Wading into BaT waters

[Scout63]

I’ve started the process of listing two bikes on Bring a Trailer, which I’ve never done before.  Ebay has been a good resource, but is sort of one or two steps up from Craigslist, and is pretty expensive.  After acceptance on BaT you have to pay a $99 fee, then they spend a few weeks getting back to you and developing the listings.  I’m through the payment phase for my 1980 v50ii and 1961 Matchless 500:






I spent tonight relocating and wiring the front turn signals on the MG to a new correct oem bracket.  I thought I was going to keep this bike longer, but I saw a video of me riding it and I looked like a bear on a tricycle.  The bike should be ridden by someone half my size. I taught my daughter to ride on it but she does not want to ride on the road, which relieves me a little.

I’m rolling the dice and listing both no reserve, so it could be a disaster - hopefully not. Funds will go to my G5 and BMW R100S projects.  I’m into the bikes for about 3k for the v50 and 9k for the Matchless not counting my labor, which is not insignificant.  If I break even I’ll be pretty happy as it will open up some garage space and replenish the bike account.

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

I'll be interested to see how it goes for you. If it goes well, I may sell a bike on there myself, in the future.

[Scout63]

I’ll keep everyone posted Charlie.  I’m a little slow to change with the times, but it seems as if Craigslist and eBay are old news. I seem to buy project bikes solely locally through word of mouth.  I probably wouldn’t sell a custom build on BaT.  I’m interested to see what happens.  I read through all the rules and it appears to be trying very hard to maintain strict integrity in the process.

[cliffrod]

Wow,, that Matchless is a gorgeous bike.  I was looking at another G80 on Craigslist about an hour ago. 

Good luck with the sale and process.  For all the BaT auctions posted here, it will be good to have legit btdt knowledge of the process.

[oldbike54]

 Ebay has changed their process recently , no more pay pal , upped their fees . BaT will step into some of the void , and am guessing another online site will come along before long .

 Dusty

[cliffrod]

I understand total eBay fees are now up to approx 38% of sale price.  Is that true?  I've never sold on eBay

[Kiwi_Roy]

Wow,, that Matchless is a gorgeous bike.  I was looking at another G80 on Craigslist about an hour ago. 

Good luck with the sale and process.  For all the BaT auctions posted here, it will be good to have legit btdt knowledge of the process.

+1, its drop dead gorgeous.
At one time I thought that Matchless had the magneto behind the cylinder and AJS had it before like this bike, I don't know where that came from. I only had Ariels and one Vincent Comet.

[Scout63]

Thanks for the kind words re the Matchless.  I bought it at the start of the - thing from a great collector in upstate NY.  It is correct down to the last screw, but was a display bike and hadn’t been ridden in years. I had to put quite a bit of work into it to make it rideable and reliable. It is a competition bike with optional 6v removable lights, and is very loud.  Same gearbox as the Commandos so easy to ride. No ignition key, just a magneto, manual spark advance and a valve lifter to shut it down. I really hope it doesn’t go back into a display situation.

[Rough Edge racing]

Ebay has changed their process recently , no more pay pal , upped their fees . BaT will step into some of the void , and am guessing another online site will come along before long .

 Dusty

upped the fees to what? I just checkd to see that low volume sellers have three packag3s to choose from, most expensive is 95 bucks Not bad for the market exposure .

[Burkslaw]

I hate to appear to have no class, but I have had good luck on Facebook Marketplace over the last year selling vehicles as diverse as a G0-4 metermaid trike, 2 Buells, a KZ900, an old Sportster and a non-running old Goldwing. I have not gotten absolute top dollar, but I got what I needed to part ways. I'm downsizing due to age and an anticipated move to Georgia, and I've also sold a motorcycle lift and some specialized tools, all on Fecesbook. I have the added advantage of being able to view the profiles of potential buyers to weed out some of the BS offers, and to arrange a meeting at a public place if I have concerns about someone coming to my home and viewing my stuff.

[Stretch]

I just sold a very nice GB500 on BAT to a fella in Texas.

No reserve is always a wee bit of a risk - I looked at what
previous GB500s had sold for recently and set my reserve
about there. BAT agreed.

One VERY cool thing about the BAT auctions is that if a bid
is received in the last 2 minutes, then the clock on the auction
resets for another 2 minutes of bidding. Completely eliminates
the snipers and ensures that the buyer gets the highest possible
price under the circumstances.

The other cool thing about the site is that it attracts knowledgeable
gear heads with means. They know what they like, and they are able
and willing to pay for it.

And - if you're rude, misrepresent your machine, or refuse to honor
your bid - you're gone from the site for life. This limits the crooks and
BS artists who don't really want to buy anything.

From submitting my machine for listing until the bike was gone was
about 10 or 12 weeks.

Good luck!

That Matchless is cool........ 

                                               -Stretch

[sdcr]

Beautiful vintage machines.

As many have stated, BaT is a different animal in the online sales arena. One cautionary note, try to stay as pro active with the auction as possible. Responding to comments, both pro and con is helpful in getting top dollar. Maintain your cool, as there are some rude participants. You’ll get requests for a cold start video, paint meter measurements, every service record from new etc. If a request is undoable, or just unreasonable, just comment with a good explanation.

 Best of luck with the auction.

I’ve started the process of listing two bikes on Bring a Trailer, which I’ve never done before.  Ebay has been a good resource, but is sort of one or two steps up from Craigslist, and is pretty expensive.  After acceptance on BaT you have to pay a $99 fee, then they spend a few weeks getting back to you and developing the listings.  I’m through the payment phase for my 1980 v50ii and 1961 Matchless 500:






I spent tonight relocating and wiring the front turn signals on the MG to a new correct oem bracket.  I thought I was going to keep this bike longer, but I saw a video of me riding it and I looked like a bear on a tricycle.  The bike should be ridden by someone half my size. I taught my daughter to ride on it but she does not want to ride on the road, which relieves me a little.

I’m rolling the dice and listing both no reserve, so it could be a disaster - hopefully not. Funds will go to my G5 and BMW R100S projects.  I’m into the bikes for about 3k for the v50 and 9k for the Matchless not counting my labor, which is not insignificant.  If I break even I’ll be pretty happy as it will open up some garage space and replenish the bike account.

[JJ]

Good luck with both sales and keep us posted...

I would have put a *** RESERVE *** on that Matchless...but that's just me.

Yes, it appears in the last 12-24 months, eBay and Craigslist have now taken a back seat to BaT...in many areas.

[CWR67]

I sold one of my cars on BaT a few years ago and friends have made purchases off of the site as well.  All transactions went pretty well and I would be fine with selling something else there in the future.

Best of luck with the sales!

[Ryan]

Is it just $99 or do they take a cut from the sale?

[Canuck750]

Looking forward to hearing your experience, may put a bike for sale on BAT myself.

[sdcr]

$99. is the seller fee, to list the item.

Buyer pays 5 % of the sale price, with a minimum $250. And maximum of $5000.

BaT is printing money...

Is it just $99 or do they take a cut from the sale?

[AJ Huff]

One thing I have not understood regarding BAT, I've seen more than a few listings that mention something along the lines of "if you need financing try JJ Best." Not that unusual, Mecum is similar. What happens if you win that bid on that classic car assuming you are going to get part of the money from financing and it falls through? Does it relist? Does it go to the next highest bidder? Does the bidder that failed to secure financing get banned? Also, if it fails to meet reserve can the seller negotiate a side sale with the highest bidder?

-AJ

[tazio]

I smell a rat somewhere.
SOME of these insane "sold" prices come out of thin air.
Got no proof, just an uneasy feeling about the integrity of some sales.
Hope I'm wrong, or at least glad my rose colored glasses aren't as thick as others.
 

[JJ]

QUOTE:  One thing I have not understood regarding BAT, I've seen more than a few listings that mention something along the lines of "if you need financing try JJ Best."

Hi AJ Huff - - Sorry, I missed your last detail...what is "JJ Best"...a finance company...or something else ???

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

QUOTE:  One thing I have not understood regarding BAT, I've seen more than a few listings that mention something along the lines of "if you need financing try JJ Best."

Hi AJ Huff - - Sorry, I missed your last detail...what is "JJ Best"...a finance company...or something else ???

5 seconds of Googling... https://jjbest.com/

[sdcr]

So true. There have been more than a few “successful auctions”, where the “ bidder” has just registered on the day that they place an over the top bid.

 This has happened more often, when the auction is a “ no reserve”.

OK, I’m done with the quote marks.

I smell a rat somewhere.
SOME of these insane "sold" prices come out of thin air.
Got no proof, just an uneasy feeling about the integrity of some sales.
Hope I'm wrong, or at least glad my rose colored glasses aren't as thick as others.
 

[JJ]

5 seconds of Googling... https://jjbest.com/

THANK YOU Antietam Classic Cycle...(That's what I thought)

[blackcat]

I really don't understand the price on this bike:
https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1971-honda-cb750-10/

[Scout63]

I smell a rat somewhere.
SOME of these insane "sold" prices come out of thin air.
Got no proof, just an uneasy feeling about the integrity of some sales.
Hope I'm wrong, or at least glad my rose colored glasses aren't as thick as others.
 

A couple of interesting things about BaT.  First, if you post a reserve you agree that they can buy the bike at the reserve if no one else does.  Second, if you do something ratty, like back out after winning or misrepresent something, you are banned from the site for life.  I don’t mind these, but I am making sure that I resolve all issues with the bikes before listing.

It does seem like kind of a feeding frenzy.

[wymple]

Ebay has changed their process recently , no more pay pal , upped their fees . BaT will step into some of the void , and am guessing another online site will come along before long .

 Dusty

I used ebay 2 days ago with pay pal.

[wymple]

I really don't understand the price on this bike:
https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1971-honda-cb750-10/

A shop in Luther, Iowa that does restorations just sold a 650 Yamaha for 15K. Early, but not 1st year.

[Petrus Rocks]

The prices on BAT seem high but I love the amount of info they show esp. the pics.  I have a 75 Norton I will be selling.  Not sure if I want to post it there.  I use Facebook Marketplace a lot, craigslist not so much for selling.  Depending on the bike I belong to several groups where I can post.  Word of mouth helps a lot.

[Scout63]

The prices on BAT seem high but I love the amount of info they show esp. the pics.  I have a 75 Norton I will be selling.  Not sure if I want to post it there.  I use Facebook Marketplace a lot, craigslist not so much for selling.  Depending on the bike I belong to several groups where I can post.  Word of mouth helps a lot.

I’d follow the current e-start Norton auction Petrus.  Current bidding seems a little low, but it’s only the final price that counts.  The site is a little light on motorcycles, and what is on there is not great stock overall.  Most are clean low mileage bikes rather than high interest models.  The Velo and 851 are good bikes.  I’d love be to see a critical mass of maybe 25 active bike auctions to draw interest for this sector - especially since I’m about to auction one if not two bikes for the first time.

[BSABEN]

I recently sold a 441 Victor for $5k and a Suzuki K10 for $3k on eBay. Total fees on each were $25. Seems like a good deal. BSA is headed to Japan and the K10 to Holland.