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texxasco · 09-11-2005, 10:09 AM

Well right now due to higher gas prices, several of my motorcycle riding friends who buy and sell pretty regularly are telling me how the value of their rides are going up. It used be not long ago when pricing a used japanese motorcycle, the rule of thumb was around $1 per cc engine displacement, and this was in the central texas area. Obviously it is going to depend on where you are as to what sort of trends you are going to find.

I see you have decided on a cruiser (great chioce - mine as well). Next you have to decide whether you want to pay for nostalgia and get a Harley, or whether you want a good bike to ride for a decent price... I prefer Japanese bikes myself. Most Harley owners don't like to admit it, but a stock japanese bike will accelerate, brake, and maneuver better than any stock Harley, any day of the week. And, they will do it for half the price or less. The downside is you have to decide what your long term plans are for the bike. If you plan to keep it, maintain it, and just ride.... japanese is the way to go, cost wise. If you think you might be wanting to sell it in the near future, the odd are you may not get what you paid for it, or may lose some of you bought a japanese bike. If you are interested in buying a bike to ride awhile, then possibly sell to make some money... HD wins hands down. That's one of the HD owners' bragging point, great resale. In fact, if you take good care of a Harley, and don't put excessive miles on it, the odds are you'll make money when it comes time to sell.

What I would do is start researching different models you might be interested in, and use the internet. Then start looking through the classifieds in your area and see what is available and for what price. Cash in hand is the best way to go.

If you know someone who is fairly knowledgeable of motorcycles, I would definitely offer to by him or her lunch and bring them along with you. People who have ridden awhile tend to know what to look for.

When you look at your bike there are a few things you want to look for that will tell you if the bike has been dropped, wrecked, etc. On an older bike, look at the handlebars, are they straight? Look at the handgrips, mirrors, brake master cyclinder. If any of these items are brand new, and aren't upgrades, but replacements, look harder at the bike and ask the seller if the bike has been in an accident. Does he still have the old parts? Does anybody know if carfax deals with motorcycles? They weren't around when I bought my last bike. How about the throttle cable... is is chewed up? Is the outer casing in good shape? Check for smooth throttle movement.

Just look over the bike real well, and look for anything that might lead you to believe the bike hasn't been taken care of properly, or has been wrecked or dropped. A shiny new exhaust might be cause to look closer on a bike with 10,000 miles on it, especially if it stands out from everything else.

Tires are also a real sore spot with me. Look very closely at them.....is there any dry rotting or sidewall damage? If they look pretty good, plenty of tred, and not low on are pressure, they might be alright. Beware of a bike that has worn out tires....because right off you are gonna be a few hundred $$ in the hole because you'll have to get new tires, both to pass inspection, but more importantly, so you can ride the bike. Tires are important on every vehicle, but even more crucial on a motorcycle. Worn out tires and worth knocking a few hundred off the price right away.(It would help to have some prices including labor costs in the back of your head for such things as ties & major parts, etc)

Other than that...just be patient, and like any vehicle purchase, don't get in a hurry. I could write several pages on this, but the main thing is to research what you want, and get educated on those type of bikes. Then just look carefully, and take your time. Make sure you know what you are looking at, and before buying, know what you are getting. After all, it's gonna be your butt riding on it.

09-11-2005, 10:09 AM	#7 (permalink)
texxasco Insane Location: Somewhere in East Texas	Well right now due to higher gas prices, several of my motorcycle riding friends who buy and sell pretty regularly are telling me how the value of their rides are going up. It used be not long ago when pricing a used japanese motorcycle, the rule of thumb was around $1 per cc engine displacement, and this was in the central texas area. Obviously it is going to depend on where you are as to what sort of trends you are going to find. I see you have decided on a cruiser (great chioce - mine as well). Next you have to decide whether you want to pay for nostalgia and get a Harley, or whether you want a good bike to ride for a decent price... I prefer Japanese bikes myself. Most Harley owners don't like to admit it, but a stock japanese bike will accelerate, brake, and maneuver better than any stock Harley, any day of the week. And, they will do it for half the price or less. The downside is you have to decide what your long term plans are for the bike. If you plan to keep it, maintain it, and just ride.... japanese is the way to go, cost wise. If you think you might be wanting to sell it in the near future, the odd are you may not get what you paid for it, or may lose some of you bought a japanese bike. If you are interested in buying a bike to ride awhile, then possibly sell to make some money... HD wins hands down. That's one of the HD owners' bragging point, great resale. In fact, if you take good care of a Harley, and don't put excessive miles on it, the odds are you'll make money when it comes time to sell. What I would do is start researching different models you might be interested in, and use the internet. Then start looking through the classifieds in your area and see what is available and for what price. Cash in hand is the best way to go. If you know someone who is fairly knowledgeable of motorcycles, I would definitely offer to by him or her lunch and bring them along with you. People who have ridden awhile tend to know what to look for. When you look at your bike there are a few things you want to look for that will tell you if the bike has been dropped, wrecked, etc. On an older bike, look at the handlebars, are they straight? Look at the handgrips, mirrors, brake master cyclinder. If any of these items are brand new, and aren't upgrades, but replacements, look harder at the bike and ask the seller if the bike has been in an accident. Does he still have the old parts? Does anybody know if carfax deals with motorcycles? They weren't around when I bought my last bike. How about the throttle cable... is is chewed up? Is the outer casing in good shape? Check for smooth throttle movement. Just look over the bike real well, and look for anything that might lead you to believe the bike hasn't been taken care of properly, or has been wrecked or dropped. A shiny new exhaust might be cause to look closer on a bike with 10,000 miles on it, especially if it stands out from everything else. Tires are also a real sore spot with me. Look very closely at them.....is there any dry rotting or sidewall damage? If they look pretty good, plenty of tred, and not low on are pressure, they might be alright. Beware of a bike that has worn out tires....because right off you are gonna be a few hundred $$ in the hole because you'll have to get new tires, both to pass inspection, but more importantly, so you can ride the bike. Tires are important on every vehicle, but even more crucial on a motorcycle. Worn out tires and worth knocking a few hundred off the price right away.(It would help to have some prices including labor costs in the back of your head for such things as ties & major parts, etc) Other than that...just be patient, and like any vehicle purchase, don't get in a hurry. I could write several pages on this, but the main thing is to research what you want, and get educated on those type of bikes. Then just look carefully, and take your time. Make sure you know what you are looking at, and before buying, know what you are getting. After all, it's gonna be your butt riding on it. __________________ ...A Bad Day of Fishing is Better Than a Great Day at Work!