Hundreds (if not more) Old Motorcycle Magazines. What to do with them?

[Banzaibob]

I had a good friend that passed away over 20 years ago. I acquired his Motorcycle magazine collection. In his various collections were...Cycle, Cycle World, Motorcyclist, Dirt Bike, etc. There are also technical brochures and various guides. There are literally hundreds of them in boxes. They range in age from the mid 1960s to the mid 1980s. There is even an original Dirt Bike, vol. 1, number 1. All of these are in very good to excellent condition.

I'm NOT trying to sell them here. But I would like the forum's advice on perhaps what the best way to sell them would be. The sheer number of magazines makes it difficult to evaluate how to get rid of them. Any and all advice is appreciated.

 

[JOHNDADDY]

Try buying them online, and see where and if they're selling.

 

[grouchie83]

Are you trying to get the most you can from them or just get rid of them?

Maybe a good old fashioned yard sale? Never know, some guy like one of us here might stumble up and offer good money for them.

Maybe a pawn shop or an auction house?

 

[halfmile]

Totally worthless unless your restoring a certain bike and need reference pics. Try a gallon of gasoline and a match. If that doesn`t work try 2 gallons of gasoline. You can also donate them to a VA Hospital for a tax deduction. I`ve done this in the past with NHRA "Drag News" and at least felt like they went to a good cause.

 

[cycleranger]

Old magazines are tough to sell. There's generally a limited market for them.
The problem is there's a lot of them out there.
The older mags have more value than recent but not much and then it's mostly for the ads!
Issues that feature certain bikes or riders can have more value but it takes research to determine that then you gotta find the buyer.
(For example Jan '69 Cycle World introducing the CB750.)

As far as technical brochures etc, they may have more value but again it takes some research to determine that.
The easiest way to re-home them would probably be to list them online as complete collections and sell them in bulk for a few bucks as individually most aren't worth the price of shipping.
If there's any auto/bike related shows or swap meets near you those can be an opportunity to sell.

I've actually been going through my collection of comics and magazines recently.
Most of the magazines are essentially worthless and most of my comics aren't worth more than a buck or two even though they're going on fifty years old but at this point I'm looking more to keeping them out of the trash than making any money.

 

[Adamc]

Most of us gather bike mags over the years; usually relevant to the bikes we own or once owned. At some point we decide to get rid of them, usually down the local refuse centre and they get mashed and recycled or burnt.

There are specialists magazine resellers in the second hand market; most deal in comics actually. They may offer a price for the lot, but it will be a lowball number for the collection. They will have to catalog each one and list online to sell; a very time consuming job. Some rare ones may be worth a bit but most will be next to worthless.

I buy vinyl record collections and sift through hundreds to find a few gems each year which I sell online. About once a year I get a really collectible disc which I keep in my own collection, I’m a vinyl addict. Most of the detritus goes to the tip for recycling, I guess bike magazines are the same.

Do you have the time, probably not?

 

[steve zodiac]

I think people who collect magazines.
Really do have issues!

 

[MrBultaco]

I had lots magazines in a large box, so, being anal, I sorted them out and boxed them thinking I'd make some $$$...I posted to the Denver Craigslist and kept lowering the price. Finally a collector who sells on Ebay made me an offer I couldn't refuse. Good luck.

 

[Banzaibob]

This is kinda like selling a complete set of encyclopedias in great condition. There is a certain aesthetic associated with the history of such things but they are hugely impractical. I mean...it's really cool to read the very first review of the 1969 CB750K but no so cool to read the 10th review of the 1984 Virago.

 

[YamadudeXS650C]

I would set up a sort of yard sale some saturday morning (best time to sell) and advertise in the yard sale and "free" domains of craigslist and FB marketplace. Suggest to folks that offer whatever $ they want to for an item. Donations. You would be moving them on to a good home and probably have some good conversations with folks. Maybe even make a new friend.

Another idea:
In 2019 Walter Miller of Syracuse NY, illustrious collector of automobile literature died.
He set up an automobile Museum in Downtown Syracuse.

Miller had the largest collection of automobilia in the world. This was my experience when I stopped by his retail outlet looking for a owner's manual or advertisement for one of my vehicles:

. . . . .

He auctioned most of his collection in 2019 to Automobiliaauctions.com located near Hartford, Connecticut. So, you might try contacting them.


More: https://www.hemmings.com/stories/remembering-walter-miller-1953-2019/




.