Slimline frame value question

Racing64 · May 22, 2011

I have a frame from a 67 that I purchased some time ago. It is in very good condition, without any problems. It also has some of the rear linkage components with it.

A friend of a friend wants it for his Atlas, but he had the opportunity to buy it before I did and said no due to the price. I have suggested he look at having a frame built, but he wants to be as original as possible. I can understand this idea.

I have looked online, and found these frames have been selling at 3000-3500 in US dollars. I think he could be affordable at having 1 built (Unity Equipe?).

Any suggestions on the value of this frame? I had planned on building a Triton with it, and realize if I do sell it I may never find/be able to afford another 1 again.

THANKS!

Rohan · May 22, 2011

These appear now and then on ebay and cragislist.
In average condition, $3000 should buy you a few of them !
You could buy a project Atlas for that ??
The guy selling bulk Atlas stuff on ebay shut up shop and moved on though.

Unity charge absolutely top dollar for them, must be a fairly profitable line for them ?
Do they make slimlines ?, at one point they were proclaiming widelines were the only ones they would touch....

Cheers.

ashman · May 22, 2011

Hi

If I was you I would keep it, I have 2 Featherbed frames 1 a Wideline the other a Slimline, I have my 850 in the wideline and deciding what I will put in the slimline it came with a 650 motor but has no head, very hard to fine a head for it so far so mite have to put a Atlas motor in it.

As for how much they are worth depends on if you realy want to sell it, here in Australia they go for about $2000 or more for a good one and up to $1500 for one that needs repairs, but there are a lot of replica featherbed frame getting around now, every man and his dog are making them now, but they are easy to pick from the real ones.

Tritons look good but I'm just a true Norton person and perfer to stick with a Norton engine, I have been running my 850 Commando motor Featherbed frame for over 30 years now, has just gone through a major rebuild last year and its my every day ride and on the weekends it gets a good work out, I never get tied of riding it.

Ashley

ML · May 22, 2011

Try MacIntosh Racing in New Zealand. They really know how to build a Featherbed and you'll get a new one for half of what an old dodgy one might be off Ebay!

Mick

Rohan · May 22, 2011

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/190503569773

This auction is out of date now, but it was for a complete Atlas with extended forks and hi-rider seat, the chopper look, in Ohio for $3750. Frame looked to be stock, as was engine gearbox wheels tinwear everything.

interstateOz · May 23, 2011

Im also searching for a slimline, spoke to McIntosh in NZ and they only do a wideline Manx, I was surprised they didn't do a slimline.

Racing64 · May 23, 2011

Thanks for the info folks! I don't really have any plans to sell it, but I wanted some info to throw out in case the buyer got serious. Again, I know if I did sell it I would regret it. Here in the US finding 1 is impossible, and when someone finds out you have 1 it is a HOT commodity. Thanks again for the info!

interstateOz · May 23, 2011

Yes I'd be keeping it if ur planning a future build one day! There not impossible to get though they come up regularly on eBay a few times a month on eBay Oz, US and UK, but keep it if u can

cjandme · May 24, 2011

hello ashman, I have an old head from a basket case that I was going to build, however I've since found a more or less complete MK3 which I was able to afford and I'm focusing on it right now. If you like I could send a photo or check the casting #'s etc... Cj

SteveMinning · Jun 16, 2011

I can only offer you my personal experience with a featherbed as a guide. I bought a slimline frame about six years ago for $750.00. In prep for building a TRITON I sent it to FrameCrafters to make sure it's straight and fit. It cost me $150.00 to ship it to Chicago, $900 in repairs and will likely cost another $100.00 or so to ship back. So I have about $1900.00 in my frame. Keep in mind the original purchase cost was over five years ago. My anecdotal data for you anyway...

grandpaul · Jun 17, 2011

Featherbed-framed non-running 650 and 750 project bikes come up regularly for anywhere from $1,500 to $2,500, running bikes for another couple hundred to a grand.

I've seen several frames in the $750 to $1,000 range, but as Steve said, may need repair.

I got mine in trade for about $1,000 worth of parts; it's nice and straight, no drilling or cut off tabs anywhere on it. My friend bought two of them at $750 each at the time he bought them, then offered me the "rougher" one in trade (we're both building TriTons)

grandpaul · Jun 17, 2011

For what it's worth, widelines seem to fetch more than slimlines MOST OF THE TIME.

gtsun · Jun 17, 2011

Are there big differances in how the two types handle and is one prefered more?

Webby03 · Jun 17, 2011

As far as I know the handling is the same for both the wide line and the slim line.
Many people out there prefer the wide line as it looks the same as the Manx frame, however a wide line is quite difficult to find in the US.

I hope this helps

Webby

gtsun · Jun 17, 2011

Correct me if I'm (or when) Im wrong but didn't the Manx evolve from Internationals that were raced? So is the Manx frame considered a "featherbed" ? I mean at least the swing arm years? I understand that it was a race bike totaly & not a stripped down street bike & therefor the frames would be "Manx specific " but are they ( the swingarm years ) " Featherbeds"???

Webby03 · Jun 18, 2011

Hi gtsun,
Yes, you are correct, the manx did evolve from the international, however they only shared the mechanical components (and maybe the front forks?). The featherbed frame was first on fitted to the racers and then later adapted to the Norton street bikes. All the featherbed framed models (ES2, Dommi, Manx etc.) have swing arms, the previous lugged frame was known as the "garden gate"
There's more info here on wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Featherbed_frame

I hope this answers your questions

Webby

Rohan · Jun 18, 2011

In the featherbed years, it might be more accurate to say that the Inter was eventually produced as a much lesser version of the Manx. ?

Since the Manx by then was a cobby little race bike, dohc donk with 531 tubing frame and all magnesium castings and forged-alloy parts. And the Inter was none of that....

P.S. While they look like they may share stuff, there are no parts actually shared by featherbed manxes and inters - except perhaps the Norton decals and the air in the tyres... ?

gtsun · Jun 21, 2011

Well they do share a couple things like my severe desire to own one or the other, or both & they also both share a price range way out of my budget!

Rohan · Jun 22, 2011

Well, if you'd noticed that cammy motor in the back of the 47 ES2 sale listed in another thread here, it already went for $2500. While not original, when that motor is slotted into a Norton somewhere, it will make a budget cammy Norton.? Quite a few such bikes you see for sale are often just such cobbled up bikes, although the spiel might lead you to think otherwise. More so in the UK than the US, it must be said.

Manxes might be a little tougher to do a budget version though. Perfect genuine bikes are always in collector territory though - even when brand new a Manx cost more than a house to buy at the time.

We diverge, nothing to do with slimlines here...

Cheers.

Rohan · Jun 22, 2011

P.S. When Manxes and G50s were popular in Japan recently, there was a vast array of stuff to build your SR500 or XT500 etc into a Manx replica or G50 lookalike. Even bolt-on bevel housings and gold cam chain covers, along with clip-ons, race seats, race exhausts, and a range of lookalike manx and G50 tanks etc. Some of these big trail bike singles or KTMs or Rotaxes would have performance not unlike a Manx or G50, when you think about it....

But maybe we don't talk about that here ?

Slimline frame value question

Similar threads