How much is a classic motorcycle worth, when it’s highly modified from its stock condition?

It’s a good question, especially in our modern era. The Internet has made it much easier to keep a vintage bike running, and to modify it. Online retailers and forums and YouTube all work together at this, and now Craigslist and Kijiji and Facebook Marketplace and all the other second-hand sales websites are filled with DIY customs.

For that reason, clean bikes in original configuration are worth increasingly larger piles of money; the same goes for restorations. But what about resto-mods, where someone takes an old bike and fixes it up, but also changes it?

It’s a question that can see a lot of different answers, considering your perspective on motorcycling and technology. Some buyers would despise a machine likethis 1973 Moto Guzzi 850 Eldorado; others would be very keen to own it.

Torquey V-twin

This ’73 Guzzi started life as a sort-of luxury roadster, a very European style of bike, carrying on a tradition started by brands like Vincent, Brough Superior and BMW. It was a dual-role machine; you could cruise at comfortable boulevard speeds, but thanks to a reasonably powerful engine (for its time) and comfortable ergos, not to mention a catalog full of useful accessories, you could also tour at speed.

The heart of the 850 Eldorado was an air-cooled OHC four-stroke transverse V-twin, with cylinders splayed out to each side of the motorcycle, instead of front-to-back like most V-twins of that era and today. While unusual, it offered better air cooling, without the problem of staggered engine heads seeing airflow to the rear cylinder interrupted (ever wonder why a Virago’s rear cylinder is offset?). It also increased ground clearance when compared to a BMW’s low-set cylinder heads. Like BMWs, the Eldorado engine had a shaft drive and twin carburetors.

This engine design is typical of Moto Guzzi to this day, but in the early 1970s, it was more of a recent development for the company. The 850 engine was a refinement of an earlier 750 powerplant, with longer stroke boosting displacement to 844 cc, and a five-speed gearbox (the 750 engine was a four-speed) with shifter on the left side of the engine. Remember, back in the 1970s you still saw some discrepancy here, with some companies putting gearshifts on the right-hand side. This Guzzi engine has a layout familiar to modern riders.

The new 850 engine was supposed to make 64.5 horsepower at 6,500rpm, a respectable number for the early 1970s. It was also rated for 54 pound-feet of torque at 5,800 rpm. For comparison’s sake, a first-gen Honda CB750 made about 67 horsepower at 8,000 rpm and 44 pound-feet of torque at 7,000 rpm. However, the CB would have been considerably more sporty than the Eldorado, which came with drum brakes front and rear, and a 705-pound wet weight.

But, that wasn’t the market Moto Guzzi wanted with this bike (that’s what the V7 was for). Instead, the Eldorado was a sensible machine, and you could also buy it in dressed-up form as the California, with factory touring accessories. Or, you could bolt up your own. Either way, when you compared it to a Harley-Davidson dresser of that era, the Eldorado came with better handling, including a much better power-to-weight ratio.

Big changes

Now, the power-to-weight ratio on the machine sold here, on Bring a Trailer, would be even better, since a lot of the bike has been cut away. Take a look atthis 1973 modelthat featured on BaT back in 2019. That’s a full-sized vintage bike. The ’73 model that’s on BaT this week is a stripped-down brat custom, with much of the bike removed or modified.

Here’s a partial list of all the changes made to the bike:

• Engine/gearbox/clutch rebuilt, with many new internals, w/83 mm Gilardoni cylinders and pistons
• Stainless exhaust w/Triumph mufflers
• 19-inch aluminum rims, w/stainless spokes, with Shinko front tire and Firestone rear tire
• Cognito Moto front hub
• USD KYB forks from 2005 Suzuki GSX-R1000
• Dual 12-inch Tokiko front brake discs w/four-piston calipers, stainless steel brake lines
• Dual Empi rear shocks with modified upper mounts
• Polished rear fender and hand-formed aluminum tank
• Carbon-fiber front fender
• Modified sub-frame
• Rebuilt Dell’Orto VHB 30C carburetors with pod air filter
• Rebuilt charging system, with li-ion battery and Magneti Marelli coil
• Clip-on handlebars with Magura grips, Tommaselli Super Pratic B quick throttle
• Replacement brake/clutch cables
• Koso digital speedo/clock gauge
• BMW MotoMeter ammeter

Supposedly, the bike has been ridden about 6,000 miles in this condition, so everything should work—you aren’t buying a just-completed project with bugs to work out.

What’s it worth?

So what’s it all worth? For the sake of reference, theunmodified ’73 mentioned abovesold in 2019 for $5,700. At that time, the peanut gallery said it was a low price, and used bike values have certainly risen since then. And, this much-modified machine for sale here should ride better than the original bike, if it was put together properly (there does seem to be some missing rear brake parts, although maybe that’s been changed since the photos).

卖家说:“Unlike the stock Guzzi, this one handles and stops. It has a better ride because of the better suspension and with MUCH lower weight accelerates MUCH better than stock.” On the other hand, there are plenty of naysayers in the comments: “Officer, I’d like to report a murder,” etc. etc. Not everyone appreciates the look of a hacked-up brat.

And, that’s the problem with trying to price one of these. If Deus Ex built it, it would command big bucks. From an unknown builder, well—you get a lot of comments over the alterations, andbidding currently sits at $850at time of writing. Beauty and the value of a modified classic bike are both only established in the eye of the beholder.