondering if it is a valid price or not. I'm beginning to wonder if I should take the cash and run or if I should keep the bike and keep riding it.

The bike is an '81 XS650 special. I bought it about a year ago and spent a few months going through it. I've since put about 500 miles on it. Here is what I put into it:

New tires
New battery
New brakes front and rear
Mikes XS 2-1 exhaust
New pistons, rings, cam chain, and valves (with all new gaskets obviously)
New rear shocks
Flat tracker handlebars
New airfilters
RK 530 o-ring chain
Boyer ignition and coil
New charging system rotor and brushes
Custom carbon fiber panels on tank and side panels with new paint

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The bike runs and rides great (ride it to work whenever it isn't raining). What do you guys think is the realistic value of this bike as it sits?
 
Not here to hurt anyone's feelings but restoration/customization money spent is usually money gone unless you aquired the bike super cheap. I know I bought my 78'SE two years ago with only 5600 miles on it. Over the course of a year the bike got pretty much totally renewed and refreshed. Including purchase price I've probably got over $3,000 in it and doubt it could be sold for much over $2,500. Reality. Don't know what it's like wherever you are but here I'd guess you're in the $1500-2000 range.

roy
 
I completely agree with Royboy and was going to say between $1,500 and $2,000. And personally I think $2,000 is a damn good offer.
 
XS's in my area that are rough runners, 95% done, etc go for 2k+ easy. A fully rebuilt, running, painted, reliable machine here sells for 3k+ easy. There are 'cafe' bikes that have a new seat, pma, pamco and bars that start at 5k+!!!! Stupid if you ask me, but people are paying it.
 
Thanks guys. I was thinking $2000-2200 would be a realistic price for this bike, but I really had nothing to base that on. I have around $1800 invested, but I didn't build it with any intention of selling it. But like they say, everything is for sale for the right price...
 
Prices on. Xs's are also regional. Here in NYC theyre pretty rare even in non running condition. I'd say get a feel for your local market and check Craigslist and eBay. Searching near you to see what they are going for. I got mine from Pennsylvania and he got it from Ohio. I got a great deal on it considering.

If you were selling it here I'd say you could easily get 3500-4000 for her. Some will even pay to ship if it wasn't outrageous.
 
I'd ride it if I had that in it. It will probably keep you tinkering a little bit, and you may never get the satisfaction out of a few bucks you can get out of a bike you put a bit of sweat into. Ask some of these "bike hoarders!" (I only have 3 right now, but 2 are inherited, and the other is a jewel)
 
i picked up an 88' radian for $800 in small town wisconsin, cleaned up the carbs, got it running nice, put on a gold chain to match the gold rims and accent and sold it for $2500 two weeks later here in minneapolis with 7k on the odo. There's no harm in throwing out the line just to see if the fish bite :)
 
Factor your time into it, was it worth it all just to sell it?

The values only going to go up. Keep it.
 
Values will only go up to a point though. it's been my experience that the time and money put into a bike that you want to ride will almost never be recovered when you want to sell it. You can't think of it like that.
 
Pretty tough to judge what a bike is worth in your area from craigslist. Like JP50515 said, it costs people nothing to throw out the hook with a silly asking price stuck on it but it doesn't mean bikes are actually selling for anything near those prices.
 
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