"Excellent" means one thing to a seller who has owned the bike for thirty years and another to a buyer who has seen hundreds. There is no legal definition and no universal scale. Valuation guides use scales with four or five steps, such as concours, excellent, good and fair, but they define the steps in their own words. Treat any grade as a starting point and ask for facts.
The terms you will meet
- Concours or show condition. A bike that is as good as or better than when it left the factory, or that is judged against that standard at a show. Often over-restored with nothing out of place. Usually not ridden. Expect proof of how it was done.
- Restored. The bike has been taken apart and rebuilt, with parts refinished or replaced. The quality ranges from a professional job with invoices to a hurried one. Ask by whom, when, and what was replaced.
- Original survivor (unrestored). The bike still has its original paint, finish and most of its parts, with the marks of age. A survivor is valuable because it can only be original once. A survivor in good shape is the rarest grade.
- Preservation. A survivor that has been cleaned, serviced and kept, without being repainted or replaced.
- Rider or driver. A bike in good enough condition to use, with cosmetic flaws. A rider is often the best way to enjoy a classic, and it is not a disgrace.
- Project. A bike that needs work to be roadworthy or complete. The cost of finishing it is often more than a ready bike.
- Parts bike or basket case. A bike that is incomplete or too far gone to rebuild, bought for its parts or as a long-term job.
- NOS (new old stock). Original parts from the period that were never used.
Epic Motor Trading's categories
The listing form on Epic Motor Trading uses four categories: excellent, good, project and parts. They are labels chosen by the seller, so read the text and the photographs as well. See writing a listing that sells for how sellers are asked to describe the facts.
Questions that turn a grade into facts
- Is the paint original? If it was repainted, when, by whom, and in the original colour?
- What has been replaced? Make a list: tank, seat, exhaust, wheels, carburettors, electrics.
- Is the engine original to the frame? See frame and engine numbers.
- When did it last run, and how far?
- What work is documented, and what is claimed?
- What would you do first if you owned it?
Condition is not the same as value
A very good restored bike and a good survivor of the same model may sell for similar money, but to different buyers. A project with rare parts may be worth more than a rider. The grade tells you about the work you will do, not about the price. See originality and patina.
Be wary of
- "Restored" with no details.
- "Original" with a bright new finish.
- "Mint" or "perfect" on a bike with photographs that do not show the underside, the frame number or the inside of the tank.
Use the buying checklist to check the claims.
