As long as Motorcycle's have been around, there has been some sort of Motorcycle- Classifieds to help people buy and sell. It's important to use the following tips when either selling or buying a motorcycle.
Motorcycle-Classifieds: Take The Stress Out Of Selling Your Motorcycle! Steps you can take to make selling your bike easierThe time has come. It is time to sell your motorcycle. Perhaps you are buying a new one.
Perhaps you have already purchased a different bike, or maybe you have restored a classic bike you intend to ride. At any rate, this bike needs to go! Selling a motorcycle is a big step.
There is a certain amount of emotion or sentiment attached to the machine. You have spent hours cleaning, polishing and caring for it. You have had great times riding it. Strong fond memories were built while astride the saddle of the bike.
You want to make sure that you make the best deal possible.
There are several things that you should do before you run an ad to sell your bike. By taking these steps that follow, you can make the entire process go much more smoothly which will give you a much better and desired, result. The following are some pointers to help you prepare for and conduct the sale of your motorcycle. These tips are the same whether you decide to sell to a private individual or through classified ads in print or on a website.
1. Clean and polish your bike. This one is almost too obvious to mention. You want to make the bike look as good as possible. A clean and polished motorcycle will be more desirable to the buyer and bring you more money than one that is dirty or not polished. Your prospective buyer will be much more interested in a bike that looks like it has received tender loving care.
2. Make cosmetic repairs. This goes along with tip number one, above. A buyer will pay more for a bike that has been well cared for. Attending to the little cosmetic details will show that you have taken exceptional care of your bike. If a panel or cover has been scratched, a tail light lens cracked, or a fender dented, get it repaired. The cost of the repair will very likely be less than the deduction in price you will have to take because of the cosmetic damage.
3. Make sure it is tuned up, and will start easily. One of the fastest things to kill a sale is to show your bike to a prospective buyer only to discover that it will not start. The problem may be as simple as a dead battery or a corroded battery connection. It will make little difference. Your sale will likely be as dead as the battery. Or, if the prospect is still interested he or she will be motivated to try and negotiate a lower price.
4. Receipts for repairs, overhauls and similar work. Keep your repair receipts and service records. Perhaps you have had the valves ground or a major overhaul of the engine. Perhaps you had over sized pistons and a high performance cam installed. You will want to be able to show the prospective buyer when the work was done and the cost of the repair or modification. These may have a material bearing on the price the buyer will be willing to pay. Service records will provide proof that you have had the oil changed and routine maintenance performed regularly. This will be valuable information to a prospective buyer.
5. Old accessories cleaned and ready to go if buyer wants original equipment. If you have put after market accessories on the bike, such as a custom tank or custom saddle or extended front forks, keep the original parts. Your buyer may want to return the bike to stock condition. Clean up the old accessories and have them ready to go with the bike. Having them and having them cleaned and ready to re-install will add additional value to your motorcycle.
6. Accurately represent condition. Nearly every used motorcycle will have some performance quirk. Perhaps the bike is "cold-blooded" meaning that it must run a little before the bike is ready to run without the choke. Perhaps the carburetor leaks slightly and the carburetor will flood if the fuel is not shut off when the bike is parked for an extended length of time. Even though the bike will be sold in an "as is condition" let the prospective buyer know about performance problems or serious mechanical defects. Honesty will be appreciated and will help you avoid possible problems after the sale.
7. Keep registration current. In some jurisdictions it may help facilitate the sale if the registration is kept current. This is usually not a problem when the sale is made between two unrelated individuals in an arms-length transaction. It is just one more potential glitch in the sale that is easy to avoid.
8. Know values, set the right price and be prepared to negotiate. It only makes sense to know the true value of your bike. This ensures that you do not try to ask too much or accept too little. It also ensures that you do not waste either your time or the prospective buyer's time. Look up the value of your motorcycle. You can go online to several different websites for vehicle values. The National Auto Dealers Association (N.A.D.A.) is one of the best. These sites will give you the average wholesale and retail values of motorcycles of the same model, year, mileage and condition as yours.
As a private seller you can expect to receive more than the average wholesale or trade in value and perhaps a little less than the average retail value. Set your asking price at the high end of the range. Prospective buyers expect to be able to bargain for the best deal. This way you can cut the price a little, satisfy the buyer and still get the price you were expecting.
9. Make your advertising pay off. Make your ads in either print publications or on websites stand out from the crowd. Include pictures. Often online classifieds and auction sites will allow you to post several photos. Take several pictures of your motorcycle in the best lighting conditions and with a neutral, non-distracting background. Post the best photos with your ad. Give a complete description of your bike in the ad.
Highlight special features such as the make, model and year in bold type to attract attention. Offer to provide the prospective buyer the VIN upon request. This will allow the prospect to trace the history of the bike. It will also be necessary if the prospect needs to apply for a loan to purchase the bike.
10. Have title ready to transfer. If a prospective buyer shows up with the money, you want to be able to transfer the title. If a lien holder is holding the title, make arrangements to pay off the loan and transfer the title. The last thing a buyer wants to hear is that you've lost the title and will have to apply for a new one before it can be transferred.
11. Test drives. The prospective buyer will probably ask for a test drive. Use your best judgment here. To be honest, if you went into a motorcycle dealership to buy a new bike, you probably would not be given the opportunity to test drive it before purchase. The risk of loss is too great. If a dealer is not ready to accept this risk, why should you? If you do elect to permit a test drive, arrange to meet the prospective buyer in a shopping mall or other facility with a large public parking lot. Pick a location where people are present.
Allow the individual to ride the motorcycle only in the lot and only if he or she allows you to hold a driver's license or some other form of identification. Even this is not fool-proof in this age of identity theft. Such problems are less of a concern with lower value bikes. They can be a real concern with high value or limited edition motorcycles.
There is often a certain amount of anxiety involved with both buying and selling a vehicle, such as a motorcycle. These tips can help make the process easier. Follow them to help take the stress out of selling your motorcycle.
Motorcycle-Classfieds-Purchasing a Used MotorcyclesBuying a Used Motorcycle Can Be a Good Choice
Reasons For Buying A Used Motorcycle:
Have you checked out the price of a new bike lately? It wasn't that long ago when you didn't have to fork out that much dough for a new car. In fact, many bikers will remember when you didn't have to pay much more than that for a modest house. The prices for houses and cars have shot up over the years. And, so has the prices of motorcycles. The point is, the price of a new bike can take a good-sized bite out of any budget. Buying a used motorcycle is one way to lessen the dent a motorcycle will make in your wallet.
There are a number of benefits to buying a used motorcycle. The first is, of course, that you can save a lot of money. As a general rule, motorcycles lose a higher percent of their value when they roll out of the showroom than do automobiles. The possible exception to this is Harley-Davidson.
Harleys always seem to retain a high resale value. The second reason is that many motorcycles are not ridden many miles each year, especially in colder climates. So, it is easier to find a good, low mileage bike. Makes such as Moto Guzzi are especially durable and a low mileage model will have many trouble-free miles left in it. A third reason is that if there are any quirks to be worked out of a new model or a particular machine, these will likely have been done by the time the second owner gets the bike.
There are a number of sources available when buying a used motorcycle. You can buy a bike from the current owner. The classifieds online and in the newspapers are filled with ads for used bikes. You can also check with a dealership for trade-ins. Bikes at dealerships will often come with a warranty.
Tips On Buying A Used Motorcycle
So, how do you make sure you get a good deal? Here are a few tips on buying a used motorcycle.
* First, check out a used motorcycle price guide. There are several good ones. A good one is the National Auto Dealers Association (N.A.D.A.) price guide. The prices in this monthly guide reflect the average price of motorcycles of similar make, model and condition across the nation. The price guide is issued monthly.
* Spend a little time reading the reviews of various makes and models. Many of these reviews are posted on the web and they can give you some subjective information on what these particular riders think about the bike.
* Check the condition of the motorcycle over closely. What is the condition of the drive belt, chain or drive shaft? Are the tires worn or weather checked? Has the bike ever been wrecked? Does it leak oil? Is the muffler or mufflers free of rust? Is the wiring in good shape? Does it start easily and run smoothly?
* If the deal likes like a go at this point, ask to take the bike for a test drive. While you are at it, if possible, take it to your mechanic and get a second opinion.
* If your mechanic gives you the OK, get your wallet out and enjoy the ride.
Most makes of motorcycles these days are well engineered and high quality machines. Don't make the process of buying a bike a bigger deal than it needs to be. Used motorcycles are generally an excellent value, especially when compared to the price of new bikes. Besides, this is one time when it is fun to shop. So, have some fun buying a used motorcycle. For more information regarding this article see "The Motor Bookstore"
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