Welcome to the first Dispatch. Every issue: what CT70s actually sold for, one wrench tip worth knowing, and bikes for sale right now. No fluff. Let’s get into it.
MARKET WATCH: what CT70s actually sold for
Auction results don’t lie:
- 1970 CT70, 188 miles, highly original — $8,600 (Bring a Trailer, Aug 2026). The blue chip.
- 1971 CT70 — $4,253 (Jul 2026)
- 1974 CT70, 532 mi, original — $2,800 (BaT, Jul 2026)
- 1974 CT70, 2k mi, modified — $2,401 (BaT, Jul 2026)
- 1969 CT70 — $4,350 (Jun 2026)
- 1970 CT70 — $3,350 (Jun 2026)
- 1971 CT70, project-grade — $2,250 (Jun 2026). The floor.
- 1969 K0 Candy Gold, 1,200 mi — $4,250 (Jan 2025)
The read: clean runners live in a tight $3,300–$4,800 band. Pristine low-mile originals still command real money. Even rough project bikes hold $2,200+ — nothing’s cheap anymore. Hagerty has average-condition bikes at $3,700, roughly flat. Healthy, stable market.
WRENCH TIP: revive a gummed-up carb in an afternoon
If your Trail 70 sat through winter (or five), the little Keihin carb is varnished shut. The fix: drain the bad gas, pull the carb, strip it down (count the idle air screw’s turns — usually ~1½ — so you can reset it), clean every passage with carb cleaner and compressed air, clear the pilot jet with soft copper wire, never steel, check the float needle and the rubber intake boot for cracks (a split boot mimics a dirty carb and will drive you mad), reassemble with fresh ethanol-free gas and an inline filter. Nine times out of ten, it was the pilot jet.
BIKES FOR SALE right now
- 1975 CT70 — $4,900 (Hemmings). Clean mid-70s rider.
- 1973 CT70 “CT140H” Restomod — $3,950 (Hemmings, Texas). 140cc engine, 4-speed, disc brakes, under 30 miles since restoration. The fun one.
- 1993 CT70 — $3,499 (CycleTrader), South Dakota. 1,562 miles, dealer, free 400-mile delivery. Turnkey, not a project.
- Vintage CT70 — $5,000 OBO (eBay), Utah. 26 watchers — people want this one.
FROM THE SHOP
Buying or selling? The Official Trail 70 Pricing Guide covers every model and year — $9.99, instant download at trail70association.com.
That’s issue #1. If this saved you money or a Saturday, forward it to a fellow rider.
— The Trail 70 Association