I'm going to have to sell my bike within the next few months.  I need to know if I should buy new tires for it since the ones I have now are on their last leg.  I'm assuming I won't, so I should just leave it alone and let the new owner purchase that kinda stuff.  Will I get my return back on them? 

Here's the info on the bike.  Do you think I could get $1250 for it?  That's what I paid and I put a few hundred into it already.  It needs new tires and could prob use some new brake pads as well.

-about 23,000 miles on the clock
-K&N lunchbox
-new micro front and rear turn signals
-new battery
-new honda crf250 petcock
-National Cycle F-18 windscreen
-Sigma 1606L bicycle computer
-superbike bars, new progrip grips and bar-end mirrors
-case guards
-Yoshimura exhaust can

Lower price that you would save by not doing tars, some new owners just take off and toss em anyway, this Idiotic chick I sold my 90 to back in the last century did that, I just had the presence of mind to tell her to tell the shop to keep the old tars and one had a tube in it ... and those Idiots tore the tube, but i got both tars back.
You can always say, your cost, I can swap the tars after the sale, and show you how to.
Cool.
Buddha.

You will never get a ROI for anything, unless it's mostly a labor intensive fix and you do the labor yourself.  Any parts you buy you get 50-75 cents on the dollar at best.  I'd only consider it if it was something keeping the bike from running.

If you want to spend your time wisely, check this out:  I sold my GS last year with 21,000 miles for $2400.  I detailed it until it was spotless, and took lots of hi-res photos of it.  I posted on craigslist and had 4 potential buyers contact me in the first few hours, and sold it to the first guy that showed up.  I know yours is resprayed, but it still looks pretty clean.

People are funny like that.  In my experience on ebay, quality photos and a clear description can easily increase the value of something by 25%.

If you're only trying to get $1200 I wouldn't worry about it. When people are only spending around a grand for a bike, I feel they shouldn't be terribly picky about what they get. I paid $1500 for mine, and it wasn't as clean as yours. Mine at least had the original paint, even though I just ended up spray painting mine black anyway, that's the kind of thing people look at and say "well it's spray painted....." even if they don't care, they just want to lower the price.

Is the bike inspected? that's the only time I might care about tires. If I buy a bike that's complete I like to know I'm at least going to be able to ride it. Just list it and say the price is firm, and emphasize that, so when someone says "well it needs new tires, and it's spray painted..." you just tell them they already knew that. Try listing it, and if one or two people seem interested, but change their mind because of the tires, spend $120 on a pair of avons, put them on, and raise the price $100 and see what people say.

When I was looking for a bike the most important factor for me was that it was ready to ride without needing a lot of work. I wasn't interested in Mods since I figured I would install what I wanted later...but bad brakes or bad tires were a show stopper.

That's just me, but I suspect many first time motorcycle buyers feel the same way.

well the brakes aren't bad, but they squeak every once in a while.  I interpret that as needing to be replaced but I'm no expert.  The tires def need to be replaced but the bike is still very ridable as I ride it 2x a week at least.

I should have pointed out that we have a motorcycle inspection where I live. Bad tires/brakes would be an instant fail. The price of replacing them would factor in my buying decision.

Speaking from the perspective of a recent purchaser;

Tires were a bonus in the fact that I didn't have to deal with it. Offer to change them and have a place in mind and offer it as an additional cost.

Brakes: Um very important. Looked at the Rotors. Good indicator how well the bike was maintained on other must maintain components. Don't sweat the squeaking, it's just annoying is all; Grinding now that's a major problem.

As CentralCoaster said you will never get a return on investment but, it will speed up the sale and attract more buyers.

As tt_four said I agree, someone buying a bike for a little over as grand is prepared to have to do minor repairs or they would spend more.

Having a current inspection sticker, having the title clear, and being prepared to sell it "when" the buyer comes is also a major bonus!

whatever your asking price, they're immediately going to say "those tires are shot, take off $250" and "those brakes squeak, take off $100"

if you still have 3-4 months left, tar and brake it up, and ride her more. enjoy it while you can. then sell it when everything is running smooth.

I'd replace the tires if they are that worn. It's one less thing the bike needs- most buyers prefer turn key pieces. Tho some buyers ( as mentioned before) will take off BRAND New tires because they want a big brand name --even tho they don't yet have the riding skills to come close to the limits of the tires that are on it. 

You don't have to spend a fortune...a set of kenda 671's or something similar would run you about $100 online- then you just need them mounted...(take the rims off the bike and take them to get mounted to save labor...).

i payed 900 for my bike, it's tires were updated 6 months prior.

that being said, i replaced my wheels and tires with it.

it depends on the intent of the seller. But i'd say don't worry about it. Just list it as something that should be taken care of sooner than later.

I've decided to be "that guy" and list it as is for $2000 on craigslist.  It's not a horrible deal considering the amount I paid for it and the money I put into it and I don't really expect to sell it for a few months (which is why I priced it so high), but I wanted to test the waters.  Of course, if I get an offer close to the asking price I'd sell it now.

Just look at the pads - if they have meat, leave 'em on. If the rotors are above minimum thickness, leave 'em on.  If a buyer says they squeak, point out those two data.

If the tires are at the wear bars, agree with the buyer to take a few hunsky off of the price so they can put whatever they want on.  I agree you shouldn't start low with a 'needs new tires' disclaimer.  In an ideal world, you'd do that, but in the real world, I think it always goes just as Ohgood says. :p

Of course, if you can get tires with lots of tread left for cheap (takeoffs, someone else's stockers) and change them for cheap, do it.  A 'needs nothing' bike is always an easier sell...

I received an email about my ebay ad to sell the bike and it's kinda fishy.  I'm trying to figure out if it's a scam, but his phone number checks out so I don't know.

The guy is a 21 y/o student that lives 2 hours away and has the weirdest name I have ever seen and I was friends with some eastern bloc exchange students in college so I have seen some weird ones.  The questions he asked were pretty standard - how does it run, will he have to do anything to it, has it ever been in a wreck, etc.

Have you guys heard about any scams like this?

What's fishy about it? Just that he has a weird name?

Quote from: tripleb on July 31, 2009, 06:26:01 AM
I received an email about my ebay ad to sell the bike and it's kinda fishy.  I'm trying to figure out if it's a scam, but his phone number checks out so I don't know.

The guy is a 21 y/o student that lives 2 hours away and has the weirdest name I have ever seen and I was friends with some eastern bloc exchange students in college so I have seen some weird ones.  The questions he asked were pretty standard - how does it run, will he have to do anything to it, has it ever been in a wreck, etc.

Have you guys heard about any scams like this?

You mean people with weird names buying bikes ? If its a scam I am yet to see any $$ from it.
Cool.
Buddha.

Quote from: CentralCoaster on July 24, 2009, 01:31:20 PM
You will never get a ROI for anything, unless it's mostly a labor intensive fix and you do the labor yourself.  Any parts you buy you get 50-75 cents on the dollar at best.  I'd only consider it if it was something keeping the bike from running.

If you want to spend your time wisely, check this out:  I sold my GS last year with 21,000 miles for $2400.  I detailed it until it was spotless, and took lots of hi-res photos of it.  I posted on craigslist and had 4 potential buyers contact me in the first few hours, and sold it to the first guy that showed up.  I know yours is resprayed, but it still looks pretty clean.

People are funny like that.  In my experience on ebay, quality photos and a clear description can easily increase the value of something by 25%.

Just an opinion from someone who just went through the CL buying process......
I paid a premium for mine and drove to Daytona to pick it up because it was in great running shape.
If it needed tires I would have left. To someone who wants a turn-key bike, tires are a huge plus.
The thing about tires that separates them from other maintanence is the P.I.A. factor it takes to
do it yourself and the cost of having a shop do it.  Its harsh, regardless....If its already done for
someone, my useless opinion is that they will overlook a lot over other nit-pick type stuff and buy.
Id buy a bike that needed, lets say....some carb work before I'd buy a bike that needed new tires
but ran great only becuase me personally could get the bike running well easier than I could change
tires.
.02¢

Quote from: tripleb on July 31, 2009, 06:26:01 AM
I received an email about my ebay ad to sell the bike and it's kinda fishy.  I'm trying to figure out if it's a scam, but his phone number checks out so I don't know.

The guy is a 21 y/o student that lives 2 hours away and has the weirdest name I have ever seen and I was friends with some eastern bloc exchange students in college so I have seen some weird ones.  The questions he asked were pretty standard - how does it run, will he have to do anything to it, has it ever been in a wreck, etc.

Have you guys heard about any scams like this?

whats his name...couldnt be any worse than:

<~~~ payam

is his name D.U. Takacheck?
otherwise the only name you need worry about is "Benjamin"

Quote from: psyber_0ptix on July 31, 2009, 11:05:45 AM

Quote from: tripleb on July 31, 2009, 06:26:01 AM
I received an email about my ebay ad to sell the bike and it's kinda fishy.  I'm trying to figure out if it's a scam, but his phone number checks out so I don't know.

The guy is a 21 y/o student that lives 2 hours away and has the weirdest name I have ever seen and I was friends with some eastern bloc exchange students in college so I have seen some weird ones.  The questions he asked were pretty standard - how does it run, will he have to do anything to it, has it ever been in a wreck, etc.

Have you guys heard about any scams like this?

whats his name...couldnt be any worse than:

<~~~ payam

Pay'em, Far ... far away.

Yep ...
Even worse ... is his name J.L. Byrd.

Her name could be Crystal M Etheridge. I swear I know a person with that name.

Or another one I know - not in the same type but funny none the less, Charity Joyce.
Cool.
Buddha.