Shopping for a Vintage Bike - Tips & Caveats

By Ken Freund

You're not likely to get rich quick buying and restoring motorcycles for yourself, but it's still a very rewarding pastime. Some folks involve their family and teach their teenage children the necessary skills, while bonding and spending quality time together. Others simply find their reward in a beautifully restored machine that runs like new and harkens them back to their youth. Vintage motorcycles appreciate over time, and unlike money stashed in the bank, you can use and enjoy the bikes while they gain in value.

Shopping for a collectible motorcycle can be a fun experience-as it should be-but it also can have a downside if you're not prepared. Therefore you need to learn what to look for, things to avoid, and what the bikes you're shopping for are valued at, before making a large expenditure.

Once you decide on a certain model or series that you're interested in, research its value in various conditions, from rough to pristine, so that you are familiar with the market. You can get some idea of what they are selling for by checking prices in Walneck's Cycle Trader, club magazines and Web sites, published auction results, and online auction completed sales. There are also a number of price guides, such as Kelly Blue Book, and NADA, which provide extensive listings.

Determine realistically what your budget is, and whether you intend to buy a bike that's fully restored, one that's a basket case, or something in between. If you plan to ride the bike (instead of only displaying it at shows and concours, etc.), you may be able to buy a bike in good running condition and restore it as you ride, replacing and/or refinishing parts as you go. This reduces the initial investment, spreads out the cost over a period of time and let's you get riding sooner.

Vintage bikes can have all the problems associated with their years of riding, crashes and exposure to the elements that any used motorcycle can have, plus there may be missing or incorrect parts which are rare and no longer made, making restoration more difficult and expensive. Therefore it's important to take your time and maintain your objectivity in your quest for the perfect machine for your garage. Don't be in a rush.

If a bike for sale is far from your home, there are two major considerations; how do you inspect the machine prior to purchase, and transporting it if you buy it. One of the biggest problems for buyers who are not shopping in person is that sellers often rate the condition of their machine considerably higher than an objective evaluator would. This often means that when you arrive to inspect the bike, it's in nowhere near as good condition as you expected. This isn't such a concern if you live nearby and can just drive over and have a look, but it can be an expensive time waster if distances are great.

To protect yourself, before going to look at a bike at any distance, ask the seller to email you some high-quality digital photos showing details and overall condition, taken in good light. Before committing to long-distance travel to inspect and buy a motorcycle, consider how much driving, lodging, airfares and/or shipping costs add to the price. If you have a friend or relative who lives near the seller, ask if they'll inspect it and verify condition before you make the trip to pick it up. Some sellers will provide a refund if a bike is shipped to you sight-unseen and then you are unhappy with its condition. However, you'll usually be stuck with at least the return shipping cost, ask for such a policy in writing.

One of the traps many would-be restorers fall into is buying strictly by low price. Any time something seems too good to be true, it probably is. Often, the reason the bike is being sold for such a low price is because there are major problems. For example, it may not have the original engine, it may have title problems, or have parts missing that are virtually unobtainable. Also watch out for scams, where the seller asks you to send a substantial deposit up front and then disappears.

Make sure you know exactly who you are dealing with. Ask to see a driver's license and compare name and address to the title, get an actual address (not a box number) and a land-line phone number, not just a pager or cell-phone number. Before you pay anything, compare the VIN on the frame and engine to the title. Check to see if it's a salvage title; these are worth considerably less than machines with regular titles and may indicate major prior damage. Additionally, in some states, if license plates and/or stickers expire, the buyer can be stuck with huge fees to renew the registration. List the problems you find and use these in negotiations on price, if necessary. Always verify that the bike has a clear title in the name of the seller without any lien holders, and get a written receipt.

Transporting your new purchase can vary from trailering it yourself to hiring a shipper. A number of companies specialize in transporting motorcycles long distances. It's best to go with a known, reliable company that has insurance, experience and a good track record. Some websites also allow individuals to get bids from shipping companies for transporting a motorcycle.

Vintage motorcycles can provide an enormous amount of enjoyment and bang for your buck. They don't take up a lot of space, they don't use much fuel, and they are relatively inexpensive to insure. Get started today and join the fun.