Wanting to trade my Ultra for a soft ail-- very slow time for deals
#11
10-08-2012, 07:05 PM
Road Warrior
In my own case, if you were offering your bike for $6.5K, and if I was in the market for a used Harley bagger (which I was a few years ago), I'd jump on it. My thought would be: I can put 3 or 4 grand into this, and make it like new, and 'mine'.
Looking to get $10K for it, even with receipts for $4k in engine upgrades, I don't know why exactly, but I don't have the same sense of 'what a great deal'. Even though I might spend that much on upgrades, myself (though--and this might be the key--probably not exactly the SAME upgrades...)
As for your original question: 'Is it like this everywhere?' I have a friend who has an insurance business. They do 'specialty' insurance (niche market). She told me that 2012 is the strangest year she's seen in the 9 years she's been in business. It's busy when it shouldn't be...it's dead during the traditionally busy times.
We talked about it, trying to make sense. It's an election year...typically not a good year for business (I'm told). We've got the deal with Iran, which has everyone on edge. Common people are shell-shocked from the bottom dropping out of their homes, leaving them with far less equity, often-times 'upside down'. We can't get a break...but the government has no issue with 'bailing out' the big banks. Wall Street is still essentially unregulated, so the debacle of 2008 remains in the wings for a repeat performance. The congress has gone off the tracks...a large number of powerful congress people seemingly having taken the side of the "1%", bound and determined to maintain and even accelerate the pace at which the middle class is being eliminated...We're on the brink of a very severe budget action in the new year, i.e., sequestration. No one knows exactly what that will mean if it comes to pass. But all agree, it won't be good...There's a ton of other crap.
I don't know how much of this will come to fruition, and how much is just the 'cost of doing business' in the modern world, i.e., is or will soon be 'par for the course'. But in any case, there's plenty of things to make people uneasy about the future. And when we're uneasy about the future, the first thing you're looking to do isn't to spend your available cash.
The simple answer is: Yeah, things are a little weird right now. We get a little good news...and begin to hope. Then get kicked in the teeth again the next day, by this, or that.
All guessing about 'why' aside, if I were you I'd wait for the election to pass before I'd get serious about selling any 'big ticket' item. Things might be better then. They could get worse, too, I suppose. But I'm betting they won't.
Alan
Looking to get $10K for it, even with receipts for $4k in engine upgrades, I don't know why exactly, but I don't have the same sense of 'what a great deal'. Even though I might spend that much on upgrades, myself (though--and this might be the key--probably not exactly the SAME upgrades...)
As for your original question: 'Is it like this everywhere?' I have a friend who has an insurance business. They do 'specialty' insurance (niche market). She told me that 2012 is the strangest year she's seen in the 9 years she's been in business. It's busy when it shouldn't be...it's dead during the traditionally busy times.
We talked about it, trying to make sense. It's an election year...typically not a good year for business (I'm told). We've got the deal with Iran, which has everyone on edge. Common people are shell-shocked from the bottom dropping out of their homes, leaving them with far less equity, often-times 'upside down'. We can't get a break...but the government has no issue with 'bailing out' the big banks. Wall Street is still essentially unregulated, so the debacle of 2008 remains in the wings for a repeat performance. The congress has gone off the tracks...a large number of powerful congress people seemingly having taken the side of the "1%", bound and determined to maintain and even accelerate the pace at which the middle class is being eliminated...We're on the brink of a very severe budget action in the new year, i.e., sequestration. No one knows exactly what that will mean if it comes to pass. But all agree, it won't be good...There's a ton of other crap.
I don't know how much of this will come to fruition, and how much is just the 'cost of doing business' in the modern world, i.e., is or will soon be 'par for the course'. But in any case, there's plenty of things to make people uneasy about the future. And when we're uneasy about the future, the first thing you're looking to do isn't to spend your available cash.
The simple answer is: Yeah, things are a little weird right now. We get a little good news...and begin to hope. Then get kicked in the teeth again the next day, by this, or that.
All guessing about 'why' aside, if I were you I'd wait for the election to pass before I'd get serious about selling any 'big ticket' item. Things might be better then. They could get worse, too, I suppose. But I'm betting they won't.
Alan
Last edited by AlanStansbery; 10-08-2012 at 07:27 PM.
#12
10-08-2012, 10:05 PM
OK, so no way in hell a 12 (going on 13) year old bike sells for 10 grand unless its a sick looking custom that people want (economy is still really bad). No offense, but your bagger is customized to your tastes and all of you additions add nothing to resale. I will admit that you should be able to trade your bike for a softail but finding a willing trade partner is very hard. If you want the most for your situation, wait until the spring and list your bike for $8K. At that point, you should have plenty of interest and hopefully find a buyer to fund your next bike. Good luck.
#13
10-08-2012, 11:35 PM
what year did the deluxe come out?
05 ???? i dont think someone with an 05 or newer deluxe would want to swap for an 00 bike especialy of that style, if it was a SG or RK, someone would be all over it by now!!
nothing against your bike, but as a softail guy i would think ,RK ,SG or even a RG would be the next step, for me anyway!
good luck, luxe would be great!!
05 ???? i dont think someone with an 05 or newer deluxe would want to swap for an 00 bike especialy of that style, if it was a SG or RK, someone would be all over it by now!!
nothing against your bike, but as a softail guy i would think ,RK ,SG or even a RG would be the next step, for me anyway!
good luck, luxe would be great!!
#20
10-12-2012, 06:48 AM
It wasn't an even trade, but to go from a 2000 model with 40,000 to a 2011 with 1700 miles was a lot cheaper than I expected. Especially when you figure I was going to have to spend $1600 to replace the Magnelli Marella EFI. It's not a Heritage, but it is still "the same wind in your face"