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Use of the word "Rare"

VERAULT

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 30, 2012
Messages
8,232
Location
Connecticut, USA
I think we need to push the word rare even further. Lets see how far we can take it! Its being thrown around on pretty much everything on eBay. When Covid hit noone seemed to use it for Toilet Paper ironically. Anyway according to this guy my motorcycle (same model, color, and year as one in video), is VERY VERY RARE. Which I guess makes it worth more than an apple I right? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6OAutIwIWo
 
Use of the word Rare is vastly overused on eBay. I guess the seller feels this will make the item sell faster?
 
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Well apparently there are at least two of these around, right?

Does yours run?

My father bought it new in 77. He was an amputee that liked proving he cuold still do everything (Lost his Arm). He owned a few import bikes and drove stick shift. He stopped using it in 1981. It remained garaged until his death and I took it at that point. I had the same dealership he bought it from get it running.

Yes it runs. I havent taken it out in over year. I bought some new pipes for it I need to put on. The problem is here In CT I cant find anyone willing to touch anything that is not a Harley.. Seriously. Been looking for years. This is a touchy bike that needs maintenace and the inline 4 carbs need to be synchronized....

But yeah, she runs I take her out.. very low miles. When I polish her up looks just like that video. They are not common sure.. But VERY VERY RARE? Hell pay me now I need the money. I was gonna sell it when it hit 50 years old.. but for a big enough pay day Id do it now{ I dont like riding anymore with how drivers are always looking at thier phones and not at the road.. I have had too many near misses.. luck runs out]
 
I think part of the problem is that sensationalistic garbage terms like that actually work on other kinds of sites. So, they are so mind-warped all they know how to do is spew clickbait style titles.

If you want people to find your item on eBay, describe it with actual WORDS. Nobody (hopefully) ever just types "rare!" in to a search box. What words would someone actually search for? What words are written on the item? Use those.

People who put crap like "rare" "l@@k!", or "scrap gold steve jobs" in their item descriptions are just showing the world how dumb they are.
 
Yep. There's a guy who lists S-100 items on ePay. Every last one of them is described as "rare". Have to laugh at some of them. "Rare", when I've got a half dozen of them in my closet. What a bozo!

Roger
 
My father bought it new in 77. He was an amputee that liked proving he cuold still do everything (Lost his Arm). He owned a few import bikes and drove stick shift. He stopped using it in 1981. It remained garaged until his death and I took it at that point. I had the same dealership he bought it from get it running.

Fellow on the forum I follow has one arm. He still races.

Yes it runs. I havent taken it out in over year. I bought some new pipes for it I need to put on. The problem is here In CT I cant find anyone willing to touch anything that is not a Harley.. Seriously. Been looking for years. This is a touchy bike that needs maintenace and the inline 4 carbs need to be synchronized....

No handy Honda dealers? Generic Japanese bike, interesting it's so hard to service. Now, the transmission is likely a black art, since that's what makes it rare. But carb syncing? That's just shade tree stuff.

But yeah, she runs I take her out.. very low miles. When I polish her up looks just like that video. They are not common sure.. But VERY VERY RARE? Hell pay me now I need the money. I was gonna sell it when it hit 50 years old.. but for a big enough pay day Id do it now{ I dont like riding anymore with how drivers are always looking at thier phones and not at the road.. I have had too many near misses.. luck runs out]

It's a Hondamatic, it would not surprise me that it would be considered rare. Like the rotary engined Suzuki. Plus being 50(ish) years old.

Yea, rare and "in demand" are two different things.

When you post it up, put a link to the VERY VERY RARE video as "provenance" :).
 
“Rare” is definitely a grossly overused word. I have lots of stuff in my collection, and there is a very small number of things I consider to be “rare.”

For example, my prototype Compaq SLT 386s/20, that is a truly rare machine, but is my complete IBM XT with the matching keyboard and 5153 monitor rare? Hell no, they made tons of them. It’s a desirable setup, but far from rare.

And yes, people do need to understand the difference in “rare” and “desirable.” Two completely different things. There are rare things that aren’t worth anything and common stuff that’s worth a lot, and it can obviously be the other way around as well, but “rare” doesn’t automatically mean “valuable,” and “valuable” doesn’t automatically mean “rare.”
 
Yep. There's a guy who lists S-100 items on ePay. Every last one of them is described as "rare". Have to laugh at some of them. "Rare", when I've got a half dozen of them in my closet. What a bozo!

Roger
At least S-100 stuff is uncommon enough to be somewhat forgivable.

It is stuff like this that really annoys me:

"UNiSYS Windows for Workgroups 3.5" Floppy Disc Set Of 8 Version 3.11 1994 Rare"
https://www.ebay.com/itm/324784413683
Yea, like this is the last copy of Windows for Workgroups on the planet, and there are thousands of rabid Unisys collectors out there.

"Microsoft Word for Windows 95 on Nine (9) Vintage 3.5" Diskettes - RARE"
https://www.ebay.com/itm/255116714638
Yea, absolute unique one of a kind because it has been installed and serialized.

"Rare Windows Magazine 8 Issues 1998-1999 + Microsoft Mag Ships Worldwide"
https://www.ebay.com/itm/194403545128
Cuz, ya know, like, what's a boooook? (Wait, is toilet paper getting "rare" again?)

"Vintage Microsoft Word For Windows Version 1 on 5 1/4 Floppy Disks ULTRA RARE"
https://www.ebay.com/itm/274963887619
Vintagey and ULTTRAAA RAAARE! From Australia? Perhaps these are some of those disks that spin the other direction. :p
 
At least S-100 stuff is uncommon enough to be somewhat forgivable.

It is stuff like this that really annoys me:

"UNiSYS Windows for Workgroups 3.5" Floppy Disc Set Of 8 Version 3.11 1994 Rare"
https://www.ebay.com/itm/324784413683
Yea, like this is the last copy of Windows for Workgroups on the planet, and there are thousands of rabid Unisys collectors out there.

"Microsoft Word for Windows 95 on Nine (9) Vintage 3.5" Diskettes - RARE"
https://www.ebay.com/itm/255116714638
Yea, absolute unique one of a kind because it has been installed and serialized.

"Rare Windows Magazine 8 Issues 1998-1999 + Microsoft Mag Ships Worldwide"
https://www.ebay.com/itm/194403545128
Cuz, ya know, like, what's a boooook? (Wait, is toilet paper getting "rare" again?)

"Vintage Microsoft Word For Windows Version 1 on 5 1/4 Floppy Disks ULTRA RARE"
https://www.ebay.com/itm/274963887619
Vintagey and ULTTRAAA RAAARE! From Australia? Perhaps these are some of those disks that spin the other direction. :p
I can tolerate 'rare' better than 'literally'. This is really bad: "I literally think that's rare". :shocked:
 
I cant tolerate men in thier 40's or older sending me text messages or emails with "lol" in them. Check that, anyone above the age of 30... Has everyone become a stupid teenage girl when it comes to language?
 
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I'd like to go back to <G> from the BBS days, but I doubt anyone would understand me, unless they are also 40 and up.
 
I'd like to go back to <G> from the BBS days, but I doubt anyone would understand me, unless they are also 40 and up.

I agree with you. But I am almost 65 so understand where you're coming from. I miss those BBS days. I ran one for several years. Then the Internet came and the glory days of BBS disappeared. People were more civil back then it seems. Or controlled their anger better? <G>
 
well as bbs activity was getting quieter and quieter and files to download were being updates less and less.. irc was my goto in the early to mid 90s for communicating and downloading.
 
Meanwhile on eBay

2015 Dell computer I found in the dumpster ULTRA SUPER MEGA RARE L@@K GREAT PRICE!!111!!!11!

Up for sale is a dell computor i found in thu dumpster. I didnt bothur to teest it. Askeing $500 but u can make an offer
 
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