Modern Vespa

I have seen an ad for a 1980 Bajaj that is close to where I live. The few pictures show a straight scooter, low-mile bike, with minor surface rust on floor boards, missing turn signals, but running. I am sure no title is available.
What is a ball park price That I should consider?

If it's a four stroke maybe a couple hundred dollars. If it's a two-stroke Maybe two or three times that or more if it's essentially solid.

If it's 4T? HARD PASS
(unless it's free, but even then...)

A 2T? 250-1k depending...

But I'd say no tags or title? And not running? With rust? Maybe 250ish?

2T, 145.5 cc, just like the Vespa Sprint. It is a USA spec machine, round rear end and trailer light style taillight. According to the ad, it runs and rolls.
I am sure it has no title, because a few months ago I saw it for sale in another nearby state. I inquired about it on FB market place, but it was sold before I had a chance to go see it.

I am reasonably sure that needs little to get it road worthy and a little cosmetic work; my only concern is the no registration/no title part. The last time I had to deal with this on a 650 CC motorcycle cost me nearly $500 to put it in my name and on the road.

Out of interest, was it a chetak?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bajaj_Chetak

If it is a chetak, in the 80s we wouldnt touch them with a barge pole; it was a bit like buying a Cosa. They were real budget scooters, about 40% cheaper than a p range vespa and you could order one in the retail shop Woolworths.

They crop up once in a while in the UK on ebay and seem to sell very. I saw one sell last year for 1600 pounds. I kinda like them now, as i do the cosa. I have no idea what parts are like. Im assuming engine wise, vespa parts can be used? Maybe somebody can answer this. Id buy one if one came along as its something a bit different .

Yes a Chetak, 2-stroke, based on Vespa Sprint VLB.

It's one of the 1980s ones, right?

I would guess somewhere around the price of a 1970s Sprint in similar condition.

They're basically a 1970s Sprint, with some weird changes. A giant glove box, round tail, and volcano-looking speedo.

The US market ones had the same CEV turn signals and taillight as 1970s Vespas.

Probably depends on the condition, but wild guess: in decent shape maybe $2500? Maybe more if it's all original and pristine. That's if it was originally imported to the US, and lived a similar life to US bikes (like ridden 3000 miles and left in a garage for decades).

They made a lot of those in India, but few made it to the US.

I've only seen 25 years or newer Bajaj bikes for sale in my local area. No title and could possibly run with a light tune up were in the $500 range. I never bothered making a pass at them because they were not 25 years old yet. I am open to hear suggestions of how one could get one of those titled.

My guess on value is a formula. 75% of Vespa equivalent of same condition (Sprint VLB in this case), then deduct title headache from that value. Unfortunately you will eventually hit a bottom price that the market will pay regardless of logic, and the price you are willing to pay is lower than that.

In Texas it is about $500 for the bonded title route for vehicles valued less than $4k (sounds similar to your FL experience). For me the title issue trashes most of the "awesome deals" that I have found. No title scares me as well for the fact that they could be stolen. I have yet to find a reliable way to quickly check if a bike is stolen. Again, open to suggestions on this front.

For me, I would also consider what my final goal for the scoot would be. For a daily "run what you brung" scoot, a Bajaj would be great. For a full restore, even if just a garage grade, I don't think you would get a great return when you went to sell. The Bajaj name isn't gong to demand premium money (poor brand recognition) topped with people possibly thinking it isn't as good as a Vespa even though you replaced every single part.

Food for thought: There are other states that are cool with just a bill of sale and verification that it isn't stolen. There are companies that can help you obtain a legit title in said state. I have heard it is less than bonded title, but I have not done this.

In California, it's pretty easy. Especially with bikes before the mid-80s. Everything went out of the system in a few years in the days before computer records, and there was no consistent VIN.

With later Vespas, they added a bunch of random VIN numbers to get them to 17.

And if a bike is out of the system, you just have to take it to the DMV, and they run a quick check to see if it's reported stolen, then will register it.

I don't know if i'd go that hi with legal paper problems, but given the registration hassles and assuming it wasn't ever stolen, I'd maybe double my max to 1200$ if it was as nice as this one and seemed to have lowish miles. But scooter markets are local, so you have to deal with that too.

This one in the photo was $1200 with no title on Scoot.net (but from 2018).

http://scoot.net/classifieds/forsale.html?id=61488

LoL, lucky guess.

I just want me one of them cavernous gloveboxes!

Makes complete sense and reflects the current reality with Florida DMV titling procedures. Even with a title and VIN, verified by the local Sheriff it was almost $ 400 to put a 1973 Honda on the road in my name.

The one advertised looks almost in the same condition as this one, but without turn signals and the solo seat, It has a dual sorry looking seat that probably needs replaced . Any idea what this one finally sold for?

It looks like that one was $1200, but back in 2018. There were a few other ads for 1980s Bajaj on Scoot.net over the years.

This was $1500 back in 2012.
http://scoot.net/classifieds/forsale.html?id=35190

This was an immaculate one in 2011 for $2200, but 10 years ago in Wisconsin. This would be a lot more now, I'd guess.
http://scoot.net/classifieds/forsale.html?id=28615

Hard to gauge value, bc there are so few of them, and it's all about condition and location. There isn't really a Bajaj community, so it's basically only of interest to Vespa people.

best thing for a bajaj is a gallon of petrol and a match then claim the insurance... hideous engines and a real mixed bag of stuff going in them

Thank You all for your inputs.
Will wait this one out to gage interest. Last year, I attempted to buy it from the previous owner, but some one else, likely the man who is selling it now, beat me to it.

Agreed. The engines are junk, but the frames are pretty darn solid. Indian food is also one of my favorites.

you had to mention Indian food.... i want to go get a takeaway now

Ohhh, some Naan and chicken tanduri... No Indian food here in Florence - I know, where do I live, and how could I live in this town without Indian food?!?