Record prices for Honda classic motorcycles are only the beginning of a hint of prices to come. The record price for a Honda Sandcast was achieved in early 2018, you can read about it here, but that was a prototype which sold for £161,000. A standard Honda Sandcast owned by Steve McQueen’s production company has just sold for US$155,000. This was a standard Sandcast owned by McQueen’s production company and not by the man himself. Although he has always added incredible value to anything he owned, this is a standard machine owned by his company. Historically, this demonstrates where Sandcast prices are headed as does the prototype that sold in 2018. Silverstone auctions also just sold a Honda CB1100R £26,438 which is getting a little more towards their true value. I wrote about these being an under the radar Japanese classic motorcycle here in 2020. These could be picked up for half of that value just two years ago when I wrote that article, so people are working out their true value. A “new” Honda VFR750R RC30 went for £65,250 foreshadowing where prices are headed for genuine used examples. These machines are all sold on site, not running with the normal auction rules applying, these are not put through the procedures our bikes go through.
Classic motorcycles outstrip inflation
Classic motorcycles outstrip inflation along with the rest of the major collectibles market. Classic motorcycles, classic cars, watches, art and other tangible assets are currently adding to investors profits beyond the mad inflation we’re experiencing. The motorcycles market is clearly outperforming most of the rest of the collectibles market because it is fifteen years behind the car market and the demographics around motorcycles are now coming into play, which I wrote about back in 2015 here. It’s no surprise that we’re in this situation as the cost of housing has been rising at an incredible rate since 1996 in the UK. The cost of housing is our biggest monthly outgoing, yet it is excluded from our cost of living figures. However, now we’ve lost all food subsidies and have great import duties lumped on everything we import, which is adding to inflation. The world is contending with two other major disasters and probably the effects of fourteen years of unprecedented money printing, so intense inflation is barely a surprise. Yes, the BOE said they could sterilise the money they printed, way back in 2008, but I think our politicians have now run out of TCP and the chickens are comfortably roosting. Where can we find investment stability in these times of crisis?
Investment stability
Investment stability certainly cannot be found in traditional ways, the stock market has become volatile as have all currencies, except for the Swiss Franc it seems. Property seems unstable with sanctions, higher interest rates and an over-heated market which is taxed to death now. Crypto is just basic……magic…..that no one understands???? Crypto is also as vulnerable to interference as the gold, aluminium and silver markets are. Investment stability can now only seemingly be gleaned in the tangible asset markets such as the art, classic motorcycle, classic car and wrist watch markets. This is because the markets are too small to garner enough attention and these markets would require immense knowledge…something too difficult to acquire from those wishing to disrupt them. The collectible markets also don’t make currencies such as the US dollar look weak, they just look like very strong markets which they are.
Record prices indicate future prices
Record prices indicate future prices of that particular machine. No one can say for sure when Sandcast prices will hit these dizzy heights, but rest assured that investment grade examples of Honda’s iconic superbike will end up at these values and probably a lot quicker than we expect. They will also go well beyond these prices as China is now able to function in the collectible motorcycle market for the first time, but just hasn’t yet got started. There are many issues around Honda Sandcasts and it’s worth reading this article I wrote about them way back in 2013. (You can also see how conservative my price predictions were at that time in that article). Engines can be fragile and they need careful examination by someone who knows what they’re doing or you could be buying scrap metal. A good example set up correctly can be great fun to own and ride. Beware, as one with problems with the cases or cylinder head will become a very expensive, or even worthless, pursuit.
Honda Sandcasts will increase in value
Honda Sandcasts will increase in value without doubt over the coming years. They have already more than quadrupled in value since 2010 for investment grade examples. There are cheaper ones in the market but buyer beware, as they can prove extremely costly as you do get what you pay for. If you want an investment grade Honda CB750 Sandcast call The Motorcycle Broker. We supply investment grade classic motorcycles to investors, collectors and enthusiasts alike.
- 1974 Ducati 750SS green frame genuine factory paint - March 21, 2024
- Unicorn rare 1972 Kawasaki Z900 coming to auction - March 21, 2024
- Ducati green frame is not green it’s blue - March 20, 2024
Leave a Reply