Yup, you never recover the money spent on customizing anything until you find just the right buyer. I've got around $35k in my MINI Cooper S ... it's worth right at $6k cash. And that is an offer from the owner of the tuning shop that installed a $2000 cyl head, $2000 catback and around $600 in dyno time. He just want the car to rob the engine for his car, then put a stock motor in and sell it. It's a $5000 car to a dealer in trade.
I'll never get my investment out of my bike either, but I'll never part with her. lol
But if you have to part with one, you chose right.