Jackpiner Ebay #4521697732

[Tommy_V]

I'm pretty much a novice Penton guy, but what made this bike go so high?  Or was it just an Ebay thing?  I have a 74 I would love to sell for $900 that is close to this condition.



Tommy

[CrustyDeman]

IF your talking about Leikers 400, Is it really a 77?

Justin

[Tommy_V]

No, I was talking about the Jackpiner that was sort of a basket case that went for $1579!  From the serial number it was built in November of 1972.  Is it the year?

Tommy

[auto]

No tom it's a ebay thing.I know because I help bid that bike up to 1600.00.Thahkfully some one was sicker than me.If he has to ship that bike he'll have 1800/1900 buck into a nonrunning jackpiner.Now if wants to sell it he's asking 3000 plus.And it just goes on and on.I am looking for a early jackpiner if you want to email me.

[rob w]

"Knute", the Ebay buyer that purchased that Jackpiner has more knowledge and experience than anyone you'll find in what a particular Penton's value is.

Condition, completeness, and originality means everything, along with other specifics.

Anytime I was to buy a bike off of Ebay, and if I could'nt drive to see it and meet the owner. I would certainly what to call and speak to the owner in length. There are so many variables that can determine the value of a certain bike, that I would never want to make a decision based on the Ebay sellers photographs and description.

"Auto", My opinion is, if you're buying a bike off of Ebay with any intention of selling it, then you should'nt buy it in the first place.

The topic of a certain Penton's value, is endless. It usually only ends with a person's desire vs. their available funds.

Thanks,
Bob

[Tommy_V]

Rob & Auto,

Thanks for the replies.  Rob I guess I'll never fully understand.  I just thought maybe there was something in particular about that bike I was missing.  Early model, etc.  I guess there was, but it's a combination of things that are beyond me with my limited experience.



Tommy

[Rain Man]

I got a Jack Piner that sat in a "hew barn" for 20 or so years. It's a total mess. Every nut, bolt, all the parts and bearings have to come apart and be cleaned, replaced or repaired.
    I've been slowly collecting all the missing pieces. Total invested today, including some brand new parts, over 1100 bucks !!
  I expect to have well over 3000 bucks into this thing befor I can even ride it. My labors free,      Wanna know why its so expensive ??  Cause its worth every darn penny I put into it  [8D] PFFP

Raymond
 Down East Pentons

[Tommy_V]

Oh, I understand the expense of building a bike from bassketcase to a nice rider/racer.  It's very high.  That's what has me confused, to rebuild that bike would take a couple thousand and a lot of labor, why start with a core that is that expensive?


Tommy

[OUCWBOY]

Tommy,
Not sure everyone will agree with me, but, I have watched the prices of Penton's go from a couple hundred to a couple thousand in less than 4 years. I can remember buying bikes like that Jackpiner for 2 or 3 hundred just a few short years ago. Now you see what they sell for. In 2001 I  bought a good running Steel Tanker for $350.00 and today you pay over a grand for a parts bike. Supply and demand. I believe the prices will continue to increase as we go along.

Donny Smith

[auto]

Resale was not my intention when bidding for that bike.I have no beef with Knute,but I still think ebay is a run away train.Inflated prices aren't just happening with motorcycles on ebay.I know people will come back and say "then don't go on ebay".You know what, maybe I should.

[Knute]

Tommy,
I think your question is a good one.  The only statement I don't agree with is that this bike is "sort of a basket case".  Quite the opposite.  In fact, this is one of the better complete, original, early Jackpiners I've seen in a while. I've been an ebay member for 4 or 5 years now and this is the first motorcycle I've ever felt compelled to bid on.  It is also only the 2nd Penton in my collection that I have paid over $1000 dollars for.  So why did I pay $1579 for this particular Penton?  Because I have been looking for a nice, early Jackpiner and this is straight, complete, low hour, original example.  

Check out the following:
*Straight pipe and heat shield
*Original steel number plate still in good condition
*Original chain guard still in excellent condition
*Original ignition cover is uncut and unmodified
*Both engine struts are still in place
*The seat is fairly nice and still has the metal strip on one side
*The airbox cover is straight, uncut, and still has the original warranty sticker
*The original Radaelli rims are still intact and were not upgraded to Akronts or Suns
*Straight rear frame loop

The presence of and condition of these components are all clues I use to determine the condition of a Penton.  In the years I have been building both Penton race bikes and restorations I've concluded that it's a false economy to buy a rough bike to start a project with.  Not only do the missing components add up ($$) extremely fast, you're also fighting all of the worn out components.  Repairing cracked or worn out hubs, battered pipes, beat up fiberglass, thrashed engines (top end, bottom end, gears, clutches, cracked or corroded cases), and tweaked frames and swingarms all takes a tremendous amount of time and often yields a product that is not as nice as the original.  

Also, before buying this bike I consulted with a few fellow POGers to make sure I was looking at this bike correctly and not missing anything and we all agreed it was worth $1500-2000 (The 2 Jackpiners that were in similar condition and for sale at the Museum gathering were $1800 and $2000).  A quick call to the seller then revealed that the bike had been sitting in his shop for 10 years and the previous owner's shop for 10 years and that it was, in fact, a runner when last parked.  So, was $1579 a great deal on great bike?  Not at all.  But it was, in my opinion, a fair price for a nice original bike.

Tommy, Auto, Donny,  I think we are all dismayed that Pentons are escalating in price.  To echo Donny's statement, in the past I have typically paid around $500 for a decent Penton and up to $1000 for a good original.  The escalating prices we are now seeing are in large part an unavoidable side effect of the tremendous job we all, as POGers, do to promote the brand.  As a result, more and more people are becoming interested in Pentons and, at that point, the laws of supply and demand take over.  

Auto, you're assumptions are all incorrect.  I'm not sick (well maybe a little:D), this was not an "ebay" thing, the bike is not a "nonrunner", I am not going to be paying $200-300 shipping for the bike as some of my riding buddies are traveling through the area in 2 weeks, and, no, I will not ever sell the bike for $3000+.  I am a collector and rarely ever sell a bike but if I did I would sell it to a fellow POGer for what I had in it.  Anybody that knows me knows that I am involved in this group for the fellowship and preservation of Pentons and that I have never profited from anything Penton related.

Kent Knudson

[Mick Milakovic]

Thanks for the insight, Kent.  Just so you know, a welder friend of mine from Indiana called and talked to you a week or so ago about the frame mods you do to the '75 model bikes.  I wanted him to do to mine what was done to your past championship bikes.  I only hope I can do as well.  Thanks again for all your knowledge.

[imported_n/a]

I too am a novice, new to the forum, and also felt compelled to reply to this topic. This is only my second post. In my first, a couple weeks ago, I mentioned I'd been cruising this great site for about 2 years and decided to take the leap! Got my wife's permission to by my first Penton, just bought our first home - with garage (restored last bike, other Spanish brand X, on the coffee table in my second floor apartment). Anyway, with holidays out of the way I've started my search for a Penton, and Penton only! I bid six weeks or so ago on that Mint 400 that appeared to be all orig. and all there but lost out, too much muscle for me anyway. So, I got extremely excited when I saw the Jackpiner, ebay 4521697732 subject of this topic, and bid on it about 6 times. Even without seeing it in person you could tell it was about 95% there and appeared correct/original, I checked it twice a day, everyday from day one and decided I would go as high as $1,000. Even arranged for my neighbor buddy, who owns a trucking company, to have one of his drivers pick it up (no charge) on the way through Greensville, not even knowing if I'd be the winning bidder or not. Long story long, I figured maybe, just maybe it won't go past 1K and I even took that Monday, the last day of bidding, off of work just to watch, wait, and bid. No luck, but also no hard feelings. Congrat's Knute! I've got the bug now!! So...Tommy, can you post some info. on your $900 Piner here, location, email addr. for pics, etc.

critter

[Tommy_V]

Kent,

Thanks for the reply!  It's always fun to hear the back story.  It sounds like you did your homework and got the bike you wanted.  I can see what your talking about in going back and relooking.  I didn't/wouldn't have called or emailed the owner as I was just watching to gage what my Jackpiners might be worth.  I have two, which is one more than I need.  I threw out the "kind of a basket case" because of the rust in the cylinder, and the indication it would need a complete tear down.  I'm different from you in that I would sell a bike (even a Penton) for more than I paid, I've just never been able to.  In fact I usually take a pretty sound beating every time I sell a bike. []  Critter, I'll email you.  If you'll reply I'll send some pics.  BTW, I'm in Southeast Missouri.


Tommy

[imported_n/a]

Tommy V, email is - [email protected]

Thanks for the reply!

Critter