Author Topic: Bike Sale... So What Am I Doing Wrong? (Read 9663 times)

know your limitations · « **on:** 05 August 2012, 12:23:23 pm »

Had my Gen1 1000 on ebay for a week now here: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/160855044446?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649#ht_968wt_1186
and a bit longer on foc-u
Apart from 2 joke offers, not a sniff.

The obvious thing would be price but there's a "Make Offer" button if buyers disagree with what I'm asking for.
ANY suggestions, constructive or otherwise would be welcome.....

FuZzBoM · « **Reply #1 on:** 05 August 2012, 01:07:07 pm »

Nice looking bike first off. I have the exact same problem when trying to sell my 600 recently. Bike trader was a total waste of time so i wouldn't even bother with that if i was you. i had many emails asking if i would ship it to Nigeria and "what my last price was"
In truth i do not think you are doing anything wrong i think the main thing is the weather has been rubbish and no one has any money..
If it helps as a point of reference the reason i was selling my 600 was because i got a mint 51 plate gen 1 with 5000 on the clock for £2950

Good luck in your sale..

sadlonelygit · « **Reply #2 on:** 05 August 2012, 03:08:54 pm »

the market is dead.............end of.
unless you're prepared to swallow a pill on the deal then you'll be stuck with it.

realistically, with 35k on it you won't see north of 2K.

we all know the bike can do 100k, but to a punter who knows nothing about them they see that as high mileage.

sadlonelygit · « **Reply #3 on:** 05 August 2012, 03:13:59 pm »

oh, and you have let chancers know you have to get shot of it.
reasons for sale are
a) too much bike for me
b) change of job means it won't be used
c) selling it for a dead mates wife (won't work if V5 is in your name)
d) only allowed 2/3/4 bikes at home, last in first out!

Tmation · « **Reply #4 on:** 05 August 2012, 04:07:41 pm »

I would have thought the price was fine as you will take an offer, but the market is all over the place.

Was in the new J&S place today, 2004 on a 54 Gen 1 blue with some dodgy stick on graphics £4295.

The weather is all over the place, pissing down again.

Have you tried phoning round a few dealers, or try to PX it against a used car, seen a few bikes in independent car dealers.

Don't bother with we buy any bike .com you will be lucky to get a grand.

Good luck with the sale

Galileo · « **Reply #5 on:** 05 August 2012, 04:18:59 pm »

I think it might be the mileage as well, sad fact as that is. Given the choice between a badly looked after bike with 15k on the clock and a meticulously serviced and treated one with 35k I'd know which one I would go for.

A useful tip is looking at the eBay completed listings for the thou, I've just done that out of curiosity and it paints an interesting picture, about 85% just haven't sold, and those that do seem to have been auctions that started with a low initial listing price. Maybe it's a price point thing, I know that I often search with my maximum amounts rounded up, £1k to £2k for example.

As has been said, it's a lovely looking bike in great condition (my 600 only looks that good in the dark, after it's rained, and it's foggy, if I squint a bit...) you really would think you would have had no problem in getting a buyer.

devilsyam · « **Reply #6 on:** 05 August 2012, 04:19:24 pm »

im with sad git mate just bought a 02 mint but 50k on the clock 1400 quid

me i'd buy it £6,66 lol

MadDogMcQ · « **Reply #7 on:** 05 August 2012, 04:30:33 pm »

Why don't you "WATCH" similar bikes on eBay and see if they sell and for what price. Then analyse their adverts. See how they differ from yours - particularly in the description. I also think that Classified Adverts perform far less well than auctions. Start with a VERY attractive opening offer, and put a reserve on it if need be. Personally, I'd start the auction at the absolute least that you'd accept for the bike.

Just my opinion.

Tom

know your limitations · « **Reply #8 on:** 05 August 2012, 05:21:19 pm »

Thanks guys for the input. Glad to see I'm not totally out with my approach to selling. Hard to know where to start with your responses but here goes.....

Quote from: Tmation on 05 August 2012, 04:07:41 pm

Have you tried phoning round a few dealers

Did that prior to advertising, to try for a no-nonsense sale..... The £1800 best offer by a bike dealer for a straight purchase is looking more attractive by the day

Quote from: sadlonelygit on 05 August 2012, 03:13:59 pm

oh, and you have let chancers know you have to get shot of it.

I have put that I'm only selling because I really need a car.
Didn't stop one clown asking if I'd take his 1998 VFR 800 plus £500!?

Quote from: devilsyam on 05 August 2012, 04:19:24 pm

me i'd buy it £6,66 lol

Thought I recognised the ebay name Luke. I take it you received my auto decline for your offer

If I'd accepted your £6.66 for a whole bike, that would have made the belly pan you bought off me, the most expensive piece of plastic ever

Quote from: MadDogMcQ on 05 August 2012, 04:30:33 pm

I also think that Classified Adverts perform far less well than auctions.

In my experience, Classifieds with best offer on Ebay always get me what I want and make the best sense cost and timewise.
£16 one-off fee for 28 days, no final value fee, plus you can weed out the nonsense automatically with your offer acceptance parameters.
AND you don't have to wait til the end of an auction only to be told lots of BS excuses for why the winning bidder can't proceed.

I'm gonna stick to my guns for now. My previous bikes have taken about 3 weeks to sell for what I wanted. It's just that I normally have a LOT more (reasonably) decent offers to consider before the right one comes along.
I'll put it down to the Olympics... for now

Pickle · « **Reply #9 on:** 05 August 2012, 05:50:40 pm »

You wanted honest opinions so I'd make the following points

1) Get rid of the colour and formatting of the advert, it's not necessary. A clean, straight forward advert will help sell the bike.
2) Your price is ok for a dealer but too high for a private sale. I paid a lot less for a great 03 plate 13k mile FZS600 a few months back
3) You say new tyres but you also say they have done 2500 miles, choose one line and drop the other
4) No service history, some may be wary. Got any receipts or anything that might back up the servicing?
5) Drop the bit about the matrimonial issues, you need a car - end of.
6) Slim the whole advert down, if folk are initially interested they will ask about the detail
7) "When I say totally reliable I MEAN it. I would go anywhere on this bike tomorrow without hesitation." again drop this, it's unnecessary and smacks of desperation

Hope you take the above as constructive and good luck with the sale, she looks in great condition. Let the pics speak for themselves except for the cam cover pic that shows corrosion, drop it.

Bob

know your limitations · « **Reply #10 on:** 05 August 2012, 06:08:10 pm »

Quote from: Pickle on 05 August 2012, 05:50:40 pm

You wanted honest opinions so I'd make the following points

1) Get rid of the colour and formatting of the advert, it's not necessary. A clean, straight forward advert will help sell the bike.
2) Your price is ok for a dealer but too high for a private sale. I paid a lot less for a great 03 plate 13k mile FZS600 a few months back
3) You say new tyres but you also say they have done 2500 miles, choose one line and drop the other
4) No service history, some may be wary. Got any receipts or anything that might back up the servicing?
5) Drop the bit about the matrimonial issues, you need a car - end of.
6) Slim the whole advert down, if folk are initially interested they will ask about the detail
7) "When I say totally reliable I MEAN it. I would go anywhere on this bike tomorrow without hesitation." again drop this, it's unnecessary and smacks of desperation

Hope you take the above as constructive and good luck with the sale, she looks in great condition. Let the pics speak for themselves except for the cam cover pic that shows corrosion, drop it.

Bob

Cheers Bob!
Some of your points actioned immediately.
Left the price as there's a Make Offer button if anyone disagrees.
Left in the corrosion pic. The bike isn't mint and saves time with nasty surprises.
Left the general size and detail of the ad. Can't be ar5ed answering simple questions plus it annoys the hell out of me when sellers omit basic details.

Thanks for your input! (When I say that, I MEAN it!)

Pickle · « **Reply #11 on:** 05 August 2012, 06:25:43 pm »

That's better. Good luck.

Bob

cable tie · « **Reply #12 on:** 05 August 2012, 07:51:34 pm »

Quote from: sadlonelygit on 05 August 2012, 03:13:59 pm

oh, and you have let chancers know you have to get shot of it.
reasons for sale are
a) too much bike for me
b) change of job means it won't be used
c) selling it for a dead mates wife (won't work if V5 is in your name)
d) only allowed 2/3/4 bikes at home, last in first out!

Best bet is take a picture with wife/gf half naked astride the bike that will do the job, seems to work for others.

cable tie · « **Reply #13 on:** 05 August 2012, 08:03:01 pm »

On a serious note take a look of the 2001 blue (the best colour) bike a couple places from yours on eBay bike is in Maidstone kent 30k on the clock, nice reg plate evo ! has genuine belly pan, twin high level cans, genuine yam touring screen the expensive one and many other extras new c/s and fresh mot he offered me the bike for £1800 and said its very tidy, taking that into account if a dealer offered you £1800 I'd take it.

All the best.

flesh · « **Reply #14 on:** 05 August 2012, 10:44:57 pm »

Most of the feedback given here is great, especially from pickle about the ad itself.
I generally change my bikes every year and it is becoming more difficult to sell each year. Your bike has to stand out somehow and ultimately in an Ad this means price. Pitch your price based on similar bikes in your "local" area and your target audience. Local area to me normally means 100 mile radius.
Is £2400 a fair price for your bike.........yes. Will you get it....doubt it.
I have just missed out 2 Gen 1's, both with under 14k miles (04 and 05 models) and both were under £2200.

know your limitations · « **Reply #15 on:** 06 August 2012, 02:16:40 pm »

Quote from: cable tie on 05 August 2012, 08:03:01 pm

On a serious note take a look of the 2001 blue (the best colour) bike a couple places from yours on eBay bike is in Maidstone kent 30k on the clock, nice reg plate evo ! has genuine belly pan, twin high level cans, genuine yam touring screen the expensive one and many other extras new c/s and fresh mot he offered me the bike for £1800 and said its very tidy, taking that into account if a dealer offered you £1800 I'd take it.

All the best.

Cheers for the message CT.
Had a look at that bike but tbh, there's nothing about it that makes me think I should accept £1800 for my '02 reg. His is an X-reg for a start.
Colour is totally subjective and plays no part. If you like it, you like it..... and the blue, I don't. On the subject (if you will) of subjectivity, those exhausts imho are gopping. Also not convinced on the number plate either. Pretty sure DVLA still don't allow transfers of reg's between different classes of vehicle, so unless Mitsubishi make an Evo bike, or the buyer has an Evo obsession, it's pointless. Been a while since I did a cherished transfer, so I'll stand to be corrected.
Don't get me wrong, it looks like it's been well cared for, but a bit too personalised for me.
I think that letting mine go for around £2150, wouldn't be such a bad deal for someone...

It's an interesting debate this, as it's really showing the range of what people find to be ideal in their new purchase and how they can be turned on, or off by something relatively minor.
Thanks again.

know your limitations · « **Reply #16 on:** 06 August 2012, 02:21:34 pm »

Quote from: cable tie on 05 August 2012, 07:51:34 pm

Best bet is take a picture with wife/gf half naked astride the bike that will do the job, seems to work for others.

On that, I saw a cracking listing a few months back for a ZZR1400 and the seller's missus was in most of the pics on the bike,wearing a SUPER TIGHT full leather suit. No idea if he sold the bike but she was fit as!

Rusty · « **Reply #17 on:** 06 August 2012, 05:24:37 pm »

Due to a number of factors I think there's no better time to buy a bike for cash than right now, unfortunately for those same reasons it means there's no worse time to sell one.

It's holiday season and many are away, while those that aren't are likely skint having just come back. The Olympics are to some degree keeping a few people occupied and away from their computer, and the spectre of Christmas looms as the next 'big spend' on the horizon after the holiday season. Add to that the general economic (and literal) climate and what you have are some very savvy buyers out there wanting the most for their cash - and with plenty bikes to choose from.

People who would normally splash out on a whim for a bike in the 2- 4k bracket (as those tend to be the bikes bought for cash) are dwindling. Over that figure your usually talking finance deals or bank loans. So in short those with cash are holding on to it, and those without are managing with what they have rather than take on more debt. If you sell now you must be prepared to take a hit, and a bike you rightly value at £2150 is likely to sell for just £1850.

Sell it next March when everyone is optimistically dreaming of the great summer rides to come (yeah right!) and you'll get your £2150

nordboy · « **Reply #18 on:** 06 August 2012, 07:00:54 pm »

Mate, I'm one of your 'watchers'. Nice bike, it is older and more miles on it than I wanted in a Fazer but it looks in good nick. I have watched a load of bikes and they're just not selling al least 90% + auctions have resulted in the bike not selling, the trouble with selling bikes (and I've taken a few hits over the years) is not what you think it's worth but how much someone is willing to pay (bit of a cliche I know)

If it is as good as the pics and video and I could get a train I would buy the bike tomorrow for £1800, I know you said you wouldn't accept that though. If I'm honest, I'm not sure I'd go to £2000 with no s/h.

I'm waiting for the 'bargain' as I guess everyone is. I did notice you have a few offers now, got to say I don't like the whole offers thing. To expand that, as I don't know what offers you already have I just won't bother putting one in, may sound silly but I like things nice and easy.

[size=78%]I'll definately be keeping an eye on the sale though.[/size]

cable tie · « **Reply #19 on:** 06 August 2012, 08:33:56 pm »

KYL, reason I pointed out that bike was due to the extras as the owner said he has all originals, so you pays £1800 for it ! Take all the extras off and sell these would make that bike a real bargain, the plate is worth a couple £££ and is transferable I have plates on vehicles and bikes and transfer between vehicles or put it on retention is very easy to do.

The (R1) blue just does it for me fella.

Mine.

Rusty · « **Reply #20 on:** 07 August 2012, 11:10:20 am »

You've gotta love those silver engined models.

know your limitations · « **Reply #21 on:** 07 August 2012, 12:54:46 pm »

Quote from: nordboy on 06 August 2012, 07:00:54 pm

I'll definately be keeping an eye on the sale though.

TBH. There won't be anything to keep an eye on. It will either sell for at least £2100 or I'll keep it.
As each week passes I'm saving more towards buying the car I need without selling up. Not ideal but the bike won't be given away.
I am prepared to sell but I don't HAVE to.
If I can manage to be nice enough with the ex for the next month, I know she'll let me use her car. So for 30 days of tongue biting I don't have to take a big hit on the Fazer.
Given what I've heard and experienced so far, having two vehicles is looking the likeliest.
There's quite a large part of me that will be, happy with that....

know your limitations · « **Reply #22 on:** 09 August 2012, 01:34:24 am »

Quote from: Pickle on 05 August 2012, 05:50:40 pm

6) Slim the whole advert down, if folk are initially interested they will ask about the detail

Bob, I thought you'd appreciate this ad for one of the cars I'm looking to replace my bike with.
I know you said MY original ad was effectively a bit wordy but this is something else.....

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/140820353487?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649#ht_11067wt_1186

manuel32 · « **Reply #23 on:** 09 August 2012, 06:53:56 am »

LOL

I think i will have it then.

pitternator · « **Reply #24 on:** 09 August 2012, 07:44:52 am »

well I have just read your ad, and it still sounds " needy" to me. I like the lots of detail,its essential to properly list any motor vehicle, but you are listing a price which you then invite offers on ! So you wont ever get the full price. I think you should have auctioned it.

A black bike always can look a little dull, and the background for the photos dont help.It dont appeal to me tbh...it most likely is such a good bike as you say , but to a non fazerite , it looks expensive for a 35k miler 10 yr old bike , a tad dull and then it looks like you yourself have listed it too high !

Its a critical appraisal of the advert , not you , so dont get upset by what I say.I am just looking at it from the punters eyes.By contrast I saw an ad for a mint sprint 1050 in the bright caspian blue, piccie taken in sunshine, and it looked a cracker. I wanted to own it as soon as I saw it.
Your ad will work if a punter comes along , who wants a black fazer( or color is irrelevant) for the best money he can beat you down for.I wish you well, but doubt you will get top dollar.

I would relist the bike with better photos, on an auction with your minimum price set as areserve and see what happens.Before I list any item I want good money for, I always watch the market for a week or two beforehand, as demand fluctuates. The shit weather dont help at all...august is like june and july ...totally un biking weather...so I dont predict strong prices for what is effectively very late in the season...