How To Buy A Used Motorcycle...Cheap!

By Phil Philcox

If you’re in the market for a used motorcycle, there are some excellent deals out there - if you know how to buy used stuff. At last count, there were over 189,567,485 different used things for sale in the United States, ranging from a $1 pair of size 12 used shoes to $4.5 million homes with indoor swimming pools. Right in the middle of that huge pile of used stuff is some really neat used motorcycles being offered for sale. What’s available in your area will depend on the number of enthusiasts in your area and what you’ll pay will depend on the age, features and condition...and you’re ability to strike a deal. It all comes down to a nose-to-nose contest between you (the buyer) and them (the sellers) and the winner is the person who walks away with what he or she wants - the stuff or the money.

Owning a motorcycle is like eating sushi...it’s not for everybody. Those who have tried it and decided to walk or hitchiker are a good source of used motorcycles and there are always those riders eager to sell their bike so they can move up to something faster, newer, or more flashy.

I bought my last three motorcycle s used and I’m a legend in local motorcycling circles for winding up with fantastic stuff at rock-bottom prices. I use what I call the "Psychological Buying System" or PBS - not to be confused with the TV network. My system is based on the fact that once a seller decides to sell something, they REALLY want that money so they can spend it. If you’d like to try my system, here’s how it works:

First, figure out how much you have to spend. For every $100, add $20-$30 - give or take since this isn’t an exact science. This is called your "20%-30% plus or minus dealing edge" and it lets you to consider things you think you can’t afford but probably can using this system. If you have $500 to spend, you can consider bikes being advertised for $600-$650. If you have $2000 to spend, you can consider bikes in the $2400-$2600 range. You get the idea.

We’ll limit our search to private sellers who advertise in the classified section of the newspaper under "motorcycles" (what else?) Advertising costs money and when the ad doesn’t produce buyers, the sellers have to turn around and run the ad again. In areas with a lot of motorcycles, they also have to compete with other motorcycle sellers, so their patience level can quickly dwindle.

Start keeping a daily list of motorcycles being offered for sale that you’re interested in and that meet your dealing edge figure. If you live in a small town, check the newspapers in nearby big cities. A lot of sellers live in one town and advertise in the nearest big town where potential buyers are more plentiful. Check the paper every day and take notes. Write down the asking price, the seller’s telephone number and what’s being offered. If the ad was in the paper yesterday but not today, mark that entry with a big X. What happened to that motorcycle? Was it sold or is still available? If it’s available but no longer being advertised, only you and the seller know it’s still out there, so you’re building up your buyer’s edge.

Let’s pause momentarily and look at the mechanics of selling a used anything. In my town (population 65,000), it costs about $30 to run a ten-word ad for a $750-$1000 item for ten days, more for more expensive items. During that ad run, the seller deals with an assortment of annoying callers: deadbeats who have no money but want to talk motorcycles, lookers, testers, people thinking about buying a motorcycle but not ready to make a decision, insultingly low offers and people who are downright crazy. I know, I’ve been there. At some time, the sellers wonders if they’re ever going to sell that motorcycle.

According to the advertising manger of my town’s newspaper, about 70% of advertisers who don’t sell on the first ten-day ad run renew their ads for another ten days. The remaining 30% are dropouts, no longer interested in investing $30 again for advertising but still owning the motorcycle. After the second ad run, only 30% renew. This means that - let’s see...six times four over eleven squared times pi equals - too complicated for exact figures, so suffice it to say there are still a lot of used motorcycles being offered for sale that are not being advertised. Also keep your eyes open for motorcycles that were advertised last week for "$1250 firm" but have dropped to "$957" this week. This is some indication the seller is getting restless and eager to sell. Because you kept your list, you know all this stuff.

When you have a good list of dropouts, Xs and price-changers, it’s time to make your move. Start with the first entry on your list (the oldest listing and hopefully the most desperate seller). Call and ask if the motorcycle is still for sale. If it’s been sold, say "thank you" and hang up. If it’s still for sale, ask the seller the standard questions (mileage, condition, accessories, etc. and if you’re still interested, arrange for a personal visit. If I were in the seller’s shoes (and I have been), I’d start getting excited. I spent $30, $60, $90 or more trying to sell that bike, dealt with an assortment of annoying people and screwballs and still haven’t sold anything. Hey, I’m anxious and ready to make a deal!

Check the motorcycle out and if it’s something you want, make an offer using your dealing edge figures as a guide. If you have $2,000 and they’re asking $2400 or even $2600, you just might get it. Offer the seller cash on the spot. "Cash" and "On The Spot" and powerful words and if they don’t take it, they’re back to the selling routine. Cash is always the best way to buy anything, so go prepared. I’ve lost track of all the times I bought something for far less than the asking price by reaching in my pocket and pulling out a roll of bills. If you’re nervous motorcycle carrying around big bucks in cash, take along a big friend or leave a deposit and either ask the seller to meet you at the bank or tell him you’ll be back. If you have to borrow the money, make all the arrangements in advance.

Offer the seller some respect and make an offer than can be seriously considered rather than one they have to refuse. I’ve found that sellers often start out asking top dollar because (1) they think they can get top dollar or (b) they put more value on their equipment than it’s worth and (III) they want to earn enough to cover the cost of advertising. What they start out with and what they wind up with weeks or months later are two different things. Remember...as time passes without a sale, the cost of selling goes up and the amount the seller with sell for goes down. You’re the light at the end of the long, black can-I-sell-it? tunnel.

Even if the seller isn’t interested in your offer, leave your name and telephone number...just in case. If you picked the right seller with the right itch and the right motorcycle at the right time, don’t be surprised if your phone rings later that night and some guy says meekly, "You know, I’ve been thinking it over. You can have it for $1385 and I’ll throw in my moustache wind guard, a pair of leather gloves, and Gloria, my inflatable riding companion!"

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