Question/advise about Hagerty valuations

Hi All: After much soul-searching, and considerable ambivalence, I've decided to sell my Commando. I've only been involved in bikes for the last three years, am now sixty, and I just can't relax while riding it--to say nothing of things like the kick-start. If nothing else, having the Norton has increased my respect for you 'old guys' (in particular) who just get on with it...... Good on ya!

I'm trying to put a value on my bike and need your advise--knowing that asking a potential buyer for a reasonable price is fraught with conflict of interest. I'll take my chances.

Firstly, I'm in Canada, right on the border north of Seattle. Exporting to the US is easy-peasy. I assume, given the currency comparison between the US and Canada, that the bike will go to the US. Thus I suspect that European/Australasian values are probably irrelevant. I've turned to Hagerty's Insurance valuation for advice. A friend of mine who judges British vintage motorcycles here in Vancouver, rates my bike as an 'excellent' on the Hagerty scale--thus the notch below 'concourse'. According to Hagerty's, that puts its median value at $15,200 US. I know that there's often a difference between 'value' and what things actually sell for. My endgame here is to sell the bike, not to pretend to myself that it is worth something it is not, and thereby getting all sorts of nasty flack from forum members, and not being able to sell it. Is this value reasonable, as an actual selling point, for an 'excellent' '74 'Commando'?

My thinking is to establish the value, then list it here first. I'd prefer not to go the ebay route, but that seems to be the logical 'Plan B', plus places like Craigslist. As always: thanks so much for your help and advice.

I think we need more information about your bike in order to give you an idea of its value

we can see it is a 74 850, mileage?

what color is it, how perfect is the color, original?

is everything stock and if not what upgrades have been done to the bike?

and, we need pictures, good ones

Kelley Blue Book shows '74 Norton 850 Commando roadster at $7270 US retail which is in line with my expectation if I were buying.

Kelley Blue Book shows '74 Norton 850 Commando roadster at $7270 US retail which is in line with my expectation if I were buying.

Thanks for your responses, and I should have known you would need more information. I didn't include too much because I don't want to be accused of trying to sell the bike in the wrong place on the forum. Apologies if I stray too close to the line with the following info and pictures:

Belonged since the 1980s to a professional motorcycle mechanic from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. I tried to track the previous history through the Alberta Motor Vehicle Branch, but failed because of privacy laws. That gentleman died around 2002. His partner inherited the bike and kept it in dry, heated, storage in Vancouver until I bought it in September 2013. It had not run for more than ten years.

According to his partner, the owner ‘did a ground up restoration’ in 2000-2001. My only proof is a Polaroid photo of the bike with the head off, and that the bike runs beautifully. That photo is dated ‘March 01’. Lucas AB11 electronic ignition installed. Everything works.

Since I’ve owned the bike, I have:

• New Avon tires and tubes.
• New stainless spokes, front and back.
• New Ferrodo front brake pads. Rear pads were fine.
• Installed RGM (from England) front brake master cylinder sleeve kit allowing the original brake caliper, but with modern stopping power.
• New front brake hose.
• Front suspension entirely stripped, overhauled, and new seals.
• New Mikuni VM 34 carburetor.
• New intake manifold.
• New throttle cable.
• New K&N filter.
• New battery.
• New plugs and high tension leads.
• Exhaust with balancing pipe replaced with single pipes. The old exhaust comes with the bike. It is cracked.
• Cleaned and sealed tank with KBS kit (impervious to ethanol).
• Tank and side covers painted gloss black, base/clear with Glasurit.
• ‘Norton’, ‘850 Commando’, and pinstripes done in 24-carat gold leaf before Glasurit clear coat.
• Frame masked and painted.
• Daytime running light replaced by LED strip running around inside of headlight rim. Not visible unless under close inspection.
• Turn signals replaced with LED modules and new flasher unit with ‘beeper’.
• Tail/brake light converted to LED using original housing to keep stock look.
• Engine cases, aluminum, and stainless parts polished.
• Removed chrome grab rail at the rear of the seat. It comes with the bike.
• Speedometer recalibrated—though it turned out not to need it.
• Speedo and tachometer lighted by LED.
• Powder coated cross trees silver.
• Powder coated brake master cylinder and clutch lever housing satin black.
• Front fender stanchions powder coated silver.
• Tachometer and speedometer buckets powder coated satin black.
• Most visible bolts/nuts replaced with stainless Allen head bolts.
• Original tool roll, I believe missing one item.
• New period-correct hand grips.

I'm not a very good photographer, but these are high resolution. Hopefully they will give a sense of the bike--without hiding anything by being blurry! As always, thanks for your help and insight.

thanks for all the additional information and pictures, very helpful

I think your Commando is a real jewell, very stock but with nice upgrades and it is all there and cosmetically much better

I would ask $9000 and accept no less than $8250

Commenting on the Haggerty valuations and NOT your bike I feel they are 50% higher than reality.

Thanks for your input. It strikes me as bizarre that a company in the business of insurance would be so out-of-line. I did think, when I first saw their 'Commando' values, that they were rather optimistic--which is one of the main reasons for posting all this here.

I am wondering whether eBay would give me the best bang for my buck, if I go the auction route (rather than 'buy it now'). With really good photos, perhaps a video, and a good write-up, do you think this is the sort of bike that could generate some buzz and exceed my reserve?

dynodave said:

Commenting on the Haggerty valuations and NOT your bike I feel they are 50% higher than reality.

Click to expand...

I think this is normal being an insured value vs and actual value are very different across the board.

Looks like a very nice bike. I wouldn't hurry to get shot of it, but I guess you have reasons.

In the UK prices for Commandos seem to be soaring at the moment, a good 50% more than there were a few years back, you might want to look at them on eBay uk. Obviously the US is a different market, but I would guess the trend is still upwards. I'm not a fan of selling serious stuff in good condition on ebay. Ebay seems inhabited by skinflint dreamers.

The last time I sold a vehicle I did well using Car and Classic, which is Uk based, http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/cat/15/643/ but surely there is something similar in the US?