Being ripped off in a trade is pretty much on you letting them take advantage. There's nothing that is chiseled in stone that says you have to accept the offer. If you accept, it is you "paying for the convenience" of getting out from under it. The dealer is in business to make money.
if you don't like the deal, move on. Either try to sell it privately, or try to find a better deal elsewhere.

 

did you trade up? if so what was the final offer?

 

If I ever have to or decide to or go for a "trike" I would go with this and keep my current ride.
It looks like a blast.

 

...or maybe they SE SD salesman could sense you were a tire kicker and low balled you to get rid of you, since the 17's were not impressive to you

 

Sounds to me like the dealer just did not want to deal (so to speak) with the bike you wanted to trade in, unless you were willing to take $8,000 .....
Different profession, but I have a friend who is building contractor. He essentially never turns down a job and always gives a quote ... however, he may quote $10,000 for a job that a starving handyman may do for $1,500. He just doesn't want to fool with some things, unless the person is nuts enough to pay a ridiculous price. Same principle.

 

Harley dealers are Harley dealers. They do not want to work on or take trades on bikes they do not sell. It is time to wake up. There are 10 bikes for sale now for every buyer. Dealers also don't want old or high mileage bikes. I don't blame them. I wouldn't want to sell used bike knowing that the buyer might be back later acting like he bought a new bike (which many do). If they take something older in, it will go to auction, where after fees they get half the book value. There's nothing in it for them but headaches. If you want to sell the bike yourself do it. If not why should they want to. Don't be dopy and think bikes are Vincents. There are only a couple out there and you don't have one. Bikes are a hobby not an investment. 40 year old Mustang's ain't worth ****. Neither are MOPAR hemi's (their about 1/3 of what they were 5 years ago). The bottom dropped out of the bike and hot rod market. I just sold a $75 thousand (to build) blown custom '38 Chevy show car to a guy in Germany for $25 thousand because I couldn't unload it here.

 

Hard to believe they dident want to pay you for a custom built trike. Trikes are so popular

 

Some dealers aren't interested in bikes or trikes with a lot of aftermarket kits. It takes a special buyer who might be interested in such. Not your average buyer.
Better to sell something like that on Cycle Trader.

 

And it will get worst with all the Boomers riders who will sell all those bikes in 5 to 7 years from now. The value of used bikes will dramatically go down.

 

I work at a GM dealer (in parts)
It's the same here. They don't give squat for a trade-in

We recently purchased a used Enclave. They wanted our
07 Saturn Vue as a trade (very pushy)
but wouldn't give us even low book for it. It's cherry 135K miles
Needless to say we still have it (Now my everyday driver)

This is why I would NEVER buy a brand new Harley.
They plummet in value so fast now. Remember the good ol'
(Evo) days when you could actually sell em for at least
as much as you paid?

But yeah, let somebody else take the hit.
Too many NICE 2-3 yr old bikes w/no miles for 1/2 the
price of new.

Let somebody else be the M8 guinea pig.