Tips For Selling Your Motorcycle

So you’re looking to sell your motorcycle. Whether it’s to upgrade to a newer model, get some quick cash, or to reduce the number of older bikes in your garage, you’ll want to present your bike in the best light and make sure that you’re getting a fair price for it. Here are some tips you’ll want to take into consideration when selling your motorcycle, given to you by The Cycle Exchange. Our dealership has locations in Andover and Ledgewood, New Jersey, to better serve our customers over the full New York, NY area.

Spruce Up Your Bike

No one is going to want to buy a dirty motorcycle that needs an oil change. Do what you need to do in order to make your bike look as attractive as possible. This includes maintenance that isn’t just cosmetic, like oil changes and new tires if your treads are worn. Wash your bike thoroughly, shine up the chrome, make sure the lights shine brightly and that all the controls and displays work. 

Next, change filters and make sure there’s some gas in the tank because your prospective buyers will want to do a test ride before they hand over their cash for your motorcycle. While it may seem counterintuitive to spend money when you’re trying to sell your motorcycle, it’s because people are more likely to want to buy something that looks good and feels well-maintained. To that end, it’s good to have the receipts or records of all the maintenance that’s been performed on your bike to show the prospective buyer so they know what’s been done and when.

Set A Price

Take stock of your motorcycle including how old it is, how much you’ve ridden it, and what kind of condition it’s in. Know that any aftermarket additions or upgrades that you’ve made to your bike probably won’t be a big selling point, since they are customizations that you made to your own tastes and a prospective buyer may wish to remove them. Price guides can help, but you’ll likely find they aren’t very accurate and may not have prices for your particular model. They might also have a regional bias.

To determine how much your motorcycle is worth, look up how much other used motorcycles of similar age and mileage are being offered for in ads. Ask other sellers what kinds of offers they’ve gotten if you know anyone else who’s sold a motorcycle. You will get very low offers which probably aren’t worth your time. Some buyers simply don’t know what a good bike is supposed to cost, though, so they may just need some guidance.

Be Realistic

Formulate an ad that is honest, with several well-staged and clear photos of your bike against a contrasting background. Note the mileage, age, condition, and any modifications you’ve made to your bike in the ad. State your desired selling price and be diligent about following up with any emails, texts, or calls you get about it. You’ll want to make sure that a price is agreed upon by you and a buyer and that you’re holding some cash or other collateral when they go for a test ride so that they don’t run off with your bike.

Be Flexible

While you might have set a firm price in the ads, you’ll likely end up haggling with your buyer to some degree. You’ll want to be flexible with your price, but make sure that you take the condition of your bike into account and don’t let anyone talk you too low. You may have to cater to a particular buyer’s motivations for buying, whether they’re more practical and grounded in reality or they seem like they’re going to make an impulsive decision. Try to tailor your sales pitch to the buyer using what you can glean of their purpose. You should have all your paperwork ready to go in case the sale happens, too. 

Now you know how to get your bike ready for sale! If you think you would rather trade it in, bring it to The Cycle Exchange and our staff can help you out. We carry a full array of new and used motorcycles for sale, and we have a financing department to help you leave with the bike of your dreams. Our dealership serves the entire New York City area as well as Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Newark, New Jersey.