The Zephyr Zone

My mate and I visited our local bike shop today, MCS near Kilmarnock. In amongst all the usual modern plastic crotch rockets was a lovely 91/92 J reg 550 Zephyr with 17k on the clock. It had obviously been very well looked after and did not look like a 26 year old bike. The chrome was perfect, rear shox and front legs pristine, the OEM pipes, collector box and silencers looked brand new. Engine casings excellent with the barrel fins furry. Dark blue paintwork was good with only a few chips on the tank! Speaking of which the tank showed no signs of rot, it may have been lined but the sales bod did not know and could not produce the keys! So what is the downside, I hear you ask? I asked the price and was told 'open to reasonable offers, sir'! Can you imagine my surprise when my ever so generous offer of 1k was greeted with gales of derisive laughter from all the sales bods present. 'Sorry sir, but it's an appreciating classic and very rare in this condition, we are looking for offers in the thick end of 3000 of your British Pounds'! After ending my close relationship with the linoleum and rejecting their kind offer of the use of their defibulator I accepting a flagon of reviving tea then beat a hasty retreat making a note to self to investigate using my 750 as a deposit for a new house.
Surely this is not typical of what these bikes are fetching?

Dealers always ask more than private sellers as they have overheads but 3K for a 550? working on their prices a 750 would be around 5k and an 1100 around 7k. It only takes one mug though!

Here's a nifty little site that tracks the asking price of used motorcycles in the U.S. You can see the maximum anyone has asked for a 550 is $3000 USD

https://motorcyclegraph.com/usa/kawasaki/zephyr-550

£3000 ($4200) seems a bit much. But air cooled bikes do seem to be back in style...

Went back into the dealer today and lo and behold, the little Zeph was still there! I found another sales bod who produced a set of keys and we had a look inside the tank. Perfect with only very small patches go light rust, and no blisters or dampness on lower tank. 'Bet it won't start' says I. With a condescending look he keyed it and pressed the starter (no choke!) click, click, went the solanoid, then nothing!
Bargaining points coming up thought I. 'I would want to hear it running before I made a firm offer' I said, we danced around with some figures and I tentatively mentioned £1500! Again this s..t about 3k as it is an appreciating classic and that's what they are going for! No the're not!!! I then hit him with 'you've had it in stock for over 6 months now and it looks so out of place amongst all the other flashy crotch rockets and shiny poseur iron in your nice tidy showroom, oh and by the way, what would I have to knock off my offer if I waived your 3 months warranty and took it sold as seen? But I'd still want to hear it start and run, mind!

By this time he was a quivering wreck, took my name and number and promised to speak to his boss when he came in on Friday.

We shall wait and see.

Did you take some pictures? Love to see them

Sorry no photos, the other bikes were so close I could not get a clear shot! No phone call from the boss either, he must like the classic looks so much he wants to hang onto it for a little longer!