I have been collecting very rare motorcycles for around 15 years and have learned some things about the cost of bikes/parts. What it really comes down to is how many people (I have never seen anything other than guys doing this), want/lust after the thing you have. If the only one in the world that wants the item is you, then the value of the item is what the metal will bring at the scrap yard. When it comes to cars, motorcycles or bicycles the link to some period earlier in his life is usually why someone wants to collect a certain item. But rarity sometimes has very little to do with the market price. I have seen the Japanese go nuts over certain model motorcycles that no one here cares about at all. Most of the time many were made, so they are not really rare. Because the Japanese economy is in the pits now, motorcycles are very hard to sell there. I have never been a fan of the French bicycle, so it looks crazy for the prices paid by the Japanese on some of this stuff. But I am sure the very small group of French bike nuts there all know each other. When one of them gets some obscure crank or derailleur they look good in their little group. Don't forget the chase is a thrill for some collectors, we do still have a hunting instinct!
Jim Merz Bainbridge Is. WA
At 6:51 AM -0700 8/9/02, John wrote:
>I think Ken's point is: Rare does not necessarily equal desireable. And
>that rarity is only one of the things that determines value.
>
>So, sure, that bike is rare... but, what else is driving the price up?
>
>In the case of Herse, Singer, and others, there is craftsmanship,
>innovation, beauty, reliability, quality of materials, utility, etc.
The bike in question has all the things you've listed above, plus true scarcity. What I'm about to say is annoy a bunch of people on the list but it's true and need to be said. When it comes to bike collecting lightweight collectors are total wankers compared to the balloon tire folks. Those of us on the list that have been in that world know. On this list we talk a lot about how the Japanese collectors are just crazy, but this is just standard operating procedure in the fat-tire world. 95% of the people on this list like old bikes but really aren't collectors.
Also I don't think many on this list can actually see the validity in the ballon-tire bikes. In cars it's like having the horseless carriage people and the souped up Honda guys looking at each others cars. It's a totally different aesthetic and history issue. I'm sure most of the balloon-tire folks look at a the prices paid for Herse's and say, "Why? It's French, modern, and there's a bunch of them. . . . plus those skinny tires." It's all in your viewpoint and what you're willing to do to have truly scarce bikes. enjoy, Brandon"monkeyman"Ives Not a real collector in Santa Barbara, Calif. _______________________________________________
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