If you’ve ever had anything to do with selling bikes or cars, you will know that Sticker Shock is the awful feeling that a prospective buyer experiences when he/she finds out that the vehicle that they have set their heart on buying is WAY too expensive for them to do so.
Though I haven’t experienced this problem for many years, the term is certainly appropriate when applied to the annual MECUM auctions that were held in Las Vegas last weekend. Without going into the eye-watering details let me illustrate by saying that the sale price (and it WAS sold) of this 1974 Ducati 750SS was $198000US dollars. Yes, if you include the costs involved, that’s OVER $200k. AND, if you convert that to A$ it’s WELL over 200k.
Now you know that I have never been a fan of Americans and their passion for over-restoration. Pulling a bike apart and replacing all the old parts with new parts that are better than the original parts is the height of stupidity in my book. And it is the height of stupidity for rich old guys to BUY these better-than-original items, store them in their basement and occasionally show them off at Pebble Beach or some other gathering place for the rich and obnoxious. And, God forbid that they would actually be RIDDEN, oh, no, we can’t have that.
An early century (20th) bike of extreme rarity sold at the same auction for over ONE MILLION DOLLARS. No doubt it was also an over-restored prima donna and will be hidden away in someone’s private museum lest the plebs get to have a peek into early motorcycle history.
First time out for MotoGP testing yesterday. No great surprises except for Fabs topping the charts on the I4 Yamaha. And three riders had offs all of which resulted in broken bones and surgery. It’s going to be a tough season if you’re not on a red machine.
Re: Yamaha. The word is that the much-anticipated V4 engine will not be seen until later in the season as the factory feels that there is still plenty of development left in the aging across-the-frame engine. Testing times mean nothing as I usually say at this point in the season but I sure hope their confidence is warranted because none of the other marques look capable. Aprilia is still fighting handling and braking issues, Honda isn’t even CLOSE just yet and KTM, well, there are many who believe that they won’t even BE here by the end of the season.
It’s going to be an interesting 2025.
