5 Bikes that will make you rich in the next 5 years

Everyone knows what a "future classic" is. Though the term is banded around with gay abandon sometimes the seller of said clapped out non-runner may actually be onto something. Though second hand market trends are hard to predict due to their fluid and spontaneous nature last year's trash may very well be next year's treasure. 

What drives market trends? Well this is a very hard question to answer as not everything that is old or rare is necessarily worth anything. Some bikes will just be old and cheap, I can't see anyone paying top dollar for a Suzuki Katana anytime soon, but a late 90's YZF-R1? What drives market trends in bikes are a number of things. Rarity is one of them but is hard to pin down, not everything that is rare is valuable. Nostalgia is a big factor, after a period of time a bike will slip into just being old, after slightly more time it will slip into the era of nostalgia depending on it's initial reputation. 

Look out for flagship bikes, first of their kinds or bikes that already have a growing following or a good reputation. Pinning what makes a bike saleable outside of it's time of release is hard, but it's not impossible.  

So here are 5 bikes to look out for.

Honda CBR900RR 

Honda's flag ship superbike particularly in it's earlier forms are rocketing in value with second hand market values creeping up around 30% even in the last year or two, with values now exceeding £3,000 for a mint one on the private market and in dealers clean bikes can fetch £4,500. But there are still bargains to be had for the sharp eyed buyer as there are plenty for less than £2,500 out there that can easily make £5k in the next few years.

Look out for the early 900RR, 929 and 954 models. 

Honda XR250, 400 and 650

Some dirt bikes are just dirt bikes, others for whatever reason are legendary. Either for their reliability, ridability or just their fun value. Honda's XR range is no exception to this. With clean bikes feting over £2,000 with prices on the rise as they have slipped into that eerie land of biking nostalgia harking from the days when you didn't need to rebuild a top end after so many hours of use. Despite the deluge of brand new Euro bikes dominating the dirt market there is still a strong pull for these old thumpers thanks to their simplicity, reliability and the fact that they tractor through pretty much anything you throw at them. 

Sharp eyed buyers can pick a slightly tatty and well used one up for £1,000-1,300 throw a bit of cash and time at it and sell it for a handsome profit, hanging onto it is likely to prove even more profitable. 

Yamaha YZF-R1

The competition to Honda's Fireblade came in the shape of Yamaha's very own flagship superbike, the R1. A few years ago you could pick up an older model for next to nothing. They weren't considered special and more considered behind the times. But thanks to the speed at which sportbike tech moves, the early R1s are coming back in as a way to seek thrills on a budget as despite their age, they're still a lot of bike. 

This has done a great thing to their secondhand market by pushing demand up and therefore prices too. Clean examples can fetch £3,000, mint examples can be more. But there are still plenty to be had for less and with a little time I can see them running right along side the older Fireblades in terms of price. 

Suzuki GSX1300 R 'Hayabusa' 

The bulbous and slippery hyerbike has always had a following. And that's good. Released in 1999 this monstrous rocket ship can now be had for considerably less cash. With earlier models fetching more money thanks to the less electronic corking of the motors and prices set to rise as interest grows. I've seen these sell for £4k in dealerships. But the sharp eyed among us can pick them up for considerably less, particularity on the European market. 

If you have an early 2000s one, hang onto it. 

Kawasaki ZX9R 

The mean green machine is quite a bike and easily a future money spinner as of course Kwak don't make the mighty ZX9R anymore. But with interest steadily growing as an affordable hyperbike that can see near 200mph with some modification, prices are rising as demand is growing but less bikes are on the market. 

Just remember that 

Interest / Demand + Rarity = Cash. 

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This is by no means an exhaustive list. But the votes are in on these bikes as they are steadily rising in price. Given that emissions testing has largely killed off the 600 supersport market as well look out for some tasty bargains in the half litre class that could very well land you in the cash later on. The CBR600F4 and F4i's have seen a hike in price in recent years as well.