What is "overpriced"

[desertrefugee]

The edit window on my previous post has expired...but I need to comment a bit further on Rudolph's beautiful example of a 1975 GL1000.

Beautiful, gorgeous, pristine, concours grade, bike of the year. But, still a 1975 GL1000. I'm not sure if you're serious on posting it for that price (I did see an ebay ad for $99,000), but at that level "overpriced" does not even describe it.

To put it in perspective, at Pebble Beach this year, a 1000 point 1974 Ducati 750SS sold for $176,000. Rare? Oh yes. Pristine? Yup. Perfect in every way - and a motorcycle I'd give a left jewel for. I'm not sure an early GL - even S/N 000001 - would command such prices.

 

[slabghost]

Flawless first year American made Honda Goldwing in the Netherlands? It's very likely the only one in the country. In the U.S. mid 70s European cars are collectors items and go for big money. In their home countries they litter the junkyards.

 

[rudolphwolven]

desertrefugee » Fri Nov 18, 2016 2:57 am[/url]":1wl714yo]
The edit window on my previous post has expired...but I need to comment a bit further on Rudolph's beautiful example of a 1975 GL1000.

Beautiful, gorgeous, pristine, concours grade, bike of the year. But, still a 1975 GL1000. I'm not sure if you're serious on posting it for that price (I did see an ebay ad for $99,000), but at that level "overpriced" does not even describe it.

To put it in perspective, at Pebble Beach this year, a 1000 point 1974 Ducati 750SS sold for $176,000. Rare? Oh yes. Pristine? Yup. Perfect in every way - and a motorcycle I'd give a left jewel for. I'm not sure an early GL - even S/N 000001 - would command such prices.

You express it right........the asking price for this '75 GL1000 K1 is overpriced by far and yes in a rather ridiculous way.......
Nevertheless it attracted an unexpexted number of various interests from all over the world (o.a. bike collectors) but as expected by myself (luckily) none of the contacts ran into a critical phase ..........of which I am still very, very, happy.
Believe me, it would be a very bad scenario for me to have to decide to let my bike go..........and fortunately (and gratefully!) I do not need that money on my bankaccount...........would not know what to do with it.........oh yes... buying back exactly the same bike.

 

[rudolphwolven]

slabghost » Fri Nov 18, 2016 3:17 am[/url]":1bnnj5ej]
Flawless first year American made Honda Goldwing in the Netherlands? It's very likely the only one in the country. In the U.S. mid 70s European cars are collectors items and go for big money. In their home countries they litter the junkyards.

From 1975 the first GL1000's were manufactured (only) in Japan and exported all over the world....
From 1981 Honda had a Gold Wing production plant in Ohio......

 

[slabghost]

I'm still betting you have the only such bike in the country.

 

[joedrum]

this is what makes oldwings great projects ..they are one of a kind bikes ...they really have no peers ....the water cooled boxer motor has no like competition ..there amazing bikes ...you have to tip your hat to honda there ....just about every reason one can have about over priced came to light ....biggest reason i have the oldwing is it was a bargain in its setup ...from there the paths can go many directions ...

 

[rudolphwolven]

slabghost » Fri Nov 18, 2016 4:55 am[/url]":1tcg4soc]
I'm still betting you have the only such bike in the country.

Yes.....for 99% sure indeed.....
I estimate that it also belongs to "the top 5" of the European Continent incl. the UK....if not "the top 3".......

BTW....does anyone of you folks you have any idea/guess how much of this of a kind would be present in the USA...?

Regards, Ruud

 

[rudolphwolven]

joedrum » Fri Nov 18, 2016 6:55 am[/url]":1alov5ar]
this is what makes oldwings great projects ..they are one of a kind bikes ...they really have no peers ....the water cooled boxer motor has no like competition ..there amazing bikes ...you have to tip your hat to honda there ....just about every reason one can have about over priced came to light ....biggest reason i have the oldwing is it was a bargain in its setup ...from there the paths can go many directions ...

Indeed.......when they were introduced on the market the several historic and now top-priced Italian bikes each time had their own specific and unique specification/technical data ......

But........ let's not forget that in 1974 with its introduction on the Int. Motorcycle Show in Cologne-Germany the GL1000 truly surprised and "shocked" the intermational motor cycle press with the at that time unique new combination of features as.........a very compact watercooled flat four with the 5-speed gear box located beyond the cranckshaft.....the counter directional rotating dynamo at a double higher rpm as the crankshaft, eliminating torque effects for 100%.......

It also was the first time that the Honda Motorcycle Division cooperated with the Engine Dept. of the Honda Car Division (famous for its high standard of engine engineering) with the development of the new engine concept .......never before Honda did put so many effort in developing and introducing an entirely new bike, especially because the sales figures oft the Honda 750's were lagging behind for a couple of years already and Honda seemed on a way to loose his leading position; especially after the Kawa 900 was introduced..
Moreover the absolute unique location of the fuel tank combined with the low-gravity engine/gear box contributed to it's very low centerpoint of gravity...
Two large size disc brakes on the front and a large disc brake mounted on the rear fork was new and unique......as well as the combination of both a water-cooled flat four and cardan drive shaft...
The seat position was relatively low and very comfortable for both tall and small person's.........during the first test drives of the international press everybody was surprised about the comfort and agility of the bike, its low noise level as well as its super performance.....together with the Kawa 900 it was the only production bike with a top speed of over 200 kmh......
The 4 carburettor bank with it's short gas feed traject was a unique and costly solution contributing considerably to the peak performance of the engine......nevertheless Honda kept an eye on its durability, during the years after proved with many engines running over x00.000 mls ....... a true milestone especially compared with Italian bikes......

The introduction of that completely different and new concept at that time and still today generally is considered as one of the milestones in the motorcycle history...
I would be a real tribute to the Honda engineers to keep this heritage alive.....!

(Click to enlarge)

 

[desertrefugee]

Oh man, Rudolph. You are hopelessly lost to the GL.

(You're in good company here).

 

[Ansimp]

desertrefugee » Sat Nov 19, 2016 12:05 am[/url]":1molca59]
Oh man, Rudolph. You are hopelessly lost to the GL.

(You're in good company here).

+1 :good:

 

[joedrum]

he no worse that any of us ....my bike dosnt look no where near as good ..but it would if i had option to do so ...you can count on that ....meeting fstsix show me both worlds can be in one bike ...his supercharged valk had it all ...show and go ...sound also ...his basement at the time held a cbx 1000 inline 6 in the process ...it is now finished and it has both also show and go .....one day id love to bring hooch up to the show part one day ...ive got the go down

 

[Ansimp]

joedrum » Sat Nov 19, 2016 7:43 am[/url]"plzpqcx]
.....one day id love to bring hooch up to the show part one day ...ive got the go down

:good: