Classic bikes crossing the Atlantic

maybe this is common, and maybe everyone already knows this sort of thing happens.

last year a friend's classic 73 Suzuki died. Dont remember what killed it, but it would have been $1000 to repair so he sold it to the first taker for a few hundred. This bike was in great cosmetic shape. I remember being veeeerrry suspicious that he had gotten taken on the deal by someone who would flip it , but by the time I learned of it he had already sold it.

Well a few weeks ago he was contacted by someone in England who had obtained the bike and had fixed it up, and wanted to know some of its history.

I see a lot of ads on craigslist looking for classic bikes, and always wonder what they want them for. Is this what is happening to a lot of them, or was this just an isolated case?

Thousands of bike are imported into the UK from the US every year. There are companies whose sole existance is the resale of imported bikes. Original UK bikes didn't fair as well over the years due to our crappy climate and the demand is strong for "nostagic" bikes. Prices are very much higher here than the US.

You should see what the Japanese will pay for certain model Kawasaki motorcycles!!!! The 79/80 Kz1000 MK.II's, Z1r's, and the Kz1000R 's are the most sought after models in Japan. Most of these models sold on Ebay end up in Japan.

Even the very rare Kz1000S1 Superbike road racer that just sold for 114,000 dollars on Ebay is going to Japan!!!!

Many DEEP pockets on those islands over there!!!!!

Ah-hah! I suspected but did not know. I dont know how to feel about this. Maybe someone will pay me an exhorbitant price to ship my beautiful but dead KZ305 overseas? I don't want to but I can't afford to fix it. But I hate to see "thousands and thousands" of classic bikes being shipped somewhere else where I will never be able to buy them.

82KZ305Belt wrote: Ah-hah! I suspected but did not know. I dont know how to feel about this. Maybe someone will pay me an exhorbitant price to ship my beautiful but dead KZ305 overseas? I don't want to but I can't afford to fix it.

What happened to your 305?

There's guys who haunt the Mid-Ohio & Barber vintage swap meets every year searching for bikes to send to Japan, UK and Australia.

On one hand it makes it harder & more expensive for the American vintage bike enthusiast to ply their chosen hobby. On the other hand, it drives up the value of what's left in the hands of the U.S.-based vintage enthusiast.

Have to admit that we're guilty of selling a bike across the water too, but the cash profit was insane.

Good Ridin'
slmjim & Z1BEBE

My buddy drove all the way to Wisconsin for a pretty big bike-auction. He had pre-bid on some bikes and went with a lot of cash. He figured he was going to come back with too many bikes. So much so, he started making phone calls for local storage in that area. Turns out he did not get one single bike. Two guys bought every bike and paid triple to 10 times what they were worth here... that is, every Japanese bike. My buddy asked them what they do with the bikes and they said all of those bikes were going straight to Europe. They didn't buy any European bikes as they are a lot cheaper there I guess.

I've noticed a big drop on what I see pop up on craigslist just in the last 10 years. I used to see 1 or 2 Gpz550's every month. Now I have only seen one in the last two years.

slmjim+Z1BEBE wrote: There's guys who haunt the Mid-Ohio & Barber vintage swap meets every year searching for bikes to send to Japan, UK and Australia.

On one hand it makes it harder & more expensive for the American vintage bike enthusiast to ply their chosen hobby. On the other hand, it drives up the value of what's left in the hands of the U.S.-based vintage enthusiast.

Have to admit that we're guilty of selling a bike across the water too, but the cash profit was insane.

Good Ridin'
slmjim & Z1BEBE

I'm going to try to sell the '67 Yamaha YCS1 (and a shedload of parts) at Mid-Ohio this year. Will let you know how it goes.

I just sold one of my 550 to a guy . Pretty sure its heading overseas . Guy came from new york to buy it . Said he was picking up three bikes that day . Had an old honda in the trailer already . Tried to buy three other bikes in my garage . Asked if I had any friends who had old bikes for sale . Didnt even care about the paperwork . Had a bill of sale written up from his company with the make and model not filled out but everything else was . Didnt even really look at the bike like a normal buyer would . Tried to talk me down at first . Told him I would just keep it that it was pretty happy in my garage then he just paid full price . Then 10 minutes after he left texted me again and asked if I would sell him one of my turbos as he was still in my area . Hated to sell it but it hadnt been ridden in three years so figured I should send it out in the world before the carbs got gunked up . Still have 4 more 550 so cant keep them all.

Nerdy wrote:

82KZ305Belt wrote: Ah-hah! I suspected but did not know. I dont know how to feel about this. Maybe someone will pay me an exhorbitant price to ship my beautiful but dead KZ305 overseas? I don't want to but I can't afford to fix it.

What happened to your 305?

Cant afford to fix the head gasket

loudhvx wrote: My buddy drove all the way to Wisconsin for a pretty big bike-auction. He had pre-bid on some bikes and went with a lot of cash. He figured he was going to come back with too many bikes. So much so, he started making phone calls for local storage in that area. Turns out he did not get one single bike. Two guys bought every bike and paid triple to 10 times what they were worth here... that is, every Japanese bike. My buddy asked them what they do with the bikes and they said all of those bikes were going straight to Europe. They didn't buy any European bikes as they are a lot cheaper there I guess.

I've noticed a big drop on what I see pop up on craigslist just in the last 10 years. I used to see 1 or 2 Gpz550's every month. Now I have only seen one in the last two years.

Right. I see the ads of these "collectors" on Wisconsin craigslist where I've been trying to find a cheap bike for a year now. I can't find one.

It's even got a name here. The great US Z drain.