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Old Motorbikes - valuation and help


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Hi,

total newbie here, so please be gentle.


My uncle was an enthusiast of old motorbikes. He passed around 4 years ago.

His bikes have been in my very elderly aunts garage since.

I have NOT seen these (tho I knew they existed) but have no idea of condition, or if he had taken some apart to tinker with and they were never reassembled.


She says they are all running, but as I say, I suspect that is unlikely.


The list she gave me (he had written down what he had) is:

rudge 250 special 1937

rudge sports 1939

triumph T80 1937 349cc

triumph speed twin 1040 500cc

velocet 1939 495cc sss


they are in county durham.


the question I have is, what can we do to sell these on please?

I was told that some may be valuable. Can anyone give me any clues please?


I know nothing about motorbikes. I dont even drive a car. So any advice appreciated thanks.


Cheers,

karen

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Hi,

total newbie here, so please be gentle.


My uncle was an enthusiast of old motorbikes. He passed around 4 years ago.

His bikes have been in my very elderly aunts garage since.

I have NOT seen these (tho I knew they existed) but have no idea of condition, or if he had taken some apart to tinker with and they were never reassembled.


She says they are all running, but as I say, I suspect that is unlikely.


The list she gave me (he had written down what he had) is:

rudge 250 special 1937

rudge sports 1939

triumph T80 1937 349cc

triumph speed twin 1040 500cc

velocet 1939 495cc sss


they are in county durham.


the question I have is, what can we do to sell these on please?

I was told that some may be valuable. Can anyone give me any clues please?


I know nothing about motorbikes. I dont even drive a car. So any advice appreciated thanks.


Cheers,

karen

 

Firstly don't go telling everyone about them or you will be plagued with silly offers . I suggest that you take some photos of the bikes exactly as you find them and then get in touch with a reputable auctioneers and valuers who specialise in vintage vehicles . The name of Bonham's comes to mind . There is a very good chance that you are looking at a very large amount of money here so proceed with care . Here's another auctioneers that might be a useful point of contact . https://www.historics.co.uk/buying/auctions/2012-02-18/car/1937-triumph-tiger-80/ Click on the menu next to the main title .

Edited by fastbob
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There should be a Vintage Motorcycle Club Section in your area some of the members may offer advice ,or get in touch with Bonhams who are auctioneers for old cars and bikes.

 

Members of a club may also behave like sharks smelling blood in the water . Best to go through an Auctioneers and make them pay top dollar . If someone in my locality had a vintage Triumph Speed Twin but had no idea what it was worth and admitted to knowing nothing about motorbikes then I have to confess that I might experience a sudden lapse of moral standards .

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I had a look on some specialist sites, and some of the project bikes are selling at around the £8000 mark, finished bikes £12000 upwards depending on age and model, early models fetching more :thumb:

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Hi,


Thanks everyone for the replies!


After a bit of thought I have contacted the 2 mentioned auctioneers, and will see what they say.


I had no idea that auctions for vintages motorbikes existed!


Thanks for the help. Hopefully will see my aunt with an empty garage and some spare cash!


Cheers,

Karen

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Hi,


Thanks everyone for the replies!


After a bit of thought I have contacted the 2 mentioned auctioneers, and will see what they say.


I had no idea that auctions for vintages motorbikes existed!


Thanks for the help. Hopefully will see my aunt with an empty garage and some spare cash!


Cheers,

Karen

 

Oh yes , a find like this , often referred to as a " Barn find " is a sort of Holy Grail of motorcycle collectors . These aren't run of the mill bikes either . As I said at the beginning , there is a large amount of money involved here and this matter ought to be handled by a reputable firm of specialist auctioneers and valuers .

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be careful how it goes and dont be taking any silly low offers, and when you do go to an auctioneers take a trusted friend who knows something about the bikes

 

And make a note of the frame and engine numbers to each bike

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  • 3 weeks later...

I agree with gojng with an auctions i really wouldn't bother with vintage bike forums or clubs as they will be as said on here sharks .


As some of you guys know I collect vintage action man stuff . And I'm a mod on a vintage action man site and we had one guy post on the site that his father worked for palitoy who made action man and when the factory closed the bosses said to all the workers get black bin bags and take as much stuff as you want. So this guys dad did and the plan was birthdays Christmas he would get action man .. so 45 years later the father dies son goes in to clear the house to be sold finds 3 big black bags of mint carded action man stuff.


So the son comes on our site and says make me an offer on these items thro PM . On our site admin can read the PMs . We have staff only section that we bitch about members.lol and the members was offing this guy £100 ..£500 .£1000 even £3000 and they collect to day with cash .


We told him to stop answering PMs and go to vectis .. the guy did it was in the national news and on TV the guy had over £100.000 in his had time all the stuff was sold and fees paid .


So go to the auction house dont trust forums /clubs ..

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I agree with gojng with an auctions i really wouldn't bother with vintage bike forums or clubs as they will be as said on here sharks .


As some of you guys know I collect vintage action man stuff . And I'm a mod on a vintage action man site and we had one guy post on the site that his father worked for palitoy who made action man and when the factory closed the bosses said to all the workers get black bin bags and take as much stuff as you want. So this guys dad did and the plan was birthdays Christmas he would get action man .. so 45 years later the father dies son goes in to clear the house to be sold finds 3 big black bags of mint carded action man stuff.


So the son comes on our site and says make me an offer on these items thro PM . On our site admin can read the PMs . We have staff only section that we bitch about members.lol and the members was offing this guy £100 ..£500 .£1000 even £3000 and they collect to day with cash .


We told him to stop answering PMs and go to vectis .. the guy did it was in the national news and on TV the guy had over £100.000 in his had time all the stuff was sold and fees paid .


So go to the auction house dont trust forums /clubs ..

 

I had an action man and some space capsual re entry module, I'm sure it would be worth money now, unfortunately I was an adventurous young child with a great imagination, Mr action man burnt up on re entry one day, aided with a tin of petrol acquired from dad's car, it was quite a pyrotechnical affair, in my defence I was only 7 and had no access to explosives.

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