This concept of worth is a funny one.horobags wrote: Sun Apr 12, 2020 1:39 pm Brilliant bikes, but as Jaz said, not really worth the money they are fetching these days.
One of the first laws of economics is that anything is worth what someone will pay for it. Economics is the study of resources that have alternative uses.
The Cub's "value" lies in the fact that its use goes beyond functionality. ie it has many more alternative uses. There are other bikes that represent better value for money in terms of functionality, but few have the universal appeal of the Cub that goes beyond that.
Some of that "beyond functional, appeal is a grey area perpetuated in myth, "They never break down..." Yes they do without regular (albeit simple) maintenance, and they also rot like over-ripe pears if you don't prevent corrosion properly; "They'll run on any old oil..." For a short while, they will but they prefer good quality stuff, changed regularly; "They'll run on any old fuel ..." Again, they will, but you'll get the best out of them by using premium fuels.
A fair proportion is nostalgia, "My Grandad/Dad had one..." or "I used to commute on one in the 70s..." The 6V and 12V C90 Cubs appeal to that. Innovas and the newer C125s less so, which is why the market isn't the same for them, though they are undoubtedly better bikes functionally. C125s may well rise in residual value once they aren't imported any longer and they are just seen as an extension of the Cub bloodline, rather than a new pastiche of the Cub (but that's another theory for another time.)
The last alternative use of the Cub resource is that almost undefinable concept, the "feelgood factor." Harley Davidson's unofficial marketing byline in the 90s was "If I have to explain, you wouldn't understand. Critics of that statement prove its concept by denouncing it as, "bullshit!"
Owning and riding a Cub can make you happy. Riding any bike that has an emotional connection to you can make you feel happier than an alternative. Jaz with his Helix's for example. Other folks will have their own nirvana in two wheeled form, and others will be on a constant search for theirs. The Cub represents that nirvana to many more people. Cub imagery, the warm feeling of ownership, and the pleasure of a ride on their own Cub is accessible with not a lot of outlay in real terms. Which is why buyers will rationalise paying £2000 for a decent 12V Cub whilst shunning the sub £1000 newer, lower mileage Innova also available.
