New Vintage Motorcycle Poll about Best Collectibility

smi481 · Last edited by smi481 on Thu Nov 13, 2008 7:17 am; edited 1 time in total

We noticed a new poll on the Vintage Motorcycle On-Line site.

http://vintagemotorcyclesonline.com/

The VJMC has a banner and link on the HR side of their
home page, BUT their new "Poll" on the main page asks .....

"Who makes the most collectible motorcycles?

THE CHOICES ?
1) USA
2) Italy
3) Germany
4) England

ANY MAJOR MOTORCYCLE PRODUCING COUNTRY MISSING??

http://vintagemotorcyclesonline.com/index.php?option=com_poll&id=20:november-poll

05c50 · Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2008 7:26 pm Post subject:

No respect........as usual

..........Paul

jeepurz · Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2008 8:41 pm Post subject:

jezz not even a non of the above?? WTF!

riderfour · Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2008 9:03 pm Post subject: What were they thinking

What were they thinking?

It's an insult to the Japanese collectors and restorers. Not even a mention of the largest manufacturers of motorcycles
in the world. Or a blank line, to fill in "other makes?" Thumbsdown

Sherry

1 · Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 6:57 am Post subject:

perhaps the missing country name and answer to the question were so....obvious....it wasn't worth mentioning Very Happy

MR.CHocko · Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 7:31 am Post subject:

Now remeber this was one man's opinion. Personally I would put Italy and Germany at the bottom. Right now in terms of collectability for motorcycles it is American bikes, followed by the British bikes and everything else follows. Give it a year or two and the Japanese will make the list. Already the AMCA magazine recently has profiled Japanese bikes and I am not talking about the Rikuo. Remeber the Japanese motorcycle industry is young compared to the rest of the world and until it has been around for a while, until then no one will give it any respect.

hustler · Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 8:39 am Post subject: Not one mans opinion

We just checked the origin of this "poll." - http://vintagemotorcyclesonline.com/

It isn't one mans opinion. It was posted by/on this website itself, for viewing internationally.

The American Honda website says, as of January, 2009 - 7 weeks from now - Honda has been selling bikes in the U.S.
for 50 years.

Is that long enough?

I agree with jeepurz and riderfour, there should have been another option or a blank line to fill in another brand.

MR.CHocko · Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 8:57 am Post subject:

not long enough according to those who responded to the poll.

srod · Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2008 3:20 pm Post subject:

The key word here is collectable meaning sitting collecting dust, while Japanese bikes are vintage and still on the road…

05c50 · Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2008 3:43 pm Post subject:

Srod reminded me of a question that I have pondered for a long time......What is the meaning of "vintage", "classic", and "collectable"?
It seems that everyone has their own definition. Sometimes they're used to describe the same thing (bike, car, boats,etc). I've checked the dictionary and it is unclear to me which is correct to describe our bikes.
My wife uses a different word entirely to describe my bikes! Smile

..................Paul

smi481 · Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2008 8:31 pm Post subject: Vintage

What is the meaning of "vintage", "classic", and "collectable"?

Well, the major motorcycle groups in America, A.M.A., A.M.C.A. & V.J.M.C.
have defined "Vintage" in slightly different ways.

For Vintage bike judging, the strictest "rule" for eligibility is the
Antique Motorcycle Club of America's 35 year requirement.

At the A.M.A. Hall of Fame Museum Concours d'Elegance, in October, the
bikes invited to attend had to be produced prior to 1975 (33 years old)

V.J.M.C. is the most lenient system with their 20 year rule - "Founded in 1977, the Vintage Japanese
Motorcycle Club (VJMC) is the premier worldwide club dedicated to the preservation, restoration, and
enjoyment of vintage Japanese motorcycles 20 years old or older."

But even under the A.M.C.A.'s strict 35 year rule ..... in 8 weeks, (January 1, 2009), every Japanese bike
made from 1974 back, is VINTAGE and therefore eligible for judging under the long established A.M.C.A. Judging system.

That includes a lot of magnificent, powerful and reliable Japanese produced bikes.

riderfour · Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2008 6:55 am Post subject: Excellent information

Dear smi481 -

Excellent information and a very well thought out post! Thank You!

I think the first Honda's came to America around 1959 so there are lots of models that can be involved in vintage events.

WE are VINTAGE!

hippy

Sherry

1 · Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2008 7:29 am Post subject:

darn..i guess i'll start calling my '85, pre-vintage Very Happy

Barchetta · Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2008 10:07 am Post subject:

I've been on a site that said vintage was like 45 years old. Newer ones went classic, modern classic, and post modern classic. I think 1969 was classic, my 72 was modern classic. Even my vintage club sort of frowns on my bike. Honda is not concidered collectable, it's concidered rideable. For a lot of people, collectible means "very expensive", and I didn't pay enough for my bike to be in the "IN" crowd. Collectible for them means that a bike is so rare that even if it's improperly stored, and being eaten by rust that it's value goes up year after year. For them it's all about present and future monitary value, and has nothing to do with the year of a bike. I spent 1/3 of the price of a scooter for my bike, and if I never restored it, in 5 or 10 years it would be worth about the same. It's the most popular bike ever made, and parts are still available. My bike is what collectors give to their kids to keep them away from their Triumphs and BSA's. It's ok, I love my bike. My first bike was a chinabike, so an old honda 350 is a huge step up. I don't think I have an ego, so I really don't care what they think, or what their classification of collectible is. I think collectible should be measured in smiles per mile and not dollars. Wink

JMHO

05c50 · Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2008 12:49 pm Post subject:

OK, It looks my wife is right. None of my bikes are vintage,classic,or collectable..........they're just a bunch o' crap. Sad

..............Paul