I bought my 2003 Sportster back in 2008 as my first bike. I am now considering selling due to a baby on the way. Can someone tell me if this bike is rare or if it is just another run of the mill bike? I have never seen another one like it and the guy I bought it from told me it was a limited production due to the #102 of 200 factory flame paint scheme. This thing is decked out with chrome and has no issues with about 8k miles. How much should I expect to get out of it?

 

Not rare. A custom paint set could be bought through any dealer. It could have been installed by the dealer and floored that way with a markup added or it could have been installed after the bike was purchased. For a Sportster they retailed for about $2,200.00. It will probably add about $500.00 in value to your used bike.

I have a limited edition paint set on my Softail that I bought from an HD dealer on Ebay for $1,500.00. I'm guessing I would get maybe an extra 500.00 for the bike over a similar bike with the stock paint.

 

2003's are the least rare of all the years HD made motorcycles.

 

Hmm you think 2003 is the least rare? I would have guessed 2007.

 

Wasn't '03 the 100th anniversary or something? Some bikes had special paint schemes and badges to commemorate the date.
Unless the custom paint is documented as #102 of 200, its just another bike.
Why sell the bike because a baby is on the way? Worst excuse for selling a motorcycle. If anything, this is the time in your life you need a bike the most.

 

OH yeah,, its rare and worth 10k more..... TeHe..

dont drink the cool aid on newer bikes being rare,, Keep her another 50-75 yrs then, maybe she'll be rare, but I know of FEW RARE sporties....and I had a 71 Iron...

 

Your bike will sell between $3000-$3500 in Wisconsin, it's friends are listed for $3500 to $4000 on craigslist. Price held in check by indys on cycletrader. add $500 2004 and newer, add another $500 2006-7 and newer. subtract $500 98 and older. Asking prices start at $5k and work their way down monthly until the listing disappears. $3k is the magic number. if it is a rat bike, a bobber by hacksaw or "ran great 3 years ago so i'm not dropping the price only needs tires battery and the carbs cleaned" magic number goes below 2k.

How I know this - I have been looking for a sidecar tug for a year, tracked pricing on every sportster for 250 miles for that time frame. There are two commodity items in used motorcycles, burned out Kawasaki 250s and Sportster garage queens bone stock except for 8 pieces of chrome. but you'll probably get 10k.

I'm actually waiting now, I think your sportster is about to loose another $1000. The new 750 and 500 are going to be big competitors to used sporties.

 

Only 200 made? Maybe it's rare but is it worth more? I don't think it is. Harley over marketed the whole anniversary thing IMO. Hard to have a rare anniversary edition worth something when they put a new one out every 5 years.

 

Sportster and rare are words not used in the same sentence often much less one made this century ........

 

The guy that sold it, told you it was a limited edition. They always tell people that ****. Maybe run the serial #.