Beautiful bike but seems like *crazy* money...

I am a pretty inveterate lurker on fleaBay and C'List, looking at motorcycles. I saw what is arguably the nicest low mileage 1981 Yamaha XJ650 Midnight Maxim on feeBay:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Yamaha-Othe...5a2253e8:g:3NYAAOSwYIhWira0&item=272095138792

The seller appears to have one person so far willing to pay $3,000.00 for it. NADA puts it at $2,070.00 in excellent condition, and KBB at $1,275.00. It is in beautiful condition with only 400 miles, but at the end of the day it is still a 35 year old bike that needs new tires and probably a long list of the usual stuff, as well. I would not pay it, but how about any of you forum members? Which probably leads me to my main question, how do you attach a value to any of these bikes? Some people say they might take KBB & NADA and average them, or some might use one or the other, or none at all. Or is it some kind of secret society thing where you have to know a handshake or something like that?

 

It's worth whatever someone will pay for it. I think Nada and KBB take into consideration average use over the years, this obviously has not seen that. Something is only original once and some people will pay for that. I don't know the Midnights very well so I can't tell if this bike has all the proper goodies.

Would I pay $3k for it? Probably not. It never struck me as a collectable item and I prefer to ride em. It's cool nonetheless.

 

I clearly remember the day when a blue-collar guy could buy a Vincent Rapide for a few-month's wages because nobody wanted them. I haven't even seen a Vincent parts bike sell for under $30K lately. I don't think 80's bikes are quite that collectible yet, but a Midnight Maxim in original showroom condition might be worth a premium over a daily rider.

 

nada has a disclaimer about being able to give accurate pricing for motorcycles that old but still give a price of $2070 with out giving a listed mileage.

452 miles on it and running. Its sold so it is worth it to someone. you can be sure it will need very little to make it a roadworthy bike.
it is being sold as a collectable that is why they hype the original tires

missing trim on tank ? the owners name is on the front of the bike
a few chips in the paint on gas tank and carbs center stand has rust gas cap is scratched ... deals off

 

Missing rear tire valve stem cap - I'd offer $800.
All I can think about is 35 year old rubber components on the bike that have just been siting in the air (and sun?). Bearings that haven't been turned more than a couple trips down the road. Fluids sitting at the bottom of their reservoirs and not happily being splahsed about. Plus you would have to change your name to Deatley.
Certainly perfect for a collector.

But even with all the potential failings of this bike; if I were a rich man I sure would look sweet tooling down the road on it.

 

I figure, that buying a bike in bad condition for $500 with title, is still going to cost you about $2500 or more to restore to the original condition of this bike. And a good amount of the parts would be replicas. Also take into account the months involved to restore a bike. If this one is as pristine as the seller indicated, then I would say it is worth it. And its in running condition. I wouldn't worry about the rubbers if it has been sitting in a garage, which it must have been if this bike is a survivor. I have had some rather weathered bikes were the majority of the rubbers work fine.

 

W-O-W!!!

If I had the money, I'd go right after that. That is GORGEOUS. Normally I would not spend that, or even close, but WHEW---- that is a rare find right there.
Wiping the mess off my screen...

[ edit- wiping the DROOL off my screen....... Thought I'd better clarify that for Matti's sake].

My 900 is not that clean, but I have seen one 900 in not-even-as-nice condition as mine sell for even higher than this one. KBB doesn't always take into account the collectibility or the rarity of some units or models. I would be hard-pressed to even seriously consider any offer under $3500 if I were to even remotely entertain the idea of selling mine. Now, mine is the lowest USA-delivered serial currently known to exist....... The Midnight shown is a first year MM 650, serial isn't as low, but considering most of the 650's were plain 650's, it's STILL probably one of the earliest MM's.

That's a phenomenal find right there! I'm going to at least copy all the pics!

Dave

Ps: and YES, I WOULD ride it

 

Jeez Dave, quit stealing all my... Thundrrr! Also, why would a bike with 400 miles be missing a carb hat screw? Why remove that from a basically new bike? Is something amiss here, or am I being overly anal? There appears to be a bunch of paint loss on the right side of the frame above the carbs too. If he's selling it as a 3000 dollar collector, I feel it should be pretty much perfect. Am I looking too closely? Cuz I sure didn't when I bought mine!

 

I don't see paint loss.... Maybe I'm missing a picture ---

I imagine that screw got misplaced at some time when the carbs were removed for cleaning--- it IS. Supposedly in running condition, so I'd expect carbs have been off. I can make list of little things I see but they don't bother me. Even the crooked seat doesn't concern me, probably just not hooked back down after washing

 

Yeah, she is a beauty, probably the very first 35 YO bike with 400 miles that I have ever seen. I guess anything is possible in Scottsdale, or Snottsdale as some people call it. Probably one one the select few places on the planet where you can see 16 year old kids driving multi million dollar Ferrari's.

 

my biggest concern would be how many hours on the motor just starting it from time to time but still not a big deal.
I wonder if it was an award from yamaha

sooo shiney. still has the lock , bet its got the complete tool kit too

 

6th or 7th picture is close up on the carbs. Above the gold on side cover, looks like the frame has been ground down. Might be reflection, but I don't think so.

 

Oh, that's all pure high-gloss reflection. I see what you mean-- but it's all super-shiny reflection of the gold in the super shiny black paint of the tank, and it's a bit over-exposed. No scrapes there!!! The " vertical" marks that look sort of like grinder marks are just the same bright reflection along the bottom crimping of the tank.

 

get yourself a speedometer cable 'cause that one is smashed where it goes over the lower triple. The gas cap sure looks like it has a lot of miles on it.
#1 carb is kind of chipped up....shouldn't the carbs be gloss, not flat. Clear hose on the airbox drain?
the tank badge is silver, the side cover lettering is gold

 

Yup, notice the badges… Like I said I could put together a list… But we all can.

Midnight mac some carbs should be a dull sort of semi gloss black. I have a set of midnight Maxim car bodies here, and I don't think the ones in the picture look improper.

By the way, this is actually in 1981 not a 1980. Build Date indicates August 1980, which would be for the 1981 year… And the model code 4W5 indicates 1981 midnight maxim 650

 

The valvecover finish almost looks like some type of "crackle" paint?

 

You know, the MM gas tank emblems carried different part numbers than the regular 650M tank emblems............I've never had a NOS MM emblem so I can't say for sure............but maybe the tank badges were silver instead of gold? Seems odd, but......

 

I noticed that too. It strongy resembles a wrinkle-finish enamel, and not the factory anodizing.

 

The thing that I'm most not sure about… Is this seat cover

 

Well... In a 45 minute search, I saw several original pics including factory pics that show:

1. The seat DOES Appear correct, it's a pattern I wasn't familiar with

2. Several had silver badges, not gold

3. All pics, while not clear when zoomed in, showed the valve cover to have a different reflectivity level than the rest of the engine. That makes me feel comfortable with the crinkle paint. I HAVE also seen that paint on some other Xj's.......

 

That is the correct seat cover.......and, it's one of the few that have cut-and-sewn pleating (rather than having heat-embossed seams with "simulated" stitching).

 

I messaged the seller and he assures me that all factory finishes are correct and the machine has been untouched. If I had the cash I'd seriously consider buying it.

 

Well, if you enlarge the first picture and look at the reflection in the tank, those are double garage doors, and it looks like a few of them. Sounds like the listing guy is selling the bike for someone who is ill, have to watch this seller, see what else the garage decides to let go of

 

I messaged him for some clarification on his listing. He mentions a museum in the sub-title and then a showroom later on... sooo, I am confused, which is not unusual...

 

Holy *crap*... the bike went for almost $4,000.00! Talk about appreciation, no wonder the owner is (probably) rich and lives in Scottsdale!

 

I bet Len bought it

 

Maybe to give away on customer appreciation day...

 

Bet he didn't..............

 

ROTFLMAO!!!!!

 

Hopefully we don't see it on a "need help bobbing an XJ" thread soon!

 

What makes you so sure?

 

Because, like Aristotle, I am "The Master of Those Who Know".......

 

The odometer's 4th zero doesn't line up with the other numbers. Looks like it was rolled back.

 

As the "hundreds" ring rotates around, the "thousands" ring is starting to advance.... I don't see an issue with it.