Motorcycle prices

[Joe T.]

There is an interesting thread here about a 'New $10,000' Spyder. That got me to thinking - - - - (painful as it is)

In 191 Honda introduced the Honda 750/4 to the US. It cost $1,495. A new 1971 Ford LTD mid-range price was ~$3,500. So a top of the line Honda was ~43% the cost of a new large car.

So what would 43% of a large car be today? a 2019 Ford Taurus SEL is $30230. So a new Honda 750 should cost ~$12,912. Apparently, Honda does not have a 750/4 for sale but has the 1000. A new 2018 lists for $12,999.

DANG CLOSE!!!

Joe T.

[RapidSpyder]

So since an RT is ~ 28 grand.... a new car would be over 60?

[Peter Aawen]

.......So what would 43% of a large car be today? a 2019 Ford Taurus SEL is $30230. So a new Honda 750 should cost ~$12,912. Apparently, Honda does not have a 750/4 for sale but has the 1000. A new 2018 lists for $12,999........

Now d'ya think Honda have done that knowingly??!

I reckon there's a pretty good chance!

[Two cats]

Now d'ya think Honda have done that knowingly??!

I reckon there's a pretty good chance!

I thought that was called inflation or an I wrong. I have been wrong before. But the good thing is I never buy new.

[ARtraveler]

A large downfall for a lot of us. At today's prices, a new "anything" is subject to a LOT of depreciation in that first year or two. You usually take a beating trading off very often.

Been there and done that. Not so much any more.

[Chupaca]

Looks like the %age is holding. No trikes back then to get a relation...

[Tanshanomi]

Using the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Inflation Calculator, the $1495 price of a Honda CB750 in 1971 is equivalent to $9,256.73 in 2018 dollars.

Now, working in the opposite direction, the $17999 base price of the cheapest 2018 Spyder model would have been $2,906.91 in 1971 — twice the cost of a CB750.
To give that some perspective, some other 1971 suggested retail prices:

• The new Ducati 750 GT — $1995
• Harley Davidson Super Glide — $2200
• Norton Commando Production Racer — $2499

No question about it, Spyders are comparatively expensive compared to other riding options, regardless of inflation.

[Joe T.]

Using the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Inflation Calculator, the $1495 price of a Honda CB750 in 1971 is equivalent to $9,256.73 in 2018 dollars.

Now, working in the opposite direction, the $17999 base price of the cheapest 2018 Spyder model would have been $2,906.91 in 1971 — twice the cost of a CB750.
To give that some perspective, some other 1971 suggested retail prices:

• The new Ducati 750 GT — $1995
• Harley Davidson Super Glide — $2200
• Norton Commando Production Racer — $2499

No question about it, Spyders are comparatively expensive compared to other riding options, regardless of inflation.

I was implying that the Spyder is a very high end product. The equivalent vehicle today would cost ~$60K - a new GMC Denali truck, for instance.

But, to further put the above quote in more perspective, I started to college in 1970. The first McDonalds I ever saw was in 1971. I still remember buying a Big Mac, fries (only small size then) and a Coke (medium size, I guess) was less than a dollar! Today, a Big Mac meal is $5.69. More than 6 times more expensive.

Joe T.

[PMK]

So, based on these cost numbers, and experience owning a Spyder, is the value there at the price we pay, for a Can AM Spyder?

Granted that Honda is a lot less money, it is a Honda, so is it a better value?

If someone wants to take this further, compare old motocross bikes. They made a lot of Honda CR250s in the mid 70's vs the number of Can Am 250 motorcycles. Can Am was also a championship contender back then. Fast forward to today, the vintage Hondas always bring more money than the Can Ams, and ironically the Can Ams are a better restoration many times.

I wonder how all this compares in the watercraft, side by side and sled market.

[Tanshanomi]

If someone wants to take this further, compare old motocross bikes. They made a lot of Honda CR250s in the mid 70's vs the number of Can Am 250 motorcycles. Can Am was also a championship contender back then. Fast forward to today, the vintage Hondas always bring more money than the Can Ams, and ironically the Can Ams are a better restoration many times.

Hondas were more popular then and bring more money now because they were the better machine, period. Can-Am dirt bikes all possessed either explosive, uncontrollable power, or wonky, unpredictable handling — in any cases, both! In the hands of someone skilled and familiar with their quirks, they could keep up with the Japanese bikes on the track, but in the hands of the general public they were neither as easy to ride well nor as reliable. And I say all this as someone who personally has a keen affection for old Can-Am dirt bikes. You can't sugarcoat it; they were nowhere as good as the Hondas.

[PMK]

Hondas were more popular then and bring more money now because they were the better machine, period. Can-Am dirt bikes all possessed either explosive, uncontrollable power, or wonky, unpredictable handling — in any cases, both! In the hands of someone skilled and familiar with their quirks, they could keep up with the Japanese bikes on the track, but in the hands of the general public they were neither as easy to ride well nor as reliable. And I say all this as someone who personally has a keen affection for old Can-Am dirt bikes. You can't sugarcoat it; they were nowhere as good as the Hondas.

Agree.

I still remain amazed at how a pristine Can Am just does not seem to pull the value in the vintage market, but a non original "restored" CR gets stupid money.

I suspect this same situation may or likely will happen with Spyders vs Goldwings.

[Tanshanomi]

I wonder how all this compares in the watercraft, side by side and sled market.

You piqued my curiosity and prompted me to do some digging. I looked at historical personal watercraft pricing. I chose the earliest sit-down models the year they were introduced, along with the cost of low-end models you can buy today. With the exception of the first "modern" Sea-Doo, introduced in '88, they all fall generally in the $7–8K range once adjusted for inflation, regardless of era.

Year	Model	Original MSRP	Equiv. Cost today
1968	Sea-Doo	$995	$7185
1985	WetJet 428	$3495	$8170
1986	Jet Ski X-2	$3399	$7823
1987	Yamaha WaveJammer	$3280	$7263
1988	Sea-Doo SP	$4200	$8932
2018	Sea-Doo Spark HO*	—	$6999
2019	Yamaha EX	—	$6799

*I'm intentionally ignoring the deliberately ECU-crippled "base" Spark's $5399 price because BRP has all but publicly admitted that it's a bait-and-switch loss leader, which makes it a less representative example here.