One is a 1972 and the other is a 1973. I grew up on the '72. It was one up, two down, 66cc (I think). The '73 was one down, three up, 90 cc. I want to buy the '72 for sure and possibly both. Neither has been started or ridden in years and the '73 has a big dent in the tank.

Any suggestions on what I should offer? This particular brother is NOT a motrocycle guy, but he IS a money guy, so he won't give them away. I think the only reason he keeps them is nostalgia, but they are essentially rotting in his garage.

By the way, for those of you who don't know, I do not mean sportster, I mean shortster. Look them up.

 

I saw a classified ad for an original '72 65cc in rough shape for $1,250. And saw a restored '73 x-90 for $8,000. As long as your bro doesn't know they're vintage collectors items, ya might be able to snag em on the cheap!

 

Offer him $400 for the pair.

 

I have no idea what to tell you to offer him. I know the Honda Z50's of that time frame goes for big bucks and I'm sure there are more of them than a Shortster. One issue you might have it getting parts?

 

Depending on how bad they are, a ballpark might be somewhere between
$400-800 each. Harley/Aermacchi only made the true Shortster in 1972, the later bikes that look the same are X-90's. Many people call them
all Shortster's but 1972 is the only true shortster (65CC). I own a fully restored 72 Shorty, and have been offered up to $3500 for it, not for sale.. :-)
The 72 had NO oil injection, the X-90's did. A real shorty will have no oil tank on it, premix fuel only. There are still places to get parts for them, but they are NOT cheap. If you want to restore them, be prepared to spend some serious cash! If you are good at working on bikes, there may be some potential profit for you in these bikes. If your not prepared to do the work yourself, you might as well pass on them.
My 2 ct's
Rags

 

Folks have these bikes in their barn or where ever, and think they're worth big bucks. Maybe they should call antique archeologists to make them an offer? I'm dead serious, there has to be thousands of these bikes in corn cribs or someplace else just sitting. KBB lists a 70 Rapido at 500 bucks, thats as far as they go back.

 

The 73 probably is a X 90 and not a shortster. One of the largest Italian Harley parts supplier in the world lives about 10 miles from me. About 10 years ago I sold an all-most show room condition 1975 X90 for $1800.

 

No price here but here's a old post about one.

https://www.hdforums.com/forum/motor...-for-sale.html

 

Nice little youtube clip with one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lY7QYnrUdbc

 

I have no idea what they're worth, but the "Shortster" had the coolest MC ad of all time. It was a picture of the mini-bike next to a big puddle. Reflected back from the puddle was an XLCH. Pretty neat for 30 years before Photoshop.