[High On Octane]

I'm trying to figure out my last bits and pieces needed to actually finish the Blackhawk so I can flip it and start my next project.  I really want to build a hot RE twin, but my current budget and life status does not allow for me to own to complete bikes at the moment.  So I was thinking of completing the cafe build on the Blackhawk, sell it, use half the money to pay some debt and use the other half to build the Chief.  OK, so maybe it won't even be a Chief as I'm contemplating using a Featherbed frame for the next build.

Anyway.  Am I reading this right?  I'm looking at H's to get a feel for what these bikes are selling for.  I found a '57 Trailblazer on their site in really rough shape, mostly complete, and selling for 3250 GBP?!  That is equivelant to $5000 USD, and it's not even a running bike!


(I am looking at bikes #4 and #8 in the listings)
http://www.hitchcocksmotorcycles.com/used-parts-bikes-bikes

My question is, what will my bike be worth when it is complete with fresh new paint, a good running motor (still has the leaks) that is fairly fresh, EI, new custom wire harness with keyless ignition, new carb, new bars, new tires, rear sets and new cafe seat?  I was hoping to sell the bike for $6K when I'm finished.  Is this a realistic price?  Should I ask for more or less?  I will say that the bike will look even better when I finish than it did the 1st time I painted it.

[da punds]

I don't know the values, it seems that they are more expensive outside America. a trailblazer sold on eBay in the states for about 3000 dollars. The last time I saw one here although it was a Chief, it went for £6000. I don't know if this helps ?

Kevin

[ace.cafe]

I don't know the market for the twins.
It used to be that you could get $6k, before the economy turned down in 2009. I don't know what they are bringing now.

I do know that the most original bikes bring the most money from collectors/restorers. But a really appealing custom can too, if the right person sees it.

I would start watching the classified section at royalenfields.com for asking prices. David gathers all the RE bikes he can find advertised around the country, and showcases them on his blog. Very good resource.

[ERC]

As Ace says the matching # completely restored ones bring the most money. Prices on them have definitely gone down. You may get the most money by parting it out on ebay.  ERC

[High On Octane]

As Ace says the matching # completely restored ones bring the most money. Prices on them have definitely gone down. You may get the most money by parting it out on ebay.  ERC

Are you suggesting that I part out the chief to build the Blackhawk how I want?  I guess I don't realize they aren't worth that much here in the states.

[ace.cafe]

Are you suggesting that I part out the chief to build the Blackhawk how I want?  I guess I don't realize they aren't worth that much here in the states.

It's all a matter of getting the bike in front of the right buyer. It is impossible to make assumptions with something like this. We can only generalize.

In the meantime, I suggest that you do some shopping for a bike like yours, and see what they are selling for. That will give you a feel for what the market is like nowadays.

[High On Octane]

OK, that makes sense.  Thanks guys.

Now I'm trying to figure out what corners I can cut, basically, try to source as much as possible form the USA.  My preliminary build forecast is coming in at $4600, a little over $3000 of that is just engine parts, including Heads, a Power Acr ignition, Newby belt drive, and a $1600 order for rods, pistons, clubman tank and gasket set from H's.  I'm basically $1500 over my desired budget.

However, I just spoke to The Bonneville Shop about T110 pistons.  They said that they don't carry any performance pistons because there are too many variables in sizing and compression.  He then says "I hate to send you to our competition, but Vintage Twins just got a huge shipment of overstock and NOS Brit parts."  One reason I love The Bonneville Shop, if they don't have what I'm looking for, they will recommend someone from their competition to help me.  So I call over to Vintage Twins and tell the guy what I have and am looking for.  He starts digging thru his pile of pistons "Oh, I have a pair of Royal Enfield pistons right here.  20 over."  I ask if they are Hepolite and he says yes, so I tell him "Yeah, those OE pistons are only 6.5:1.  I need something between 8.5 and 10.5:1."  "OK, lets see what else I have here......  Here are some AJS performance pistons that are 72mm.  Let's see what's in the box; Wow, these have a really big dome!  Rings are there, wrist pins are there, looks like the only thing missing is the pin clips."  So after work on Monday I'm going to stop over there and have a look at these pistons and measure the skirt height and that fun stuff.  With any luck they will work for me and he won't want a shit ton of money for them.  If they will work and I can get them for $100/piston or less that will save me $350 right there.  The only other thing I can think of is replace the rods, use the hepolite pistons and shave the cylinders 2mm or so, obviously I want to stay away from the cheap hepolite pistons, but we'll see.

[ERC]

Scottie I've got a value list for Enfields from 2006. The price for your bike in perfect condition was $6000 at that time, the prices have definitely dropped since then.  ERC

[High On Octane]

Hmmmm.....  Maybe I'll just part out the Chief parts then, I'll have to do a bit more research.  I found a place in S. Carolina that sells performance parts for BSA, Triumph, AJS and Norton called Classic Cycle Works.  They have 71mm pistons for Triumphs at 9:1, 10.5:1 and 11:1 and also have billet rods.  I'd even be willing to destroke a few mm.  So I need to find out what the journal size and stroke are for those Triumph rods, but I think I can make them work.  The older Triumphs have the same style nodular crank and look very similar.  If I can get the build budget down to about $3000-$3500, I'm pretty sure I have a buyer that will give me at least $5K maybe $6K.  It's actually the guy who beat me at the flat tracks when I took 2nd place.  He's been interested ever since I first mentioned selling it over the summer.

[ERC]

If you can get 5k for it I'd take it. Frankly I would just keep what you have sit on it  put one together as a good runner as cheap as possible and don't get rid of anything. Just wait till you get ahead. It will happen from my experience it always does.     ERC

[High On Octane]

If you can get 5k for it I'd take it. Frankly I would just keep what you have sit on it  put one together as a good runner as cheap as possible and don't get rid of anything. Just wait till you get ahead. It will happen from my experience it always does.     ERC

Good point Roger.   Now that you mention it, I should be writing something like this:

"Dear Wife Santa,
As you know I have been a good boy this year.  For Christmas I would like;
10.5:1 Pistons
Billet ConRods
A Newby Belt Drive
And a PowerArc Ignition.
Thank You!

Sincerely,
Scottie"

    

[ERC]

Now your making sense.     ERC

[High On Octane]

Ace, what are your thoughts on these pistons?

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=331377811391&alt=web

[ace.cafe]

Ace, what are your thoughts on these pistons?

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=331377811391&alt=web

I don't know. There's hardly any important info on them. No weight listed, no mention of cast or forged. No mention of what clearance to use, no mention of pin weight, or hardly anything.
I can't tell just by looking at a photo.

What I will say is that I personally would never even think about buying pistons that cost $79 for TWO. I can just barely buy a high quality wrist pin for $40 at wholesale price, much less two pistons with pins and clips!

As I read on a blog recently, there is no product that cannot be made cheaper and worse!
It's your bike.

If it was me, I'd contact Bullet Whisperer and ask him what he uses in his 350, and get two of them.

[High On Octane]

Fair enough.  I was skeptical myself due to the total lack of important info and super cheap price.  I guess I was more curious as to the reputation of this "JCC" company.  I'm really starting to have my doubts with eBay.  It seems like the Chinese are putting out counterfeit everything these days.  I was even recently reading about batteries for my e-cig, only to find out that one of the best brands, Efest, is not encountering mass amounts of "rewrapped" generic batteries and are pulling a Joe Lucas because they can't handle the average the authentic are rated at.