No love for second hand bikes any more?
Discussion
Over the past couple of months I have seen dozens of adverts for the same bikes pop up again and again.
Most of them look pretty decent, most of them are reasonably priced, but they just don't seem to be selling.
Narrowing it down a bit, these are between five and twenty years old, 600-1000cc and sub-£4k.
Has the nation lost its love for second hand bikes?
Discuss.
Most of them look pretty decent, most of them are reasonably priced, but they just don't seem to be selling.
Narrowing it down a bit, these are between five and twenty years old, 600-1000cc and sub-£4k.
Has the nation lost its love for second hand bikes?
Discuss.
Edited by Rubin215 on Tuesday 25th June 21:24
That's annoying as I've got a VFR800 that I want to sell that's 19 years old and £3k.
Looks like I'm screwed
On a serious note cost of living is biting for the majority. Not everyone has had inflation matching payrises. A lot haven't had any.
My gas and electric has gone from £60 to £200pm since my last payrise, most other expenses have risen by a similar amount, something has to give.
Looks like I'm screwed
On a serious note cost of living is biting for the majority. Not everyone has had inflation matching payrises. A lot haven't had any.
My gas and electric has gone from £60 to £200pm since my last payrise, most other expenses have risen by a similar amount, something has to give.
ChocolateFrog said:
That's annoying as I've got a VFR800 that I want to sell that's 19 years old and £3k.
Looks like I'm screwed
On a serious note cost of living is biting for the majority. Not everyone has had inflation matching payrises. A lot haven't had any.
My gas and electric has gone from £60 to £200pm since my last payrise, most other expenses have risen by a similar amount, something has to give.
When money becomes tight is normally when second hand becomes popular. Looks like I'm screwed
On a serious note cost of living is biting for the majority. Not everyone has had inflation matching payrises. A lot haven't had any.
My gas and electric has gone from £60 to £200pm since my last payrise, most other expenses have risen by a similar amount, something has to give.
If you think about it too much the bike market in the UK makes no sense at all.
I think there are a lot of bikes parked up because what they would sell for is neither here or there for a lot of owners. A lot of people will only sell if they need the space and a bike doesn’t take up much.
What I think that also means is that a small market is further limited because people aren’t swapping between similar categories. How many people with a 2006 blade are going to change it for a 2006 gsxr?
In my case I really wanted a 1000 from that era, when I was 10 years younger and couldn’t afford it. Now I don’t want one anymore, more or less at any price but I’m definitely not in at £6k.
I think a lot of uk bikes get exported but the price has to be right to make that attractive.
I think there are a lot of bikes parked up because what they would sell for is neither here or there for a lot of owners. A lot of people will only sell if they need the space and a bike doesn’t take up much.
What I think that also means is that a small market is further limited because people aren’t swapping between similar categories. How many people with a 2006 blade are going to change it for a 2006 gsxr?
In my case I really wanted a 1000 from that era, when I was 10 years younger and couldn’t afford it. Now I don’t want one anymore, more or less at any price but I’m definitely not in at £6k.
I think a lot of uk bikes get exported but the price has to be right to make that attractive.
Rubin215 said:
Over the past couple of months I have seen dozens of adverts for the same bikes pop up again and again.
Most of them look pretty decent, most of them are reasonably priced, but they just don't seem to be selling.
Narrowing it down a bit, these are between five and twenty years old, 600-1000cc and sub-£4k.
Has the nation lost its love for second hand bikes?
Discuss.
I think there are multiple factors here:- Most of them look pretty decent, most of them are reasonably priced, but they just don't seem to be selling.
Narrowing it down a bit, these are between five and twenty years old, 600-1000cc and sub-£4k.
Has the nation lost its love for second hand bikes?
Discuss.
Edited by Rubin215 on Tuesday 25th June 21:24
1. The weather has been dire up until now, I can count on one hand how many times I've been out this year.
2. I think the average age of a biker in the UK is now much older than it used to be.
3. There are far less new young bikers now - cost of a bike, insurance, servicing/tyres, more traffic/risk, other hobbies/interests.
4. Shiny sportsbikes are a thing of the past now, when I started riding in the late 90's we had the first R1, Blade, GSXR, 916/996 all iconic bikes. You lusted after one of these, but now it's all Adventure bikes or super nakeds, nothing wrong with that but it's not attracting the kids.
Ultimately it's a hobby and it's pretty expensive to start.
trickywoo said:
If you think about it too much the bike market in the UK makes no sense at all.
I think there are a lot of bikes parked up because what they would sell for is neither here or there for a lot of owners. A lot of people will only sell if they need the space and a bike doesn’t take up much.
What I think that also means is that a small market is further limited because people aren’t swapping between similar categories. How many people with a 2006 blade are going to change it for a 2006 gsxr?
In my case I really wanted a 1000 from that era, when I was 10 years younger and couldn’t afford it. Now I don’t want one anymore, more or less at any price but I’m definitely not in at £6k.
I think a lot of uk bikes get exported but the price has to be right to make that attractive.
there are few bikes I want, been sitting on AT for more than 6 months, not drop for a single penny. I am not willing to pay their mark price for a bike of that age when much newer bike is only like 1k to 1.5k moreI think there are a lot of bikes parked up because what they would sell for is neither here or there for a lot of owners. A lot of people will only sell if they need the space and a bike doesn’t take up much.
What I think that also means is that a small market is further limited because people aren’t swapping between similar categories. How many people with a 2006 blade are going to change it for a 2006 gsxr?
In my case I really wanted a 1000 from that era, when I was 10 years younger and couldn’t afford it. Now I don’t want one anymore, more or less at any price but I’m definitely not in at £6k.
I think a lot of uk bikes get exported but the price has to be right to make that attractive.
There are so many mid range bikes these days, they're cheap and usually have good finance offers for the long of pocket so why buy a 4 or 6 year old bike when you can have a 24 plate bike on your drive ?
Also some dealers, KTM for example, will sell off this years new bikes at very big discounts at the start of the next year. So the latest 1390 Duke which you need to pay £19k for right now, will probably be for sale at about £15k maybe £16k next March/April.
Also some dealers, KTM for example, will sell off this years new bikes at very big discounts at the start of the next year. So the latest 1390 Duke which you need to pay £19k for right now, will probably be for sale at about £15k maybe £16k next March/April.
Just looked at prices and I reckon my bike has lost 40% in 18 months. When I bought my VFR800 there was nothing under £2k worth buying now it seems like everything around the same age and mileage is under 2k.
I agree with the person above that if you don't need to sell for some reason it's almost pointless selling.
I'm sure for most people their bike is worth more to them than the £1500 it might fetch on a good day.
I agree with the person above that if you don't need to sell for some reason it's almost pointless selling.
I'm sure for most people their bike is worth more to them than the £1500 it might fetch on a good day.
Biker9090 said:
A lot of people don't want old, analogue sportsbikes/tourers. Many want modern tech and adv style. Average age for bikers is 50 something, no?
The adv bikes sell like hotcakes.
I have found this lately when talking about my ZXR750. Labourer working on my garden, just back from Crail raceway at the weekend so knows a bit I guess, was almost incredulous "what, no ABS?" His face when I explained there wasn't even a fuel gauge on it... The adv bikes sell like hotcakes.
I think for many the appeal of "newer = therefore must be better" coupled with it being easier to finance than save up means the second hand market for private sellers goes stale when we can't offer finance or warranties.
The market has pretty much stalled and prices are already slipping quite a bit on some stuff.
There are signs of big reductions from sellers as they recalibrate to market conditions but also many holding out for prices that are currently unachievable and I think that will continue for some time.
I am pretty much through my hitlist of bikes, most of them 20+ years old, have bought a handful in the last 6 months so I'm pretty sure I'll be losing on them when the time comes to sell. I base that on the fact that we are an ageing demographic and the cost of living really has dug deep, youngsters even if they like bikes are facing such an uphill struggle, I'm not overly confident about the value of my collection by the time I'm done with it. That said, who knows, if things turn around and there certainly doesn't seem to be much light on the horizon at the moment, but if and when it does, it'll probably go bananas again. Buyer sentiment is low right now I would say, we are in a 'bear' market for bike buyers!!
That said, they weren't bought as investments and when a nice condition one comes up for relatively rare bikes you kind of have to make a move if you want to secure it. The one good thing about the recent peak market conditions is that it does tend to bring out some very nice bikes that would otherwise not be being sold. Unless I needed to distress sell I have no intention of selling any of them, because I enjoy them but I doubt my kids will ever be interested in riding them.
There are signs of big reductions from sellers as they recalibrate to market conditions but also many holding out for prices that are currently unachievable and I think that will continue for some time.
I am pretty much through my hitlist of bikes, most of them 20+ years old, have bought a handful in the last 6 months so I'm pretty sure I'll be losing on them when the time comes to sell. I base that on the fact that we are an ageing demographic and the cost of living really has dug deep, youngsters even if they like bikes are facing such an uphill struggle, I'm not overly confident about the value of my collection by the time I'm done with it. That said, who knows, if things turn around and there certainly doesn't seem to be much light on the horizon at the moment, but if and when it does, it'll probably go bananas again. Buyer sentiment is low right now I would say, we are in a 'bear' market for bike buyers!!
That said, they weren't bought as investments and when a nice condition one comes up for relatively rare bikes you kind of have to make a move if you want to secure it. The one good thing about the recent peak market conditions is that it does tend to bring out some very nice bikes that would otherwise not be being sold. Unless I needed to distress sell I have no intention of selling any of them, because I enjoy them but I doubt my kids will ever be interested in riding them.
SteveKTMer said:
There are so many mid range bikes these days, they're cheap and usually have good finance offers for the long of pocket so why buy a 4 or 6 year old bike when you can have a 24 plate bike on your drive ?
Exactly this as well. All the toys and all the warranty included rather than something that could be an old s
tter. The used bike market has always been really strange. Lots of bikes, used, and near new prices. The range of prices on any model seems illogical.
Also, prices are softening, so I guess some holders of stock (dealers ) are holding out.
Vans were similar...lack of supply forced new prices up. Then supply recommences, and everything adjusts. You can now buy new cheaper than used in some cases.
Also, prices are softening, so I guess some holders of stock (dealers ) are holding out.
Vans were similar...lack of supply forced new prices up. Then supply recommences, and everything adjusts. You can now buy new cheaper than used in some cases.
I've been looking at used bikes as I wouldn't mind something to commute on that keep the wear down on the 765RS and has better wind protection. Did even debate to treat it like shedding but with a bit more budget and swap it regularly to expand my riding palette a but it's getting stuck with the wrong one is the issue. I'm debating a newer VFR800 or something similar and they seem to hang around forever. Not sure what else I could get that appeals. As long as it's got ABS and a fuel gauge, for the road and isn't naked I want to start looking at.
Bikes are also always more expensive used in Wales. Always cheaper in England so my first I got near Gloucester. Also these used bike shops never seem to clean their stock. Bought in as is, never even attempting to make them presentable.
Bikes are also always more expensive used in Wales. Always cheaper in England so my first I got near Gloucester. Also these used bike shops never seem to clean their stock. Bought in as is, never even attempting to make them presentable.
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