Are you happy selling a bike?

[Shorty]

I don't get emotional about vehicles. I think about the good times I had on them. I miss that more than the machine. I think the longest I've owned a bike was about 5 or 6 years. I enjoy shopping for bikes, but I always feel a little nervous selling, because I want the buyer to be happy and have good luck with them. I sold one bike to a man against my better judgement, and he got drunk and killed his wife on it. That haunts you. I suppose if I regret not keeping a bike, it would be an early Yamaha 2 stroke enduro. 

[Huzo]

Why can't you? I assume the Honda made more than one and somewhere in the world there is a example that is for sale.

We hear all the time fellers opine about the bike they wished they still had but given the opportunity to buy it or one like it back the too's start. Too far away, too expensive, too.... Anything to avoid the purchase but keep the memory.

I think of all the things I could be accused of, one of them is not a reluctance to spend money or travel a long distance.
The issue is, I don’t want “someone’s”  SL70…
I want to be reunited with “my” SL70.
If I knew my SL70 was ANYWHERE within the shoreline of Australia, I would go and get it and would pay up to AUD 5,000.
Predicting what I may or may not do because “we hear it all the time from fellers” is doomed to failure.
I will say though, the little Honda is the only bike that I “want back” because of the memories alone.

[Perazzimx14]

But you already have the memories, that is the best part of it!

[Huzo]

But you already have the memories, that is the best part of it!

Yes it is the best part…
But not the only part.

[SIR REAL ED]

I don't get emotional about vehicles. I think about the good times I had on them. I miss that more than the machine. I think the longest I've owned a bike was about 5 or 6 years. I enjoy shopping for bikes, but I always feel a little nervous selling, because I want the buyer to be happy and have good luck with them. I sold one bike to a man against my better judgement, and he got drunk and killed his wife on it. That haunts you. I suppose if I regret not having a bike, it would be an early Yamaha 2 stroke enduro.

Probably more an indicator of when I "came of age," but in my opinion, that bike, the 1971 Yamaha DT1, in that color, is one of the best looking bikes of all time.

I still remember my oldest brother buying a used one at the local Honda shop.  Maybe 3 years old, looked like new.  Even my mother said "I don't know anything about motorcycles, but that bike just purrs like a kitten!"

[Scout63]

While your V50 II is one of the nicest I've seen, for $4800 it's going to be a hard sell. I'm not even sure it would sell for that much on Bring-A-Trailer. Reality is, it's worth about half of that. Just my opinion.

Roger that.  I sold a beautiful V50II on BAT that I had completely torn apart and refreshed. No reserve sale at 3399 and the buyer still made it a miserable experience. Those old small blocks are simply not money makers. They are a blast to ride though.

[Turin]

The only bike I've been truly happy to sell was my 2001 KTM lc4 supermoto. The others have been bittersweet at best.

[s1120]

I tend to keep bikes a vary long time. Because of that I dont really have a lot of bikes in my history. Just looking at street bikes my first was a 77 GS400E. great bike for a first bike. I had it only a few years, and cut my teeth on riding, and bike maintenance on it. Sold it to a coworker so I could buy another coworkers, sisters old GS650GL. The 400 was a good bike, and I liked it, and while I would not mind having it back, I do not really miss it, or was unhappy to sell it. The 650 I had for YEARS!! It was really a do it all bike. I did some mods to it to fit me better, and no matter what I was doing, it fit.. I ended up selling it during the time I was buying land, building a new house, and having kids. It just sat for a few years, and I was afraid it was going to get damaged. ALso I knew I wanted a bigger bike like a Guzzi, and would never get one if I had the 650. I miss that bike alot. I do regret selling it, but I would not have my Guzzi if I didn't.

Next I had a 77 RD400. I got this from the same coworkers sister, and it was a real fun bike! MAN nothing like hitting the backroads in the hills, and wringing that thing out, and just having a grand old time. It was never a "only bike". The 650 got most of the day to day use, This fell into the disuse time like the 650, and with the same things in mind, I sold it about a year of two after the 650. I do really miss that bike. While not perfect, it was real solid, and good looking rider. If nothing else if I had waitied about 5 years the values went through the roof. If that bije was in the same shape as I sold it in, I would buy it back in a second. Just such a cool second bike. I really regret that sale.

[Perazzimx14]

Yes it is the best part…
But not the only part.

It's the only part that matters. That bike could sit in your garage until rapture and everyone that passed by would be none the wiser of what or where the bike has been. To them it just a motorcycle. Only your memories make it special to you. Having the bike or not having the bike doesn't change the memories. I think that is also why a lot of people do not buy back motorcycles from their salad days. The memories are much better than the reality. 

[Bulldog9]

It's the only part that matters. That bike could sit in your garage until rapture and everyone that passed by would be none the wiser of what or where the bike has been. To them it just a motorcycle. Only your memories make it special to you. Having the bike or not having the bike doesn't change the memories. I think that is also why a lot of people do not buy back motorcycles from their salad days. The memories are much better than the reality.

This is why I will never sell my XS1100. I wish we had digital cameras and I took more pictures, but I would love to have one of those photobooks made to capture all the places it has been. I'd make sure the book stays with the bike when my family does whatever they will with it. 

[Gliderjohn]

Not much experience as I have only been riding regular since 1979 and have only bought three bikes and sold one. Didn't really mind, kind of a story behind that one.
GliderJohn

[faffi]

Sometimes you’re better off not meeting past loves….

 

[faffi]

When I sold a bike because I simply didn't like it, or it was troublesome, I was happy to see it go.  Take the money and run.   Now that I'm forced to sell bikes because of health issues and advancing old age, not happy about that at all!

I dread that day when my ability decline to the point of not being safe or comfortable riding. It is very easy to understand why your situation hurt 

[ital4me]

I also recently sold a Laverda 750Sf and a 1978 Ducati 900SS. The 900SS was always a dream of mine and I feel very lucky to have owned it. Pained that I needed to sell it. Kick starting it was getting old, as am I. The Laverda was a bike I learned to love. Very heavy and lots of vibration. It had a sweet spot in the rpm range and was very reliable. Never saw another one on the road the entire time I owned it. Bottom line I had some bikes over the years that were easy to sell. I kept the ones that I enjoyed the most. So selling these made me very unhappy. I still have a few to ride though.

[faffi]

My brother used to own an early 750 SF, drum brakes front and rear. Very well made machine.

[Joliet Jim]

I regret letting go of both my SR500 and my T140. Also regret not buying that Norton Combat 850 but that's another story. I've thought about selling my Centauro for the last several years but so far haven't brought myself to be able to do it. That said I really don't ride it as much as I used to.

[Tkelly]

I am always happy when I sell one,the proceeds then go to the one I want.Regrets I’ve had a few but only years later.

[Moparnut72]

I bought a 125 Yamaha YA6 a couple of years ago online to relive my youth. When I showed up to pick it up it was nowhere near what the pictures showed it to be. I spent quite a bit money and time to get it somewhat presentable and fairly road worthy. My first ride on it was very disappointing, it was nowhere near what I remembered. I couldn't wait to get rid of that POS. I was thrilled to find another sucker, ex ahole son-in-law. I was able to recoup some of my investment. 
kk
Before and after:

[Dirk S.]

Guys, are we talking about motorcycles or guzzis? that's a big difference for me.
twice i sold a japanese motorcycle, once a guzzi. twice it didn't hurt much, once it was a painful experience.
the guzzi was unique. every guzzi is unique.....
i'm in contact with the current owner, if he doesn't want it anymore, i'll get it back. but it's unlikely, who would give a 1200 quota back...

[bronzestar1]

I've probably bought and sold 30+ bikes over the years, and there are very few I regret selling.  So I was "happy" to get rid of them when I did, it was time to move on.  I had a '95 Sport 1100 that I should've kept, it was frame #2, had a full Staintune exhaust, 17" Dymag wheels, full-floating Brembo rotors, and some other odds and ends.  Would be too uncomfortable for me to ride now, but it was frame #2!  The others I regret selling was a 2007 BMW K1200S (fast AND comfortable), and a 2002 MV Agusta F4 750 (one of the most beautiful bikes ever made, IMO).  I sold the BMW to thin the herd, so I could make plans to get a new V7 Corsa, and the MV was just too uncomfortable for me to ride. 

[Perazzimx14]

Guys, are we talking about motorcycles or guzzis? that's a big difference for me.
twice i sold a japanese motorcycle, once a guzzi. twice it didn't hurt much, once it was a painful experience.
the guzzi was unique. every guzzi is unique.....
i'm in contact with the current owner, if he doesn't want it anymore, i'll get it back. but it's unlikely, who would give a 1200 quota back...

Brand means nothing to me when selling. I could care less if its a Guzzi or a 50cc zongshen scooter. If I'm selling it, it's because I don't want it anymore so I don't care who buys it or what they do with it.

 

[coast range rider]

I'm happy buying a bike.
(often facilitated by selling a bike)