The successful sale of a beautiful Norton Commando has underlined the value of classic bikes in Australia — and the way The Bike Shed Times reaches serious buyers.
When the 1973 Norton Commando 850 was promoted on Facebook, some comments suggested the $22,000 asking price was far too high. One asked whether the price was a joke, and another even suggested the advert might be some kind of scam.
Editor Peter Terlick says The Bike Shed Times has worked hard over the past six years to build a solid audience of genuine motorcycle enthusiasts who have a good understanding of vintage, classic and exotic motorcycles.
“We have followers all over the world, but Australia is by far our biggest readership,” Peter says. “Among our 16,000 followers on Facebook are many collectors who keep a close eye on the market and have a good idea what various bikes are worth.”
Peter said he “wasn’t surprised in the slightest” that the Commando sold at $20,000.
“In the Australian market, that’s a perfectly reasonable price for an excellent bike,” he said.
“I know you can find cheaper Commandos in the USA or England but, hey, they’re on the other side of the planet. Their prices have only limited relevance here.”
The Commando was sold from Perth, Western Australia, and the seller, Sarah Hayton, was full of praise for The Bike Shed Times.
“I’ll recommend The Bike Shed Times to anyone,” Sarah said.
“I couldn’t be happier with the sale; the process was easy, the ad was great, and the buyer is a great guy who is stoked. Thanks again!”
You can see the advertisement for the now-sold Commando here.
Advertisements on The Bike Shed Times start at $25 for a single-photo website advertisement. Extra-cost options include extra photos and video, Editors comments, Facebook promotions, and online auctions.
Auction advertisements include all of the optional extras and a seven-day auction period, with only registered bidders able to communicate with sellers and to make bids. Online auction advertisements cost $125 plus a sales commission of 5% of the winning bid. You can see a good example of a sale-by-auction advertisement here.
