What do you think XS650 are worth today?

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

It's all about what gets your juices flowing...

Bingo!

Marketing manager I worked for showed me the value of "Selling the Dream".
He could sell refrigerators to Eskimos. Good salesmen learn these tricks of the trade.

If you just put something out there for sale, you're depending on the current market trends and customer desires to value your product. Somebody else created that market, and most folks just "catch the wave" and go along for the ride. If you're in that 'dependancy' mode, then you have to keep an ear on the market and emerging trends.

A good example of creating (or enlarging) a market was the "Biker Build-offs"...

 

[member3480]

Its the love of the build for me because if I wanted to make money I would just stay with race motors because it pays. I do custom harnesses for bikes and make NO MONEY on them but it helps me calm down and get to do something. I also build car motors and I got 5 motors done sitting on stands and no cars HAHA Why because its a challenge to do and keeps my mind going. Your going to laugh but I just got back into riding a bicycle and need to do it everyday to keep my blood pressure down. I am up to 8 miles a day and for a old fart like me with tons of health problems its cool just to get out there . Doctor says its the best thing for me.
I use to build up to 10 bikes a year now I can do two and I can put one together with all the parts in about a month were I use to blow them out in a week with two other guys.
Like Dan said you build for yourself and put tons of money in and hope to break even just to build another. Now if you want a nice bike BUY Dan's because he is anal like me and goes nutz on his builds and I think he can correct me but he built three for the build off so you may have a choice. Now you want to know what's hot now and if you want to build something different here is the newest big sell and anywhere I go I am asked can you build me one. How about a xs650 one

 

[DIRTY DOG]

100% right on with that Rich, I do go over board on some builds but this one was for me so... you allways build what you want for your self,don't need to sell I just thinking of building a cool low choped trike with a xs650 engine and them rear ends arn't cheep lol,and yes I built 3 wife crashed one and one was for a buddy of mine and mine I will never do that again lol I'm just to damned old for it hahaha

 

[weekendrider]

I think in some cases they are bringing more than ever. In some cases they are as cheap as always. I don't think the demand is as high, there seems to be more on CL locally and they stay longer. Right now the gamut runs from a stock '80 for $750 to several diy customs in various stages of repair, to the guy that has a stock one owner '81 he is asking 5K for.
It would have to be an awfully nice scoot to get $1500 from me.
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I wonder if shops have added time for messing with those ugly ass dragging baggers?
That cool factor is expensive.

 

[funky]

Well in the Uk it cost me £2400 for the bike then £2050 for an engine rebuild and chain and sprocket set then a further £1400 for other parts to convert to a Cafe Racer this is not icluding my labour,,,,, it cost me £120 to run the new engine in. so in keeping with the subject I can beleive what prices that some people have and are charging.
the truth of the matter is if you do the job properly then it will cost .....

 

[Higgy]

I think in some cases they are bringing more than ever. In some cases they are as cheap as always. I don't think the demand is as high, there seems to be more on CL locally and they stay longer. Right now the gamut runs from a stock '80 for $750 to several diy customs in various stages of repair, to the guy that has a stock one owner '81 he is asking 5K for.
It would have to be an awfully nice scoot to get $1500 from me.

I just gave $150 for a non-running, complete '80, but those are a rarity. Typical non-running XS650 here in the Northeast is $500-$700. Running, it starts usually around $1k, and goes up to about $3000 - and thats for a stock bike. Customs aren't selling, and the ones that are on CL are usually WIPs or non-running projects ($1200-$2000).

I'm beginning to realize that you have to be unusually original or unusually crafty to make any $$ in the XS650 biz.

 

[lakeview]

Higgy, your price quotes are what I think the prices are here in GTA. (Toronto). I was lucky to get a complete non-running 78 Special for similar money, calipers were seized, wiring was fried from reverse polarity, but motor was free. It's on the bench now.

But last month I tried to sell a complete '79 SE stock running and driving, but not licensed, and pulled ad when I could not get $900.00 for it. So I think it is just luck of the draw. The '79 will get some more work on the calipers and master cylinders and a fresh seal behind the points and I will try again in the spring.

I spent half a day going through the Barber museum a week ago, awesome place, but there was not one XS650 exhibited that I saw. At the swap meet at AMA Vintage days in July, there were not any I saw, but I did not see all of what was on offer. There were a few nicely redone ones at the show and shine, and a real nice stock 75 showed up when I was at the Wall of Death, perhaps the marque's best days are yet to come.

 

[davetherave]

Well in the Uk it cost me £2400 for the bike then £2050 for an engine rebuild and chain and sprocket set then a further £1400 for other parts to convert to a Cafe Racer this is not icluding my labour,,,,, it cost me £120 to run the new engine in. so in keeping with the subject I can beleive what prices that some people have and are charging.
the truth of the matter is if you do the job properly then it will cost .....

I'm with you on that one Funky, £2400 for the bike, another £1000 on new parts/upgrades, Plus one months work & I hope to get £3000 back!

 

[member3480]

Years ago I use to rent a truck setup about 10 bikes to buy and do what I called the GILLIAN 12 hour tour and hit as many states as I could and buy up bikes cheap. In 2009 I started in NY went to Michigan then to Ohio and back threw Penn down to Maryland/Del and back threw NJ and would have 10 XS650 bikes all for under $2000 for all. I found this one guy in PA that had five only wanted to sell on but I left with all five. Now some were JUNK but I did make money because all I wanted was motor frame and title. There is a guy in north jersey way up near top and this guy has no lie 1000 bikes on his farm and only one XS650 that I bought. But he had old Hondas and old 350 Harleys and I made great money off that guy and I only left with 5 bikes. So if you know how to fine them and you can go get them you can make money off them. This guy had which came home with me a WATER BUFFLO .... Now lets see how old you are WHATS a WATER BUFFLO and did you ever own or ride one. HAHA

 

[Higgy]

So if you know how to fine them and you can go get them you can make money off them. This guy had which came home with me a WATER BUFFLO .... Now lets see how old you are WHATS a WATER BUFFLO and did you ever own or ride one. HAHA

Ah! A Suzuki 750! I can't remember what the model designation was, but I know I'd like to have one. They were a 3-cylinder, TWO-STROKE, liquid-cooled. One of the guys in my high school that graduated a year before I did bought one when he graduated and started working a real job. The bike went like a raped ape! The acceleration was hair-raising.

 

[gggGary]

WB; The front brake from 73-74 I think, is worth more than the rest of the bike.

I almost drove all the way to the UP for one (400 one way) just to get the brake!

I recently bought a 77 standard, local to me 10 miles round trip, original owner about 15K miles, not a beauty, AM pipes, seat, but all there, minor rust and signs of use, kicks with compression, probably overpaid at $550. It always takes 40 hours+ and $500+ to get to a daily driver machine worth less than 2K. Brand new tires, but 15 years old, good only to "see how it runs".



Took 22 MC tires in for disposal last week, pretty much an annual event for me.

 

[gggGary]

Same seller, on CL all summer, asking price has been slowly dropping

Now $1800

Now $2500

They are still for sale.

 

[Higgy]

Same seller, on CL all summer, asking price has been slowly dropping

Now $1800

Now $2500

They are still for sale.

Same pattern on CL here.

 

[Scallywag303]

In Colorado there isn't to many custom xs650 for sale alot of stock ones. But the owners see that everyone wants one to chop so they think and old crusty is worth 2k. The ones that kill me the most are the rat bikes that are listed for $7k. I like the rat bike look, but the fake rusted patina is not work $7k sorry. A $5k-$6k XS to me would either be a completely 100% restored early 3 or a fully built rephased all built bike. There is a sexy xs cafe west of me in Grand Junction for $5500 that's been rephased and looks sweet and it's been for sale for a month.

http://westslope.craigslist.org/mcy/5166215293.html

I've found that alot of the people looking for the xs650 are those who want to build them. Which means they want a sub $1000 bike. The customs sell to college kids that don't have the know how or resources to build there own and are in the $2500 range. Not much room for mark up. The one I just built I have no intention of ever selling, I built for me and invested quite a bit in it and would never ever get it back and I'm okay with that.

Not sure if you guys follow ebay sales at all but in the last year if you type xs650 there has been almost 15k more parts added to ebay. People are just parting and chopping. Not many in the market to buy one that's already built.

And to someone else's point I can buy a 1200 sportster all day for $3k and build a nice bike $6k, cafe or chop. Don't get me wrong I love the xs but people chop them mostly because they're cheap. And the bikes beeing sold arent cheap. I personally like xs motor but everyone has their reasons.

It's all madness.

 

[Higgy]

It's all madness.

So true.

I've been thinking about this post a lot recently and from a practical perspective, I do not think I will ever spend much over $800-$1000 for any XS. Why, you ask? Because I really don't want one that is fully restored, and I do not care to buy someone else's completed custom. I want to make my own customs, therefore old XS's are parts for me. Raw materials if you will.

Paying over $1000 for a rusty crusty XS also puts you in the rusty crusty Sportster bracket, and your chances of actually selling and making some cash from said sporty is far greater than your chances of selling/profiting from the XS. Did I mention its also a Harley?

Every peckerwood backwards-ass inbred sumbitch wants a Harley, and they are willing to prostitute their sister/mothers to get one.

So what to do?

I say relax and enjoy the XS for what it is. Its a great bike and it feels good to be part of a group of people with similar, eclectic tastes. It will never be a big money maker, but being on one will always bring a smile to your face.

 

[gggGary]

Funny how the "right bike" changes for us over the years. We mostly start small and keep getting bigger and bigger then as we age small and light starts looking very attractive again.

 

[Higgy]

^^^ Lol, I know, right? I bought a few old CB350s based on a single CL ad, where they guy wanted to trade his softail for a small bike that he could use to get back out to the country with, maybe lift it over a log in the road were his words. Definitely didnt want a dual-sport or dirtbike. So here I'm thinking maybe more people want this?

 

[gggGary]

Yeah the market has never changed.
Everyone wants a pretty, stock, "ride it home" XS5650 for $500.
Then before the engine cools off the angle grinder's making sparks.
Sigh.....

 

[lakeview]

This is an interesting discussion. The last few posts in my view are realistic and correct.

I sold my Road Glide the start of last summer ('04 with 137,000k on it), now my V-Strom is feeling almost as heavy and awkward, so time marches on.

One of these fine days I will get one of my XS' ready to be certified for the road. They are certainly a breeze to roll around the garage compared to even the V-Strom.

 

[gggGary]

The good news here is that the XS650 fits that "downsizing" niche almost perfectly. Big enough that an hour or three on the highway is doable. Small enough to be easy to "driveway" . It's a classic, fits how many an old guy defines real motorcycle. Other guys will thumbs up an XS650 rider and stop to chat. Metric cruisers, especially smaller ones, just scream wannabe. Crotch rockets, Nope. Anything less than a 500 is well you know not manly.