Future classic Japanese motorcycles are not always what they seem. So many speculators are trying to outwit the market and trying to guess which Japanese motorcycle will increase in value more than any other before it. Trying to outfox the market is the world of speculators and not the world of investors. Much money has poured into first year manufacture Fireblades and they have not got the traction that other machines have enjoyed. Speculators are holding out in the hope that they will suddenly increase in value and make them rich overnight, but it simply won’t happen.
There are certain factors driving classic motorcycle investment prices and they are touched upon in this article I wrote back in 2015. The world of motorcycle speculation usually results in tears and the world of motorcycle investment usually ends in great joy. Here we show you the future classic Japanese motorcycles that will deliver profits. You may think that many have already become very expensive and cannot go up any more, but just watch this video that compares classic motorcycles vs classic cars. You will see how undervalued these machines are and you can see where prices are headed. Our list of the top ten future classic Japanese motorcycles does include many well-known classics, but they will still deliver great profits. Our list of machines is for investment grade examples only, no matter how good an example it looks, it may well not be an investment grade example.
1 Yamaha TZ700/750
These have performed really well, they could be picked up for a couple of hundred pounds at race circuits in the late 1980s. Today proper investment grade examples are well north of £50,000. In 2010 they could be picked up for about £10,000. Will prices continue to increase? Of course. Why? Because Kenny Roberts world championship winning motorcycles will be sold at some point and you will see massive price increases. They are also very rare to start with, but the nature of a race bike makes investment grade examples very rare indeed. If you can find one in original condition that is very special, then such a bike will produce mammoth profits for the owner.
2 Honda CB1100R
These are an under the radar classic Japanese motorcycle that will clearly offer great returns. The first year of production, CB1100RB, is the most desirable and finding any of these machines in investment grade condition is really quite a task. They were made in very small numbers to homologate for racing. When they were new owners threw the exhaust system and airbox away, in pursuit of more power. Many were raced, many were stolen, many were crashed and many ridden to destruction. These machines have lived in the shadow of the RC30 but they are a much rarer classic Japanese motorcycle. They have great racing pedigree with Ron Haslam having won British Superbike so emphatically. This is a rare Honda that will greatly increase in value.
3 1969 Honda CB750 Sandcast
Honda CB750 Sandcast. Yes, they have made great leaps in value over the last decade, but there is now a mark in the sand to indicate where prices will eventually head. This prototype sold in early 2018 for £161,000, as I wrote about shortly after the auction result here. Although it was a prototype, such sales always lay a marker for where future values will end up. The cost of Vincents today was set up by the sale of a prototype, or famous race bike, just a decade or so ago. Such sales are a great indicator of where prices will go and then they break through that barrier once it’s established. When buying a Sandcast, be aware of how fragile they are, how many are not investment grade and that so many have had crank case trauma. If these machines are not set up correctly, they can be a catastrophic purchase, but if you have the right machine, set up correctly, then they are a great investment. I recommend reading these two articles I wrote back in 2013 and especially this article I wrote in 2018 Be very careful of buying cheap Sandcast on internet sites as there is a lot to understand about these machines.
4 Honda NSR500 racing motorcycle
These are going to become much more expensive than they already are. Each year was very different from previous years and they only made twenty per year. Many never survived, some were raced by famous riders and have great provenance. All of these two stroke racing motorcycles will increase in value enormously, but these are for investors at the top end of the market and they will deliver incredible profits over the coming years, especially after Channel Four made the documentary “The Unrideables”.
5 Honda CBX1000
Investment grade examples are extremely difficult to find, especially in the UK. Most have been interfered with, many have powder coated frames, fork legs and brake callipers and this is just not acceptable. Nearly all of them have failing paint under the bodywork which will only degrade and become a very serious problem over time. Engine paint fails, carburettors can often cost £1,500 to resolve and engines can cost up to £10,000 to rebuild. They suffer from bent con rods, valves that snap and self-destructing cam chain tensioners. They don’t sound very good when I say all of that and they are risky to buy if you don’t know them inside and out. However, if they are dealt with by people who are very thorough, who can guarantee their work, then they are a safe bet to hit six figures in the coming years. Once set up correctly and with regular oil changes they are very reliable machines. All of the above problems come from lack of maintenance, or poorly carried out maintenance. This motorcycle is iconic and a joy to own and ride if you have the right one. This article shows you the minimum we do with each and every CBX1000 we sell, which is why we can offer a one year unlimited mileage no quibble warranty on all of our machines. This will be one of the best performing Japanese classic motorcycles. They are also great fun to own and ride.
6 Yamaha YZR500 racing motorcycle
These are, like the NSR500, at the top end of the market. Like the Honda, they have had their profile raised by the Channel Four documentary “The Unrideables”. They are an animal to ride and became the pinnacle of design in the 1990s, bringing great success to Kenny Roberts’ team. They were developed from Barry Sheene’s era to compete against the Suzukis he rode. They have a long heritage and great provenance along with an incredible story littered with success. Although very expensive today, these will seriously increase in value as news of machines in private ownership changing hands becomes public knowledge. If you are looking for a classic Japanese motorcycle that will deliver millions in profit, then this is the one. Watch out for forgeries and check all history out correctly.
7 1972 Kawasaki Z1 900
There are two machines in this category, one is the first 1,200 1972 Z1s which are very different from any made afterwards. These are the Z1 Holy Grail and collectors are desperate to get their hands on an investment grade example. These are very, very rare indeed. The other 3,650 1972 Kawasaki Z1 900s are extremely desirable as well. There are less investment grade 1972 Kawasaki Z1 900s in the world than Aston Martin DB4s. This motorcycle is pretty much the Aston Martin DB4 of classic motorcycles. At present values they offer incredible value to investors. These are very rare and were treated with irreverence within five years of being brand new. Very few of these machines survive today and there are many fakes in the market. For these to be investment grade, all coded date stamps must be present on all of the components or you will be wasting your money.
8 Millyard motorcycles
Allen Millyard’s Kawasaki two strokes, six cylinder Kawasakis and little Hondas. Allen very rarely sells any of his motorcycles he builds, but it has occasionally been known. When he does, he does so through us. Allen is now a legend of the motorcycle world for the outlandish motorcycles he creates. He is a one-man brand and his motorcycles are incredible to own and ride. I can see his masterpieces becoming incredibly valuable, a few have already ended up in the Barber Museum in the US. He builds the motorcycles that the manufacturers should have built in the first place. When one of his machines come on the market, the price has to be paid as there is no opportunity to buy another one. Allen’s celebrity, from Channel Four’s The Motorbike Show with Henry Cole has added plenty of value to his machines.
9 1979 Honda CB750 Phil Read Replica
Only 150 of these machines were built and there are lots of fakes in the market. Without this motorcycle, there would never have been any homologation specials. It’s place in history cannot be under estimated and the story behind their conception is really interesting. I wrote about these machines here several years ago when I interviewed Colin Seeley who created them for Honda.
10 Honda RS250
Around the mid 1980s Honda pulled out all the stops and created some incredible 250cc racing two strokes that won the championship and made 250cc racing exciting. These machines have a great story to tell and they are great fun to ride round a track on a dry day. These are very undervalued motorcycles. These extraordinary motorcycles have been really overlooked and will rocket in value once they’re significance is fully understood. At the moment, they offer great value to investors.
I have not put these in any particular order really, as each will deliver incredible profits. If you’re into buying and holding classic motorcycles as a tangible asset, then you can’t go wrong with any of these machines and you will enjoy great profits. If you want to understand which classic motorcycles to invest in, then book a free, no obligation Zoom call with The Motorcycle Broker. We understand the classic motorcycle market and explain it clearly to you. This article only applies to investment grade examples and not to any motorcycle that does not meet these exacting standards. If you want to invest in a future classic Japanese motorcycle that you know is investment grade, then contact The Motorcycle Broker on 01803 865166 or Email [email protected]
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Great article, thanks for sharing, great insight into future values.
You’re right about there being a lot to know about the 750 Sandcast. At this point, it’s a bit sketchy if you’re going to want to really ride one. I think there is still room for them to increase further though!
Cheers