Topic: How do you know when to thin the herd?

[rb550four]

  Okay, I've been here a while, not very active recently though, and I have ....a collection of bikes, I guess we can call it that. Out of all the machines that I have gone through on this site , I have never  sold  a one. Some have 50 miles on them , some , I haven't even put fuel into just because I don't have the time to ride them
  I have always been afraid of sellers remorse, besides these machines have always made me happy. I've been trying to keep up with them and keep them safe during the winter months. Summer can be so busy that I may only get a few rides in all season.
 It 's starting to stick in my head that maybe, just maybe , someone else would enjoy some of these Hondas as much as I have enjoyed putting them back together. But over the years batterys die, fuel gets stale in the carbs from not being run, I stopped buying tires for the ones that I don't plan to ride...
 But no matter what I do , they are just sitting there getting older, and recently I just had to ask myself" WTF is this?"  I really enjoyed doing the work on them , I enjoy seeing them on kickstands in a line , and I don't even mind doing the twice a year polishing...but I do mind not being able to be the kind of caretaker and rider that I feel that I should be. So I think that I am deciding to sell a couple... but I don't know where and what would be the best way to do that , I can find them like a SOB, but so far never thought to sell any of them .
   I guess what I'm asking is what's the best way? I hear that Ebay sucks...does it? Will an auction bring the best price?    Craigslist... a little risky? Should I run a load to California for a better sale price?
If I sell them here,  do they just end up as another hoarder's collection?  I don't know.
 What I do know is that I don't want any of them going overseas and out of the US.
            oh, and will it hurt?
   I could use some guidance here.
 

[spotty]

why not happy about them going overseas ? thats where they came from in the first place. i sort of get the collectors of crap old US twins and the like wanting to keep the heritage where they feel it belongs but at its most basic you have a load of japanese consumer product that could have ended up anywhere in the world in the first place, they just happened to end up in a box marked "USA".

the japanese only got to sell so much of their product there in the first place because there was huge consumer demand and basically no competition, nobody wanted harleys in the 70s, euro stuff was still seen as exotic and expensive and brit bikes were coughing their way into an overdue grave

if its a financial thing (which from the california statement i doubt) then thats understandable, the only 4's worth decent money anywhere else in the world are 400/4's and 750's ( a broad generalisation i know but essentially true, the mid size stuff just doesn't have the following that the other two do)

[Stev-o]

Hey rb.....I have quite a few bikes, not as many as you, but I do sell one from time to time [to fund buying or restoring another].

I really dont have remorse selling any one in particular, maybe that '76 550 that was such a great runner?

Pick your least favorite one, get it running and looking good.  And either list it here or on Craigslist.  Spring is the best time to sell.

BTW - I never let a buyer come to my home, I usually meet at a public place or bring the bike to work with me.  I dont want anyone seeing what I have in the garage.  I suggest the same for you.

We can help you value it just by seeing a couple pics.  Forget about shipping em to CA, not worth the hassle.  You might be able to get a higher price on ebay, I tried it once but the nice 750 didnt sell, I was surprised.  Sold it locally, no prob.

Good luck, remember, you can always buy another!

[Johnie]

I do not want to know this answer...

[Stev-o]

I do not want to know this answer...

You currently have one for sale!

[Johnie]

Do it? Dang it. I was speaking of my running 750's...

[MikeSimon]

Prices for classic bikes are usually a little higher in Europe. I have both bought bikes from and sold to Europe. It depends a little on the models, but many Japanese bikes were sold in larger numbers here in the US than over there. Makes them a little rarer over there and they are in higher demand.
It is really hard to say what's the best way to sell. I have sold bikes locally through word of mouth in motorcycle clubs, sold bikes on Craig's List and on ebay. lately, they say BaT is a hot market for both buyers and sellers.

[Stev-o]

 lately, they say BaT is a hot market for both buyers and sellers.

Huh?

[rb550four]

Thanks for the input.
  I had this idea that 500 s and 550's had a better following....only because the 650 has a way smaller following. Of course the 750 has always been king.
 Good stuff StevO, I hadn't considered taking a machine somewhere public to sell it, keeps the others off the radar, and safe. Had no idea that machines don't sell on EBay either.  Pick the one I like the least, I was going to start with the ones I like the best...That would have hurt a bit....much remorse . Great idea for getting my feet wet at this.
  I don't mind if a private sale happens to be an overseas buyer, I don't like the idea of containers full of what I collect sent abroad, where we can't get them.
  Of course I could be wrong about this, I always valued a basically stock  machine over a cafe racer.  In the last few years I've seen some beautiful cafe racers on our pages, but on local Craigslist... not so much. 
Is there  stronger $ to be made now for cafe racers over stock machines?
   One would guess that someone who buys would certainly know the ins and outs for selling right? Not in this case.
Thanks again for the enlightenment.

[Stev-o]

Is there  stronger $ to be made now for cafe racers over stock machines?
 

Rarely do modified bikes sell for more than stock bikes, with all original [paint and all] usually getting the most.

There are exceptions of course, we all see these "coffee racers" with big price tags but who knows what they actually sell for?

Good luck, baby steps grasshopper!

PS.  I've sold a couple of bikes to complete rookies. It was cool that the younger crowd was interested in the vintage bike, kinda like passing of the torch...

[Terry in Australia]

I've been charging up my portable jump starter thingy so I can drive over to my self storage container tomorrow to fire up my 1996 VFR750, it hasn't turned a wheel since this time last year, which is a crime as it is a brilliant bike, so I think I'll take it for a ride to charge up it's battery, then sell it, my 2006 VTR1000F, my 1983 XR500R, my 1989 BMW K100RS, and maybe my RC51. I don't want to sell any of them, but a parked bike isn't a real bike, it's just a statue of a bike, and if I want to see a shiny non-running bike, I'll go to a bike show..........  

[MikeSimon]

 lately, they say BaT is a hot market for both buyers and sellers.

Huh?

Sorry, I thought it was pretty much known: Bring a Trailer

[dhall57]

i understand what your talking about rb. Never sold any of mine either as of yet but have not rode any all winter even when whether permitted it. So I'm leaning toward maybe just maybe letting something go.

[Yamahawk]

I have a few bikes myself, and only a 1 car garage... with 5 bikes in it. So, being I have already built a storage shed on the left, and a bike workshop on the right... the only thing I can do... is build a second story with a lift!! Wow... would that make me a second story man..? 
Charlie

[Yamahawk]

Well, here's some inspiration to ride your herd...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=

Charlie

[ken65]

I needed the room and sold two nice bikes. Thought i'd put the money into one bike.
Needless to say i replaced the two bikes with two bikes .
So am going to sell another one now cause i need the room again.
I think I need constant adult supervision.

[Terry in Australia]

Well I made a fatal mistake on Saturday, I took my battery booster and a can of fuel over to the storage place where I keep 4 of my bikes (my garage "overflow") and fired my VFR750 up after not riding it for a year. It was a stinking hot day (96 deg F) so I was only intending to ride it for an hour just to charge the battery up again, so that the thing would start when a prospective buyer came to take a look.

Anyway, 3 hours later, I came back with a sh1t eating grin on my face, having decided that there was just no logic in selling this bike, I don't need the money, they're not worth a lot at the moment anyway, and selling bikes generally is a PITA. Maybe next year..........

VFR750 Saturday Ride 2 by terry prendergast, on Flickr 

[jaytee-nz]

Good call Terry - I had a 1991 VFR750 and regretted selling it the day I sold it.
The new owner wrote it off 3 weeks later !
If I had the room (and a wife who appreciates 2 wheel beauty) I'd get another one tomorrow.
JT

[Terry in Australia]

Thanks mate, they really are a beautiful bike, in this case at least, Honda got it 100% right! I would still eventually like to reduce the size of the motley "collection", or better still, put up another shed at home so I don't have to pay rent on the storage place, even though I like the fact that the bikes in the sealed 20 foot shipping container aren't affected by heat, or dust, or condensation, like they are in my garage.

[74cb750]

I had one of those VFR750's...had it painted a flip/flop gray/purple. Weeks later I sold it as it was just too fast. Darn thing would balk at going under 100mph.

Then I went back to more basic bikes...like the CB550's.

You have to decide when you have too many bikes. My wife thinks I have too many. She is wrong as I currently am down to under 50 and only 3 of them actually run. Will probably fix the cb350 & CX500 Silverwing to get them out of the yard. Selling one CB500 as soon as the motor is freed up....

[Stev-o]

 My wife thinks I have too many.

Boy, does that sound familiar....

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Nice VFR, Terry.  Those are great bikes.  Some bikes are just keepers. 

I try to limit the number of running bikes I have to those I can find time to ride.  It's not easy.

Yes, prices are better here in California (in general) and Spring, Summer, Fall are all good times to sell here.

[Terry in Australia]

Thanks Don, I only ever had 5 or 6 bikes prior to a job change 3 years ago that came with a big pay rise, when I wisely increased the numbers by 150%, so I donated my GL1200 and FJ1200 to charity to free up some garage space, and with two garages (I was living 400 miles from home) I was doing fine, but then I got transferred back home, so had to bring home the bikes I'd forgotten to tell the wife that I'd bought, hence the need for the storage facility.

I think I'll re-arrange the bikes on a more regular basis though, to give them all a run, and keep their batteries alive.

[Stev-o]

...job change 3 years ago that came with a big pay rise, when I wisely increased the numbers by 150%...

Hey Terry....just curious, with that "big pay raise" why not buy a house with a big garage/shop?

[Terry in Australia]

Thanks Steve, the house and garage will have to do me mate, houses here are horrendous prices (my little place is worth around $650K USD, and a bigger place would be more again, so maybe I should add another storey to my garage?