While watching some Motobecanes on the eBay, I noticed this discrepancy between recently ended auctions. This specimen:

https://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...=STRK:MEWAX:IT

sold for $1,580.55, while this one:

https://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...=STRK:MEWAX:IT

went for $720. The first does seem to be in more original condition - wheels, cranks, and brakes are OEM. Those TA Professional cranks and the Ideale saddle are expensive on their own, but is that what it takes to double the price on a bike like this?

Just a guess, but bike 1 is in the ideal size range for Japanese collectors, who are quite enamored with French, vintage bicycles. That, along with the condition and parts could possibly explain he difference.

Then again, eBay selling prices can have quite a wild card factor to them as well.

Same reason a Schwinn SuperSport with a bent fork went for over a grand last year, and a french mixte just went for $900. ebay is an auction, and sometimes, bidders go stupid crazy. Unfortunately, as a seller you can never count on bidders doing stupid stuff. But sometimes, its really sweet.

A couple of years ago, I bought a paperback book series on Amazon, and resold them on ebay two weeks later after I had finished reading them just as a test. They sold for about 50% more than Amazon pricing. I started them out at a penny. I have had other auctions go the opposite direction, so its not always a good story...

I think the seller who got $720 should be very pleased; the other one, ecstatic. Not that those aren't very nice bikes, and I'm even a diehard Moto fan, but those prices strike me as very high. But as far as your question goes, yeah, it's Ebay.

2 very different bikes and 2 very different auction formats.....

While the smaller expensive one shows fewer pictures, for me at least, it appears unchanged pretty much from original spec. the larger one was modified, with the wheels being the most problematic for a period correct guy.

As stated, size matters. There is a group who cluster in demand for this smaller size, as there are for the size I typically ride, 56 ctt. The big bikes get less play. Sometimes the small ones do to, it really is a roll of the dice lately on ebay, there are fewer buyers overall, so the chance of a bidding war is less.

Even the recent Confente track bike, also black in color, went perhaps cheap considering it was only i of 11 our there by all reports. It went for $7,600.

I actually think the smaller Moto' was above market maybe, the larger, a bit below...

I concur with most above comments, but I'd point out that AFAIK, the original equipment on that first one is incorrect as it should have tubulars (sewups) not 27" clinchers even though the hubs are correct, and a Brooks Pro saddle, tho the D.Rebour Ideale is by no means a detriment in my book. Other than those, it looks dead stock, even the DC gum hoods are an OK re-pop.
The second has the too-new rims, and even tho the Campy cranks and brakes are pricier, they aren't OEM...and the headbadge is a little tatty.
Bet it would ride just as nicely as the "more correct" top example, only an "investor" would care about the "deficiencies".

Thanks for the input. I was wondering mostly because I have a Grand Record restoration that is nearing completion. It's a 60 cm frame, so the Asian market will be somewhat decreased, and has period-correct Wolber clincher rims on Ofmega hubs, a Nuovo Record crankset, an '84 NR derailleur, and currently no saddle. If it made that much of a difference I would go to the extra effort to get the last few pieces correct as well.