... is the end of the entertainment. That is an old saying that we have had to comfort ourselves with more and more recently.
Because many classic prizes have gone sky-high
That is of course great if you have a collection of classics and want to cash, but for us 'normal' enthusiasts the current price level is a nuisance. But to say it destroys our hoby? No. Because before that there is another old saying:
When the tide expires, the beacons are set
Because let's face it: Ducati 750 SSsen, Norton Atlases, BMW R69Ssen and Harley-Davidsons FX Super Glide boat tails? In their time, those were only motorcycles that the masses of enthusiasts could only dream about. And whether it made them angry or unhappy about it? I hope not.
And for the people who go even further than converting euros into guilders: The prices of those days are not what they seem now. Because in 1963 the gross average annual income was 8500 guilders. So everything was not that cheap at the time.
But even those motorcycles and cars that are now being paid for so much money, have been somewhere in their lives that they were worth little.
And what if we take a look at the 1987 engine segment - that is thirty years ago! - and 1997, we find the whole world on highly dated, often in excellent condition motorcycles for the famous 'Little'. A very nice Honda CBR 1000 F from 1989? 'Asking price 1.250 euro'. A Moto Guzzi SP III from 1988 is for sale for the same amount. Go on and on. Real motorbikes, real - as good as - classics for well-arranged amounts? It is still possible.
And who knows what those motorcycles will be worth in another twenty years?
A neat-looking Russian side valve with very old tires, two creaking wheel bearings and Latvian papers for ... Again, the 1.250 euro makes you think that the 1.250 euro is the new standard for old driving.
Such a machine is not a four-cylinder MV Super America, Hesketh or Vincent. But that is why we conclude with a final saying:
You can still dance, though not with the bride
Oh yes: Nobody would have thought: Jawas have become so expensive in the Czech Republic and Slovakia that Jawa enthusiasts from those countries are searching all over Europe for engines that are cheaper here than in the country where they were once made. A Perak or Californian are now worth serious money. Not to mention the 500 cc four-stroke Jawa's.
