What’s the deal on bike sales?!

[Motormike]

Another misconception is age equals value. Just because something is old does not mean its valuable.

In case you've forgotten, Jay Leno is a comedian.  "It's a joke, son!"    The pun being if you wait long enough, almost anything will be worth more than it was at some point.  Granted, with most Moto Guzzi's you might have to wait several lifetimes. 

[Perazzimx14]

In case you've forgotten, Jay Leno is a comedian.  "It's a joke, son!"    The pun being if you wait long enough, almost anything will be worth more than it was at some point.  Granted, with most Moto Guzzi's you might have to wait several lifetimes.

I absolutely understand it's a joke, but look around, son! No shortage of people asking the moon and stars for their classic and/or antique ULM just because its old. A few years back my neighbor was telling me all about his 400cc Honda that has been sitting in the back of his garage for decades and telling me these things bring big money. I think he was upset that I did not start drooling or offer to remortgage my house for the opportunity to become the owner of his bike.

The rocks in my back yard are millions of years old and just as worthless today as they were when they were created 25 million years ago.

[Caffeineo]

I have a 2018 Husky 701 listed for sale and after 3 weeks not even one inquiry. I believe it is a bike with some demand in Idaho with all the dirt roads and ADV groups we have here. But it would not be the first time I was wrong. It really comes down to supply and demand. Good supply with low demand. :(
I also believe that many peoples discretionary income for toys has dried up. https://mises.org/power-market/misery-index-recession-levels

[bad Chad]

i just sent a couple days visiting my daughter at her aprt in West Town neighborhood of Chicago, in and around OldTown and other desirable neighborhoods.  At least around those areas, if your want to be int the cool zone, you were riding a retro Triumph (mostly) and to a lesser extent Royal Enfield.  Lot's of guys, dressed like it was 1968 traveling around in groups of 4 or 5.   Didn't see much of anything else, but for the random rat bike, lots of scoters.   But, at least in Chicago, the guys with money for the good stuff, are buying Triumph retro's and similar.  I suspect there are is representation of v7s, as it just fits.  Certainly a different market than where I live, where most guys with the money to buy a new bike are going Asian.

[Lee Bruns]

Most people in the US have very little discretionary income, the average is only a couple of hundred dollars a month.  Combine that with historically high interest rates to borrow money.

"Historically high interest rates" just means you're either VERY young, or have a short memory.

[Dr. Enzo Toma]

Or it means the past 15 or so years, which have largely dictated which motorcycles have been made and sold in that time which factored into the current market.

[Clifton]

If people want to ride, and borrowing money costs more, you'd think affordable used bikes would be selling like hotcakes.

[twowheeladdict]

I enjoy taking the slower and more scenic route, and don't think I can ride anywhere on the little bike without smiling.

That is how I feel about the Van Van 200.  I might not ride the most miles on it, but I definitely spend a lot of hours on it. 

[TPSimmons]

Just ride and don’t worry about it. Nobody governed by common sense would ever buy a motorcycle just ask your mother.

[Motormike]

"Historically high interest rates" just means you're either VERY young, or have a short memory.

Yep.  I remember telling people back in the early 80's I'd just gotten a 7% 30 year fixed on my first home.  They all freaked out at how LOW my rate was! (It was a buydown for first time buyers.)

[rocker59]

Yep.  I remember telling people back in the early 80's I'd just gotten a 7% 30 year fixed on my first home.  They all freaked out at how LOW my rate was! (It was a buydown for first time buyers.)

1978 my mom was all happy and celebrating because she had locked in a 10% fixed on a home purchase. 

Oh, and remember "assumable loans"? 

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

I've sold two bikes in the last week - one planned and one "surprise".

I advertised the '90 Cal III FF I rode out to the Oregon coast and back this Summer, very little interest for about a week. Then, a gentleman who had been following the build thread on my business Facebook page decided to buy it. Full asking price, no dickering. Came the whole way from Arkansas to get it.

Last Thursday I sold the Suzuki DR200SE that I've had less than a year and have only had on the road for a month. A guy traveling the US in his van wanted a bike to haul on a rear carrier and the DR was just perfect for him. Sold it for more than market value.

Only one more to go ('77 Morini 3 1/2 Strada) and I already have a buyer lined up. 

[Stretch]

A lot of bikes seem to have sold for silly money in the past few years at auction,
but the market appears to be correcting itself. Broughs, Vincents, CBXs, Crockers,
and stuff like that will always hold their value, but a lot of lesser brands/models
will not. We're seeing that adjustment to reality now. Even some Harleys are
becoming fairly reasonable.

                                                            -Stretch

[Perazzimx14]

I too ended up selling another bike a couple weeks ago. I listed it late afternoon, went to my moms for supper and when I got home I had a buyer and two others lined up. I got full asking price (never even an mention would I take less) + a bottle of Tito's and an extra $20 so I could buy a case of beer. In all fairness I did list at XYZ price + a bottle of Tito's and a case of beer.

[inditx]

I've sold two bikes in the last week - one planned and one "surprise".

I advertised the '90 Cal III FF I rode out to the Oregon coast and back this Summer, very little interest for about a week. Then, a gentleman who had been following the build thread on my business Facebook page decided to buy it. Full asking price, no dickering. Came the whole way from Arkansas to get it.

Last Thursday I sold the Suzuki DR200SE that I've had less than a year and have only had on the road for a month. A guy traveling the US in his van wanted a bike to haul on a rear carrier and the DR was just perfect for him. Sold it for more than market value.

Only one more to go ('77 Morini 3 1/2 Strada) and I already have a buyer lined up. 

Quit showing off 

[Huzo]

It’s an “out there notion”, but if you want to avoid the pitfalls of buying and selling….?
Just get the bike you want, ride it (a lot), clean it (a bit), service it (regularly), and don’t just try to dump it when you’re sick of it and the next great thing comes along…
Next thing you know, you have 220,000 km on it and an encyclopaedia of memories that you cannot buy…
Simples…!
My bike is “worth” 25% of what I paid for it and it’s “value” 300% more.

[Perazzimx14]

It’s an “out there notion”, but if you want to avoid the pitfalls of buying and selling….?
Just get the bike you want, ride it (a lot), clean it (a bit), service it (regularly), and don’t just try to dump it when you’re sick of it and the next great thing comes along…
Next thing you know, you have 220,000 km on it and an encyclopaedia of memories that you cannot buy…
Simples…!
My bike is “worth” 25% of what I paid for it and it’s “value” 300% more.

While I’ve always bought the bikes I wanted I often did not buy them to keep for long term use/ownership. I’ve bought bike to do certain rides and once the ride was over I sold the bike. I’ve bought other bike with no intention of riding, I just wanted components off them like high end aftermarket suspensions, seats, windscreens and panniers to use on my other bikes then sold off the bike in closer to stock trim. I’ve bought bikes on a whim and I’ve bought them after careful study. What I don’t do is lie to myself anymore and say this is my forever bike. Turns out everything is for sale. Last bike I bought I put zero miles on it, owned it for 6 days and decided it wasn’t what I wanted.


I’ll never be the guy to put 100k or probably even 50k on a single bike as I’ll get tired of it long before I reach that mileage. I bought a new 2024 a few months ago and really thought about getting the 4 year additional warranty then realized if I have this bike for 3 years or 36,000 miles provided by the factory warranty it’ll be a miracle.

[Motormike]

Well, just to show you it could always be worse, here's someone that followed Huzo's advice:  Over on the BMW K1600 site (another site I follow, even though I no longer own a K1600) one gentleman wanted to trade his very high milage 2012 K1600 GTL (high as in 174,000  ) Trading it in on a brand new K1600GT, the dealer gave him $500 for his bike.  Ouch!  As I said, the body panels are worth more than that!

[Perazzimx14]

Well, just to show you it could always be worse, here's someone that followed Huzo's advice:  Over on the BMW K1600 site (another site I follow, even though I no longer own a K1600) one gentleman wanted to trade his very high milage 2012 K1600 GTL (high as in 174,000  ) Trading it in on a brand new K1600GT, the dealer gave him $500 for his bike.  Ouch!  As I said, the body panels are worth more than that!

That is $500 more than I’d give someone for a bike with 174,000 miles on it.

[sdcr]

I just looked at a well cared for European sport touring bike. It was fully serviced by it long time, 70 year old owner. Garaged, maintained, obviously never dropped and in extremely good nick. If I didn’t know that it was 21 years old, I would have guessed it wa a 2 year old machine. MSRP, was $13000. He advertised it for $2100 OBO, and only got a few calls, but no sale in September. It’s a relatively rare, full liter sport tourer, that nobody has room for.

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

I just looked at a well cared for European sport touring bike. It was fully serviced by it long time, 70 year old owner. Garaged, maintained, obviously never dropped and in extremely good nick. If I didn’t know that it was 21 years old, I would have guessed it wa a 2 year old machine. MSRP, was $13000. He advertised it for $2100 OBO, and only got a few calls, but no sale in September. It’s a relatively rare, full liter sport tourer, that nobody has room for.

What and where is this "European sport touring bike"? 

[Huzo]

I have been guilty of buying a bike just for that “rush” of initial ownership.
I watched an Al Pacino movie once called “Two For the Money…”, as a gamblaholic he explained that the real excitement when playing dice was not when you won, that was an expectation you held when you stepped up to the table.
It was as the dice was tumbling that you felt that rush.
Same here.
The smell of the dealership, the expectation of leaving with a new relationship/bike and the power of the purchase can be intoxicating. We are (mostly) males, we are wired as such.

I bought my MV Agusta F4 in just such a state….( but I did keep,it for 2 years and 20,000 km).
That hit of satisfaction of “hunting and taking home” can become addictive..(a metaphor if ever there was..).

[Huzo]

What and where is this "European sport touring bike"? 

I’ll wager it’s a Ducati 1000 DS or an ST 2/3 or 4