Britbike forum Forums Buy & sell - private adverts only! Garage sale - The private buy & sell board What is my BSA 441 Victor worth?

I have a BSA 441 Victor Special and I am trying to determine its worth. I am looking to sell it. I am 71 years old and looking at a knee replacement (kicking knee of course!). It has the following characteristics and upgrades:

1. 1967 engine (round head) in a 1969 frame
2. External oil filter (new)
3. Pazon Sure-Fire Electronic ignition (new)
4. Lucas ignition coil (new)
5. 200 W Lucas Type High Output Stator Alternator (new)
6. New clutch
7. Many other pieces & parts (receipts available)

I would appreciate any feedback from anyone who has an idea of what they think it might be worth. Pictures and video of it running are available.
Thanks and feel free to contact me privately.

Dean Wickline
[email protected]

Dean, I'm sending you a PM...

Edit- No, I guess I'm not. There is a new policy on PMs here, that seems to have some major glitches...

I'll send you an email.

Hi Steve - I don't seem to have an email from you. Maybe you can't send one from here.

Dean

Copied and pasted your email address from your post, and emailed last night? My "sent" box shows it went out.

Geez, I really am one of the Untouchable Caste...

If you are related to Dale Wickline, I like you already, Dean.

Well Dean, as I don't seem to be able to PM or email you, maybe a kind soul will step up and offer to post some pix for you?

Unit Single guys are used to a little persecution, but this is gettin' ridiculous...

I would offer to help but I really don’t like being the one popping that bubble.

Last couple of folks I tried helping both had nice bikes BUT they were only worth a fraction of what the owners thought they were worth.

I love to see bikes up for sale here but this “probably” isn’t the best place to look for a buyer. Brit bike owners can be a “bit” on the cheap side and most on here already have a garage full.

That said, bikes do sell on here so there’s always a chance the bike you have is exactly what someone is looking for.

But be forewarned……that bike you think is worth $8000 because you saw where one sold for that……..”might” be a $1500-$2000 sale if you get lucky enough to find a buyer.

Hopefully someone else will step up to help.

Gordon

The word "WORTH" is one of those things that can have so many working meanings, depending on the context.

1. It's worth what the owner SAYS it is worth to him. That has no relation to a possible sale price, though.
2. It's worth what the owner "Has In It". That also has no relation to a possible sale price.
3. It's worth what "one like it sold for on Bring-A-Trailer". That's getting closer to reality, but the one on B.A.T. may have been in much better condition, or in 100% stock condition, or in the right part of the country. As Gordon says, yours may vary very much in potential sales price.

The actual real-world definition for a man looking to sell a motorcycle of "worth" is "It's worth what it will bring in a well-advertised, well-run auction". People don't want to hear that sometimes, because that number doesn't square with their Hope, or with items 1. or 2. above, but it's an undeniable fact. A person might hang onto a bike for years, with the philosophy of "I'm not going to give it away for less than I know it is "worth"", but that's definition 1.

Or, if you're me and want to sell the bike, not argue with the world about what it is Worth, you might put the bike up on a nationwide auction site where 400 interested people are looking at it every day monitoring the price, with money in their hand, and start it off at $0, no reserve, and let the world tell you what it is worth, and you take the money and let the man have the bike. It's an urban myth that bikes go for "less than they are worth" in such a situation.

So it really all depends on whether you are really ready to sell or not, or are you just looking to see if someone will validate your idea of what it is worth, and if you don't, you just keep it? Either way is OK.

Since yours doesn't have a matching frame and engine, and has some non standard upgrades, you will never get "Top Price" on a BAT or Mecum auction, so no $8,000 fantasies in the near future.

The BSA 441 Hard Core Riders will be looking at your bike, and they will be looking to pay a price that will be less than what it would cost them to take a project bike and get it into the condition that yours is in.

It USED to be that if a 441 upgraded rider was $X, then an A65 in the same condition would be $1.5X, and an A10 in the same condition would be $2X. Not anymore. 441s and A65 riders are about the same price, and an A10 about $1.5X.

So I'd say $4000.

Lannis

We really need photos……I’d agree with Lannis IF

Tires are within the age limit. (this isn’t a Hornet)
All chrome in good shape.
Stock dent-free tank. ( stock paint a plus)
Stock seat cover and trim, no tears or dents. (Aftermarket cover a minus)
Speedo working w/no dented trim ring or broken glass
No extra holes or cracks in fenders
battery cover present and solid
Chain and sprockets still useable and guard present
Head pipe and muffler in good shape. (no dents or rust)
Engine running without any major problems

Too many “nos” about those items $2500-$3000

In my opinion……without matching numbers, to make Lannis’ number the rest of it needs to be pretty nice.

Gota have good photos……of all the stuff I mentioned that can be photoed.

Gordon.

Yes, exactly.

I recently sold a very attractive, tastefully modified, non-matching number 1968 B25 with a B44B engine in it. I started at $4800 and months later sold it for $2000. It was a hard sell which, may just be a sign of our times right now. However victors, even non matching, seem to have more sales appeal so the OP could likely get a bit more more for his.

Agree with Gordon and Lannis. A non matching numbers bike is about 50-60% value of a matching numbers bike in the same condition. He didn’t actually say it was a non matching bike. He said it was a 67 Round Barrel motor. Maybe it’s a 69 with a round barrel and head bolted on it. A friend of mine did that. It looked great and the numbers still matched.

I think he says it's a 67 engine......then calls it a round barrel.

I just got a good deal on a B44R from a member I consider a friend........so I got the buddy price. $2600. Some of the things on my list needed attention but over all it's a very good bike. Absolutely the best running one I have. IF I was to sell it today I'd ask $3200 because of what I've put into it since I got it.

Stuart, I'm kinda fond of a centerstand. As much as I love a Victor Special........A B44 in a B25 is a pretty good swap IMO. $2000 was a deal for the buyer. I agree with you 100%.....prices seem to be soft right now.

Okay.........if the OP (Dean?) wants to send me some photos I'll post them for him. dad1150 at AOL dot com. Bet someone has already PM'ed him.

Gordon

Never had a center stand B44. Sounds nice.

I just sent you an email Dean.......see the addy in my last reply. Subject BritBike.com

Gordon

I started BSA unit single ownership with a B40E and a B44VS. Always loved both the VS and the Enduro Star, neither of which had a center stand. Steve (the garage sale moderator) had a friend that wanted to sell a B44R and I got it........my first unit single with a center stand. I don't know how I got by without one.

Gordon

Dean......I've sent you a Private Message.

Gordon

Guess I scared him off. I’ll try to do better but the last two I tried to help were nice bikes and nice fellows selling but it just didn’t work out for them ( as far as I know)

But like I said, I’ll try to be more helpful and not so negative next time.

Gordon

There's been nothing negative in this thread, just helpful, objective, and experience based advice. It's what I'd want to hear if I asked for advice.....

Lannis

I concur.

Geeze......NOW I feel bad. I forgot Dean said he's 71....looking to get knee replacement. Somehow I transformed him in my head into a impatient 20 year old that had got mad and ran off. ( hey, you saw where that Mike photo got to) Since I'm also 71......I wonder if Dean has some of my same problems? I suffer from CRS in an advanced condition. Not sure where all these fantasies are coming from??

This is an interesting motorcycle.......lots of stuff going on.











Please direct questions and comments back to Dean.

More to come

G

More photos











He has a few more photos and a video of a cold start that I will post in a bit

Hopefully we have figured out the problem I was having downloading the cold start video.

Let’s have some input now that there are some photos.

My take……a lot of none standard bits. Not sure what the front end is off of. battery cover is missing……could be some of the tabs for it and the battery tray are missing too? Odd front fender set up. Headlight not a VS.

I can’t tell for sure but the tank looks like it has paint instead of the polished alloy area.

It’s a ways ($$$) from being a Victor Special. IMO it’s a BSA B44 special. Not going to bring $4000. If it runs good maybe somewhere between $1800 and $2500????? Just my opinion……worth exactly what you paid for it.

Anybody else want to comment?

G

Gordon
The front forks are Ceriani

Yes, those forks are worth a grand by themselves and it takes machine work to install them properly. Definitely a plus, IF you intend to dirt ride it.

I notice it has the '67 type oil tank and the B44EA engine is definitely 1967. Are we sure it it a '69 frame? Can we get a shot of the frame number?