Trade-In or Sell ????
Road Warrior
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 1,783
Likes: 10
From: Oh
Rule of thumb........everything you did to your bike is worth half of what you paid for it, selling it outright. Trade in.....most dealers doesn't give a squat what you did and will only give you a price out of the book.
Road Warrior
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,277
Likes: 4
From: Austin, TX - Some call it heaven.
No one has mentioned eBay. Even if you don't sell your bike there, it's a good indication of what your bike is really worth on the open market. Check out the auctions for bikes like yours. See how much they bring. Now get a quote from three different dealers and see if it's worth it to you to trade or try to sell it yourself.
I'd probably have to net at least $1500 before I'd go through the trouble of trying to sell it myself, your threshold may be higher or lower.
I'd probably have to net at least $1500 before I'd go through the trouble of trying to sell it myself, your threshold may be higher or lower.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 20,616
Likes: 4,440
From: anacoco, la
You are missing something. It is about the difference between the trade and the new bike you owe taxes on. SO if there is a difference of 2000 between the two at 10% like you suggest then he would only owe 200.00. If he sold it outright and the new bike was 20,000 he would owe tax on the whole amount - at 10% it would be 2000.00. So he would need to net 1800.00 over his trade in amount to equal out.
i found the same thing here, it was a whole lot easier to trade my 07 in instead of trying to sell it outright. how many people do you know who would pay over 14,000 for an 07 with 40,000 miles on it when msrp new was 16,900? i wouldn't.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 5,072
Likes: 104
From: Prescott, AZ
yeah, it was early morning during a long shift when i first read this..... i was thinking that the payoff amount would come off first, then applied to the trade. not vice versa.....
i found the same thing here, it was a whole lot easier to trade my 07 in instead of trying to sell it outright. how many people do you know who would pay over 14,000 for an 07 with 40,000 miles on it when msrp new was 16,900? i wouldn't.
i found the same thing here, it was a whole lot easier to trade my 07 in instead of trying to sell it outright. how many people do you know who would pay over 14,000 for an 07 with 40,000 miles on it when msrp new was 16,900? i wouldn't.
of course car lots are different - However, that is why the car dealers WANT you to test drive a new car - the smell and feel of a new car...
If they can get you into a test drive - battle is almost over... You may have driven in feeling, my car is just fine - but when you get behind the wheel of the new car - all of a sudden your old car is a POS in your mind and now you have to have that new car.
Same sort of thing with a new HD - we go into the dealer - new models are on the floor - new colors - we sit on the bike and imagine how cool it would be to have a NEW bike.. and off we go..
I am one of the lucky ones - I have always been able to pay cash for a bike and in 2000 and 2004 I was able to sell my bikes outright - trade value was just not workable.
My current bike (EG) has been in my garage the longest - 6 years and 50K - and I am happy, well sort of - I would like ABS but not enough to get a new bike.
Life is short - do what ever you can afford and enjoy everyday - if that is getting a new bike every year or so - who cares if you loose money or not -
Now here in CA with a new law on the Gov's desk - I predict that HD sales up to Dec 31, 2011 will increase and I just may be one.
Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,352
Likes: 7
From: Keene, CA
Shop around - I talked seriously with three dealers. Two were pretty much equal, the third was almost $2,000 higher on the trade and about $1,000 less on the new one!
Selling a $10-15K used motorcycle in today's economy is tough. My dealer has taken two trades from us in than a year, and was less than $500 under what I figured I could sell them for as a private party. To me, that's a no-brainer....I prefer to get a deal I can live with, with no gamble.
If the dealer is not moving on the new bike AND is low book on the trade - why give them your business? You can get that lousy deal ANYWHERE!
Selling a $10-15K used motorcycle in today's economy is tough. My dealer has taken two trades from us in than a year, and was less than $500 under what I figured I could sell them for as a private party. To me, that's a no-brainer....I prefer to get a deal I can live with, with no gamble.
If the dealer is not moving on the new bike AND is low book on the trade - why give them your business? You can get that lousy deal ANYWHERE!
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 2,826
Likes: 1
From: Lynchburg, Va
I tried for months to sell my wife's fatboy. Dropped the price three times, no takers. I finally found a dealer in NC, HD of Charlotte in Matthews NC, that was willing to work with me. I ended up getting the same price in trade I was asking for the bike. My local dealership here in Lynchburg was unable to step up to the plate. But I spent several days calling every dealer in a 200+ mile radius until I found the bike I wanted at the price I wanted. I traded the FB for an 06 SG and couldn't be happier. So normally I would say sell privately, but in this economy you will be lucky to get close to what you want. And it is very frustrating to weed through the tire kickers and low ballers.
Shakey
Shakey
Tourer
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 272
Likes: 0
From: Atlanta, GA
The dealer's going to aggravate the **** out of you just like a car dealer. If you've got the time sell it yourself, if not, grab the Vaseline, head to the dealer, apply liberally when entering and take it like a gay guy.
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Tourer
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 497
Likes: 1
From: Wa. state
I sold last three bikes private sale. Non HDs. I got what I wanted for them. That is how I built up to get the 10' Ultra ltd. Two bikes took six mos to sell and one sold in two weeks.The one that took two weeks was a DL 1000 (vstrom) It had extras and needed tires so I priced tires and listed it on CL. In the ad I stated, " if you meet my asking price, I will have any tires of your choice installed." of course the tires he wanted were the most expensive. lol... I would have made money just on the tires if he picked any other brand, ,but as it was I did break even on his tire choice.
If you list on craigs list, you soon learn the customer base and the quirks, First question I ask is have you owned any bikes, and what were they? next is ,do you have riding experience? Bottom line ,NO experience, NO rides.
The people, all three came with cash,my wife held the cash while we went for the test ride, I rode along on another bike.
You will know if you are dealing with solid people, question them. Craigs list could also be known as flakes list.
My experience 4-5 flakes to 1 seriously interested buyer. Other tips I learned
never list ph number
use the email contact only at first ,if they ask any stupid or wierd questions ,DELETE immediately.
some people will meet in a public place to show the bike. I didn't
but check them out thouroughly before giving address.
...be prepared .
and I always had a third person I knew(family or friend )there , just hovering around to observe and listen.
If you list on craigs list, you soon learn the customer base and the quirks, First question I ask is have you owned any bikes, and what were they? next is ,do you have riding experience? Bottom line ,NO experience, NO rides.
The people, all three came with cash,my wife held the cash while we went for the test ride, I rode along on another bike.
You will know if you are dealing with solid people, question them. Craigs list could also be known as flakes list.
My experience 4-5 flakes to 1 seriously interested buyer. Other tips I learned
never list ph number
use the email contact only at first ,if they ask any stupid or wierd questions ,DELETE immediately.
some people will meet in a public place to show the bike. I didn't
but check them out thouroughly before giving address.
...be prepared .
and I always had a third person I knew(family or friend )there , just hovering around to observe and listen.
Last edited by ZZZCICI; Sep 7, 2010 at 02:50 PM.