For the world of motorcycling, there’s a riding season to get out on the road and hit high speeds, and a selling season, when you should list your ride and get the most money for your bike. While shoppers have been asking what is the best month to buy a motorcycle, selling your bike for the most value can also come down to the right timing. To make the most of the current market, Cycle Trader is answering the question, “When is the Best Time to Sell Your Motorcycle?”
While there are pros and cons to selling your motorcycle at any time of the year, let’s cut to the chase: Spring is the best time to sell your bike, during the months of March, April, and May. After the cold winter months have kept riders off the road due to poor weather, road conditions, and less daylight, shoppers are anxious to get back out there for the riding season’s warmer days ahead.
Springtime will likely give you better deals from shoppers compared to the other seasons. In contrast, during the winter you can expect a sale to take longer, with less demand. While in the summer and fall you’ll still get shoppers looking to buy, generally you’ll see a higher volume of buyers on the market that are ready to make a deal in the spring. Keep in mind that this can change if you live in a state with warm weather riding year-round, or if you have a vintage or unique bike, like these trike motorcycles for sale.
While spring presents the possibility of getting a great deal for your pre-owned bike and the most popular used motorcycles of 2022, there are still some things you need to look out for as a seller. With higher demand on the market and the potential to list your ride for a higher asking price, you’ll discover more competition from other sellers. You need to create incentive for shoppers to buy your bike, and make your motorcycle stand out from the crowd when you list it on an online marketplace like Cycle Trader. Here are a few ways to get more value for your motorcycle when you sell.
When you learn what it’s like to sell on CycleTrader.com, create some distinction with your competitors with an appealing motorcycle listing. Make your pre-owned motorcycle look its best by keeping up with maintenance, repairs, and cleaning. Take clear photos of your bike at all angles, and position it so it looks its best for potential buyers. Get videos of the bike in action so a shopper can easily see themselves riding it. Add all the basic details for your bike listing, including the make, model, year, mileage, location, and your contact information, and be responsive to inquiries!
If you’re trying to determine your price for your motorcycle when you sell this spring or any other time of the year, look around the market at similar listings to get an idea of the prices. You want top value for your ride, but you also don’t want to lose out on offers. As these prime selling months go by and your bike still isn’t selling, consider lowering the price, and adding this detail to your listing to let shoppers know this is a deal. Or, if you need to sell quickly and want to grab the attention of potential buyers or dealers immediately, you can set the price of your motorcycle slightly lower than other listings. When it comes to the sale, be firm with your asking price, and know how to negotiate while staying in your range.
When putting your motorcycle on the market, you might have gear, supplies, or motorcycle trailers for sale that you’re looking to get rid of that you could include in your listing to attract buyers. If they’re past their prime and taking up your space or hold no value to you/your inventory, you could discount these and include them in your sale. Shoppers might pick out your bike from other listings knowing they don’t have to go looking around for all the other necessary supplies. Instead, they already have everything right there, tailor-made for riding your motorcycle.
Take advantage of the upcoming months by putting your ride on the market this spring. Then, follow these tips to get more value for your pre-owned bike. See all the offers you can get when you list your motorcycle for sale on the nation’s leading marketplace at CycleTrader.com/Sell.
For more great selling resources, check out Cycle Trader’s blogs and videos on our Seller’s Guide resource page.