Value's of R12's

[Bigsieuk]

We often see questions regarding the value of antique BMW's and I believe that the general answer is that values are market derived. I recently spotted an R12 on Eb for sale (181812695106) which is a good example of market influences and the optimism that can be induced by such opportunities.

If you look at the item you'll note a lot of issues with the bike, it hasn't sold yet (as at 31 July) but from what I can see it can either be seen as a collection of spares (frame seems good) or a restoration project. But there is a lot of parts to be bought and replaced to get it to a running/restored condition. Here in the UK I'd budget at least £12k+ on the bike to get it to a good runner (not concours/100% original) that's without collecting it from Germany and any import duties/registration costs.

I find I have to stand back from such opportunities/projects and have a real good think about what I might be getting into (is it good money for a pile of spares that sit on the shelf or will it contribute to getting another R12 back on the road).

It would be interesting to track what happens to such bikes and see where they end up and at what cost.

John

[Darryl.Richman]

John, it is interesting to watch such things. The next issue of Classic BMW Motorräder (under production right now) will have an article about vintage BMW bike valuation.


This same eBay auction came up in the slash2 email list yesterday. Here's my unabashed take on it:

Subject: Thoughts on prewar basket cases?

Just came across this on the bad old eBay, and it got me thinking quite a lot
BMW 1940 R12 Parts Collection
US $1,125.00 For parts or not working in eBay Motors, Parts & Accessories, Motorcycle Parts

I'm wondering if anyone can throw any vague thoughts my way on how big a bite something like this would be and how hard to chew it might be. Not particularly this bike necessarily, but any old fixer upper R12. The R12 has been a dream bike of mine for some time.

I'm a professional mechanic myself and have done a lot of rebuilds and restorations of bikes in this condition and, I think, this level of rarity, although not that old (1957 Zundapp, 1956 /2, 1971 BSA for example). On the other hand I'm not filthy rich and I figure it could take some serious money to gather together any missing parts.

How many out there have tackled something like this? How crazy was it? Pointless to get one with major missing parts? Wait for a complete one?

If you can get to this page, read everything here:
http://histor.ws/bmwr12/index.php

This is not a “rebuild” project. It is a random assortment of parts, some of which go to some R12 model. If you want original parts, you will search forever for the pieces. If you will settle for repop parts, you will spend a fortune. Then you will spend an eternity getting each system to work right; even when you think you have it right, you will find after a little while that something isn’t right; some aspect isn’t the right shape, the right material or the right hardness. What will you do for transmission internals, carb internals, magneto internals?

Amazingly, the crank looks like nobody has pulled it apart before, I guess there is something positive about this mess.

[Bigsieuk]

The other auction with the R 12 gearbox sold for nearly £600.00. With 22hrs left I suspect we'll see this top £4000.00. Here in the UK an R51/1 went at auction for around £12,000.00 that was a 'project' at best.

Maybe the project bikes define the value of running bikes, but as you rightly pointed out, the originality of our running bikes influences our perceptions of our own bikes.

Let's see where it ends up tomorrow.

Regards,

John.

[Bigsieuk]

£3,150.00, well done to you if you're out there. Be interesting to see if this gets restored or if it's contributing to getting other bikes back on the road. In the UK and with £12,000 spent on it (my guess) it would be a good bike.

John