Motorcycle for Sale - Three Simple Steps for Getting Top Dollar for Your Bike

By Jim Thompson

When it comes time to sell your motorcycle, there are a few easy ways to help get a higher sale price. I’ve found that the steps below can put more cash in your pocket when it’s time to part with your current bike. Spending an hour or so of your time you can distinguish your motorcycle from the rest of the bikes for sale in your area.

And hopefully, you’re not giving-up on motorcycling with this sale but are planning to put the extra cash you’ll make towards your next bike purchase.

Clean & Polish Your Bike

Here’s where an hour of your time can pay off handsomely. It sounds corny but a clean, freshly-waxed motorcycle gives a great first impression of the bike AND the owner. Most experienced riders know that a super-clean used bike has usually been very well kept. And a well-maintained bike commands a premium price.

You don’t have to go too crazy cleaning, just a basic once-over should do the trick. To get the job done fast, I’ve found a handheld leaf blower is a handy tool to quickly dry off a wet bike before waxing. In a just a minute or two you can thoroughly dry your bike without jamming your fingers in all the crevices. So if you or your neighbor has a leaf blower, give it a try before you dig-out the car wax and chrome polish.

Dig-out All Your Original Parts

If you’ve had your bike for any length of time, it’s likely your have a few original bike parts collecting dust somewhere in your garage. I’m not talking about a worn tire or a bent lever but original equipment that’s still in decent shape. For almost every bike I buy this list includes the original seat, shocks, foot pegs and an exhaust system. These items can add to your sale price and are probably not much use to you anymore.

I’d take the time to dust this stuff off and have handy when you’re showing the bike.

Buyers will appreciate the extras and it won’t cost you a dime to include these parts in the sale. Even if you’ve just got a few smaller parts, they may help motivate a buyer that’s on the fence to make the purchase. Once you’ve found all the extras, do a rough tally of the cost for the new stuff you added to the bike. The total cost may surprise you and it’s a good dollar figure to have handy when you’re negotiation with buyers.

Include Any Accessories You No Longer Need

Once you’ve found the all extra parts for your bike, take a quick look through the house for any accessories that you no longer need. When I’m selling a bike, I like to throw-in any bike apparel or accessories that I’m tired of like old riding gloves, a bike jacket, spare helmet etc. Including last season’s riding gear is another low-cost way to add value to your sale.

And if you’re selling an entry-level bike, newer riders can likely use your old gear. At the very least, it’s a good opportunity to clean out your bike closet. As you find them, do a quick tally of the costs for your extras. Just like your spare bike parts, the value of your free accessories can help with price negotiations.

In an additional article, I’ll cover the three final steps for getting top dollar for your bike including leveraging your maintenance records, effective pricing research and writing a successful classified ad.