Sub-4K bikes?

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Soooo I’m seeing a few Vmax (vmaxes?) for sale with 20k miles or less for around or below 4K. Is this legit pricing for some of the older first gen bikes? I’m headstand to get too optimistic. Just seems like such a beast would be going for more!

Sorry for the stupid question. Just wanted to ask before I get too excited!

I could afford that. A 20k new bike, not so much.

 

[[email protected]]

Due diligence is required with any used vehicle purchase but yeah, sub $4K is very normal pricing for a decent used vmax from the previous century.

 

[sdt354]

Soooo I’m seeing a few Vmax (vmaxes?) for sale with 20k miles or less for around or below 4K. Is this legit pricing for some of the older first gen bikes? I’m headstand to get too optimistic. Just seems like such a beast would be going for more!

Sorry for the stupid question. Just wanted to ask before I get too excited!

I could afford that. A 20k new bike, not so much.

I bought mine, years ago when it had only 12k miles on it. However, I ended up changing both master cylinders, and the clutch slave soon after purchase. Because, it hadn't been ridden much or maintained. The V-boost servo was stuck and tires were original but not in good condition. The clutch slipped from the Mobil 1 oil the P.O. thought was a good idea. Time and bad or lack of maintenance take it's toll. 50k miles later it's a bike I always wanted. Miles don't always indicate a good machine.

 

[MadBlackGen1]

Whats a nice condition 24k mile 2007 vmax go for these days? Full UFO, KNN, Jetted properly, with backrest and rack, new tires, battery, needs nothing? Just curious...

 

[marsmax85]

Between 4 and 5 grand depending on location

 

[rebeltaz83]

Bought my 97 five years ago with 11,000 miles completely stock with suppertrap slip ons, came with the factory mufflers, for $2,500. Had a stuck float. Just sold it a month ago sadly for $3,000. Had 22,000 miles brand new tires, rebuilt carbs, new front brake master, 4 to 1 exhaust, factory back rest, engine guards, I bought it all separate and installed it all. Used the money for down payment on a gen 2. But I shed a few tears watching my gen 1 go down the road in the back of a truck....... A bike I put allot of work into to make it my own, allot of excellent miles, and a dream bike I have always wanted.

 

[Fire-medic]

I think three to $4,000 is a good price point for a running Vmax that doesn't have any issues other than normal consumables like brake pads, new tires, a battery. In my mind, low mileage and good condition offers the best combination, higher mileage but well-maintained is okay too but the lower the mileage, the better the deal if it's been well-maintained. Since there were relatively few changes over the course of the bikes production an older model with low mileage that's been well maintained is a better deal requiring less work on your part as a new owner versus a bike that's been put away with fluids in it not run for several years and now it's back on the market which will probably take a considerable amount of work to make operable and reliable.

 

[radley]

Bought my 97 five years ago with 11,000 miles completely stock with suppertrap slip ons, came with the factory mufflers, for $2,500. Had a stuck float. Just sold it a month ago sadly for $3,000. Had 22,000 miles brand new tires, rebuilt carbs, new front brake master, 4 to 1 exhaust, factory back rest, engine guards, I bought it all separate and installed it all. Used the money for down payment on a gen 2. But I shed a few tears watching my gen 1 go down the road in the back of a truck....... A bike I put allot of work into to make it my own, allot of excellent miles, and a dream bike I have always wanted.

worth the 3 grand to sell it?

 

[rebeltaz83]

worth the 3 grand to sell it?

After riding my gen 2, yes it was. I was asking $3,500. The guy showed up with $3,000 cash. First person to actually want to look at the bike, and ask questions without trying to talk me down over the phone, or threw text, or e mail. It's hard to not think that because it's the legendary v-max, that's it's worth $5,000 to $6,000. My brother in law has a 93 mustang fast back. But because it's got 525hp engine he thinks it's worth $10,000. I'm sorry but you could put a Lamborghini engine in a vw bug, and it's still a vw bug worth $3,000. Pull the engine and sell it separate if you want your investment back. Maybe I'm too honest, I sold the bike for what I felt it was worth without being unrealistic.

 

[texas-ss-tornado]

There are 1st generation VMAX's selling all over the country for less than 3K, heck, I've seen runners closer to 2K already this spring. The muscle bike market is down, and HAS BEEN down for several years, the old days when just about ANY running VMAX would bring 3-5K are all but over!!!!!!

 

[93max]

After riding my gen 2, yes it was. I was asking $3,500. The guy showed up with $3,000 cash. First person to actually want to look at the bike, and ask questions without trying to talk me down over the phone, or threw text, or e mail. It's hard to not think that because it's the legendary v-max, that's it's worth $5,000 to $6,000. My brother in law has a 93 mustang fast back. But because it's got 525hp engine he thinks it's worth $10,000. I'm sorry but you could put a Lamborghini engine in a vw bug, and it's still a vw bug worth $3,000. Pull the engine and sell it separate if you want your investment back. Maybe I'm too honest, I sold the bike for what I felt it was worth without being unrealistic.

Very true! I love my max (93 w/10600mi) and I took a chance buying it as it was smoking BAD. It had been sitting for at least a year. It is/was beautiful garage kept bike. Damn near no pitting. The only spots are on the wheels. Completely stock.
I paid 2400 for it (asking price 3500) Hoping it was only the valve seals. Well I got lucky. When I got home I started it up to put it in the garage and it barely smoked. 3mi later, none!
Anyway, I go back and forth puting slip on's on it as it won't make it any faster and to ME, not worth puting a full exhaust either. It won't warrant the cost.
I feel that when/IF I'm ready to accelerate faster then my street car, I'd rather use the money towards a Gen2.
Nothing I do to mine will do that.
Until then, I'll keep enjoying mine.:biglaugh:

 

[rebeltaz83]

Very true! I love my max (93 w/10600mi) and I took a chance buying it as it was smoking BAD. It had been sitting for at least a year. It is/was beautiful garage kept bike. Damn near no pitting. The only spots are on the wheels. Completely stock.
I paid 2400 for it (asking price 3500) Hoping it was only the valve seals. Well I got lucky. When I got home I started it up to put it in the garage and it barely smoked. 3mi later, none!
Anyway, I go back and forth puting slip on's on it as it won't make it any faster and to ME, not worth puting a full exhaust either. It won't warrant the cost.
I feel that when/IF I'm ready to accelerate faster then my street car, I'd rather use the money towards a Gen2.
Nothing I do to mine will do that.
Until then, I'll keep enjoying mine.:biglaugh:

Thats one of many reasons I got my gen 2, without going with a big bore and supercharger to make the gen 1 faster, plus the suspension mods, and brake upgrades hard to justify that kind of money when I could have all that on a stock gen 2. Plus fuel injection, abs, fully adjustable suspension front and rear 6 pot calipers, its got plenty of go with room for mods to make it faster, handling is great I think, for a big brawny bike of this caliber. I had a 78 goldwing kind of the muscle bike of that time period, in 75 when Honda released the goldwing only the kawi z1 was faster but not by much. It handled ok compared to my gen 2, but i would drag the pegs all day on that thing.

 

[RaWarrior]

3-4k is a good price for a clean runner with no substantial issues. As you get back to the mid 90's, get into higher miles, and condition degrades, that sags more into the 2k range or less. I've seen non-runners out of storage come up in the 15-1800 range and I imagine they actually sold for a fair bit less. $3k should be able to get you a pretty decent example.

my '97 (clean, no issues) sold in 2012 for $3000 with about 50k miles on it.

There's been a cherry, bone stock, 07 with like 6k miles on the local CL for months at $5500- obviously not selling.

As cool as the Vmax is, it's not a particularly rare or collectible bike. Yamaha made a LOT of these things for 22 years, so they just don't command the premium attached to rarer items. Nostalgia and emotional value very seldom translate into dollar values at resale time.