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Vintage motorcycle gold mine?

Vintage bikes are honey traps. They look really good until you discover yourself covered with sticky goo you can't get rid of.
There might be one or two or even five bikes there that might get $3k at an auction. Maybe. There might conceivably be one worth $12k. There might be 30 piles of shit that take four years to sell piece by piece. You might be able to sell them all to a vintage dealer.

I can guarantee you that you did not hit gold. Just flecks of shiny metal.
 
Stormdragon said:
I'm in Auburn, you can stop by and pick me up on your way down. I know all the good places to eat in SD too. (That's a bribe Son :teeth )
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i'll cover gas
 
Hawaiirider said:
Tough call as per: what to do....

1. Grand-dad was cool, that is clear.
2. The 'family' (estate) probably will think you have squandered a vast fortune even if you get top dollar for every dusty trinket - that's just the way money works sometimes, unfortunately. Even if it's all old Japanese bikes somebody will say you palmed a Crocker and a Vincent.
3. As a riding relative, you owe it to yourself, his memory and the bikes themselves to go and inventory the place. Go. Get to it, man. Bring some dust masks, and nitrile gloves.
4. Pick out one or possibly two things for yourself and then get the rest taken to one of the big classic bike auctions - the LESS restored the better. The vintage crowd goes BALLISTIC for authentic "barn-finds' that have 'the patina of time' - oddly worth more than a full big-buck restoration sometimes.
5. When it's all said and done take the $ and get it to the estate - and acknowledge that any share YOU are to recieve should be minus some value for what you kept for yourself - and DON'T try to bill them for your labor ! Deal VERY clearly and ethically with the business of the estate, even so there will be an accusation or two that you 'got over' on Aunt Sally because that old Moto Guzzi is worth X not Y. However, if YOU know that you did the best, most honest job you could you will be able to brush it off with a clear mind.

6/ While the above is just a paranoid warning of my odd imagination, don't let it spook you - enjoy some family archaeology and get yer old-bike mojo on.
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It's actually funny as the 'estate' is run by the state right now (another long story) and they are cleaning things up to rent out as part of the trust. The state appointed conservator is the one who told me "come get them or we are tossing them in a dumpster". All they care about is renting the warehouse as it is in prime industrial area. As far as others interests in the estate that is all clear. Those that borrowed money from my grandfather and didn't pay it back (almost everyone but me) got the big :twofinger in the will :laughing

Thanks also for the tip on the vintage auctions

auntiebling said:
making sammiches?
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Topless :p

afm199 said:
Vintage bikes are honey traps. They look really good until you discover yourself covered with sticky goo you can't get rid of.
There might be one or two or even five bikes there that might get $3k at an auction. Maybe. There might conceivably be one worth $12k. There might be 30 piles of shit that take four years to sell piece by piece. You might be able to sell them all to a vintage dealer.

I can guarantee you that you did not hit gold. Just flecks of shiny metal.
Click to expand...

You are probably more correct than anything else in this thread. That is why 30 bikes may not make it back to my house. But...it is worth the look. I am kind of looking at this as a 'no harm no foul' type of trip. It isn't going to hurt to go inventory them and find out what is there.

Stormdragon said:
I'm in Auburn, you can stop by and pick me up on your way down. I know all the good places to eat in SD too. (That's a bribe Son :teeth )
Click to expand...

Well...don't have to go that far. The good places to eat around this place would be some taqueria on some cart deep in the heart of the barrios of LA :cry
 
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auntiebling said:
making sammiches?
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You know it! :boobies (I am in culinary school after all. :nerd)

afm199 said:
I can guarantee you that you did not hit gold. Just flecks of shiny metal.
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You could be dead on with this, but the sense of adventure is fun, and the memory of him is a grand one because the story of this man's life is like reading a great novel. :ride
 
Not gold. Pyrite.
 
auntiebling said:
to be sold for large profit to some other fool
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someone is always willing to buy a bridge to nowhere :laughing

What I am finding out is that people have a sentimental attachment to their first bikes and will buy one regardless of it's shape just to touch it, polish it, love it....

Shit...I just went emo in the thread! :cry
 
Man... I'd just like to see all of them.
 
n10sive said:
You are probably more correct than anything else in this thread. That is why 30 bikes may not make it back to my house. But...it is worth the look. I am kind of looking at this as a 'no harm no foul' type of trip. It isn't going to hurt to go inventory them and find out what is there.
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Well, if they 'may not make it back', I can always follow you down with my truck and help with their 'disposal'... :teeth



n10sive said:
Well...don't have to go that far. The good places to eat around this place would be some taqueria on some cart deep in the heart of the barrios of LA :cry
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The Mexican in SD isn't like the Mexican anywhere else in the state. Plus I know a great Palestinian place, and there's the Chinese noodle house, and of course there's the hash house... :drool

Edit: As you can tell, I need an excuse to go back down there, just for the food.
 
one bike at a time
 

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Dale, depending on when you go..... I have my 3/4 ton and trailer, if there is enough shit that has to be dropped off in the bay area. Save you space to get chit home.
 
Jakemate said:
Dale, depending on when you go..... I have my 3/4 ton and trailer, if there is enough shit that has to be dropped off in the bay area. Save you space to get chit home.
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Pick me up on the way.
Then I can return your shorts, clean, and pressed.
 
Thanks for the offers everyone. I think I got it taken care of for now. Will be going down this weekend and seeing what is in there.
 
ah but such sweet, sweet stickiness...

If there's anything complete and turbocharged in that stack I'd like to see it :)

afm199 said:
Vintage bikes are honey traps. They look really good until you discover yourself covered with sticky goo you can't get rid of.
There might be one or two or even five bikes there that might get $3k at an auction. Maybe. There might conceivably be one worth $12k. There might be 30 piles of shit that take four years to sell piece by piece. You might be able to sell them all to a vintage dealer.

I can guarantee you that you did not hit gold. Just flecks of shiny metal.
Click to expand...
 
1000 miles later....

Turns out my Grandfather had one of the first Honda Dealerships in Pomona California way back when. So I guess he had an affinity for Honda's. Here is what I found (years are estimated all around 1978 unless otherwise noted):

Yamaha:
'72 RD350 (or GTR) Stomp grip tank
750
Moped (Dandelions new pit bike)

Honda:
1 - Hawk
2 - CB125
1 - CB175
1 - CB200T
2 - CB250
3 - CB360
2 - CB360T
2 - 550 Four
4 - 750 Four

Kawi:
1 - KZ750
1 - LTD 440
1 - 360

Suzuki
1 - TS250 Enduro
1 - GS400
1 - GT550


And two hold honda chopper rat bikes, several frames, boxes of assorted parts.

Almost all of them are Salvage bikes with assorted different damage. Mostly bent forks. So basically...a warehouse full of pyrite! :laughing

I did bring an old moped scooter home that was in decent shape and the Suzuki TS250 Enduro that was in great condition (once the dirt is gone). The rest...well...who knows. Salvage yard I suppose. The old RD350 was tempting but more work than I felt like doing at the moment.

I did shoot some video of the graveyard and might post it up if there is any interest.

Was an interesting and fun trip none the less :)
 
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