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Private sale
How one person gets a great result
(Guy 'Guido' Allen, June 2025)
In a sometimes
challenging market, you might wonder if it’s
possible to sell a motorcycle for good money.
Apparently it is
With a fair bit of uncertainty creeping into the motorcycle market over recent times, something that has intrigued us is that there are still people out there selling bikes for surprisingly good prices.
In part that’s because we’re seeing the proverbial two-speed market – people with money are still spending on machinery they see as being premium. Meanwhile the middle and lower ends of the market appear to be slowing down.
Someone who recently got our attention is Sydney car and motorcycle enthusiast John W who recently decided to cull his fleet of very desirable Japanese motorcycles.
While he has undertaken some monumental car restorations over time, when it comes to motorcycles he has long been a believer in buying good quality from the start. In part, that’s on the understanding that a machine already in very good shape will be easier and probably less expensive to own in the long run. And it will always find a market at the other end.
The bikes he has recently sold – long after the Covid
price boom died out – have achieved strong prices.
For example, a mint condition Honda CB750-Four K2 went for Au$35,000 (US$22,700, GB£16,800) earlier this year. A very tidy 1999 Yamaha R1 running an aftermarket muffler went for Au$20,000 (US$13,000, GB£9600) in early 2024. Plus, a very tidy if not perfect Honda VF1000R with original pipes went for Au$20,000 (US$13,000, GB£9600) earlier this year.
How does he go about it? He advertises via Bikesales, using good photography and a carefully-written ad – see the example of the VF1000RF, below.
“I’m not a desperado,” says John, “and I’m prepared to
wait.” In some cases, that has been a couple of years,
sometimes turning down what might seem like solid offers.
“I don’t talk about price,” he adds, “Instead, it’s about
when do you want to pick it up?”
However he also says he is completely transparent on the bike’s condition. If they have sat for a while and need recommissioning, he says so. In the case of the VF1000R he was careful to tell the buyer that it was good, but when you got close it wasn’t perfect. “I always endeavor to tell it as it is,” says John.
Clearly what he is doing works – so long as you have the patience to wait for the right person to come along.
The Bikesales ad
The 1984 Sydney Motor show catalogue describes the Honda VF1000R. "The fastest and most powerful bike to be released from the Honda stables has arrived in Australia.... It’s the VF1000R a limited edition street legal production bike! This bike spells competition".
Keeping an eye on the VF1000R market? Then you are starting to see the rising interest in this relatively rare beast as coupled to this are rising prices, led by bikes sold in the USA recently. A low mileage one sold for more than $25k. Will you miss the boat on this one? Recently AllMoto spotted this on Bikesales and mentioned it in one of their posts.
The photos show an awesome Honda VF1000RF 1987. If you've ridden one you know that amazing sound and will want to own one again! Nothing else can be said.
Immaculate condition throughout, fabulous presence in any
company, owned as part of my collection, always garaged,
and covered, paint in excellent condition, owned by a very
fussy owner, a true collector’s item, just been serviced
using Motul oil/lubricants, very hard to come by in this
condition, recent thorough mechanical service in excellent
running order.
This is a standout bike in any collection and rare as the proverbial in this condition.
The bike was recently ridden by a former Honda Dealer and this is the bike from my collection he wanted to take home, just loved the V4 motor, exhaust and those Cams. This bike and its sound will get your heart racing.
Mechanically completely gone through, with absolutely nothing requiring attention. Cam and carb setup were done and it runs like a dream!! Brake pads were replaced. It comes with a spare rear seat section. It has a new battery with warranty. It truly looks mint, unfortunately I just look like a fool riding it as it deserves a Wayne Gardner look alike on it!
Prior to my ownership it had a long-term owner caretaker for 32 years. I have the ownership history back to when sold new in 1987. Amazingly it still has the original factory exhaust.
Must be seen and heard and you’ll want to own this
classic piece of motorcycling history.
VF1000RF History
In March 1984 Honda introduced the VF1000RE in Europe, the styling was a celebration of the V4’s racing heritage and the VF 1000R was a showcase for the technology Honda had developed on the race track. Honda set about to break the technology barrier with the VF 1000R.
The super sports bike featured a 998CC V4 engine in its rectangular section pipe frame but with this was the first VF1000 to have gear driven cams that would become a trademark of future V4 Hondas, beginning with the VFR750. The VF 1000R claimed output for the V4 engine of 122 BHP (91 KW).
The colour scheme was a standout with Fighting Red, Shasta White and Candy Aleutian blue. The bike had a red front mudguard, fork legs and centre section of the tank with red seat and later a blue seat. The upper fairing, fuel tank, and seat section were blue, the 1000R decal was red and white. Honda wings were on the tank.
The RE was replaced in April 1985 with the VF 1000RF. The bike was redesigned to lose the dual headlights to accommodate the American market. The RF colour scheme was the same as the RE but with revised decals and a blue seat.
In March 1986 the VF 1000RG was introduced in the
Rothmans team colours with revised decals and was
discontinued in August 1987. Six months later in February
1988 the RF is discontinued.
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VF1000R stats
at Motorcycle Specs
See our Honda CB750-Four profile
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