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COVID has me struggling and nobody will buy my V-Strom!

6K views 28 replies 17 participants last post by  Mattbastard 
#1 ·
With pay cuts at work and no end to our personal economic hardships in sight, I can't hang on to the bike any longer. I have had no luck selling on Craigslist. Does anybody have any ideas on how to improve my odds selling at a time like this?
 
#2 ·
Bikes are selling quick around here. I'd say that the issue is either your price or maybe your area is in worse shape than others. What kind of money are you trying to get for it?
 
#3 ·
I'm asking $5,500. It's near mint with 4,500 miles. I have seen plenty of them go for what I want, or at least very close, and they all had lots more miles. Three people have come to see it, all three made offers. I reached a deal with two of them, but they fell through. The third one, I made the mistake of letting slip what I'd sold it to the other guys for, and so he came in way lower and I had to reject.
 
#6 ·
I picked up my 2013 650XT in Feb for $4800. It had 4800 miles on it, with out the top box. The Denver market should be about what the Seattle market is.

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#8 ·
Definitely close! However, I did see a 2012 XT with more miles go for $5700 two months ago.
 
#9 ·
ZERO hits from a month on Facebook so far. Same with OfferUp. All action has come from Craigslist. I'm going to take some advice from around here and drop my asking price a little. That has to be it.
 
#12 ·
You can inquire on 1,000 threads why your not getting any interest in your bike or wonder why its not selling but it will always boil down to asking/price. You can ask any amount you want for the bike but don't act surprised or play like you're a victim of circumstance if you don't; get a lot or any interest. Saying you're going lower the price followed by "a little" thinking that going to be the smoking gun is false hope, If the asking price was realistic to begin with people would have inquired

The reality is A 7 year old DL650 even with low mileage will not command a frenzy of buyers nor will it command a premium.
 
#16 ·
Im not trying to be mean, but how in the world do you actually know what people sold them for. Unless you are in a used motorcycle dealership I struggle to see how you have "seen" bikes go for any amount. Unfortunately the market is telling you that you are wrong. I bought a new 650xt last year for 7200(otd except for sales tax), and it appears to have more luggage etc. than your bike. I think most people would prefer the warranty etc. for an extra 1700. Motorcycles arent investments, you are struggling to accept the answer to your question you already know. Maybe try 4500obo and see what comes your way.
 
#17 ·
I'm not in the market for another bike, but I like looking at CL to see what you can get for how much and I see many amazing deals (older UJM, cruisers etc). ADV bikes tend to be priced higher and come up less.
So if someone is just looking for a great deal, they might pass over a normally priced strom only because they can get that great deal on something else that does the job.
 
#18 ·
You guys are a little tough on ssparky.

Is the title clear? I don't want to deal with waiting for a title, cutting two checks etc. Upgrades are not that valuable but can push somebody on the fence over. You always have to take a couple of hundred off as a show of good faith. Make it easy on the buyer. Paper work ready and in order. Service history. no Lien. Licensed and insured ready to test ride while my wife counts the money. You damage it you bought it. If ride and don't want you get your cash back. In person, cash only. For my 2013 with 20000+ miles, I asked 4700 and took 4500. I was leaving biking so anything I had that would not be used he got. No gear though. Sit n Fly, RAM mounts, OEM parts. Smooth, easy, straight. Could I have got more? Maybe. But summer will end and that bike in my garage in Michigan around November is not going to get more valuable.
 
#20 ·
I bought an DL650 - 2011 - 8,000 change miles for 3750.00 a few weeks ago. On the high side but I knew what I wanted and it fit the bill. Put a decent price on it - a'little on the high side and try to get by for awhile. Take it to a nice park or park it in front of a MacMansion - take some photos - good ones. Look for places to put them up. Don't talk money on the phone. Don't say anything about needing to sell it. Say whatever to get them to come look at it. If they are coming get it in the nicest friendly place you have available. Keep them looking at it as long as you can - small talk - weather, where they lives - positive stuff. Be fair with price but take a beating on it. Someone will walk up that wants a dependable machine and pay more than they had planned because they like it, you and where it is.
 
#21 · (Edited)
For me when selling. Wash, dry and detail the bike. Then good clear pictures of the bike against my white garage door. Left/right sides, front/rear then close ups. I want a plain background as I want the bike and only the bike highlighted. No going to the industrial side of town or the local covered bridge and taking artsy photos.

Ad is to the point no jokes, cleaver wording or other fluff. Simply talk about bike. Mileage condition and maintenance. List the price and location. If ads are too short people think you are hiding something or if you do a 5 word ad they'll think your lazy and that means you were to lazy to maintain the bike.

One of the biggest thing that has solidified more deals is prior to a potential buyer showing up is I sweep the garage police up any boxes crush and stack them neatly in a pile and make sure there is not any junk laying around and everything is put in its place. Even empty the waste can. I've had so many folks tell me I knew this was a well cared for bike buy the way you keep you garage.

My garage is usually pretty neat so this is a 5 minute exercise. My garage is at the back of my house so I position the bike on the driveway at an angle so when they round the corner a broadside bike is all they see. All shined up and ready for them buy it. I'll go over the bike and answer any questions they have but let them do most of the talking. I have a lift so I always offer to push the bike into the garage and put it on the lift so they can look it over from a different vantage point. Most buyers really take to this as in their mind I am being as honest as possible by letting them really look the bike up/down/fore and aft.

Selling is only as hard as you make it
  1. Good clear pictures
  2. Clear to the point ad
  3. Neat and tidy area
  4. Priced right
  5. Clean clear title in my name ready to transfer
 
#25 ·
I practically gave mine away, and that we pre-Covid. There are only a small number of folks who want a 'Strom.
 
#27 ·
They can be slow bikes to sell, probably depending on location. I had to wait for a chance encounter while out riding to find just the right buyer. I had it listed for quite a while on Craigslist and few calls.

First gen 650, red that was fully outfitted in like new condition sold for $3,200 last year. One thing that may be slowing the OP sale is that it is mostly stock I will look at those but the price has to be right; I'm usually looking for the added value of a few added items.
 
#28 ·
In my expierence selling many bikes is they sell quicker if they are closer to being in stock trim vs being farkled to the hilt. I think potential buyers perception is a bikes with tons of farkles is only hardcore riders would do this and the bike must be well used so they stay away.
A few sensible farkles my help generate interest but I the end price is what sells.

In the past I've tried to sell bikes with lots of goodies on them and it rarely works. Now I put them back to stock/mostly stock drop the price a little to be a little lower than farkled bikes in the area and wait for a buyer. After the bikes sells I'll then sell of the farkles separately. In the end I end up more money in pocket but also with a bit more work as selling of individual farkles takes time and effort.
 
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