CMM MARKETPLACE
Scott Redmond talks of the painted race-rep!
As the saying goes: ‘You can’t polish a turd, but you can paint it!’ Scott Redmond looks at prices of the custom-painted race replica
For some it adds value, kudos and kerb appeal, yet for others it’s all a bit too loud, a bit too lairy and a big turn off. I’m not talking about the editor here. No, this is the reality of having a motorcycle repainted in a sponsor’s livery. Often beneath that freshly applied paint can lurk a bike that’s been poorly restored or repaired after an off. Before you part with your wonga when buying a repainted motorcycle, satisfy yourself that the bike wasn’t done so because of any sinister reasons. Beneath that posh paint often lurks freshly fillered fuel tanks and battered panels that have been stitched back together by plastic (welding) surgeons. So, don’t look at the sunny side of the fairings, take a peek behind the panels and find out. There is no point having a Billy Whizz paint job if the repairs have been sub-standard. For every respray that’s allegedly been performed by masters of their craft, like Dream Machine there are no end of jobs that are the handy work of folk that struggle to aim properly in a urinal. If the seller did pay hundreds of pounds for a professional job, they will be able to provide a copy of the receipt to back this up. Those tiny digital photos that are crammed full of lying pixels can make the most horrendous job look half tasty. If a bike catches your eye on that well-known auction site, then take the time to get off your chuff and go and view it. Looking out into the used bike market, it’s clear to see that those race paint jobs from the past are still a popular option within our sector of the marketplace. Some bikes would’ve been officially blessed with the fancy paint from birth; bikes like a Rothmans Honda NS400R and many of the NSR250 models. From what I can make out, these schemes neither add nor detract value when compared to the other colour options for these models. Peeking further into the barrel, and there’s no shortage of race-reps with aftermarket paint applied. It is very much a personal preference to whether you think a 1994 Suzuki GSX-R1100 looks the tits finished in a Heron lookalike get up, or better in the trademark blue and white. For many of us though, the black/red/yellow and white colours belong back in the ’70s, not the ’90s, and the wrong rep paint on a different make of bike is a no-no. The 1990s was very much Lucky Strike territory for any sporty Suzuki. A late plate GSX-R750WS looks far better in that livery than any of the shell suit offerings Suzuki pushed upon the market at the time. Bikes that are at their end of their model cycle are always tougher to sell new than the new models that replace them. This is why so many dealers sent away new bikes for a repaint with a ‘limited edition’ race bike-inspired set of colours. It’s a formula which still works well within the trade today, when official dealers find themselves
overstocked with certain models. They rarely make any extra money, and often quite the opposite! In the numbers game of the new bike world, however, it helps to reach those manufacturer bonuses. When certain models look so good in their original colours, why would you respray them? Is there a more iconic looking 1990s bike than a pink and white YZF750? Was there a duller race bike paint job than the Fast Orange one? Time hasn’t been too kind to that particular race paint strip. Prices for race-reps sporting race paint are usually less than that of a decent bike wearing honest, original colours, from the point of value for money they can sometimes be a smart move. The downside is it doesn’t always stop with race paint, because there’s no end of tacky bolt-ons that often accompany the package. Most parts can be swapped for original or superior aftermarket goodies. It’s all down to how fussy you are. Race paint will limit the audience for most models, which is why it’s always worth a cheeky bid if a bike catches your eye. Ignore the sticker price, as it is only ever a starting point. The poster bikes from yesteryear will always command hefty prices: a genuine Pepsi painted Suzuki RG500 will stir interest. For example, last year at the Autumn Stafford Sale, Bonhams auctioned off an average-looking example, which that needed work. It peaked at over £13,000!