Used Motorcycle Selling Advice - Tips and Advice when selling your used motorcycle.

So you have decide to sell your motorcycle. People choose to sell their used motorcycle for numerous reasons. Some people sell their used motorcycle because they are buying a new one or another used one. While others may be selling their used motorcycle due to a lack of time to ride, moving, or various family reasons.

You have several options when it comes to selling your used motorcycle. You could either trade it in on another motorcycle, sell it to a motorcycle dealer, or sell it yourself. If you choose to trade it in or sell it to a motorcycle dealer the most you will probably receive from the dealer is the wholesale value of the motorcycle. If you choose to sell your used motorcycle yourself then you will be able to ask for the full retail value of the motorcycle. Even if you have to negotiate the price down a little with a potential buyer you are still going to be ahead.

In almost all cases selling your used motorcycle yourself will be your best option. Selling your used motorcycle yourself will take a little more effort, but we believe that effort will be well worth it.

Below are some things you should consider when selling your used motorcycle:

Determine your asking price
Preparing your ad
Preparing your motorcycle
Responding to inquiries
Test Drives
Transferring you title
Cash is king

Determine Your Asking Price

The first thing you have to determine is your asking price. A good place to start is at the valuation guides on the internet. These services will give you a good idea of what people are willing to pay for your motorcycle. You may also want to browse our site for motorcycles similar to yours and see what others are asking for their used motorcycle. You know what your motorcycle is worth to you, so in the end you are going to have to determine the price that you are going to be comfortable with. Don't be afraid to price you motorcycle a little on the high end, as most people will expect to negotiate the price down.

Valuation Guides

NADA

Kelly Blue Book

Prepare Your Ad

Take your time when preparing your ad. Your ad will receive a far better response when it is well written. When placing a full featured ad on our site we will guide you through the important information that is needed to sell your used motorcycle. Be sure to avoid inflated statements to describe your used motorcycle. You don't want potential buyers thinking they are at an old school used car lot with the salesman that wear polyester suits and pinky rings. Stick to verbiage that is complimentary to your bike such as very clean, low mileage, original owner, well maintained motorcycle.

A picture is worth a thousand words. We highly recommend posting pictures in your online ad. You will receive a much better response rate if your ad has pictures. Take pictures of your motorcycle in a well-lit area without a lot of distractions in the background. We love to see ads with pictures and will do whatever we can to assist you with posting them. So if you are unsure about posting pictures to your ad please visit our help page for more information on posting pictures.

Prepare Your Motorcycle

Physical Appearance

We are visual creatures. So the first thing you should do is clean your motorcycle like it has never been cleaned before. You may also consider having it professionally cleaned or detailed. It may also be a good idea to have minor blemishes repaired before selling your motorcycle. The cost of having a scratched fender touched up will probably be less than the amount you would have to deduct during the negotiating process. Your potential buyer will be far more enthused negotiating the purchase of your motorcycle if it has been well taken care of.

Mechanical

Make sure your motorcycle is tuned up and starts. It's a bad deal to lose a sell because of a simple thing such as a battery not being charged. However, if your motorcycle has major mechanical problems it may not be worth having those repaired before selling. Major repairs usually cost more than the increase in price you'll receive for your motorcycle. If your motorcycle has major mechanical problems then be sure to be honest about them when placing your ad.

Responding to Inquiries

Know your motorcycle. Be prepared to answer questions about your used motorcycle. Try to exchange as much information about your motorcycle over the phone and via email. This will save both you and potential buyers from wasted appointments. When making appointments with potential buyers be sure to set a specific time to meet. Setting an appointment where the potential buyer will come by sometime on Saturday usually doesn't work and be prepared for some no shows.

We also would like to remind you of potential fraudulent buyers. Many people that sell a used motorcycle, car, boat, etc. via online classifieds or in newspaper classifieds will receive inquiries from fraudulent buyers. Be particularly wary if the buyer is located overseas. Never accept payments for more than the asking price.

Test Drives

This is one where you will have to use your own good judgment. Almost all motorcycle dealers do not allow test drives do to liability reasons. So why should you take the same risk? If you do decide to allow a test drive then be sure to meet in a large public parking lot with a lot of people around. Allow them to test drive the bike only in the parking lot and only if they are willing to let you hold their driver's license. You know the value of your motorcycle, so be sure to use your best judgment on this one.

Transferring your Title

Contact your State's Department of Motor Vehicles to find out how to transfer your title to the new owner. You want to make sure that this is handled properly so you will not be liable for any accidents once the motorcycle has been sold.

Cash is King

Make sure you receive payment by either cash or a certified check. If you decide to take a cashier's check or a certified check be sure to ask the issuing bank to verify that the check is genuine and the account contains sufficient funds to cover the check amount. Wait until the check clears before you transfer the title.

With that said ,we still believe cash is king. If you are uncomfortable with large amounts of cash then you can always go to the bank with the buyer and make an electronic transfer to your account.

Sell Your Used Motorcycle