How to privately sell your motorcycle?

Top 7 Tips to Sell Your Motorcycle Privately

The best way to sell a motorcycle depends on your priorities (speed, price, safety). Here are the steps to do it effectively:

1. Prepare the Motorcycle by cleaning it and preparing all the paperwork to sell it.
2. Set a Competitive Price by researching similar motorcycles online (e.g., Kelley Blue Book, Cycle Trader) and factor in condition, mileage, and modifications.
3. Take Quality Photos: Capture the motorcycle from multiple angles in good lighting; and, highlight unique features or upgrades.
4. List on Multiple Platforms: Online marketplaces: Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, Cycle Trader, eBay Motors; also consider motorcycle forums and local groups. Watch out for Spammers and Phishers.
5. Write a Detailed Ad: Include make, model, year, mileage, condition, and any extras (gear, accessories), and of course, be honest and concise.
6. Screen Buyers: Respond promptly but cautiously. Avoid scams by meeting in public places and using secure payment methods.
7. Negotiate and Finalize the Sale: Be prepared for offers below your asking price. Only release the bike once payment clears; and, provide a bill of sale and transfer the title properly.

Let me know if you want help drafting an ad or pricing!

Customers who trade in their motorcycles are often unclear about the price we pay as a dealer. It is not the same price you sell it privately.

We buy at a wholesale price, usually a couple to a few thousand below the retail/private price. We eliminate work and frustration. Also, in Ontario, there is a HST Credit that bumps the value of the bike.

For example, if you have a 2019 Harley-Davidson Street Glide 107, the average selling price in Canada today (December 2023) is $20,000. On trade we would pay "clean Blue Book" of $15,400 (maybe more). You'd receive an additional HST Credit off the motorcycle you're buying of $2002, so the total value of your motorcycle is $17402. If you were fortunate enough to sell it at the average price of $20,000 you'd be $2,598 ahead rather than trading it in. For some, this offset is not worth the hassle of a private sale.

This year alone, we've taken in almost 200 used motorcycles on trade, where the customer is satisfied with the trade value, the HST Credit, and the rest of the deal, where we can add elements like deals on accessories, customization, gear or service.