XS 650's becoming less popular?

[lakeview]

In passing, the thread about that green bobber yesterday was saying that the XS 650's were losing popularity to smaller CB's. Say it ain't so!

I was speaking to an owner in downtown Toronto last week who had just sold a 77ish standard with the brown tank and red rear direction lenses all stock and probably an 8 for $2,600.00. His story was that all the hipsters were looking to buy old UJM so they could look down on the super sports crowd.

So people, what is happening in your locale with the popularity of these machines?
Are they becoming passe, or even worse, a cult bike? I have been stocking up on these to fund my retirement! i always figured that as the Brit 650's got way overpriced, the XS 650s would pick up the slack and keep their value.

 

[racerdave]

Unless it is a immaculate low mile original, I think they produced way to many XS650 to become really valuable in our lifetime.

 

[smg65]

It would be interesting to know how many owners that frequent the forum are keeping the bikes as original (and vintage appearing) as possible, and how many are being "chopped" with pieces discarded. Seems that many of the Craiglist bikes I see in my area are abandoned "bobber", or "cafe" projects. Given the "build", "reality" shows, it's understandable that this is what's popular right now. Many others have simply been through many owners and have suffered because of it. There were only so many XS's produced, and they are disappearing.

 

[fredintoon]

Unless it is a immaculate low mile original, I think they produced way too many XS650 to become really valuable in our lifetime.

Hi dave,
Yeah, they also said that about the model T but look at the the price of a Model T these days.
By the time the chopping, bobbing, cafeing and trackerizing crowd have had their way with most of the XS650s those that remain will be worth a fortune.
Our day will come!

 

[CDNTX650]

Yup. Thats why i kept mine not tooooo far from stock...it was in such bad shape when i found it anyways. But yes, they are being wrecked. There is a few i see here and there locally that have been built nicely. Most are just cut up junk. Might as well leave the faded and battlescarred paint instead of being a meatstick with the flat black on everything..

 

[pekka]

Did you guys really buy an XS to make money?

 

[CDNTX650]

not at all. Just makes me cringe when i see "bobber" on Kijiji or CL and its a flat black pos of cobbled together shit. and people want like 2000$ for them.

 

[itsatoy]

Oh come on, these bikes aren't good candidates for the collectors market, they made a bazillion of them. The only reason they emerged from being "a good cheap first bike" to having a value greater than their parts is because of the trends so many of you complain about. The starting price for the brit bikes exceeded the trendy market and the cb750 started to get harder to find in some areas so the XS650 was next on the list. Cafe is already becoming a bit passé but still strong and the xs works well as a tracker also so the sale prices are still on the rise. IMO, anyone buying now is buying near the top of the curve. The only chance for much increased value beyond this point is that way more of them get customized and maybe in another 30 years there will be some rarity. Its a good solid bike with original and aftermarket parts abundant. We should all be proud these trends are getting more of them running and on the road.

If you guys need to vent you can go rag on me in my build thread as I ruin a '81 special, but its not broken down in a PO's garage and its making a new motorcycle rider out of me. Reminds me of when I put a plastic stock on my Yugo SKS. Can't we all just get along?

http://www.xs650.com/forum/showthread.php?t=32361

 

[jtrip72]

Yup. Thats why i kept mine not tooooo far from stock...it was in such bad shape when i found it anyways. But yes, they are being wrecked. There is a few i see here and there locally that have been built nicely. Most are just cut up junk. Might as well leave the faded and battlescarred paint instead of being a meatstick with the flat black on everything..

Hey. I like flat black. That makes me a meatstick? I prefer to be called a fishstick.

 

[weekendrider]

BWHAHAHA

 

[smg65]

I'm not venting or ragging on anyone. But I will take a beer! It is just a personal preference as to what you do with a bike. Bobbers, choppers, vintage look, or whatever... if a job is done to the best of your ability, and you like it, then that's cool. I sure didn't buy my bike to make money on it. I bought it because I owned two of them in my youth, which is long gone. Was wanting the vertical twin with the vintage look, feel, experience, the functionality of the total package. The pseudo British bike that did things better. (Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't turn down a Gold Star!)

 

[Newagerocker]

XS650s are never going to be rare or worth much no-matter how long you wait, even a pristine Green Grandfather. Over 400,000 XS650s were produced 1969-84. I did my first XS650 cafe in 1990, a street tracker soon after, then followed by a sidecar outfit. I guess I was way ahead of the curve. They are however; versatile well supported and easy to work on. So chop 'em, bob 'em, kaff 'em, strip 'em or cut 'em up. You paid for it do what moves you.

Stick a bored out 750 in a featherbed replica frame with a well thought out modern wheels, brakes, shocks and all the goodies still ain't gonna pile up the bucks at resale but will more than rival a restored or original styled bike.

 

[CDNTX650]

Like the meatstick that had my bike before....lets paint the forksliders and brake disc too!

 

[jd750ace]

I have a rare XS.

Flat black is a primer color. It's the old bed sheet you throw over something that you don't want to look at. The bed sheet still looks like shit with the toenail holes and shit stains, but it's not quite as fucked up looking as what you covered with it.

If you can't paint, and you're too damn cheap to pay someone to do it, write "I'm too fucking lazy to do it right" on the side of it and be honest.

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

Been watching these kinds of trends for a long time, and noticed some interesting patterns.

Most folks live at the mercy of technology. An item is disposed when it is deemed unsafe, unmaintainable, old, out-of-fashon, ...etc. The mechanically adept recognize the diamond-in-the-rough, undervalued with potential, and acquire this "junk".

High school kids usually get the hand-me-downs and perceived reliable end-of-life 13 year old vehicles. They create their own trends, which may become epidemic.

Mid-lifers and retirees look for things they couldn't have in their youth.

 

[smg65]

"Mid-lifers and retirees look for things they couldn't have in their youth."

I had all the "things" I could handle back in the day. I'm just simplifying and downsizing!

 

[jtrip72]

I have a rare XS.

Flat black is a primer color. It's the old bed sheet you throw over something that you don't want to look at. The bed sheet still looks like shit with the toenail holes and shit stains, but it's not quite as fucked up looking as what you covered with it.

If you can't paint, and you're too damn cheap to pay someone to do it, write "I'm too fucking lazy to do it right" on the side of it and be honest.

Toenail holes and shit stains. Good lord.

 

[racerdave]

I think Newagerocker and I are in agreement

 

[gggGary]

Historically we should be at the peak of the market. like too many sez the lost youth guys are now chasing newer bikes than the XS. My take is that the huge number of Harleys out there is finally starting to drag down the used bike market. Been waiting for this for a while and the last few years it's been accelerating. Those old guys that bought Harley's rode em for a few years and lost interest are getting tired of seeing them sit in the garage collecting dust. If you can get a sporty for 2k or less (It's still a Harley) dyna's for $4K the $3-4000 XS is harder to justify. Locally we had a rotten spring for bike sales, cold for freakin ever then wet and just not much good riding weather.
It doesn't help that a lot of cars now get better fuel milage than these old bikes. Fuel savings was one way to con the old lady into "letting" him have a bike.

 

[jd750ace]

Toenail holes and shit stains. Good lord.

There's some stuff running around out there that people are SOOOOO proud of and want a load of validation for, but what they did was make a mess out of a motorcycle in their Monster Energy fueled "creative passion" Said it before, and I'll say it again: Some people's creative juices are best poured out on the ground and allowed to evaporate in the sun.

Gotta jab at the sawzall crowd. Recently discovered that it's highly insulting to a hipster to call his "build" a rat bike!

Hey, if it LOOKS RATTY, it's a RAT BIKE to me!