What did you pay for your used Sportster?

[pjstevens77]

I have had mine for 2 yrs and now its time to sell. We are having our 3rd child (the other 2 are still in diapers!!!) in July and I want to move to four wheeled fun so I can enjoy my cruising with or without the little ones.

So the question is what are they selling for? I see dozens out there for sale, but they just sit, we see the same ads on Craig's List week after week, and e-bay isn't that much of a help either. We all know KBB and other sites are a rough guideline, but miles, accessories and market condition really set the tone, not KBB.

I have a 2004 1200C with 4200 miles. I paid over $6K for it when it had 2500 miles 2 yrs ago. Its all stock. I'm not trying to recover what I paid, I actually want to sell it for what its worth.

If you have a Sportster tell me what flavor it is and how much you paid and any significant details relating to the price, and if you want tell me what you think my bike is worth. I know I'm probably leaving the door wide open for abuse with that last one, but hey what the hell right?

And just because I know someone will say it - I already know its only worth what someone is willing to pay, I also know that the story sells the bike and that a picture is worth a 1000 words.

[koji52]

$4-5000 tops. As you said there are many many sporties out there for sale. Even with accessories, people aren't willing to spend much on XLs. I know this because I was trying to sell mine about six months ago. Good luck. I think it'll def sell for $4000 and might sell for $5000, so you're probably somewhere between those numbers.

[pjstevens77]

$4-5000 tops. As you said there are many many sporties out there for sale. Even with accessories, people aren't willing to spend much on XLs. I know this because I was trying to sell mine about six months ago. Good luck. I think it'll def sell for $4000 and might sell for $5000, so you're probably somewhere between those numbers.

It's looking like that. I was thinking of dropping the price to $4500 just to get it gone, which would work b/c I'd be the cheapest low mileage on CL by far. I just don't understand how the bike can get any cheaper than that, there HAS to be a bottom somewhere, I thought $5k was it.

I promise to listen to my instincts next time and not my financial analysis. When I bought my Ducati it was double the price of any new japanese bike like it, yet I still dropped the $15K on it, I was never unhappy with the bike, it was unique (unlike the Sporty) and it sold within 2 weeks when I had to sell it. Not the case with this bike, I let my wallet do the talking, big mistake, bikes are emotional purchases. Lesson learned.

"Craig's List"

[BuzZz]

What a bike is worth when I'm done with it has always been the last thing on my checklist when bike shopping.
How happy I am with it while owning and riding it has always taken precedence.

That said, many people look at buying a bike much differently, and resale becomes a big factor in those equations.

But I have never been unhappy with any bike purchase, or very upset when selling that bike didn't bring me back the money it could/should/would have. I got my money's worth out of every cent I've spent bikes.
I'd do it all again......
....probably will.....
....still worth it.

[RhadamYgg]

I can't help you much with the price of the bike. I do wish I could have bought your Ducati.... But here is my two cents.

I bought my first bike for $2800 (if I remember correctly) it was a 2007 Kawasaki Ninja 250. I sold it 8 months later after putting 5300 miles - for $2300. I didn't mourn the loss of dollars, though. My cost per mile based on purchase price and sale price - was so good I really didn't care.

Now, if I had to sell my B-King right now, I suspect I wouldn't be as happy. With nearly 5K miles on it, the bike is probably worth 6K, and I spent 10.5K for it new a little over a year ago.

$4.5K for 5000 miles vs. $.5K for 5000 miles... You know, one of the guys posted a while back that they would never buy a new bike. I think I'm beginning to understand why...

Good thing I'm not planning on getting rid of the B-King anytime soon. I mean I lust after any number of bikes, but getting rid of it now would be a big time loss. Of course, getting enough miles on my B-King so that the cost per mile is the same as my Kawasaki... Seems unlikely at least in the near future.

Looks like if I sell the B-King for $6000, I have to put 50,000 miles on it before I'll have a comparable cost per mile that I had on my Kawasaki. Of course, once my B-King has 50,000 miles on it (possibly as long as 10 years from now) it won't be worth $6,000...

Good thing I don't ride for low cost of ownership. I ride because I enjoy it - and it scares the "poo poo" out of me.

RhadamYgg

[HYPERR]

What a bike is worth when I'm done with it has always been the last thing on my checklist when bike shopping.
How happy I am with it while owning and riding it has always taken precedence.

That said, many people look at buying a bike much differently, and resale becomes a big factor in those equations.

Agreed. Resale has never been a factor in any of my bike purchase decisions. That being said, I suppose if I was down to two bikes that I absolutely could not decide on, and one was say a Ducati and the other was a Aprilia, then the Aprilia's notorious poor resale might be the eliminating factor.

Another factor that is not a main deciding factor but could be a tie breaker for me is insurance cost. When I got my Hypermotard, I was deciding between that and the Speed Triple. I could have gone either way but the insurance on the Hyper was super cheap and the Triple sky high! I couldn't understand that as they are both similar hooligan type bikes.

[RhadamYgg]

Somehow "poo poo" just take the life out of that whole statement.

[RhadamYgg]

BTW, I have four kids, twins in diapers and don't feel a need to get rid of my bike. I ride safer (as safe as possible) and enjoy the solitude of riding. There is always so much going on when you have four kids that it is a great getaway from it all. Especially when I can manage to commute to work on the bike.

RhadamYgg

[BuzZz]

The Hypermotard was still a new bike when you bought it. The insurance companies didn't have any stats to fall back onto when setting rates. It's not like they know anything about bikes, riding or the sport in general, they base it all on how much they think they will have to pay out. They had no idea what that bike is all about. Luckily for you.

Enough Speed Triples have been been on the wrong line of an insurance claim form for them to see dollar signs when giving quotes out. Same reason some companies buttrape customers trying to insure EX-250's... it has 'Ninja' in it's name....

[pjstevens77]

BTW, I have four kids, twins in diapers and don't feel a need to get rid of my bike. I ride safer (as safe as possible) and enjoy the solitude of riding. There is always so much going on when you have four kids that it is a great getaway from it all. Especially when I can manage to commute to work on the bike.

RhadamYgg

You're so right. I'm not blaming the kids, although its an easy out. I want to get a convertible so my wife can enjoy some alone time too and of course we can always take a couple of the kids if we want. Just makes more sense at this point in my life. I can always get another bike later...Ducati preferably.