Resale Values
Tourer
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 455
Likes: 0
From: front door of Glacier NP
Your bike is only worth what the other guy will give you. Kelly Blue Book is for dreamers. NADA is what the real world uses. Ask your bank. Nobody care that your bike has wxyz miles on it. You should have ridden it more. Nobody cares about all the chinese made baubles, bangles and beads that you hung on it. Chrome won't get you home. It is nothing more than a depreciating asset/toy. Simple as that. Keep it. Ride the crap out of it. And smile. You are in competition with your local dealer. They have factory new bikes with warranties that they can't sell.
Road Warrior
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,788
Likes: 5
From: Tennessee
A motorcycle is not an investment and the value drops as you ride off the showroom floor.
extras are a taste thing and it may cost a new owner to get rid of the things the first owner liked ( that mural of the viking fighting the wolf under the full moon and the Indian with a single tear..)
The new frame has buried the older bikes, and now everyone can get a 103.
and a California compliant bike may have power robbing smog gear that the rest of us do not want to deal with
used bikes may be more difficult for a buyer to get financing, or may be at a higher rate than a new bike financed thru H-D
Last year I bought my 09 FLHTC with 5000 miles for 15K cash- that was a deal- just a few hundred dollars above the KBB trade in value ( retail was 19K, owner paid 21.5K new).
Sell it yourself, check the local craigslist and follow similar bikes to see if they sell or if they sit there for months unsold--- you can track a seller lowering his price until it meets what the market wants. ( that's how I bought my last 3 bikes- I just tracked them as the price dropped- in each case saving over 3000 from the original asking price.
The classifieds here are good.
I don't think a carfax means anything as long as the title is A box, complete and in your name
Test ride- ONLY with the full cash value in your hand--- it doesn't matter if they leave their car at your house ( what if it's stolen). Or if they crash it- well they bought it...
I have on a couple of sales offered a 48 hour return for full price subject to a hundred mile limitation and no damage- nobody has ever returned a bike to me.
I never ask for a test ride, until after i have checked compression and gone over the bike with the owner- i look for tool marks, touch ups and ask the owner questions about the performance ( if he says it does burn outs, I pass) and if it has ordinary car oil, low test gas, wires twisted together or a car tire...I'm outta there
So that's the perspective of a buyer.
Good luck with your sale,
Mike
I know it is harsh, but you have to be realistic
extras are a taste thing and it may cost a new owner to get rid of the things the first owner liked ( that mural of the viking fighting the wolf under the full moon and the Indian with a single tear..)
The new frame has buried the older bikes, and now everyone can get a 103.
and a California compliant bike may have power robbing smog gear that the rest of us do not want to deal with
used bikes may be more difficult for a buyer to get financing, or may be at a higher rate than a new bike financed thru H-D
Last year I bought my 09 FLHTC with 5000 miles for 15K cash- that was a deal- just a few hundred dollars above the KBB trade in value ( retail was 19K, owner paid 21.5K new).
Sell it yourself, check the local craigslist and follow similar bikes to see if they sell or if they sit there for months unsold--- you can track a seller lowering his price until it meets what the market wants. ( that's how I bought my last 3 bikes- I just tracked them as the price dropped- in each case saving over 3000 from the original asking price.
The classifieds here are good.
I don't think a carfax means anything as long as the title is A box, complete and in your name
Test ride- ONLY with the full cash value in your hand--- it doesn't matter if they leave their car at your house ( what if it's stolen). Or if they crash it- well they bought it...
I have on a couple of sales offered a 48 hour return for full price subject to a hundred mile limitation and no damage- nobody has ever returned a bike to me.
I never ask for a test ride, until after i have checked compression and gone over the bike with the owner- i look for tool marks, touch ups and ask the owner questions about the performance ( if he says it does burn outs, I pass) and if it has ordinary car oil, low test gas, wires twisted together or a car tire...I'm outta there
So that's the perspective of a buyer.
Good luck with your sale,
Mike
I know it is harsh, but you have to be realistic
Road Warrior
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,282
Likes: 115
From: British Columbia
Alot of the problem with the low value of the pre 09 bikes is the dealer over hyping/promoting the new frames. I have a true track on my 08 and it handles just fine, not a huge difference IMHO. The older bikes are definitly a bargain for the buyer these days!
Road Warrior
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,788
Likes: 5
From: Tennessee
Not all pre 09 bikes are low value. Get in an area where the 09 up bikes have had a bunch of problems and the 06 downs jump in value. I was offered $21500 for my 06 this summer. I seriously considered yankin his arm off and finding another one and starting over. Then I realized I couldn't do it for that price. My bike turns heads, draws attention at rallys, and wins trophies in shows. Keepin up with the Jones' isn't that important to me. Point is if the OP doesnt have to have the money right now, be patient. There ARE people that recognize the value in a pre 07 bike.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 3,780
Likes: 69
From: Al Bu Ker Key, New Mexico
Dont know all the circumstances but only 2600 miles for a 5 year old bike? Sounds to me like one of those thousands of garage queens bought during the height of the Harley sales in 2006/2007 (Harley's best years of the decade!). If I had a dollar for every Harley bought new to show off around the neighborhood and at the local Starbucks I could take a nice vacation. Better take that Dealer's offer and think twice before you make your next toy purchase. By the way, boats are no better!
Road Captain
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 654
Likes: 11
Do you remember when......
Finally realization has come to the HD market.
A few years ago, so many writers on this forum thought that because a motorcycle was a Harley; it retained it's valve. NO MORE.....
To see what the Stealerships offer....How can they make such an ridiculous offer when they are trying to convince others to pay exorbitant prices for what arre now "stripped" down versions of the same...
Reality hurts but if you want to sell it; YOU know what you have to do....
Ride In Peace
Finally realization has come to the HD market.
A few years ago, so many writers on this forum thought that because a motorcycle was a Harley; it retained it's valve. NO MORE.....
To see what the Stealerships offer....How can they make such an ridiculous offer when they are trying to convince others to pay exorbitant prices for what arre now "stripped" down versions of the same...
Reality hurts but if you want to sell it; YOU know what you have to do....
Ride In Peace
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 6,716
Likes: 13
http://www.badmc.com/index.html
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 28,842
Likes: 16,580
From: Wisconsin, USA
First of all, your arithmetic is off. After consignment fee, you would get $13,855. If I was you I would try to sell on Craigslist or HDForum for 15k. When I was shopping last year I only looked at dealers, but I would buy from a private party with the low miles and warranty you have.
Personally the 07 engine had a bad rep for 5th gear whine and hot engine. I have no idea if that is true, but I avoided them when looking. Good luck.
Personally the 07 engine had a bad rep for 5th gear whine and hot engine. I have no idea if that is true, but I avoided them when looking. Good luck.