With gas prices rising and motorcycle popularity rapidly increasing as a result, there’s a good chance you or someone you know is interested in purchasing a motorcycle sometime soon.  After all, the appeal of excellent gas mileage and the open road can certainly be very tempting.

But maybe you’re on the other side of the fence; you or someone you know is interested in selling a motorcycle soon.  After all, the reasons for selling a bike are nearly as compelling as the reasons to buy one.  Motorcycles tend to be very dangerous, statistically, when compared to other forms of transportation.  Further, bikes are usually seasonal depending on where you live.

Whether you’re looking to buy – or sell – a motorcycle, it’s important to you learn a bit about motorcycle resale values.  Read on to see which bikes tend to hold their resale value well – and which bikes lose their resale value fast!

What motorcycles have high resale values?

• First and foremost, Harley Davidson resale values are some of the highest in the motorcycle world. Harley Davidson resale values can be attributed to strong demand, quality craftsmanship and a cult-like following.  Used Harley Davidson motorcycles – depending on the model – can retain a large percentage of their value, even several years down the road.
• Touring style motorcycles also have a higher resale value than other bikes, especially compared to their race-style counterparts. This is because touring motorcycles generally exhibit superior construction, more built-in features, and a heftier price tag when brand new.
• Other motorcycles with high resale values are European bikes. These include motorcycles by Ducati, Motoguzzi, MV Agusta, BMW and others.  These motorcycles certainly hold value rather well and are desirable on the used market due to lower production numbers and a more exclusive status.  It’s important to remember though, that these factors all vary by model; some motorcycle models are certainly more desirable and hold value better than others.

Motorcycles with Poor Resale Values

• Just like some motorcycles have high resale values, many other bikes are the complete opposite. First and foremost, Chinese motorcycles have extraordinarily poor resale values on the used market here in the United States.  These bikes are generally manufactured by lesser-known companies and are sold at steep discounts when new.  Although many of these Chinese brand motorcycles are actually quite reliable, their resale values suffer.
• Other motorcycles that have generally poorer resale values are Japanese-manufactured cruiser bikes. These are bikes that are styled very similarly to Harley Davidson motorcycles, but are manufactured by companies like Honda, Kawasaki, Yamaha and Suzuki.  These motorcycles, although generally very reliable and well-made, have poor resale values as they are less desirable on the used motorcycle market compared to their American made Harley counterparts.

Quick Tip:
When trying to place a value on a motorcycle, whether you’re the interested buyer or seller, it’s important to beware of price guides like the Kelley Blue Book.  You can learn why in my article “Why Kelley Blue Book Values Can be Misleading”.

Interested in selling your motorcycle?

If you’re in the New York Metro – Tri-State Area, you could be in luck.
Visit us at Big Bucks Auto™ and we’ll give you a free quote to buy your used motorcycle. At Big Bucks Auto™ , we buy most cars and motorcycles for extremely fair prices.  We can usually buy motorcycles in less than 30 minutes, and the highest cash price is determined right on the spot.

Learn more about selling your car or motorcycle.  Read our How to Get Fast Cash for Cars article today – it applies to motorcycles too!

Learn more about why choose us to buy your car and call us today at 1-888-44-BUCKS or 1-888-44-8257