I'm curious to see what people say as well, seeing as I'm looking for a newer used bike 03-06. For me time of year has a lot to do with it, I'm looking to buy in January and hoping to get a decent deal.
What's the biggest factor that impacts your decision on "price" for a used bike
What's the biggest factor that impacts your decision on "price" for a used bike
I am starting this poll, because I am constantly shocked at the $$$ people ask for their used equipment. So I would like to approach ot from the 'Buyers' angle....what motivates you to buy a bike....price wise.
I am starting this poll, because I am constantly shocked at the $$$ people ask for their used equipment. So I would like to approach ot from the 'Buyers' angle....what motivates you to buy a bike....price wise.
1 - 20 of 31 Posts
I think time of year is one of the biggest for sure, i might have to go down a grand in price to sell in wniter but in summer i can easily sell it for much more.
KM's on a bike honestly if you know anything about bikes isn't that big of a deal, once you up-keep your bike, regular maintanence and care.
People make far to big of a deal out of km's on a bike which is pretty stupid if it is maintained properly.
KM's on a bike honestly if you know anything about bikes isn't that big of a deal, once you up-keep your bike, regular maintanence and care.
People make far to big of a deal out of km's on a bike which is pretty stupid if it is maintained properly.
I would agree with you Remy about the KM's even though I voted this as my biggest price factor...reason being is that 'Other' people (when you resell) do have this hang up....and it will make selling your bike a longer endeavour.I think time of year is one of the biggest for sure, i might have to go down a grand in price to sell in wniter but in summer i can easily sell it for much more.
KM's on a bike honestly if you know anything about bikes isn't that big of a deal, once you up-keep your bike, regular maintanence and care.
People make far to big of a deal out of km's on a bike which is pretty stupid if it is maintained properly.
I know, the thing when people usually buy bikes, is they are pretty for lack of a better saying noob when it comes to knowing anything mechanical with bikes. I mean my f4i got 28,000km on it now. I take a lot of care in my bike though i oil change ever 3-5k make sure cluth and everything is burning make sure fuel injectors are good.
However these "noobs" dont uderstand that, they see high km they are like 1k drop please *sigh*
However these "noobs" dont uderstand that, they see high km they are like 1k drop please *sigh*
please see seller thread for post. never mind. it was removed cause someone doesn't like Claudia Schiffer.
km's are relative to maintenance. a lot of ppl dont ride their bikes so they have a 2000 with 15k on it, some ppl do 15k in 3 months or less. if a bike is maintained properly and all that you will never have to worry about it, they're fuckin bulletproof. newbs dont understand that, hence why they should get someone that knows something about bikes to help them buy one. there may be a mint bike with 40k on it, or a neglected bike with 15k whats the better option?
I was looking for an "all of the above" button.
For me... I know which are least important but there are more than 4 on the list that are equally important.
For me... I know which are least important but there are more than 4 on the list that are equally important.
I would say the person selling it to you. If the guy's a jerk and is obviously ripping you off or if he's lying to you. Then no one would buy the bike
:cool IMHO, Purely on "crunchïng numbers", buyers ought be careful to be paying the right price for the bike itself, hopefully supported by good maintenance records... and not swayed the bling. 
ICBC won't give you credit for the bling [after-market add-ons] and really... you can't rely on a shiny POS.
ICBC won't give you credit for the bling [after-market add-ons] and really... you can't rely on a shiny POS.
Damn..that's a good one...cause it was the buying decision for every bike I have owned....hahahahahayou need to add "how much you want it " its the only requirements i have for a used bike
everything else can be gotten around quite easy
All good points so far and very much the intention of the tread...to get the "reasoning' out there.
I avoided the 'all of the above' option because it wouldn't have generated any replies in the thread...which is what I really wanted to get out...along with the poll data....
Keep it coming...
I avoided the 'all of the above' option because it wouldn't have generated any replies in the thread...which is what I really wanted to get out...along with the poll data....
Keep it coming...
I don't think I can compete with the attention Coolio's thread will get though.... hahaha
From a sellers perspective... if you don't HAVE to sell it, then you can afford to have it sit around a bit longer at a higher price and eventually someone will buy it.
;D
;D
You forgot an option for "suppy and demand". Used bikes are priced crazy around these parts but folks are still buying them because the supply isn't that big but ridership is way up. Lots of riders that want to ride + not too many bikes for sale = crazy prices on used bikes. After all, as a seller if you can get that sort of money then why not? Some of them are a bit over the top but there's always the option to make an offer. And if they don't treat it with due consideration then move on.
I picked one, but feel my decisions are based on an amalgam of what you've offered as options.
For me its the appearance first then the kilometer...I am starting this poll, because I am constantly shocked at the $$$ people ask for their used equipment. So I would like to approach ot from the 'Buyers' angle....what motivates you to buy a bike....price wise.
As some of you might know, I have been selling bikes for a number of years at a few different dealerships around town and in doing that have been involved in both buying them and in taking them on trade. Here's my $0.02 and advice for anyone who wants it:
I have always been astounded by how much people think their used bikes are worth and I've noticed that, generally, the better the overall condition of the bike, the more realistic the owner is as to it's value. I've also noticed that the bikes to be wary of are the ones on which the little things have been overlooked... Nothing causes me to cringe as much as seeing a bike which has gone 3000k without having its chain adjusted/lubed, or one where there is so much freeplay in the controls that they would be better suited to a '56 Studebaker (particularly if the seller thinks that this is “normal”). Things like that cause me to wonder what the bike was like before it was "cleaned up" for sale and, more importantly, to wonder what horrors await when the side panels are removed. Bikes like this generally won't have service records (lost or misplaced usually...) and you have to take the sellers word that the service was "just done." Conversely, the owner of a clean, well-maintained bike is, counterintuitively, much more reasonable an realistic as to its value if for no other reason than that they have spent more time at shops getting their parts, getting service and seeing what other similar bikes are priced at as opposed to merely scanning ads in the Buy and Sell for the highest number...
If you're buying, don't over pay (and if you're selling; don't overcharge) for the accessories and customizations. Sure, a bike can have trick accessories - which may have cost a lot -but they only add a little value; they are really only of real value to the person who customized it to suit their preferences -- those trick Watsen Designs flush mounts or that Hindle slip on might be worth 10% - 30% of what you paid for them once its time to sell the bike (unless of course you are selling your bike to someone with exactly the same preferences as you)
A lot of people focus on the odometer. The average rider in this market puts 5000-8000kms on their bike per year. If the seller can prove that the proper servicing has been done at the proper intervals, you shouldn't be too concerned if the kms exceed this (if your more that 10000k high, start ticking back about $250-$500 per 10k interval, depending on the bike). On the flip side, be very concerned if the kms seem low but the bike appears to be in need of maintenance or consumables that it shouldn't. If a bike is in need of a new front tire or a new chain/sprocket set at 5000kms there's probably (9 times out of 10) something's wrong - like an unhooked odo - or a loose nut behind the wheel...
Time of year always affects a bikes value but not in the way one might think. With new bikes we know that the price in April will be lower in October and may creep back up in the spring when factory rebates end. Time has only one effect for used bike prices. They go down. There is a new Blue Book that comes out every three months and I have yet to see a single occurrence of a bike price increasing in value. Prices take an especially huge kicking if a new model comes out, especially if it’s at a lower price. Ducati's new 1098 starts at about five grand less that the 999, the "S" model for $10000 less (about 30%less). You can rest assured that the values of any used 999s out there will decrease correspondingly...
My above ramblings aside, a bike is ultimately worth what someone is willing to pay for it. Money talks. If you don't feel ripped off, or like you're ripping someone else off, then the price of the bike is probably the right one.
Hope that somebody finds this useful-
ReRun
I have always been astounded by how much people think their used bikes are worth and I've noticed that, generally, the better the overall condition of the bike, the more realistic the owner is as to it's value. I've also noticed that the bikes to be wary of are the ones on which the little things have been overlooked... Nothing causes me to cringe as much as seeing a bike which has gone 3000k without having its chain adjusted/lubed, or one where there is so much freeplay in the controls that they would be better suited to a '56 Studebaker (particularly if the seller thinks that this is “normal”). Things like that cause me to wonder what the bike was like before it was "cleaned up" for sale and, more importantly, to wonder what horrors await when the side panels are removed. Bikes like this generally won't have service records (lost or misplaced usually...) and you have to take the sellers word that the service was "just done." Conversely, the owner of a clean, well-maintained bike is, counterintuitively, much more reasonable an realistic as to its value if for no other reason than that they have spent more time at shops getting their parts, getting service and seeing what other similar bikes are priced at as opposed to merely scanning ads in the Buy and Sell for the highest number...
If you're buying, don't over pay (and if you're selling; don't overcharge) for the accessories and customizations. Sure, a bike can have trick accessories - which may have cost a lot -but they only add a little value; they are really only of real value to the person who customized it to suit their preferences -- those trick Watsen Designs flush mounts or that Hindle slip on might be worth 10% - 30% of what you paid for them once its time to sell the bike (unless of course you are selling your bike to someone with exactly the same preferences as you)
A lot of people focus on the odometer. The average rider in this market puts 5000-8000kms on their bike per year. If the seller can prove that the proper servicing has been done at the proper intervals, you shouldn't be too concerned if the kms exceed this (if your more that 10000k high, start ticking back about $250-$500 per 10k interval, depending on the bike). On the flip side, be very concerned if the kms seem low but the bike appears to be in need of maintenance or consumables that it shouldn't. If a bike is in need of a new front tire or a new chain/sprocket set at 5000kms there's probably (9 times out of 10) something's wrong - like an unhooked odo - or a loose nut behind the wheel...
Time of year always affects a bikes value but not in the way one might think. With new bikes we know that the price in April will be lower in October and may creep back up in the spring when factory rebates end. Time has only one effect for used bike prices. They go down. There is a new Blue Book that comes out every three months and I have yet to see a single occurrence of a bike price increasing in value. Prices take an especially huge kicking if a new model comes out, especially if it’s at a lower price. Ducati's new 1098 starts at about five grand less that the 999, the "S" model for $10000 less (about 30%less). You can rest assured that the values of any used 999s out there will decrease correspondingly...
My above ramblings aside, a bike is ultimately worth what someone is willing to pay for it. Money talks. If you don't feel ripped off, or like you're ripping someone else off, then the price of the bike is probably the right one.
Hope that somebody finds this useful-
ReRun
very good postAs some of you might know, I have been selling bikes for a number of years at a few different dealerships around town and in doing that have been involved in both buying them and in taking them on trade. Here's my $0.02 and advice for anyone who wants it:
I have always been astounded by how much people think their used bikes are worth and I've noticed that, generally, the better the overall condition of the bike, the more realistic the owner is as to it's value. I've also noticed that the bikes to be wary of are the ones on which the little things have been overlooked... Nothing causes me to cringe as much as seeing a bike which has gone 3000k without having its chain adjusted/lubed, or one where there is so much freeplay in the controls that they would be better suited to a '56 Studebaker (particularly if the seller thinks that this is “normal”). Things like that cause me to wonder what the bike was like before it was "cleaned up" for sale and, more importantly, to wonder what horrors await when the side panels are removed. Bikes like this generally won't have service records (lost or misplaced usually...) and you have to take the sellers word that the service was "just done." Conversely, the owner of a clean, well-maintained bike is, counterintuitively, much more reasonable an realistic as to its value if for no other reason than that they have spent more time at shops getting their parts, getting service and seeing what other similar bikes are priced at as opposed to merely scanning ads in the Buy and Sell for the highest number...
If you're buying, don't over pay (and if you're selling; don't overcharge) for the accessories and customizations. Sure, a bike can have trick accessories - which may have cost a lot -but they only add a little value; they are really only of real value to the person who customized it to suit their preferences -- those trick Watsen Designs flush mounts or that Hindle slip on might be worth 10% - 30% of what you paid for them once its time to sell the bike (unless of course you are selling your bike to someone with exactly the same preferences as you)
A lot of people focus on the odometer. The average rider in this market puts 5000-8000kms on their bike per year. If the seller can prove that the proper servicing has been done at the proper intervals, you shouldn't be too concerned if the kms exceed this (if your more that 10000k high, start ticking back about $250-$500 per 10k interval, depending on the bike). On the flip side, be very concerned if the kms seem low but the bike appears to be in need of maintenance or consumables that it shouldn't. If a bike is in need of a new front tire or a new chain/sprocket set at 5000kms there's probably (9 times out of 10) something wrong - like an unhooked odo - or a loose nut behind the wheel...
Time of year always affects a bikes value but not in the way one might think. With new bikes we know that the price in April will be lower in October and may creep back up in the spring when factory rebates end. Time has only one effect for used bike prices. They go down. There is a new Blue Book that comes out every three months and I have yet to see a single occurrence of a bike price increasing in value. Prices take an especially huge kicking if a new model comes out, especially if it’s at a lower price. Ducati's new 1098 starts at about five grand less that the 999, the "S" model for $10000 less (about 30%less). You can rest assured that the values of any used 999s out there will decrease correspondingly...
My above ramblings aside, a bike is ultimately worth what someone is willing to pay for it. Money talks. If you don't feel ripped off, or like you're ripping someone else off, then the price of the bike is probably the right one.
Hope that somebody finds this useful-
ReRun
1 - 20 of 31 Posts
- This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
BC Sport Bikes Forum
A forum community dedicated to all sport bike owners and enthusiasts In British Columbia. Come join the discussion about reviews, performance, modifications, classifieds, troubleshooting, maintenance, and more! Open to all sport bikes models of Honda, BMW, Yamaha, Suzuki and more.
Full Forum Listing
Explore Our Forums
Recommended Communities
