New Penton record on Ebay?

[Mike OReilly]

Monitoring Ebay for Penton items, and being amazed at some of the prices seems to be a favourite activity for many POGGER's. Paul Danik sets heads shaking at each meeting with some of the items and the level of interest (and prices) that they generate.
I think that this has to be a new all time record: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&category=35622&item=2460899600&sspagename=STRK%3AMEBWA%3AIT
This is a steel tank Berkshire in rough condition, missing the following items: fork/triple crown, both wheels, front fender, air cleaner, the RHS motor cover, and who knows what else! THIS IS A PARTS BIKE ONLY, very rough.
IT DREW 8 BIDDERS AND SOLD FOR $845.79.!
The other interesting thing aside from the price, is that of the 8 bidders, 6 were from Italy. I have noticed with some other steel tank stuff recently, that there seems to be a lot Italian interest, and with extremely deep pockets as well.
Clearly there is something going on here. Does anyone else have any insight into what's up? What is behind this seemingly huge Italian interest in this segment of the Penton market?
Mike

[LynnCamp]

That is very bizare that 6 bidders would be from Italy.  One of my sisters lives there... I can try and get some perspective on the phenomenon.  I didn't see anything going on out on the Internet—after a brief search.

[Kip Kern]

The Vintage scene is about twice as big in Italy as it is here.  I have a good friend ,in the Hercules register, who has been collecting bikes for about ten years now.  The Italians have all kind of vintage bike get togethers and will shortly be running their version of the "74" six days this fall.  There are several websites out there to see what is happening.

[Speedy]

quote:Originally posted by Mike OReilly

Monitoring Ebay for Penton items, and being amazed at some of the prices seems to be a favourite activity for many POGGER's. Paul Danik sets heads shaking at each meeting with some of the items and the level of interest (and prices) that they generate.
I think that this has to be a new all time record: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&category=35622&item=2460899600&sspagename=STRK%3AMEBWA%3AIT
This is a steel tank Berkshire in rough condition, missing the following items: fork/triple crown, both wheels, front fender, air cleaner, the RHS motor cover, and who knows what else! THIS IS A PARTS BIKE ONLY, very rough.
IT DREW 8 BIDDERS AND SOLD FOR $845.79.!
The other interesting thing aside from the price, is that of the 8 bidders, 6 were from Italy. I have noticed with some other steel tank stuff recently, that there seems to be a lot Italian interest, and with extremely deep pockets as well.
Clearly there is something going on here. Does anyone else have any insight into what's up? What is behind this seemingly huge Italian interest in this segment of the Penton market?
Mike

Mike,...our Italien VINTAGE bike friends are for years trying to get a collection of VINTAGE bikes but where always handicapt by there lousy LIRA.
Now they deal with EUROS and that gives them the money power to buy whatever they need.Since they use EUROs there living standard has gone up dramatically.And they not only collect Museums bikes,they race them just like in the good old days.Cheers,Speedy------>>>>>>>>[8D]

Helmut Clasen KTM
162 Hillcrest Ave
L9H 4Y3
Dundas Ontario Canada
Ph.905-627-5349
[email protected]
http://speedy_c.tripod.com
Sachs GP-GS 250-7A reeds
Zuendapp 125 GS ISDT repl.73
KTM 450 EXC Auto.03
Duke spec.Edit,1996
Adventurer 02

[dirtbike]

The italians also have a very strong culture of caring for old stuff regardless of what it is. Houses, old furniture, cars, boats and everything that is old seem to have a substantial value there. The italian economy hasn't changed much in the lire to euro transition. But the dollar drop has made a huge difference for practically all other currencies. Italians aren't poor and almost never where.

Yep, i think that the vintage movement in italy is about as large as the rest of the world altogether. Unfortunately, italians usually don't speak english so there is a little language gap here.

Friends of our family recently sold a flat in Genua. You won't belive the prices that they are talking about. I don't know about central New York but italy surely take the prize in europe.
We are talking 1,000.000 euros (1 million) euros, kinda $1,200.000 (one million two hundred thousand dollars) for a small flat with carpets and some furniture from pre WWII.

And they just throw in the money.... :-O

[desmond197]

Italy has not always been wealthy. In the 1930's they ranked 180th in the world economy behind Bulgaria and Albania. This made Alfa Romeos victory over the German Auto Union cars a world upset at the time. Racing cars and motorcycles were hidden from the Germans during the war and safe guarded as thier national treasures. They are now 6th or 7th in the world economy which is amazing. Here in the USA we got all the good stuff. 90% of Greeves production came to the USA. The same with Wassel, Saracen and Dalesman. I do not know what percentage of  Pentons came to the US but it was probably 60-70%.

[OUCWBOY]

Hi All,
I have had conversations with some of the buyers from Italy and it's the Steel Tank Pentons that they want. Seems they were not many available in Europe. The 72's and later are a dime a dozen, but no Steel Tankers to speak of. They also like the old Zundapps.

Donny Smith