Thinking about selling your motorcycle in the summer? It may be a good time, but deciding when to sell your motorcycle can also be a difficult decision. How do you determine if summer is the right time to sell your motorcycle?
Summer is the height of riding season, so demand will probably be high. On the flip side, are you ready to be without a motorcycle or do you already have your next bike purchase lined up? And is it really any better than selling in the spring or winter? The short answer is, yes. If you want to sell and get the most money for your bike, summer is absolutely the right time to sell your motorcycle.
Summer is the Best Time to Sell
Unlike other seasons, the answer here is fairly universal. If you want to get the most money for your motorcycle quickly and easily, summer is the absolute best time to sell. The riding season is at or nearing it’s peak. There are plenty of new riders looking for their first bike as well as plenty of experienced riders looking for a new motorcycle.
Weather Makes it Peak Riding Season
In some areas like Florida, motorcycle riding season never ends. Further north, many riders often wait until the snow has subsided and a good rainfall can clear the salt off the road. Across most of the United States this usually happens in March or April. Some unlucky riders in areas like the Mountain West have to wait until May, or even sometimes June or July for their last snowfall. This means that almost every area is able to ride when summer starts around the end of June. With the whole country riding, that means demand from motorcycle buyers will be at it’s peak.
Motorcycle Pricing in Summer
Motorcycle classifieds website ChopperExchange reports that sellers get the most money for their motorcycles in the summer. Specifically they found that in the third quarter – the months of July, August, and September – sellers get about 5% more than when they sell during the first or last months of the year. That may not seem like much, but 5% of $10,000 is $500. That savings could pay for your fuel for a whole year of riding. They also found that sellers ended up selling for around 96% of their asking price which is slightly higher than others seasons of the year. This means if you’re looking to get top dollar for your motorcycle, summer is definitely the ideal time.
Where to Sell Your Motorcycle in Summer
Given that demand and pricing are higher in the summer, any of the popular places to sell your motorcycle should be fast and effective. Given that this is the best time to sell, be extra careful to ensure that you do get that top dollar.
Bikes Sell Fast this Time of Year
Most motorcycles, in addition to selling at a slight premium, also sell fast in the summer. For this reason, we recommend you look for an option where you sell directly to a third-party to maximize your sale price. During the winter or autumn, selling direct to a third-party may be too time consuming if you want a fast transaction. This is not really a problem in the summer, because there are so many eager buyers.
Motorcycle Resellers and Dealerships
You shouldn’t need to rely on an instant cash offer from a motorcycle reseller unless you want to sell in hours instead of days. Sometimes selling locally with a classifieds ad can be just as fast too, because those instant cash offers are not always so instant. Unless of course you are buying a brand new motorcycle from a dealership, and want to complete the process in one transaction. In that case, selling to a dealer may cost you a few dollars, but save you the headache of timing both transactions to minimize lost riding time. Just make sure it’s a reputable dealer and that they are offering you a fair trade-in value.
Should You Sell?
Summer is universally the best time to sell your motorcycle fast and to get the most money. But that doesn’t mean it’s the right time for you to sell your bike. If you aren’t ready to give up riding or buy your next motorcycle, you should wait. If you are ready it’s a great time to sell, but don’t make the mistake of selling your motorcycle before you’re ready.
Let us know if the comments if you have a story about selling a motorcycle in the summer. Where did you sell it? How did it go? Did you have any regrets afterwards?
