Valuation of older Kawasaki’s

AndyB_11

Still waiting
UKGSer Subscriber
Joined
Feb 7, 2015
Messages
36,785
Reaction score
2,761
Location
Chorley Lancs
Apart from the usual over priced outlets and speculative prices on eBay is there any way to gauge a sensible price for a 1970s stink wheel, in particular a 1974 H2?

I’ve thought long and hard about it this summer and lack of use plus likely lack of use has made me decide to sell my H2. Apart from a quick run around the village where we lived until January it hasn’t actually been ridden since 2019 and because it’s sitting unloved in a corner of my unit it hasn’t even been started since March because it needs a new battery. Well it’s getting a new battery and hopefully a new home.

What’s it worth though? I’d sooner ask and get a sensible price than sit around or have people haggle with me and least of all do I want potential thieves coming round to view it because I’d have to put it in the conservatory to avoid too many other bikes worth too much money being spotted.

Overall it’s in good condition and standard apart from the Higgspeed expansion chambers which both look and sound nice so as long as they’re not an anally retentive wanker they won’t bother most buyers. It’s got the ineffective steering damper and chain oiler they came with when new but apart from that nearly everything has been restored or replaced.

The trouble is I genuinely don’t know what it’s worth. It’s not worth the £18k some ask for them and it still won’t be if I spend £1.5k on a replica exhaust system, it’s certainly worth well into double figures but it’s finding that magical sweet spot where it sells quickly and easily.

Any ideas? I don’t mean take a stab in the dark because I can do that for myself and I don’t mean suggest a low number then try to get it for that number. If I can’t get at least £10k for it I’ll break it because even genuine headlight brackets go for £500 and the demand for original parts is always high. I don’t worry about anything being too nice to break, it’s a motorbike and as such is just a financial asset if it’s not being ridden.

Crack on, I’m ordering a battery today so I need some genuine suggestions 👍
 
stick on Ebay with a £10k reserve or start price and let the market decide.....

i reckon £12-13k

T
 
I have owned a few 1970s Kawasaki Triples over the years, when they appear for sale the prices can vary wildly, it very much depends on the bikes condition and originality.

I would suggest that register on the Kawasaki Triples Club and after the usual introduction you could offer the bike for sale

https://forum.kawasakitriplesclub.com/


There are many members on that forum, (including myself) and they are both friendly and knowledgeable and will be able to advise you, chances are that you may well sell the bike through that media. From what you say it sounds as if your bike is an H2 (Mach 1V) usually Pearl Candy Blue with matching Blue front fender, or maybe an H2A in which case it may be Candy Gold/Candy Purple with a Chrome front fender

These bikes can be premium sellers and normally sell between 10K and 13K (market dependant)

If you prefer drop me a P.M and we can discuss further , I have attached a picture of my last H2C
 

Attachments

  • 2011-09-30 15.25.00.jpg
    2011-09-30 15.25.00.jpg
    270.5 KB · Views: 241
It’s a green H2C, originally imported and partially restored by the previous owner. I bought it about 7 years ago and tidied things up a bit because he’d obviously run out of money and left parts like headlight and brackets, grab rail, indicators, rear footrests and a lot of little bits and pieces to do. It had horribly noisy matt black expansion chambers fitted but at the time you couldn’t get replica systems so after much research I went for the Higgspeed ones because most people said they were the best substitute.

The engine was fully rebuilt, new wiring harness, wheels rebuilt, resprayed, new chain and sprockets, forks rebuilt, new shocks and new seat.

It’s good, not perfect but unless you go crazy it’s hard to achieve concours condition and I bought it to relive a teenage dream, not put on show.
 
stick on Ebay with a £10k reserve or start price and let the market decide.....

i reckon £12-13k

T

That’s roughly where I’d put the price but it’s not all that easy to take a subjective view when it’s your own bike.
 
That’s roughly where I’d put the price but it’s not all that easy to take a subjective view when it’s your own bike.

Andy there is also a Triples Facebook page (/if you do Facebook) that will also show you some sales activity.
 
It’s a green H2C, originally imported and partially restored by the previous owner. I bought it about 7 years ago and tidied things up a bit because he’d obviously run out of money and left parts like headlight and brackets, grab rail, indicators, rear footrests and a lot of little bits and pieces to do. It had horribly noisy matt black expansion chambers fitted but at the time you couldn’t get replica systems so after much research I went for the Higgspeed ones because most people said they were the best substitute.

The engine was fully rebuilt, new wiring harness, wheels rebuilt, resprayed, new chain and sprockets, forks rebuilt, new shocks and new seat.

It’s good, not perfect but unless you go crazy it’s hard to achieve concours condition and I bought it to relive a teenage dream, not put on show.



Andy, It will be an H2B then if the paint is original, which makes the bike 1973/4

If you are aware of the FB pages for the Triples club then that would be a good place to post a picture and I reckon, from how you describe the bike, that it will attract interest, there are always folk interested in an H2 especially one that is mostly complete and providing a good winter restoration project

Good luck

If I can be of any help then just let me know
 
It’s definitely a 1974 bike and I’ve just looked at the paperwork and it’s an H2B :blast

Unfortunately I don’t have a Facebook account and have no intention of getting one but that’s not the end of the World. I’ll get a new battery, fire it up again then wipe the dust off, use a bit of Scotchbrite on the steering damper which always gets a small amount of surface rust then make it nice and sparkly again. I’ll need to bring it home from my workshop to take photos then get it up for sale, I’ll probably put it on here to test the waters a bit and if nobody here is interested they might know someone who is and pass the word on. I’m confident it’ll sell as long as I’m not greedy or stupid about the asking price hence my asking for advice regarding a sensible price.
 
I'll gladly post a picture onto the Triples Club Forum on your behalf, if you like....it's no problem and may help with your sale.
 
I'll gladly post a picture onto the Triples Club Forum on your behalf, if you like....it's no problem and may help with your sale.

That’s really generous of you, once I’ve got it back home I’ll sort things out.

It’ll be a couple of weeks because I’m starting a short contract next Wednesday and that’ll tie me up for a while but after that I’ll get cracking on it.
 


Back
Top Bottom