jj1091

Picked this one up last week, in virtually showroom condition as far as originality goes. It has some rust here and there, which will clean up beautifully, The only non-OE part, is one brake cable crimp-on end, and the only missing component is the other brake cable crimp-on end is missing. That's it, the rest, right out of the box as sold.



Here's my Photobucket link for additional pics: Zebra Tempest Photos by jjdm1091 | Photobucket

Thanks, Michael Jackson

P.S. yes, that's my real name. I'm older than he was, so I'm the original Michael Jackson....

howsteepisit

Rusty low end 80's bike. Shot chain, cables, needs a full overhaul. Id say $30-$50 Clean it up, get rid of the rusty components and grease everything then $100-150.

oddjob2

+1 on above estimates for as is condition. No drive side pics means lots of rust on the chain side, eh? Suicide shifters, turkey levers, and lots of scuffed paint.

It will be tricky to market, because it's XL and how many prospective buyers type Zebra into the CL search engine? Maybe if they are looking for unicorns too.

Bianchigirll 

I agree lowendish, huge '80s bike, maybe in GoodWill or Salvation Army showroom but not showroom as in newish looking. that need tons of elbow grease.

zukahn1 

I would be a little more generouse on value than others considering it is a chro-mo frame and alloy wheels maybe $75 to the right buyer as is. Thoughly cleaned up and serviced ready to ride maybe $175 thing is parts and labor to get it in that shape will cost about what it would sell for. The large frame with sports geometry on this level of bike will also make it pretty tough to sell in most markets could take several weeks maybe even months to find a buyer depending on market.

howsteepisit

One of the issues of the question of how much is a bike worth is the intended use to the purchaser/seller. As a seller, you want to maximize profit, while as a buyer you either want to flip, or recondition and sell, or ride. As a rider, I am willing to pay more for a bike that I am going to recondition, then I am willing to pay for a bike I am going to recondition and sell. And for a simple flip, then its buy low sell high period. In this case, the bike is proposed for sale. A buyer will either want to flip, in that case its a $10 bike, or recondition and sell, in that case its a $30 bike because its going to be 100 in parts and labor to put into decent condition. Add in some reasonable profit for sale at 150-175 and its a $30 bike. If the buyer wants a rider, then its a 50-75 bike because then they can put the 100 into it and have a bike thats comparable to other bikes on the market.

Anyway, thats my take on the matter

jj1091

I've found this forum to be a great place to be exact with things, so I'd like to reiterate my words, in case there's some misunderstanding of my understanding about this Zebra, so I said above, "Picked this one up last week, in virtually showroom condition as far as originality goes. It has some rust here and there, which will clean up beautifully," Showroom condition as far as originality goes. I mentioned the rust, and the ease with which it will come off, yet you still reply with $25 as the value. That's good, and when I finish the clean-up, I'll be getting $500 for it, no more, no less, on Ebay. Have my agent all lined up to post it as soon as I give him the "restored" pictures and we agree on the selling price. Thanks for the input, wrk101, I love the challenge. I appreciate your honest appraisal of the "as-is" condition value. My efforts to restore it will do no less than show the quality of the restorations I do. Much obliged.

LesterOfPuppets

Try "mostly original parts" instead of "virtually showroom condition as far as originality goes".

$500 sounds like pretty high hopes in any market. I'd imagine you'd be lucky to pull $200 + shipping on eBay unless there's a strong stem-shifter, turkey-lever Zebra fanclub I'm not aware of.

howsteepisit

If you were so sure of the value and what you'd be getting for this bike, why did you post here and ask for its value?

LesterOfPuppets

Probably just dropped in to let us know that a gigantic Zebra would soon be going up on eBay with a $500 BIN, just so we could have our clicking fingers ready

nesteel 

$500 is lofty territory for a bike equipped with entry level components. That price point is packed with mid range bikes equipped with nice components. I hope you get what your asking...........For my $500, I'd find a **NICE** Dave Scott Ironman or something close.

likebike23

Here we go again. OK, I think you are wise to invest as much time, effort, and money to get the bike back to showroom condition. It will surely be worth your time. Is that what you were hoping to hear?

zukahn1 

Even a hundred percent restored which is doubtfull no way you get $500 for this one.

PatTheSlat 

Is it bad that every time a beat-to-hell lower end bike like this is posted, I actually hope before even reading the rest of the thread that the OP turns out to be delusional like this? I find it very entertaining.

howsteepisit

I think that if the OP were to show us the "cleaned up beautifully" version the estimates may be higher. $500, nahhh, but higher than the under 100. But personally, given the presentation already given, I doubt the veracity of being able to clean this one up beautifully. Looks like a money pit as far as a flip. And why an agent for ebay?

Edit I just looked at the photobucket series (I looked at the posted pics before), the pitting is way bad on the aluminum parts, and the rust is deep on the steel. Its not going to clean up even nicely, the components will need to be replaced to look good. This bike is a tempest in a teapot.

rjhammett

Worth $50-$60 as is, $115-$130 all fixed up. I certainly wouldn't pay either amount for it.

Trucker Dan

I actually loled. I hope you're trolling.

jj1091

To get a flavor-check on the arrogant movers, whose "value" isn't a retail value that I'd get, but a price they want to pay for a bike so they can flip it and get the real value out of it. I learned that here, and I've taken my venue off-line, and I'm getting double and better the value I've been quoted here, by getting in with collectors. For example, this afternoon I'm delivering a '78 Fuji S10S Ltd to a gentleman who's a car dealer, in trade for a 1985 Peugeot racer in flawless condition, 100% original, that's sat in his garage for 30 years, untouched. I paid $60 for the Fuji. You don't find these deals on Craigslist, you don't get them on Ebay, and you can't get an actual honest value, here. I'll post pictures of the Fuji, and the Peugeot later this week, and you can judge for yourself who to lol at.

Michael

howsteepisit

So on this bike, most of the posters feel like its worth less than 100, so you are getting offers of less than 200 (double), and thats less tahn 1/2 your claim of 500. Humm.

But yes, nobody would dispute that the best prices are not found on Craig's list or eBay, because those are market based pricing or wistful higher pricing. It is possible to find better prices for purchase at private venues.

oddjob2

That's a rare one! "Gentleman who's a car dealer!"

While Michael's opinion is that some members on this forum dishonest on values, all we can share is our collective experience in our markets. Some members have actual LBS sales experience, for others, it's doing what Michael does, in some cases several hundred buy/sell transactions. Whether you agree or disagree, we don't benefit.

himespau 

Wow, PT Barnum must have been specifically talking about the folks down in Jacksonville.

Trucker Dan

This guy is obviously a troll trying to get everyone angry. There is no way that crappy, rusted out, department store bike will ever sell for over $100.

oddjob2

Actually the OP might be able to break the $200 barrier! I believe Zebra is the updated name for Zebrakenko. It took a long while, but I got $225 for this Golden Sports Zebrakenko mixte. One of only 3 Chinese I am aware of in the whole universewho did NOT know how to ride a bike, came all the way from Brooklyn NY to Hoboken, NJ to pick it up. But as we all know, mixtes command a premium over diamond frames.

zazenzach

nesteel 

Agreed. The only way he's getting $500 for that bike on Ebay is if he has someone shill bid it just so he can come on here and say "See, I told you so".