Mario Confente's personal Masi on eBay
12-28-12, 09:49 PM
#126
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Value is whatever an interested party believes it to be. Or, more exactly, interested parties.
Case in point, sort of a parallel, hopefully this will contain a brand name familiar enough to those who are not motorheads: In the summer of 1968, this 18-year old antique car enthusiast (didn't have one of my own yet, my first adult bicycle was still three years in the future) attended his first antique car show. An Auburn-Cord-Dusenberg show in Harrisburgh, PA at a motel/car museum just off the PA Turnpike. The guy who took me owned an 810 Cord, friend of the family, long involved in the hobby. Midway thru the day, a friend of his invites us out for a ride in his Dusenberg J phaeton, a couple of exits down the Turnpike. On the trip back, he invites me to drive the car! Which I did (an experience I still remember). Now, in 1968 this was a fairly valuable antique car, worth somewhere between $5-10,000.00. And driven to a show. And driven by a snot-nosed 18 year old who barely knew how to handle a manual transmission.
Today, that same car is worth something in the low seven figures. Is probably kept in a museum, or at least a well climate controlled garage. And trailered to shows. And possibly hasn't had gasoline in the tank or been started for years, because that would put wear on this incredibly valuable car. Now, why is this $10K car now worth $1000K. Because the reputation of the vehicle has grown, the number of people appreciating has skyrocketed over the decades, and the number of available automobiles has either remain static or grown by incredibly small numbers. So the value goes up - rediculously.
Likewise, this bike. I can appreciate the history, I cannot appreciate the price asked, and as to the (in my eyes) incredibly overbearing worship of the brand annoys the hell out of me. To me, I can see very little difference between this (or one of the 137? others) and any of the Rossins I have in the garage. Certainly, with me in the saddle, there won't be any difference. But some damned fool is going to pay this kind of money for the bike, probably hang it on the living room wall, mount candles on either side of it, and spend his evenings in his easy chair sipping wine and staring at the bike. (No, I'm not making this up, someone on CR described doing this exact same thing to his Confente Masi - at which point I decided I'd had enough of these yoyo's and left.) More power to him.
I still want to fixie one. In all the modern hipster cliches. And ride it at vintage meets.
Case in point, sort of a parallel, hopefully this will contain a brand name familiar enough to those who are not motorheads: In the summer of 1968, this 18-year old antique car enthusiast (didn't have one of my own yet, my first adult bicycle was still three years in the future) attended his first antique car show. An Auburn-Cord-Dusenberg show in Harrisburgh, PA at a motel/car museum just off the PA Turnpike. The guy who took me owned an 810 Cord, friend of the family, long involved in the hobby. Midway thru the day, a friend of his invites us out for a ride in his Dusenberg J phaeton, a couple of exits down the Turnpike. On the trip back, he invites me to drive the car! Which I did (an experience I still remember). Now, in 1968 this was a fairly valuable antique car, worth somewhere between $5-10,000.00. And driven to a show. And driven by a snot-nosed 18 year old who barely knew how to handle a manual transmission.
Today, that same car is worth something in the low seven figures. Is probably kept in a museum, or at least a well climate controlled garage. And trailered to shows. And possibly hasn't had gasoline in the tank or been started for years, because that would put wear on this incredibly valuable car. Now, why is this $10K car now worth $1000K. Because the reputation of the vehicle has grown, the number of people appreciating has skyrocketed over the decades, and the number of available automobiles has either remain static or grown by incredibly small numbers. So the value goes up - rediculously.
Likewise, this bike. I can appreciate the history, I cannot appreciate the price asked, and as to the (in my eyes) incredibly overbearing worship of the brand annoys the hell out of me. To me, I can see very little difference between this (or one of the 137? others) and any of the Rossins I have in the garage. Certainly, with me in the saddle, there won't be any difference. But some damned fool is going to pay this kind of money for the bike, probably hang it on the living room wall, mount candles on either side of it, and spend his evenings in his easy chair sipping wine and staring at the bike. (No, I'm not making this up, someone on CR described doing this exact same thing to his Confente Masi - at which point I decided I'd had enough of these yoyo's and left.) More power to him.
I still want to fixie one. In all the modern hipster cliches. And ride it at vintage meets.
Forget the candles, but make it a cognac while I admire it. But I do ride mine. I was younger in 1968 but I got to ride in the passenger seat of a Can-Am car, what fun, what NOISE!
12-28-12, 09:50 PM
#127
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The seller is likely only using ebay as a marketing tool. I'd say there is a 95% chance there will be a private sale and it will be pulled off of ebay. The final sale price will be known by only a few.
12-28-12, 10:22 PM
#128
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12-28-12, 11:02 PM
#129
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What's the big deal? We're all going off of the fiscal cliff in a few days anyway. I wonder if I can sell my house and get John to ship it overnight so that I can hang it on the wall of the cardboard box that I'll be living in, as the world goes down the tubes next week. I could also buy a Nudie suit, and wear it as I take it for spins around the neighborhood as we descend into Mad Max times...
Seriously, though, I have little doubt that this bike is worth 20k. It may not sell this year for 20k, but it certainly will at some point. Could be five years. Could be ten. But, it will certainly sell for that at some point... And, I'd guess that it will be sooner rather than later...
Seriously, though, I have little doubt that this bike is worth 20k. It may not sell this year for 20k, but it certainly will at some point. Could be five years. Could be ten. But, it will certainly sell for that at some point... And, I'd guess that it will be sooner rather than later...
12-29-12, 12:20 AM
#130
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I dont care what "Folks" pay for their bikes all I,m saying is "I" would,nt pay 10 or 20 grand for a bike no matter what is is even if I won the lottery, I love my bikes as much as anyone in this forum but jeez that kinda money is IMO rediculous ! sorry if you dont like my view, just speaking my mind ,dont mean to offend !
12-29-12, 12:23 AM
#131
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Seriously, though, I have little doubt that this bike is worth 20k. It may not sell this year for 20k, but it certainly will at some point. Could be five years. Could be ten. But, it will certainly sell for that at some point... And, I'd guess that it will be sooner rather than later...
12-29-12, 01:58 AM
#132
No one cares
No piece of cardboard should be worth more than 35 cents, but who cares because A-rod is way better than Honus Wagner. And speaking of yapping about whatever it is I'm yapping about because I like to watch and listen to myself yap, how about those Bears?
And one more thing, in the past few years I've had conversations , some of them short but long enough, with Steve Bilenky, Tom Ritchie, Gary Fischer , Roland Della Santa , Bruce Gordon, Richard Sachs , Grant Peterson and probably a few others I'm forgetting. Do you know what they all have in common? They'd all think people who worship bikes as fetish objects are total batsheet. I'm guessing if he were alive good 'ol Luigi would too.
What does all that mean? I have no idea, but hey look, I just typed another paragraph.
And one more thing, in the past few years I've had conversations , some of them short but long enough, with Steve Bilenky, Tom Ritchie, Gary Fischer , Roland Della Santa , Bruce Gordon, Richard Sachs , Grant Peterson and probably a few others I'm forgetting. Do you know what they all have in common? They'd all think people who worship bikes as fetish objects are total batsheet. I'm guessing if he were alive good 'ol Luigi would too.
What does all that mean? I have no idea, but hey look, I just typed another paragraph.
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12-29-12, 06:51 AM
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12-29-12, 07:12 AM
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Didn't they all show promise before the 917's ? 
I'll have to go re-visit history now to see the Autocoast. That must have been a thrill! , to say the least.
I'll have to go re-visit history now to see the Autocoast. That must have been a thrill! , to say the least.
Last edited by rootboy; 12-29-12 at 07:16 AM.
12-29-12, 01:12 PM
#137
incazzare.
Blah blah blah is it really worth that blah blah blah don't tell me what value is, poor guy blah blah blah fake offense and indignation blah blah blah I'm just speaking my mind blah blah blah I'm rich you're not blah blah blah
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12-29-12, 01:26 PM
#138
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You are missing the point (hint: it's on the lower right hand of the keyboard, between comma and slash).
12-29-12, 01:27 PM
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+1 . . . though I really have no idea what you said.
12-29-12, 01:33 PM
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12-29-12, 02:09 PM
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I put in 40 miles this morning: 27 degrees at the start and 33 when I came home. Last road ride of 2012 as we're expecting 6 inches of snow overnight. And I didn't think of Mario Confente or this thread the entire time.
12-29-12, 02:25 PM
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12-29-12, 03:32 PM
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Watkins Glen, 1974. The Shadows weren't around in '68. Nor were the 917's either, I don't believe.
For your viewing pleasure, seeing as how the thread is already derailed and everything significant has already been said:
And not Mario:
(All photos copyright Jim Muller.)
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12-29-12, 03:38 PM
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Race cars?
Can we please go back to talking about Gram Parsons?
Kidding. Those are great photos, Jim. Thanks....
Can we please go back to talking about Gram Parsons?
Kidding. Those are great photos, Jim. Thanks....
12-29-12, 03:49 PM
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I call bs. I know you to have great taste in music. There is nothing wrong with great pop, but obla-di-obla-da ain't it and you know it as well as I. You are just being contrary!
Admit it, or I will make you listen to the first half of it five times and get it lodged in your ear for a month.
Admit it, or I will make you listen to the first half of it five times and get it lodged in your ear for a month.
12-29-12, 03:59 PM
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It's no Ballad of John and Yoko, but it's a pleasant, catchy tune.Threaten me like that and I'll start posting Men Without Hats videos!
12-29-12, 04:04 PM
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I call bs. I know you to have great taste in music. There is nothing wrong with great pop, but obla-di-obla-da ain't it and you know it as well as I. You are just being contrary!
Admit it, or I will make you listen to the first half of it five times and get it lodged in your ear for a month.
Admit it, or I will make you listen to the first half of it five times and get it lodged in your ear for a month.
12-29-12, 06:32 PM
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Thanks Jim,
I was getting ready to go organize my sock drawer.
Everyone sing along ......
I was getting ready to go organize my sock drawer.
Everyone sing along ......
Last edited by rootboy; 12-29-12 at 06:43 PM.