The only way is up!

˃˃ ‘What’s going to be the next, big thing in the classic bike scene then?’

If I could have a quid for every time I heard that, I’d be a millionaire, Rodders. Thing is, we often can’t pigeonhole just what a classic of tomorrow will be, even if we look to the past for lessons.

Sure, if it’s fondly recalled by many from way back when as (perhaps) their first transport or first ‘big’ bike, then that’s often a shoe-in to classicdom. Think the humble Yamaha FS1-E ‘Fizzy’, which now goes for silly money, or the same company’s RD350 and Powervalve models. Kawasaki’s KH series in the lower capacity range are much beloved, as is Suzuki’s AP50 and GT250 X7. The big, powerful, fast machines which topped ranges in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s should also guarantee success in the future, surely? Think of the original CB750 from Honda, Kawasaki’s Z1 and later Zed series, and the likes of the Honda CBR900RR FireBlade and Yamaha’s original YZF-R1 to see prices rising. The trick is clearly to buy low. RD/LCs were relative peanuts 15 years back, but aren’t now.

‘‘ We o ften can’t pe ig on h ole just what a classic of tomorrow will be

Last time out we talked about how Yamaha’s FZR1000 Genesis and later EXUP could be had for a song. It’s amazing how things are changing fast. Some chancers are now pushing low-milers for £3500+ on ‘the’ auction website. Is a 1987 clean Genesis worth it? That depends if you want one. Why have prices gone like this? Well, I guess that if you can’t get an R1 now for little money, it pushes up the price of the ‘next best thing’ or the ‘previous next best thing’ in the manufacturer’s line-up.

So that’s my tip: use that logic. Buy low when buying the ‘second best learner bike/sports litre bike/naked/ whatever’; enjoy it and sit back and wait…