I bought the original ninja off the show room floor back in the day - still have the original sales brochure and the pitted cam that Kawasaki warrantied hanging in my garage. It was my fourth bike but my first sport bike.

Been looking for a good one over the past few years. Most of the ones I saw looked like they were rode hard and put away wet. Recently found one on craigslist - 2nd owner, 12,000 miles, all stock down to the reflectors and from pics looks clean - price is over $5K. There was another 84 listed a week later for $3.5K that looked pretty decent but the miles were 29K and it had an aftermarket exhuast on it.

$5K seems like a lot of money for a motorcycle made in 1984 but they are starting to become "antiques". Any thoughts on the value of the orginal ninja? Thanks

@ olgry1 - Go for it, Bro... Get what makes you happy!!

An item is worth what someone will pay for it. Without coloring our responses with personal opinion, this statement is absolutely, irrefutably true.

As an example, I had a member on here refurb my 2000 12 at some expense & felt like it was a good investment. I could have probably bought another 12 for about the same money, but that's not what I chose to do with my money.

I don't care what ANYBODY says....ain't no way in hell ANY 1984 rice burner is worth 5k.

Why the hell would I spend that money on an antique bike when for the same money I can nab up a nice 9R, 10R, hell, even a 12R....Like wipin before ya poop...makes no damn sense....

Nostalgic value and actual value are 2 completely different things. I LOVE my 12R, but know I would NEVER see 5k for it...and it's TWICE THE BIKE!!!!

People think these old high mileage dinosaurs are worth gold. I spose, those just starting out don't know any better, but shit.

One thing to keep in mind, when I see a low low mileage bike from that era or older, I don't see a babied well maintained bike, I see a bike that has sat around most of its life and has dried out seals and gaskets and dry, scorned cylinders. Bike engines suffer the same shit car engines do. They sit long enough, things dry out. Then, once you go drop that serious coin on it and start using it, the seals and gaskets blow out and leak everywhere....yadda yadda yadda....

If it's worth it to you to overspend for a "memory", by all means, go for it. The ONLY reason I bought my 12R is because the guy wasn't out of his mind. He was asking the exact right money for the bike. Hell, he even cut me a couple hun break to cover transfer costs.

Why people spend ungodly money for antique technology when better technology is out there for the same, and often less, than that old thing is beyond me. It's buying crap like that that keeps folks thinking they can charge 2 arms and a few legs for their old crap to begin with...

With significant mods, MAYBE you can overcharge, but it is no longer a stock machine, but to charge for the stock machine what the stock machine went for almost 30 years ago?!?!?!...you on crack cocaine smoke!

@ olgry1 - Go for it, Bro... Get what makes you happy!!

An item is worth what someone will pay for it. Without coloring our responses with personal opinion, this statement is absolutely, irrefutably true.

As an example, I had a member on here refurb my 2000 12 at some expense & felt like it was a good investment. I could have probably bought another 12 for about the same money, but that's not what I chose to do with my money.

After seeing your bike at DG it was money very well spent.

Don't get me wrong here fellas...it's not the bike(s) I hold issue with....

It's the fact that folks try to pass off junker high mileage bikes for ungodly money, and that there are folks who don't know any better spending this on these bikes. This has created an environment where people are "cashing in" on the economy and screwin folks. AND, any bike almost 30 years old...well...if someone is willing to pay it, that's their gig I spose, but it's paying that price that keeps this craziness alive.

If that's the case, I'm going to sell my 12R when it gets to 28 years old for what it listed for off the showroom floor!

Na. I would, but I know actual value is far lower than that. I'm not in the business of screwin folks...without vaseline anyways...

agreed

looks like your swapped that trumpet for a beemer aye?

Okay okay....I'll go back to my dish and lick my balls....

Okay okay....I'll go back to my dish and lick my balls....

Thanks Mike

After seeing your bike at DG it was money very well spent.

$ 5,000.00 is definitely too much. They're not antiques just yet, but that's just my opinion.

I owned a 1985 ZL 900 Eliminator back in the 80s (..my 2nd bike). They have the same engine as the 900 Ninja. This bike was made only in '84 and '85 and then it got discontinued...dunno' why because it was very beautiful, fast, and powerful. At that time, it had the widest rear tire on the market - 160 (!!!), which was smaller than its front tire (15 vs. 18), and was operated by a shaft drive. It was really quick from "redlight to redlight".
I posted a couple of pictures bellow...



I sure wish I still had one of these in my garage!