I am not trying to be emotional about this. I am trying to have common sense in listing the bike.With this post I was looking fora basic algorithm for coming up with a respectible price point. Not to be told that the bike is not worth the metal it is madeof and I should give it away for nothing. Would you really list your bike for that far under the Blue book with 5k worth of parts on it and under the milage mark?

Some people are suggesting I list the bike like I never added a thing OK fine....but they are also suggesting 1k to 2K belowKBB and up to 3k below NADA suggested price and include a $1300 warrenty which I can simply turn in for cash.

I can seriously get better then that from the dealer with turning in the so exactly why should list the bike at all if I can't get better then trade-in selling by it on the street? And if I am going to sell it for that low why would I not take off the partsfrom which I know I can get a better return and simply turn in the warrenty?

Heck yeah... if I leave all but the most expensive parts on andlist it for 15k or lower someone will grab it in an instant. (in my area most 2005's are listed around that price) But since the buyer will still want to "deal" so I will lose even more.I'm not that desperate to give the bike away...I have the time to list it at a reasonable amount...I don't need instant gratification. Gives me time to shop for my new bike and choose any add-ons I will want right off.

I simply do not think it is unreasonable to list a bike for for a mid-point price after researching the current listing environment in an area.I realize it is not spring and I might have to wait until then but it does not hurt to list it now.

Here is the algorithm I used:
[ol][*]I called the dealer and asked about trade in value and add-ons. They gave me a general price which I suspect is slightly high but withing 1K or so of actual. They gave me a base and around about figure of 33% for add-ons.[*]I check the papers and motorcycle listing web sites for bikes in my area/state with different amounts of add-ons and if they provided warrenties. (90 + percent did not include a warrenty beyond the factory warrenty). I found those prices to be between 15,000 and 27,000. of which I dropped the lowest and the highest leaving me 16,500 - 25, 000.[*]I personally chose to list for $500 under Blue book (about 500 - 700 over NADA mid-range) which was 15,500 then added the add-ons which equal over 4000 at 37 % to 40 % keying off of the 33% given by the dealer. I also choose to include original parts including the original exhast as part of the deal. (which is something you rarely see...I know we would have liked to have the original exhaust for Hubby's bike)... Because many bikes are listed in this range without the warrenty I offered it as an extra item.[*]Finally I listed it saying reasonable offers would be considered...I understand that my listing might be a tad high to start and I am willing to consider lower and have my limit set in my head.[*]The first listing was fishing....After talking to several more realistic opinions I will be listing it in a different manner once I have taken new photos this weekend. Oh and no the inital price won't really be dropping.[/ol]
Don't worry I am losing plenty of money...I have no idea why people are suggesting I'm not.

What many are suggesting does devaluemy bike and thierown bikes. You are telling 40,000Harley Forum members that they should never expect to get even close to book or for that matter anything from thier bikes.Suck it up and drop it off at the junk yard cause they will pay you more. Tell me when you are ready to give your bike away for several thosand under book and trade-i

 

Take the add-on parts off, sell them here, Ebay or wherever. As it's already been said, you'll never get anything for them anyway if you include them with the bike.

Trade your warranty back in for cash. You said you can do this.

Take the dealers offer...since they are supposedly offering you a decent deal. If possible, trade it in on the new bike you want. Like trading in a car, that should save you a lot of money on sales tax. That there alone is a huge savings that you won't get selling the bike outright.

Done.

Simple as that.

 

Bluerose,

You asked us for our thoughts.We'reoffering them to you. Did you just want opinions of those who agree with yours?

If I may be frank, your emotion is getting in the way ofrational discussion. A person's opinion on a message board doesn't devalue a motorcycle. The market sets the price. NADA and Kelly are just guides. Your bike will sell what it is worth to someone. If someone offers you $18,500, that's what it's worth. But even in California, used Harleys are getting much less than ever before because the market is filled with them.

I'm just offering an objective, rational opinion of what I believe your bikemay beworth. The largest part of depreciation occurs during the first few years. You're trying to sell your bike at a time when it's depreciated the most. That's for everything: cars, motorcycles, RV's, boats, you name it. Again, it is my opinion that at $18,500 you will receive very little offers. The ones that you do will surely ask you to consider a lower offer. This is not news. Many on this board have received the same advice.

When the bike is yours, it means a lot more to youand its value is a lot more.I understand that. But to a buyer, none of that means anything. To them, it's another softail, one of thousands that are for sale.

You ask if you should eat the add ons. Well, in a word, yes. If you want to sell it in today's market. If you don't want to eat the add ons or feel those of us who are recommending a certain price you may be offered is just too low, then you may not want to sell it.

The fact is your motorcycle is two going on three years old. It is the last year before they upgraded the motor and tranny. It is used. You are trying to sell it during its biggest time period of depreciation. Accessories are worth a fraction to the buyer as they were worth to you. Someone can finance a new bike for longer terms than a used one.

I'm not saying it's definitely not going to sell for that price. But judging by the current market (CA included), the sheer volume of used Harleys for sale, the sheer volume of new Harleys for sale, many buyers holding back on discretionary purchases, and the many people I know who have not sold their Harleys because they are asking too high a price, this ismy educated, validopinion.

You are free to dismiss it but if you don't agree with it because it's not what you want to hear, well, that's your prerogative, too.

My suggestion is to keep the bike and sell when it's to a point of less depreciation. If you can't do that because of your back problems and want to get into another bike, then you may have to eat some of what you paid for it. But that is not unusual when selling a bike after only two years. Yes, you'll take a big hit financially.

And I have lived in CA. But regardless if you live in CA or Idaho, you'll lose some money selling a Harley in today's market after only two years.

Best wishes with the sale and I hope you do get what you're asking. A little luck is sometimes the best plan.
[/quote]
I think there is a lot of good advice in this post.
The way I read it it's just one forum member giving his honest advice.
As he said it may not be what you want to hear, but there is a lot of truth or at least reason in it.
A couple of honest obsevations and thoughts from another forum member that is just giving his opinion.

A while back you mentioned you checked the adverts and you figure your in the middle.
Firstly, there are a lot of dreamers advertising their bike, cars, etc on line or in newspapers. The prices in these listings are not an acurate representation of what the market is.
Think about this, lets say there are 20 used x model bikes ad

 

I've never had any trouble selling my accessories on ebay. Takes just a few minutes to post your add, and is kind of fun watching the bids come in.

 

Well I'm happy with my decisions for the moment...I'll adjust my basic algorithm as I see the need.

In the mean time, I've dropped the orignial ad since it seems to be such a sour point on the forum. Sorry to some of you butI will be refraining from selling the Bike and any of the add-ons on the forum.

If your interested I believe enough people know it is for sale and I am considering reasonable offers. I do ask that forum members refrain from making comments if you see it for sale.

Too bad so many of you seem to think that wholesaling is the only way to sell anything. I agree if your in a great hurry and you need the money right away it makes sense but not all the time. If for example, I was not going to buy a new bike, or need the payments to go away quick, or needed extra money for an emaergancy. Wholesaling makes no sense if you are trying to buy a new bike and you are selling under trade-in value.

Edit:
As for "A couple or a few grandextra won't killYa (more than likely) but it will get you where you belong. "....glad to know you are independently wealthy. There are some that don't just have a "few grand" to throw around at our leisure. Having a disablity sucks and is very very expensive in many ways...having to change bikes is just one example.

 

Depends what year is the bike?

 

I usually do something like this

Google "2006 softail deluxe site:craigslist.org"
then
cycletrader.com and again look at comps

Then I scan through the adds and price accordingly. I always try and sell the high dollar add-ons or easily removed items seperately and ignore things that are hard to remove or cheap.

good luck.

 

Blue, you are in no hurry to sell the bike. I would list it higher than you want for it, to give you room to drop it, to make the buyer feel they are getting a deal. If it gets to a point where you have to sell the bike, at a loss, you can cross that bridge then. Holiday's are coming, adding more stress to the situation at hand, doesn't help ya. And I know that stress can play havoc on the back issues that I have. Relax, it will sell... and if not. You have a great bike, that you love. I, for one, might sell some of the upgrades on the side, if I didn't feel that removing them lessen the value of the bike. Don't let all the experts get under your skin, anymore than they already have. Relax, and join me in popping a couple of meds, LOL.

 

Thanks ssls6 and papa....today I'm making flyers for the bike (like the ones you can pickup out side of houses)...lets folks get a full list of options and such where ever I park it.

Gonna clean it tonight and add pictures for all setups. If they say they don't want something I can take it off no biggy I'm willing to mix and match to suit thier needs..

Original estimates for pricing are still holding for a while....(reasonable offers considered of course)

18,500 with no bags, or other detachables except windshield, and 3800 in options (I keep adding to that list...can't believe how much you forget you put on there)

19,500 with transferable extended warrenty with tire & wheel (5 yrs 5 months left) -- my current cash value return on this is about 1300.

20,500 with touring and passenger setups -- all bags and all detachables.

ALL OPTIONS come with ALL OEMparts (except cut offs -- e.g. grips)
All manintance completed on time with 2500 mile oil changes (docmentation available)and a fairly new front tire (maybe has 2k)

I even made a temp email address for the sale: dlx4sale@yahoo.com

 

it is what the market will bear, I sold my VTX for what I paid for it minus the 250 for the engine guards I put on rode it for 2.5 years 8900 miles not bad for 250 bucks