Tips for selling your Motorcycle

IRVINE, Calif., May 4, 2021, This May, Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month comes at a particularly crucial time. Traffic is returning to pre-pandemic levels, families are planning for summer road trips, and interest in motorcycling — for commuting and recreation — is seeing strong growth. In an effort to reach as many drivers and riders as possible, the Motorcycle Safety Foundation has teamed up with AAA to get information about no-fault benefits in Michigan and the importance of sharing the road with motorcyclists.

Take High-Quality Photos – Photos have the power to draw buyers in – so make sure yours are the best they can be. Buyers want to see authentic photos when they are searching for listings, so do your best to avoid stock photography. We suggest including a wide variety of photos on your listing including various angles and up-close shots so the potential buyer can get the full scope of your bike. Take your listing photos in natural daylight so they are not washed out and make sure to use a camera that takes top-notch photos that buyers will want to click on.

Make Your Bike Shine – You’ll want to make sure the motorcycle you’re selling is spotless. You’ll need to put in a bit of elbow grease considering even the most well-maintained motorcycles often collect a bit of dirt and grime from life on the road. Buyers want to see their potential bike in tip-top condition, so you should give it a detailed wash before you take photos or invite potential buyers over to test drive the unit.

Be Honest About Your Unit – You’ll want to photograph and describe any and all damage the bike has right off the bat. It’s important to be open and honest with buyers so you don’t lose credibility and, potentially, the sale. Buyers appreciate honesty – so keep that in mind when creating your listing. The last thing you want to do is surprise them with a dent or scrape that they couldn’t see in your online listing photos.

Include a Price- Including a price in your listing is crucial. Buyers want to know this information upfront to determine if your bike fits into their budget – and we can all relate to that. The fact is, 90% of buyers won’t click on a listing without a price 1 – this simple addition can make a big difference – don’t forget it.

Put Yourself in the Buyer’s Shoes – When crafting a listing, and even showing the buyer your bike, it’s important to put yourself in their shoes – which should be easy since you were once a buyer yourself. Ask yourself, “what did I want to know before purchasing my motorcycle?” or “what advice/knowledge can I share since I’ve been through the process before?” Providing this type of information is extremely helpful for potential buyers – especially if they are new or just getting into the biker lifestyle.

Write a Detailed Listing Description – While descriptions can be tedious to write – they are so important, particularly for the first time buyer. Buyers need your help deciphering how this particular bike is going to fit their needs and lifestyle – you have the opportunity to be the expert. We recommend highlighting all the key features of your bike and how you’ve used it previously. The more details, the better.

Respond to Potential Buyers in a Timely Fashion – We live in a world where instant gratification is the norm, so you’ll want to keep that in mind when motorcycle inquiries come rolling in. We encourage you to check your messages regularly so you can respond to an interested buyer quickly after being contacted. Buyers can move fast so they will likely move along to another listing if you don’t respond in a timely fashion.

Include Relevant Keywords- Make sure to include keywords that are relevant to your specific unit – that way as people are searching online, your unit pops up easily. For example, the word “cruiser” is a top search word.