What You Should Know Before Selling Your Motorcycle

Motorcycles give us feelings of freedom and nostalgia, and the decision to part with a beloved ride can be a tough one. If you’re planning to sell, getting the most money possible will soften the blow just a little. Here, we’ll offer some tips to ensure a successful motorcycle sale.

Know Your Ride

When selling your motorcycle, the party who knows more about the bike will be at an advantage. If your buyer is motorcycle-savvy and you aren’t, it can hurt your credibility as far as quality and maintenance are concerned. When sellers know a bike’s qualities and can share firsthand experiences, it’s easier to communicate the benefits of motorcycle ownership.

Get Ready

Successful sales are nothing without proper documentation. As you’re preparing to part with your bike, gather paperwork such as:

• The title. It’s a legal document that shows your name, address, and the bike’s VIN.
• A history report. These documents list previous owners, a bike’s title status, its accident history, and much more.
• The bill of sale. While samples are widely available online, it’s easy to draw one up. A bill of sale must include the date, the bike’s VIN, its sale price, the buyer’s and seller’s names, and each person’s signature.
• A safety certification. Most bikes are sold as-is, but some are certified by mechanics. A certified bike will instill confidence in buyers, and it will typically sell at a higher price.
• Maintenance records. Whether you’ve maintained it yourself or taken it to a shop, it’s important to save receipts for parts and service. These documents will show buyers that a bike has been maintained as advertised.

Along with the documents listed above, be sure to include extras such as service manuals, owner’s manuals, spare parts, and extra keys. These additions may seem insignificant, but they go a long way in reassuring nervous buyers.

Consider Pricing Add-Ons Separately

While many bikers spend hundreds of dollars on chrome and accessories, these additions don’t always add to a motorcycle’s sale price. If you’ve loaded up on extras like saddlebags, consider selling them separately. By taking non-essentials off the bike and pricing them accordingly, you may end up getting more than expected.

Set Realistic Expectations

Everyone’s looking for a good deal, and you will likely get a few lowball offers. An equal number of sellers are unaware of what their motorcycles are truly worth. To get an accurate estimate of a bike’s value, look up prices for others of the same age, model, and mileage. It may also be a good idea to get in touch with other local sellers and see what type of numbers they’re getting.

Cater to Buyers

When selling a motorcycle, it’s important to tailor your sales pitch to potential buyers. Are you focused on those who make practicality a priority? Discuss your bike’s benefits and useful features. Many motorcycles are bought on impulse, and those buyers’ minds may need some help justifying the purchase. Part of a successful motorcycle sale is recognizing the buyer’s motivation and making the sales pitch relevant.

Make it Fun

One of the best things about being a motorcycle owner (or buyer) is the enormous amount of fun to be had. By following these tips, sellers can make the process fun and hassle-free for themselves and potential buyers.