Trade-In Value of Harley's

The March issue if Motorcyclist magazine had this interesting article



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Anyone that actually rode their bike and put miles on, never saw those good prices to begin with. Those were garage queens. Now they get to see what we've been seeing all along. No biggy as far as I'm concerned. Plus you see a dive every time when something new is introduced. This really isn't unusual.

Value is only a measure of what anyone will pay for something. This stuff is regional, too. What sells in Cali or Fla. might not be as big a thing up north. Alot of these custom bikes that sell high down south sit up here, as people seem to prefer more stock, trouble free stuff. I have noted the "Street Glide" look up here is everywhere now, whereas a decade ago it seemed Softtails were the bike everyone drooled over. I am surprised the Rushmore desire has dropped the market like the article states. Prices no cheaper up here yet.

Club members who have the dough trade in every couple years. They are buying the new limited and finding that their toe year old limiteds are getting much less than they used too. The fact is these people with the money are buying up the water cooled limiteds like gasoline selling at $1 a gallon!


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I wanted to trade in my 99 FXDWG in 2004...It had 48 k on it...Dealer had no interest in it because of the mileage...Why buy a bike if you are not going to ride it?

I sure did think that was the point of buying something like a motorcycle.
I have an old friend that has a really nice Heritage that just sits in his garage. It is an 06 and last I looked it only had 7k on the odometer. Oh well, his money and bike I guess.

I bought the Sportster a year ago this March, might have put 3000kms (2000miles?)on it since. Sometimes life, I mean wife(kids, work, weather also...) get in the way. Hopefully more time/riding this year.

I get my $$'s worth buy riding the sheet out of it, If I get a 100k miles on it I could give it away and feel it was a bargain.

I go by mile per dollar, so if I ride this one a bit over 5000 miles in its time with me, I'm OK.

I put about 10,000 miles on mine the past two years and would have put on more, but it was laid up a lot for repairs. If I don't ride another mile, it has all been worth the blood, sweat & beers I have poured into it.

I didn't build my scooter so I could turn around and sell it later. I'm glad nobody is buying those fat tire "customs" any longer. They are ugly, overpriced, and for the most part ill-handling monstrosities. I don't see any on the road around here, thank God. But flash sells. Americans will buy anything as long if it's extra shiny. Stock Harleys will always retain good trade-in or auction value.

Fat tired long bikes were a flash in the pan. You can pick one up that was hardly used for peanuts. they were never anything more than curiosities to me. JB's got,to me, a REAL chopper, HOME made, something to be proud of. JMO

Having bought a number of used Ultra's over the years my best deals have been thru private sales. Dealerships for the most part are crazy on their prices. I peruse severl HD dealerships thru out the USA and occasionally I see a decent mileage to purchase price ratio.

Example: In 2007 I bought a 1998 Anniversary Ultra with the matching sidecar w/ only 2170 miles on it from a 72 year old guy for 20,500$. He originally wanted 25,000$. We dickered and he was negoitable. The bike was mint. In 2008 I bought a 2001 Shriners Ultra with 10,000 miles on it for 10,000$. Killa deal. Owner originally wanted 14,500$.

If you don't mind a road trip to save lots of $$ those private sale deals are out there. Oh you might not get the color you want...so what.

I don't think auctions help the seller at all.

Cash talks, when you pull a roll of 50's from your pocket and people realize it may walk away, they get real flexible on price real fast. Estate settlements, divorces, illnesses, all are a great way to chisel off price. It almost seems evil in a way. Sad but true.

Auctions have become something for suckers. I don't know how many times I've seen junk sell for high dollar and the auction gets a healthy cut. I'll go private sale every time. There, cash talks!