Is this a reasonable offer?
Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 1,815
Likes: 17
From: Pennsylvania
Buying a bike and getting a good deal depend on 2 things. How bad do you want what they are selling and is what you're looking for realistically going to come along at a better price in short order?
If you go shopping for an all original pan you better bring stacks of cash and bend over by the seller when requested. Why? The odds of you finding another one anytime soon is greatly diminished. You want a newer (call it's 90's on, after the boom) bike? If you have the patience you'll pay way under what it's worth. Some sellers will want too much. Ignore them. They can let the bike sit and collect dust or whatever until they "get what it's worth" which is likely never. Between craiglist, ebay, local ads and such you'll find the model you want in solid enough condition at a killer price if you're patient.
As for add-ons, unless it's ones you actually wanted they don't really add any value to a bike. Why? Because now you have to pay $$$ to replace them with the parts you do want. Which are going to be much more expensive than the value of you used add-ons you now have sitting on your garage shelf that you need to unload. If you spend money on crap for your bike, unless you're restoring a classic, it's very VERY unlikely you'll ever get your money back out of it. As a buyer, take advantage of that if possible and find a bike with add-ons you like.
If you go shopping for an all original pan you better bring stacks of cash and bend over by the seller when requested. Why? The odds of you finding another one anytime soon is greatly diminished. You want a newer (call it's 90's on, after the boom) bike? If you have the patience you'll pay way under what it's worth. Some sellers will want too much. Ignore them. They can let the bike sit and collect dust or whatever until they "get what it's worth" which is likely never. Between craiglist, ebay, local ads and such you'll find the model you want in solid enough condition at a killer price if you're patient.
As for add-ons, unless it's ones you actually wanted they don't really add any value to a bike. Why? Because now you have to pay $$$ to replace them with the parts you do want. Which are going to be much more expensive than the value of you used add-ons you now have sitting on your garage shelf that you need to unload. If you spend money on crap for your bike, unless you're restoring a classic, it's very VERY unlikely you'll ever get your money back out of it. As a buyer, take advantage of that if possible and find a bike with add-ons you like.
Road Captain
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 597
Likes: 0
From: Louisiana
One thing that has not been mentioned is that low mileage isn't always a good thing. I know it sounds crazy but I've had some experience with low milage bikes and a truck. I've found that the longer a bike has set up and not been given a small amount of use over the years, the more stuff that needs to b replaced. Example...I bought an 04 wide glide with almost 4000 miles on it, last June. Bike was 6 years old when I got a very good deal on it, but because it had sat so long, there was rust in the tank, which was not repairable. Just one example of low miles not being a good thing. Good luck!
Ok, I've had it. I been reading about this like, forever now.
If I were to sell my bike I'm selling it with the intention of getting some bucks back for the upgrades. Not all of it, but some.
I don't know what some buyers are thinking. Because the economy is not great they think they want to buy an advertised scoot and pay noting for it.
The dealer rapes you with the prices for the parts and the buyer wants to take another go at it.
If you don't want to pay for the extras then find one that doesn't have any.
That sounds simple to me.
You guys selling your scoots stick to your guns. Don't listen to this crap. Sell the bike at a fair price and tell whoever doesn't like it to take a hike.
If I were to sell my bike I'm selling it with the intention of getting some bucks back for the upgrades. Not all of it, but some.
I don't know what some buyers are thinking. Because the economy is not great they think they want to buy an advertised scoot and pay noting for it.
The dealer rapes you with the prices for the parts and the buyer wants to take another go at it.
If you don't want to pay for the extras then find one that doesn't have any.
That sounds simple to me.
You guys selling your scoots stick to your guns. Don't listen to this crap. Sell the bike at a fair price and tell whoever doesn't like it to take a hike.
1. Get top dollar.
Or
2. Have it listed for a very long time.
My money is on 2
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 5,716
Likes: 103
From:
Start at just over trade and work up to your average of the two. If they say no, move along (way too many good deals out there). I have used this method since the economy went to **** and it holds up pretty well on bikes that ACTUALLY SELL.
Also don't forget add-ons mean NOTHING.
The bike below had $4000 in add-ons when I bought it, didn't pay a dime for em. And I bought it from a dealer.
Also don't forget add-ons mean NOTHING.
The bike below had $4000 in add-ons when I bought it, didn't pay a dime for em. And I bought it from a dealer.
Last edited by Harley_Dude; Jun 23, 2011 at 11:36 AM.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 4,990
Likes: 9
From: Marina del Rey
OP--You're on the right track. Due diligence will teach you how much the bikes are really worth, probably 1/2-way between low & high book for a clean, low-mileage cream-puff w/ no issues. High book is a joke; it's what a dealer might start out asking in his showroom, and doesn't apply to private sales. Try to buy from the original owner.
Road Captain
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 517
Likes: 0
From: Northern Virginia
i bought and sold a harley cheap...when buying I waited and found the one in 1,000 that was priced correctly - the other bikes I ignored, figured the owners just wanted to keep them
harley owners are largely in a dream world when it comes to pricing their bikes to sell them. I'd suggest start by averaging private party from as many sources as you can AND take a look at prices for similar bikes in your area ... bet the prices for bikes in your area (and everywhere else) are RIDICULOUSLY higher than what the books say you should ask for private party.... and I bet most of those bikes don't sell. You can always make an offer - but even when I sold my 09 street bob w/ 5k miles on it last fall for about $9k I was getting offers in the 6500-7000 range (so don't go crazy low either, reasonable pricing on both sides = sold bike and happy new owner)... and my price of $9500 was about $1500-3000 under the comp's in my area
in short...most harleys are way overpriced, the days of a used bike holding value (or in some owners minds increasing in value) are long gone. If the sellers starting price isn't at least close to a realistic price (say within $1000-1200 of where it should be) I wouldn't even bother contacting them - they clearly want to keep their bike and maybe hand it down to their kids in a few decades
OTH a nice roadking just sold for less than $10k on ebay - I had stopped checking the bidding figuring it was the usual "low starting bid but crazy-high reserve" ... not so... dammit! IMO dealers (non harley dealers that is) are your best bet as they aren't emotional about the bike, they just want it off their lot
harley owners are largely in a dream world when it comes to pricing their bikes to sell them. I'd suggest start by averaging private party from as many sources as you can AND take a look at prices for similar bikes in your area ... bet the prices for bikes in your area (and everywhere else) are RIDICULOUSLY higher than what the books say you should ask for private party.... and I bet most of those bikes don't sell. You can always make an offer - but even when I sold my 09 street bob w/ 5k miles on it last fall for about $9k I was getting offers in the 6500-7000 range (so don't go crazy low either, reasonable pricing on both sides = sold bike and happy new owner)... and my price of $9500 was about $1500-3000 under the comp's in my area
in short...most harleys are way overpriced, the days of a used bike holding value (or in some owners minds increasing in value) are long gone. If the sellers starting price isn't at least close to a realistic price (say within $1000-1200 of where it should be) I wouldn't even bother contacting them - they clearly want to keep their bike and maybe hand it down to their kids in a few decades
OTH a nice roadking just sold for less than $10k on ebay - I had stopped checking the bidding figuring it was the usual "low starting bid but crazy-high reserve" ... not so... dammit! IMO dealers (non harley dealers that is) are your best bet as they aren't emotional about the bike, they just want it off their lot
Last edited by Blargh; Jun 23, 2011 at 12:17 PM.
Cruiser
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 173
Likes: 0
From: NW Arkansas
The other thing that drives me crazy by a seller is they ask their payoff for a bike without even thinking of the real book value. Then when you tell them the book they are like well that is not what I owe! Here is the deal, it doesn't matter what you owe it is all about the value. If you are upside down on a bike because you borrowed everything including add-ons, sales tax, dealer fees, etc that is too bad. Remember 90%of the people buying bikes are really buying a toy as a want not a need. You would be foolish to overpay for a want. I have tracked bikes for sale for over a year because they are overpriced. Unfortunately for those that buy new, Harleys simply don't hold their value like they used to. We all need to know that going in. The economy is to crazy and there is a lot of good competition that has caught up with Harley. Plus other segments of motorcyle riding like adventure riding are growing at a much faster pace than crusers/baggers so many riders new and old are heading that direction.
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I am Jerry
General Harley Davidson Chat
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