what will the resale value be for Harley Davidson look a like bikes in thirty years?

Question

the resale value on h/d bikes is and will always be fairly well, however resale on japanese, italian,russian, and for that matter any other brand bike appears to drop as soon as you start it up the first time! and history shows that only a very few will ever be worth collecting. so any money saved at purchase is just a bunch of crap and a way for ignorant people to justify saying that all these other brands are build so much better!!! what are the chances of seeing a 2006 polaris victory selling for 4 times its original price in 2046 or will there even be one left that is still in service.

Answer 1

If you polish a turd,,,,,,you still have a turd,,,,,I personally think that Victory just may find its place along side( well maybe a little behind) Harley and Indian as long as they never sell out to cheaper parts etc,,,,any American made bike that can stand the test of time should do well on the resale market....But again,,,It aint no Harley,,,,,,,as far as the Japanese bike wanna bees,,,,,,(( see first sentence ))

Answer 2

Hard to say, but it might be a good idea to look at some of the older Japanese bikes as a guide. For example, consider the Honda CB750. Sold for $1,495 when new. Today, that price would buy a rather ratty example in need of some work. A good, restored example would set you back two or three times its original cost. And one of the early ones with a sandcast engine, even more.

Some of the less desirable Japanese bikes from 30 years ago trade hands for about the same price you would have paid had you bought one new, if you find one in good condition.

If you want an honest answer to your question, I suggest you take a look at an issue of Motorcycle Classics - or even examine Cycle Trader if you can find what the bikes cost new elsewhere - and see for yourself how bikes that are not Harleys have held their resale value.

Answer 3

Street value and book values are completely different. To suggest that only H-D holds a fair resale value only shows your lack of knowledge concerning the motorcycle market as a whole. History as you mention does in fact show that numerous makes and models of bikes are very much sought after. Purchase a copy of Walnecks and do some research.

Answer 4

If you are buying a bike as an investment, then by all means invest in a Hardley Drive-it-son and park it in your hermetically sealed storage unit. In thirty years, you'll own an OLD plastic mass-produced POS that you can't find fuel for and won't be allowed to drive because of air quality regulations and can't sell to a museum because everybody and his brother is salting away "mint" versions of every goddamn thing "for the future" these days - toys, vehicles, even clothes for god's sake.
Buy a bike that you want to ride NOW, and that means a reliable, fun-to-ride, well-engineered machine ... oh, I'm sorry, we were talking about Harleys here.
Yeah sure, buy seven of the things. Then you'll have one to not ride each day of the week.

Answer 5

funny how people with no Harley experience have such strong opinions....