Mecum 2018 FJ sales

[andybm3]

At the Mecum auction today and 2 85 FJ's sold today, the 1st was a 6/10 with 26k miles, not completely original and sold for $3k (incl buyers premium), but the second bike which was all original and a 9.5/10 example with 6k miles sold for an outstanding $12.1k !!!   After the 1st once sold I expected the 2nd one to go for $4k - $6k, but folks just started bidding it up. It was a great original bike but..........

https://www.mecum.com/lots/LV0118-314869/1985-yamaha-fj1100/

https://www.mecum.com/lots/LV0118-314871/1985-yamaha-fj1100/

[TexasDave]

I hate to see anything sold at auction because of the stupidity of the bidders. The most obvious examples today are of  classic cars being bid to astronomical sums. That said maybe FJ's are starting to go up in value. Bikes go down in value and then the value starts to rise with age and availability. I don't think bikes will get to the car level because the number of younger riders are down and there is not as much interest in acquiring classic older bikes. I have seen very little increase over the five years since I bought my first and hope prices stay low. There are several other colors I would like to own. I still think FJ's are a great value for the money and I still have the FJ disease.

Dave   

[fjbiker84]

Was just looking thru the digital catalog that was linked to the Cycle World email regarding the auction to see what was being sold.  Didn't see any FJs listed but the catalog only had a few very rare bikes - not every bike in the auction.  Maybe the FJs are finally starting to appreciate in value!  That said, the mint condition 85 that sold for 12K is probably the best original condition FJ in the world.

[FJ1100mjk]

I hate to see anything sold at auction because of the stupidity of the bidders.
Dave   

Yep, those places are sometimes havens for people that have more money than brains. Just because a couple of FJs sold there for great prices, doesn't indicate that their worth overall is increasing.

I am happy that I sold my FJs for what I could get for them. Would I have been happy to get more for them? Absolutely, but they aren't sitting around with hopes of getting another $100 or so dollars for them either.

[Motofun]

Meh...I was into restoring classic bikes.  Lots of work then take it to a show and all anyone wants to talk about is how much chrome is on the Harley.....Lots more fun to ride them......Anyone want a really nice CB400F?

[ZOA NOM]

Sadly, the younger generations are not into manly things anymore. The snowflake generations are too soft for any mechanical interaction, much less motorcycles. Men are dinosaurs, and on the verge of extinction.

[FJ1100mjk]

Sadly, the younger generations are not into manly things anymore. The snowflake generations are too soft for any mechanical interaction, much less motorcycles. Men are dinosaurs, and on the verge of extinction.

Wikipedia - Snowflake

"In the 1860s, the term 'snowflake' was used to refer to a person who was opposed to the abolition of slavery, with the implication that such people valued white people over black people."

My, how times have changed.

[HydroDog]

Meh...I was into restoring classic bikes.  Lots of work then take it to a show and all anyone wants to talk about is how much chrome is on the Harley.....Lots more fun to ride them......Anyone want a really nice CB400F?

Hell yes! Love the way the header looks on those.

[Troyskie]

I hate to be the doom sayer fellas, but this might be the tickle start of the FJ gentrification and price rise.

Over the last couple of years I've noted the odd request from people restoring bikes either for themselves, or, more ominously a 'client'. Also, we don't have to look very hard for the stories or comments from people of 'I used to have one of those' or worse (for us), 'I wish I had one of those when they first came out'. Now those people are sick of EVERYONE being a rebel and getting just another Harldley, they want something genuinely cool, and it looks like FJs, XJ, XS, GPz, etc, are the new cool. Worse for us is those looking for the 'ultra cool' will skip the GPz etc. in favour of the FJ, but perhaps that is my bias 

I feel that FJs in stock config and livery will likely be the sought after ones, even though we know the pit falls of the stock setup.

I tallied the cost of doing up my first FJ and the mecum price is within cooee. This means that for those who are wanting to revisit their vicarious 80s life, and have the cash (now), if not the mechanical ability, we'll possibly see a creep in the value of our beautiful beasts as these 'wannabes' start searching for their lost youth.

[FJ_Hooligan]

I think my asking price for my '85 just tripled.  :-)

[Pat Conlon]

Yea, I also wonder......

[Bill_Rockoff]

Even FJs that look like mine can start a conversation; I'm waiting for that to be called "patina" or for mine to be called "a survivor" as it makes the same progression the Miata is making.

I didn't even know Mecum did motorcycles. I am tempted to find myself a Hans Muth Katana 550 or 1000.

[JMR]

 Good news for me and my mint 2000 #33 off the line RC51 with 3,000 miles.