Considering selling, what is it worth?

This might be listed in the wrong section, if it is please feel free to move it as needed. I have way too many bikes and no where to keep them and am considering selling a collector XJ.
I have a 1981 XJ 550 Maxim with 3,791 original miles on it. The only way this bike could look any better is if it had been stored inside the original crate all these years. I came across this bike two years ago and bought it from a collector that had a small museum full of immaculate bikes. After a bit of negotiation the owner agreed to sell two of the bikes. All the chrome is beautiful, no pitting or corrosion and the original paint is about as perfect as can ever expect to be found in the best of conditions. The tank has a very light scratch that would polish out. Words could not explain the condition of this bike. The exhaust headers are excellent with no staining or bluing of any kind. The color of the bike is burgandy.
I had this bike stored at a friends place in a heated building with his bikes. The bike has sat for almost a year. When started a couple of weeks ago it ran good but idled a bit rough. The carbs may need to be touched up. I didn't want to run it because if it is running lean the pipes will dis-color. My friend has bought another home and I have to get it out of his way. Counting this one, I have 8 bikes. I just bought a 07 Harley Davidson Wide Glide three months ago and it is sitting outside in the rain and snow. I have to move some of these bikes. My wife is real PO'ed because she can't park in the garage.
My friend listed this bike for me on ebay and someone made an offer and the ebay listing was canceled. I have not heard any more from the guy that made the offer. The ebay auction number was 180597087153 if anyone wants to see the pictures. You will be amazed.
I wasn't really for sure that I would want to sell the bike but I have to do something to get some room. I am hoping that someone on the forum can give me an idea what it is worth. I was offered $2,800 for it, but so much for offers. If I had any other means of storage I would keep it. This bike is drop-dead gorgeous. In case anyone is wondering, the tires have less than 400 miles on them.
I am not trying to sell it on here, just wanting to get an honest idea on a decent price.
Thanks for any input,

 

On looks alone I wish I could buy that. (A same day round trip even - long day but still).

Assuming the origianl owner (and you) are totally honest and it was not "restored" it looks great.

That being said any new owner SHOULD replace the tires (if they are original) and probably many of the rubber hoses (ie brake lines) and obviously clean and go thru the carbs.

I couldn't tell you what it's worth. But I have no idea. Very few would pay "collectors" prices. Even with my limited knowledge, I'm guessing at least $500 in new parts (including tires), so that would hurt "my" max offer.

So who wants to convince my wife i NEED this bike?

 

Hi,

couldn't see a picture of this bike - can you supply a link or put in a gallery.

Sounds worth a look. However, I always wonder when someone says there's a slight scratch that will polish out why they just haven't gone ahead and done that?

Nige

 

You should have taken the $2800.

Unfortunately, even with those few miles (and because it has so few miles,) it's still going to have to be gone through; and The Metal Man is right, you're looking at $500-$800 in parts for a proper recommissioning.

The market hasn't jumped yet for our bikes, but it's getting so very close. There was a thread running in regard to an allegedly "stored since new" Honda CB750 on eBay: http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/p=2 ... tml#249215 which ended up being a restoration but sold for over $25 Grand nonetheless.

Right now though, although they have finally climbed back to around what they cost new, XJs haven't "taken off" yet; if you can get $2500 or more for a clean example like you describe then you've done good.

Sounds to me like you need to rent a storage space and get those bikes under shelter.

Being as you're here in the Midwest, I can also add that right now isn't the most ideal time to try to sell a bike for top dollar. Wait until spring, or hold onto it for 5 more years and probably get some serious coin for it.

 

i paid $1800 for my brand new 82 maxim 650. the bike i tested had 0 miles on it. waited a week for loan approval. and left with a bike with 23 miles. i wasn't happy but i was only 18 at that time. had no clue what i could have done and i didn't realize the miles untill i was half way home.

being as how it was my first new vehicle. and my second actual vehicle. i was kinda stoked.

 

The bike has never been restored. It has never sat outside a night since new. It has new tires and battery. It needs nothing period other than possibly freshening the carbs and I will do that. I will give a personal guarantee that it needs nothing. The scratch will Polish out. I will also do that.
The Guy that made the offer of 28 did not contact me back. I will advertise delivery within reasonable distance for cost only. I thought I might offer it here first before I advertise it again.

 

A "road test" was part of the service procedure for a new bike that had rust in the tank...

Back to the original question:

Ed, that's great. But it probably does need rear brake shoes too, they seemingly delaminate no matter how/where a bike's been sitting. And the tach drive oil seal will fail within the first 500 miles or so of being put back on the road. The recommended life span for brake lines is FOUR years, nothing to do with mileage, so those will need to be replaced as well.

It's honest-to-gosh worth about $2500; you may get more in the spring.

 

I will have to admit that the major problem with selling a low mileage bike like this is that most people want to ride it, they don't want to pay money for it to sit. Once the mileage starts building then the value begins to drop. It would be worth more to someone that is a collector, at least someone that will take really good care of it.
I have three Honda V65 Magnas. They were in production from 1983-1986. They sold for around $4300 new and I have seen several pristine bikes sell for between $5500 to $6500. This bike is the nicest to be found anywhere. When I got hold of it two years ago it was used for most of the summer. That is when the new battery and tires were installed. It only had something like 2700 miles on it when it was bought. My eyes almost popped out when I first saw it. The guy sold this one and a 1983 Suzuki GS 850 for $6000. The GS 850 had something like 2200 miles on it also.
My friend loved the GS850 but sold it early this year. I wanted to hold on to this bike but I am eaten up with heart problems and really don't need anything sitting around. Now that I have the 07 Dyna Wide Glide sitting outside in the weather with a cover over it, there is going to be some of these bikes go.
I have a 83 XJ750 that I am going to change out the engine on and sell it also. The current engine has no compression on one cylinder and I found one that has low mileage to put on it.
I have the 2007 Harley Dyna Wide Glide, two 1985 Honda VT1100 Shadows, two 1983 Honda VF1100C V65 Magnas, 2 1984 Honda VF1100C V65 Magnas, 1985 VF1100S V65 Sabre, 1982 Honda VF750S V45 Sabre, 1983 XJ750 Maxim and this 1981 XJ550 Maxim. Good gravy! I didn't realize I had so many. No wonder my wife raises so much cane.
Well, thanks for the input. I have definitely made up my mind to sell the 550 and several others. Looking over what I have said on this post having this many bikes is kind of rediculous.

 

Looks like you're a Honda guy.

I'd keep at least 2 to ride, one for sentimental reasons and one to work on.

You're right about the mileage thing; the problem with the XJs is they haven't quite achieved "collector" status yet, the only people right now who want them DO want them to ride. (Most of us on this site for instance.)

My original one-owner Norton Commando would probably be worth three times what it is now if it didn't have 45000 miles on it; but I wouldn't trade even one of those miles for better resale value.

Good luck with the little Max.

 

Nah, not necessarily a Honda guy. I bought my first one (84 V65 Magna) as salvage. I could not afford anything else. I ran across the others as time went by because they are in high demand by a lot of people. The V65 held the Guinness Book of world records from 83-86 for being the fastest production motorcycle out of the crate. Scary fast! 86 was the last year. I bought my second one that had only 5171 miles on it. I had to drive a good ways to get it and have accumulated pretty much everything to to restore it but haven't taken or had the time and room to do it. The others came as parts bikes that were too good to part out.
I bought one of the Shadows for my Nephew and it had an engine problem so I bought a second one to get the engine from and even though it was salvage, it was too good to junk out and I repaired it. It is a good smooth riding bike that is still pretty fast. I wanted it so that my wife could ride with me without hurting her back. She still won't ride, or at least, don't want to. I thought that she might be able to handle something like the 550XJ but that won't happen either.
My biggest problem is that I can't bring myself to scrap out anything that has potential. The 550XJ and the Harley are the only bikes that I have that didn't have to be rebuilt. The 750XJ is a really good bike and will be better after I change out the engine.
I love the Harley Dyna Wide Glide but all the others don't have the payment whereas the Harley does. It is the best balanced bike that I have but I have to change the seat because I can't reach the forward controls. You can ride it down the road and never touch the handlebars for miles if you wanted to, but I am not about to do that. I like being in control and I don't like pain.
A lot of people bad mouth Harleys but in spite of it all, they are an American tradition and it is a pleasure to ride. Very smooth. I started to sell it because why make a payment if the others are paid for? But, like you said, it is a bad time of the year to sell a bike. That is where I differ from most. I don't care what time of year it is if I want something. Why wait until the price goes up to try and buy something. Regardless of what you ride, the idea is to have two wheels between your legs and the wind in your face.
I am going to list the XJ550 in the classified section. It is a sweet bike.