When Is the Best Time to Sell a Motorcycle?

Knowing the right time to sell your motorcycle can allow you to have better leverage over potential buyers and command higher prices for your motorcycle. This is why it is a good rule of thumb to have a deeper knowledge of how motorcycle resell values differ. 

When is the best time to sell a motorcycle? Generally, the best time to sell a motorcycle is from the beginning of spring until the end of the summer. The best months to sell a motorcycle are April, May, June, and July when the peak of the motorcycle season occurs. The higher demand means sellers can sell their motorcycles at better prices.

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There are a lot of variables that can affect a motorcycle’s resell value. If you are interested in learning more, continue reading below.

What is the best time to sell a motorcycle?

Generally speaking, the best time to sell a motorcycle is when the demand is high or, in other words, shortly before and during the motorcycle season. In most cases, this is going to be during the summer.

With the start of the motorcycle season, so to speak, you can expect more people looking to buy a motorcycle, and this will inevitably drive motorcycle prices up.

You, as a seller, will have the leverage giving you an edge in negotiating prices. This means that you have the highest odds of selling your motorcycle at the full asking price.

What are the best months to sell a motorcycle?

The best months to sell a motorcycle are April, May, June, and July.

The peak of the motorcycle season is usually between May and June, and this is the time when motorcycles will be in high demand.

For the southern hemisphere, the best months to sell a motorcycle will be October, November, December, and January.

See article: What is the best month to buy a motorcycle?

When is the worst time to sell a motorcycle?

So far, you have learned when is the best time to sell a motorcycle, which is during the summer. So naturally, the worst time to sell a motorcycle will be during the winter.

The reason is very simple. During the winter, there is very little to no demand for motorcycles. Especially in areas with particularly bad weather. The colder and the more snow, the fewer the people who are willing to buy a motorcycle. The less demand, the lower the prices of motorcycles can drop.

See article: Is it better to buy a motorcycle in the winter?

In other words, buyers have more leverage during the winter, and they will use this leverage to negotiate lower prices.

As a seller, you want to have leverage when negotiating, which is going to be the case during the summer when demand is high and more people will be willing to pay the full asking price.

What are the worst months to sell a motorcycle?

The worst months to sell a motorcycle are August, September, October, November, December, January, and February.

Suppose you are in desperate need of money during the winter and the only way is to sell your motorcycle. In that case, you should expect very little interest from buyers, and the few offers that you receive will usually be lower than the asking price.

There is nothing wrong with listing your motorcycle during the winter as long as you know what to expect.

Ideally, you should wait until at least March because as the weather gets better, you will get a lot more and better offers from potential buyers.

Factors affecting motorcycle resell prices

Generally speaking, motorcycle prices have been slowly rising over the years. However, the resell prices of motorcycles do vary a lot, depending on various factors.

Motorcycles are most strongly affected by the seasons and weather in your area. The warmer the weather, the more money motorcycles will sell for, and the colder the weather, the cheaper motorcycles will get.

This means that if your area has good weather all year round, motorcycle prices will not drop during the off-season simply because there may not be an off-season at all. Nonetheless, other factors may still influence motorcycle prices, so let’s take a more in-depth look.

If you are selling a particularly popular and sought-after model, then you may not really have to worry about the off-season. In general, motorcycles that are in high demand will hold their price all year round.

On the other hand, stay informed about whether new models of the same model you are selling will be coming out any time soon. Usually, when new models come out, older models will drop in price as they will not be as appealing anymore.

Some local motorcycle events (like Bike Week, for example) can lead to increased demand, which can also raise motorcycle prices in the area for a brief period of time.

Is it worth to wait for the summer to sell a motorcycle?

During the off-season and months with particularly low demand, some motorcycles’ prices can drop between 5 to 25%. In other words, some motorcycles can sell for $400 to $3,000 less than what they would during the summer.

This does not mean that you will lose a lot of money, though, as there are a few caveats here.

Here’s why.

In many areas during the winter, even if you do not use your motorcycle, you will still have to pay for insurance.

Motorcycle insurance can vary between $40 to $140 per month, so you may be looking at paying between $200 and $900 even though you will not be using your motorcycle during the winter.

On top of that, depending on where you store your motorcycle, you may also have to pay for a storage space, which can cost between $45 to $70+ per month. Renting storage space for the winter can cost you between $200 and $500.

This means that leaving your motorcycle to sit throughout the winter can cost you at least $400 to $1,400, not taking into account maintenance costs.

If you have decided to sell your motorcycle, you may not always want to wait for the summer.

You may still make good money even if you sell your motorcycle for a few hundred dollars less simply because you will save on some unnecessary expenses.

Selling your motorcycle to a dealer

Some owners may be considering selling their motorcycle to or through a dealer. This is a good way to save on a lot of hassle. If you directly sell your motorcycle to the dealer, you get a safe and quick transaction without too much hassle.

But there is a big caveat here. Dealers usually offer less money.
If you go to a dealership, they will most likely offer you a trade-in price, and they will not normally go below that. The price for which you will sell your motorcycle to the dealer will usually be significantly lower than what you can get when selling privately.

Typically you can expect a dealer to buy your motorcycle for up to 30% less than what it would normally sell privately.

Dealers don’t do that simply to rip off their customers, but because they are businesses and need to make a profit. If they purchase the motorcycle at a typical listing price, they will not make any profit at all and will certainly not stay in business for long.

Usually, most owners will avoid trading in their motorcycle because of that and prefer to sell it privately, especially if they still owe money on it.

However, if you want to maximize your returns, then selling privately is the best course of action.

Selling your motorcycle to a dealer should be done only if you have already paid off your motorcycle and need to sell it as soon as possible.

FAQ’s

• When is the best time to sell a motorcycle?
  • This question delves into the timing that offers sellers the best advantage in the motorcycle market. It explains that generally, the best time to sell a motorcycle is from the beginning of spring until the end of summer when demand is high due to the motorcycle season.

• What factors should I consider when selling a motorcycle?
  • This question focuses on the various factors that can influence the resale price of a motorcycle. It covers elements such as seasonal demand, weather, model popularity, the release of new models, local events, and whether it’s worth waiting for the summer to sell.

• Is it better to sell a motorcycle to a dealer or privately?
  • This question discusses the pros and cons of selling a motorcycle to a dealer versus selling it privately. It explains the advantages of a quick transaction through a dealer but highlights that dealers typically offer lower prices due to their business needs. It suggests that selling privately could yield higher returns for the seller.