[Pinhead]

Hi all,

I am clearing out my uncle's shop and have come across some old motorcycle parts. I'm looking for advice on how to value them and dispose of them. Back in the day my uncle raced Hondas. He has a CB 500 (I think that's the designation) in pieces in his shop, including the frame, engine, several wheels, a gas tank, a seat, and other misc parts. He also has what appears to be a brand new engine--maybe a 550?--still in the crate from the early 70s. My question to you all is: what is this stuff worth? Any suggestions on how to dispose of it? Things are complicated by the fact that I live four hours from my uncle's house. I also don't have room to store all this stuff at my house. Any thoughts?

 

[hogcowboy]

WELCOME ABOARD, and...

Normally just a few more posts(count of 3) and the rest of the site
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is needed today. But you have to make 15 posts before you can post
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pictures. Unless you use Tapatalk which somehow gets around
that restriction.

We are friendly site here. Well, most of us:grin:

 

[Pinhead]

Hogcowboy,

Thanks for the information. I am not a motorcycle rider, my career having ended following an unwelcome encounter with a single strand of barbed wire in Mexico. My uncle, however, raced bikes and has all sorts of old parts in his shop. He now has Alzheimer's and I am responsible in part for clearing out his house and selling some of his things so we can pay for his care. That is where my question comes in. He has some great old parts--including an engine in the original crate. I'd like to get a decent valuation of the parts. This was a recommended forum to do that. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Pinhead

 

[johnnyvee]

I'd take some pictures for my own reference, then start searching on Ebay to see what similar items go for.

 

[oldenslow]

Unfortunately, it's really going to be difficult if not impossible for anyone to give you decent information, not because there aren't folks here knowledgeable enough to give you good answers but because it's pretty much going to take first-hand inspection of what you've got, both to positively identify the items and to do an appraisal of condition, before a value can be given. An engine, for instance -- exactly what engine, from what bike? What year of manufacture? New old stock, or salvaged? Depending on the answers, it could be worth anywhere from a couple hundred to thousands of dollars.

Perhaps you could find someone local, maybe an independent mechanic or bike builder, who could look over the stuff and appraise what you've got.

 

[bpe]

That engine could be golden to the right buyer. Depending on how it has held up over the years, rust and so forth. Need to find out exactly what engine it is.

 

[hogcowboy]

You'll have to identify every part to get any guess at value unless new and in package. And even then first hand inspection would be needed. You could get a range possibly by taking good pictures of everything and put them on a public hosting site, then post the link to those pictures here. Someone might be able to give a value or you might even get an offer. So depending on whether you want to get them off your hands or you want to rape folks will be up to you of course. First thing you have to do though is take the emotional attachment out of the picture. I've been there and know it isn't easy but it really is a must.