fair market value for 85 'max

[Bacchus]

was wondering what you guys think fair market value is for a 1985 vmax, un-modified original condition, 19k miles, prolly an 8+ on a 1-10 scale....

not really planning on selling but would like to know what its worth..

thanks

 

[KJShover]

I'd say $2500-4000, with the higher number being an awesome shape '85.

 

[Fire-medic]

It's only my opinion, but I can't see one being worth much more even though it's 'the first year.' To me, I think the value in this market is more as a working motorcycle than it is as a first year product. Now, if it had a low production #, was ridden by "Pee-Wee" Gleason (as Jay was known at the time), and had documentation to that effect, and was ~1K miles or less, then you might be able to argue for its >$ status. I'd assign a price of $4K as a fully-functional bike, and even then it may be stretching it.

Now I don't want to burst the dreams of you '85 owners for The Big Payday, but bottom-line is what someone is willing to give you for it, and I just don't think that in this economy you are going to find people willing to give much above that, if that, for a clean example. Not when they can go out and find a clean much-newer example for not much more.

If you think you can put one aside and sell it in 20 years for 'Big Bux,' then 'the more-original, the better.' From its era, and in the Yamaha family, I bet a 1985 RZ500 as stock as you can find one, will be worth more than a VMax of the same year.

 

[SpecOps13]

I would think you'd be good somewhere between $2,500 and $3.500. Depends on condition which in your case sounds pretty nice,
where you live or what the market will bare, in the case of Ebay.. Also, you have a low serial number. That means something, atleast
here on the forum...:rofl_200:

 

[CaptainKyle]

Its all in the eye of the beholder. There are not a lot of unmodified 85's that I know of but does that mean any thing ? It might to some people to to me I like seeing an unmodified original as much as I like seeing a highly modified one. I think an original is about worth the same as a modified depending on how modified. I dont care how much work you do to a bike it is only custom to the person who modified it so its a two way street. Just my 2 cents worth.

 

[jfeagins]

Wouldn't sell mine for under $1,000,000.00 at this point in time. It has over 27k miles now.

 

[Bacchus]

jfeagins --- I would sell mine for that price.... and throw in and extra pair of scoops too !

look like you guys are thinking its toped out at around 4000.... sounds like a good buy to me.. but then I like the older stuff

Captnkyle --- I hear what you are saying about modifications..... my last vmax was an 89, I had it all tricked out.... all the fancy **** was on that one... I had to sell it not long after I completed the job.... I sold it to elimax and he took it straight home, took it right back apart and pulled off most of that fancy crap !!! It was killin' me ! I was thinkin' Aaaarrgh what are you doing to my bike... stop !! but you know how it is ... once its sold the other guy gets to do what he wants, even if it kills ya.... the good news is the elimax vmax is now even better than it was when I sold it to him, its a very different vmax now but he had a diffierent vision for it and once he got it put back toghether and buttoned back up it turned out real nice.

 

[RaWarrior]

You can ponder numbers all day, but you can ask whatever you want, but it's what you get what matters. The market sucks now. I had tried to sell my pristine '97, loads of extras, 25k, for $4k and didn't get even a nibble of interest. Japanese bikes from the 80's just don't command a whole lot of value unless it's something super rare, and the Vmax isn't really a rare bike. It was made for 22 years. Not a 1 year flop model or rare race-only bike.

Look at completed listings on ebay, which is a good way to get the "actual value" of things in the current market. An '85 in nice shape goes for $1500 to about $2500, and the $2500 was for a souped up one in immaculate shape. An educated buyer will probably look for a '93 or up to get the updated suspension and lose the unreliable analog ignition.

Can't confuse market value with sentimental value. The bike may be worth $5000 to you since it's a low number first year vmax, but to joe average it's a 26 year old Japanese bike.