Is the used bike market completely dead?
#141
06-29-2015, 11:41 AM
Seasoned HDF Member
The most powerful words in a bike ad are "completely original and unmolested".
Put up an ad that says that, along with low miles and a rational price, and the bike will sell almost immediately.
When I see an ad that talks about "extras", I'm immediately leery, particularly if it says something like "over $5,000 invested" in those "extras". That makes me think that the seller not only expects me to share his particular taste in "extras", he expects me to pay him for it. FWIW, I think the same thing when I read about "custom paint". All that says to me is "not original paint" which I read as "not worth as much as stock".
Unless your bike was built/accessorized/painted by someone with a seriously important national reputation (ie, not you), any deviation from stock diminishes, rather than enhances, the value.
All that is, of course, just my personal opinion, but I think that the majority of used HD buyers fall into two general categories: Those for whom the bike is a blank slate onto which they want to apply their own modifications, and those who want a stock or near stock bike and intend to keep it that way. No matter what HD you have your eye on, just about anything from the Evo era forward is available with low miles and unmolested condition. You might have to search a bit, and be patient, and be willing to transport it, but they are out there.
#142
06-29-2015, 11:47 AM
The sad fact is, if you're not getting calls, you're asking too much for the bike.
I sold an '04 Heritage last year and I was asking too much for it at first, received no calls at all so I lowered the price and put OBO in the ad and sold it within a week.
The used market is soft right now because Harley's making it easy to get financed into the new junk they're selling.
I sold an '04 Heritage last year and I was asking too much for it at first, received no calls at all so I lowered the price and put OBO in the ad and sold it within a week.
The used market is soft right now because Harley's making it easy to get financed into the new junk they're selling.
I listed my 2013 Phantom so I can buy my FXDL. Months prior I went on KBB and NADA to get a value to see what I'd list it for. It wasnt until about 3 months later I listed and priced it what I had in my head from that reserach. Little did I know there was a pretty big change in value in that time. I had it up for almost two weeks with one call and the guy bailed when he said he was going to come see it. I lowered itthe price to match the lower end of retail at that time (not 3 months prior) and received 4 calls that day and sold it that night. It just needs to be priced failry
#143
06-29-2015, 11:57 AM
Yep.
The most powerful words in a bike ad are "completely original and unmolested".
Put up an ad that says that, along with low miles and a rational price, and the bike will sell almost immediately.
When I see an ad that talks about "extras", I'm immediately leery, particularly if it says something like "over $5,000 invested" in those "extras". That makes me think that the seller not only expects me to share his particular taste in "extras", he expects me to pay him for it. FWIW, I think the same thing when I read about "custom paint". All that says to me is "not original paint" which I read as "not worth as much as stock".
Unless your bike was built/accessorized/painted by someone with a seriously important national reputation (ie, not you), any deviation from stock diminishes, rather than enhances, the value.
All that is, of course, just my personal opinion, but I think that the majority of used HD buyers fall into two general categories: Those for whom the bike is a blank slate onto which they want to apply their own modifications, and those who want a stock or near stock bike and intend to keep it that way. No matter what HD you have your eye on, just about anything from the Evo era forward is available with low miles and unmolested condition. You might have to search a bit, and be patient, and be willing to transport it, but they are out there.
The most powerful words in a bike ad are "completely original and unmolested".
Put up an ad that says that, along with low miles and a rational price, and the bike will sell almost immediately.
When I see an ad that talks about "extras", I'm immediately leery, particularly if it says something like "over $5,000 invested" in those "extras". That makes me think that the seller not only expects me to share his particular taste in "extras", he expects me to pay him for it. FWIW, I think the same thing when I read about "custom paint". All that says to me is "not original paint" which I read as "not worth as much as stock".
Unless your bike was built/accessorized/painted by someone with a seriously important national reputation (ie, not you), any deviation from stock diminishes, rather than enhances, the value.
All that is, of course, just my personal opinion, but I think that the majority of used HD buyers fall into two general categories: Those for whom the bike is a blank slate onto which they want to apply their own modifications, and those who want a stock or near stock bike and intend to keep it that way. No matter what HD you have your eye on, just about anything from the Evo era forward is available with low miles and unmolested condition. You might have to search a bit, and be patient, and be willing to transport it, but they are out there.
I concur. Every bike I sold, I put back to stock (why I never get rid of the stock OEM parts). I would mention that I had non-stock parts available. Stock or near stock seem to sell faster than heavily modded bikes in my observation. Everyone has different tastes in mods. With the mods, you limit the number of people who would look at the bike. When I sold my bikes, I wanted to sell fast and target the largest audience. I always checked Ebay to derive a price. Not what was listed, but what was actually sold (completed auctions for the bikes that actually sold). This way I knew where to price my bike, because the reason for listing it was to actually sell it...not hang on to it hoping to get a price.
I also took the time to have good pictures and I would write a very complete description listing the flaws. The guy who bought my 2000 Fatboy (CL) said he contacted me as he figured if I went to the trouble to list the tiny scratch in the front fender and a small chip in the paint on the rear fender that I was pretty much an honest person and he felt confident with dealing with me. My key to success has always been great detailed pictures and a very descriptive write up as if I was a professional salesman (besides right pricing). I never had a bike not sale within 3-days of listing it (except on Ebay, I always list for a week, but would get bids the first day).
#144
06-29-2015, 12:00 PM
Outstanding HDF Member
If you want to sell quick.
Buyers like detailed pictures.
Pictures of critical areas.
Think brochure or like a dealer.
The bike should be "staged".
Pictures with something in the background that may enhance the appeal (beach, lake, forest etc).
Avoid distracting backgrounds with ladders or garage items.
Take high pixel pictures with a real camera.
Some buyers are uneducated..the grab rails will be distracting to them, the fairing lowers kill the look of the bike for them, remove driver backrest, the trunk would be distracting to a younger buyer since some folks are unable to "see" how it would look.
You would be amazed at the number of folks that do not know those items are removable.
Most buyers lack imagination. That is why brochures and pictures are produced in a staged fashion.
You would probably make more money and sell quickly if you removed some stuff.
For starters :Consider removing tour pack, lowers, grab rail, drivers backrest and fairing lower.
Remove them cleanly and leave no marks.
Shine the bike to maximum.
Find an area that would enhance the background and use a real camera.
Removing the items would make the bike look more "stock" and the bike would be more appealing to a wider market.
The price seems in range but the picture shown does little to entice a buyer and makes your buyers pool much smaller.
Your bike is a nice bike, but it is not showing well because it is set-up for "your" comfort and not a wide range of buyers.
Difficult for some buyers to think of it as theirs.
Buyers like detailed pictures.
Pictures of critical areas.
Think brochure or like a dealer.
The bike should be "staged".
Pictures with something in the background that may enhance the appeal (beach, lake, forest etc).
Avoid distracting backgrounds with ladders or garage items.
Take high pixel pictures with a real camera.
Some buyers are uneducated..the grab rails will be distracting to them, the fairing lowers kill the look of the bike for them, remove driver backrest, the trunk would be distracting to a younger buyer since some folks are unable to "see" how it would look.
You would be amazed at the number of folks that do not know those items are removable.
Most buyers lack imagination. That is why brochures and pictures are produced in a staged fashion.
You would probably make more money and sell quickly if you removed some stuff.
For starters :Consider removing tour pack, lowers, grab rail, drivers backrest and fairing lower.
Remove them cleanly and leave no marks.
Shine the bike to maximum.
Find an area that would enhance the background and use a real camera.
Removing the items would make the bike look more "stock" and the bike would be more appealing to a wider market.
The price seems in range but the picture shown does little to entice a buyer and makes your buyers pool much smaller.
Your bike is a nice bike, but it is not showing well because it is set-up for "your" comfort and not a wide range of buyers.
Difficult for some buyers to think of it as theirs.
Bingo. I bought a 2002 with 8000 miles like yours two years ago for $7500 out of RI (He wanted $9500). Two thirds of the extras haven't seen the bike since and it has 30,000 miles. I'd watched it on CL for a month called the guy and showed up with cash. Sell it to the first guy with cash and move on.
Last edited by Jack Sullivan; 06-29-2015 at 12:04 PM.
#145
06-29-2015, 12:09 PM
You've got pics of the bike as it is now. You need additional pics of anything that is quick detach taken off to show how easy it is to strip the extra stuff off. I like a bike that can go from vacation mode to sleek and sexy in a matter of minutes, you need to demonstrate that ability through photos.
I know you've got the bike set up how you want it but that might not be what a potential buyer is looking for. Personally for me the big tour pack and lowers are a turn off.
You might be better off to sell the quick detach pieces as individual parts.
I'd also agree that with the mileage being so high your asking price is too much.
I know you've got the bike set up how you want it but that might not be what a potential buyer is looking for. Personally for me the big tour pack and lowers are a turn off.
You might be better off to sell the quick detach pieces as individual parts.
I'd also agree that with the mileage being so high your asking price is too much.
#146
06-29-2015, 12:09 PM
My dealer usually doesn't keep anything on the showroom floor that has more than 50k on it, and most of their stuff has <24k. They usually sell any "high-mileage" (50k+) trade-ins to an auction house for whole sale.
#147
06-29-2015, 12:23 PM
My other pet peeve is when sellers think buyers should pay more because the vehicle has new brakes, oil change, tires etc. Those are items that the bike should have in operational condition. I'm not paying for your routine maintenance.
#148
06-29-2015, 01:14 PM
#149
06-29-2015, 11:10 PM
That's how it was for me. People thought I should pay for their upgrades, which I didn't want.
My other pet peeve is when sellers think buyers should pay more because the vehicle has new brakes, oil change, tires etc. Those are items that the bike should have in operational condition. I'm not paying for your routine maintenance.
My other pet peeve is when sellers think buyers should pay more because the vehicle has new brakes, oil change, tires etc. Those are items that the bike should have in operational condition. I'm not paying for your routine maintenance.
#150
06-30-2015, 01:27 AM
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if I was asking $20,000 for the bike I might take a few more steps in the proscess. But being thats not the case and I've sold alot of bikes doing exactly what I'm doing now, I see no reason to go ***** to the wall for such a low value sale. A dealer has more of an incentive to take glamor shots and write beautifull stories about the bike but come on, it's a bike not a wedding dress.,,
Igit.