I need some help. I'm seriously considering selling my 91' GS500, but have been out of the loop for awhile and don't know what to ask for it.

It has a Veypor tach/speedo, progressive springs, aftermarket rear blinkers, and shorter mirrors. It would come with my helmet, extra helmet pads, the veypor box and manuals, the Clymore manual for the 91, the disk lock, a cover, battery charger, and an aluminum ramp to get the bike into a truck. It runs strong and only has 9100 miles.

Any ideas what a fair asking price might be? KBB says $1220 in excellent condition - considering mine is probably only in "good" condition but comes with so much extra bike stuff like the ramp and disk lock, what might be a fair price?

I will try to post a picture below...
http://www.glowfoto.com/viewimage.php?img=11-103436L&rand=4568&t=jpg&m=10&y=2010&srv=img5

The photo won't embed - please see picture link (wfs obv)

Best bet is to search the completed ebay listings and other for sale threads on this forum. It'll give you an idea of the going rate, so you know where to negotiate from.

Unfortunately, extras aren't worth much for the value of the bike, unless they are highly prized stuff like Ohlins bits. Most of the time, you'll make more money by returning the bike to stock, and selling the parts separately. IMO, it's a little unreasonable to expect KBB retail value for a private party sale, especially given the economy and the season. Expect to sell the bike for somewhere between retail and trade in value. A good starting place is to split the difference.

Well, trade in is $760. Its a shame about the extra gear not really having any value. I was going to sell my helmet and two jackets with everything else, but maybe I'll hold onto those in case I get a bike down the road. Probably won't get much extra for them anyway.

Thanks. If anyone else has any thoughts or an opinion, I'd love to hear it.

I'd start out asking 14-1500 - you in CA right, screw what the book says, it counts 3K miles per year, and 3K on a 20 yr old bike is 60K ... and with 48K 5 years ago I got $650 ... perfect for book value.

In the time I owned that 89 of mine I sold about 6-7 gs'es. Every time I'd run an ad for another GS some smart alec will call and give me this schpeel about book value ... I'd calmly tell him yes I have one bike I'd sell for book value that obeys all the "rules of the book". They will slowly meander to how many miles it has, and I'd calmly ask them how many miles does the book say for that year. One book used 5K and the other used 3. When they say the book uses 3K a year as the average. I would calmly say, yes sure, the bike is 16 years old, OK so 16 X 3 would be 48K, man mine has a bit less than that, no problem.
Guess what, 7 times out of 7 I sold the lower mile GS for near about 2 X the book price. I sold one in february for 1350. It had 3500 miles on a 10 year old bike. I really sold that 89 only out of desparation, cos I was jobless for 4 months and going broke.

Book value is bullshiite, cos you have 10K miles. A 50K mile GS needs a rebuild any day, 10K does not. People want to learn on a GS and move on, they dont want to rebuild it. Its easily worth 2 X book.

Now one thing you need to try to do though is to put yourself in the buyers shoes. If they say there is this other bike for this much less - you should try not to say mine I know is in good condition etc etc - cos to the buyer, the 2 are still unknown, you may want to go through the trouble of finding out what is on the market and priced @ what range before pricing yours. Then you know that an ad that comes out after you with a lower price is there just to bait and bash you. I was selling some audio stuff, and one guy called me saying this and that  and what not and he found a some or other and I needed to lower my price. Then 2 days goes by and he calls again asking if I lowered my price. I told him I broke up that thing and threw it in the trash. He promptly said man why did you do that, I'd have paid you the $ you were asking. I told him you said there was one for much less, I saw it, it definetly looked better, so I gutted mine. He said man no ... that one was busted and shitty. I told him, fine if you want it, I got another one similar to that first one in better shape than it even. It was true, but that was what I was selling, the one I busted I busted before I even got it home. The dude came by, paid me the 250 I was asking for it asked for a receipt and left. You need to know what you have, how it compares to what is out there and where the prices are.

Cool.
Buddha.

I'm not going to lie, I'm flattered that Bhudda wrote in my thread.

Good advice, thanks for the input. Yeah, I actually bought this bike specifically because I knew the guy and because it had so few miles. I learned. Now I'm broke (and terrified of wrecking). I'll take what you said to heart and shop the market. Thanks much.

hotlinking not allowed! never mind

Quote from: Train on October 11, 2010, 12:54:26 PM
I'm not going to lie, I'm flattered that Bhudda wrote in my thread.

Good advice, thanks for the input. Yeah, I actually bought this bike specifically because I knew the guy and because it had so few miles. I learned. Now I'm broke (and terrified of wrecking). I'll take what you said to heart and shop the market. Thanks much.

You are special ... you and 20K others ... coincidentally there is less then 20K users on this site. Some people are special 2-3X over.

Well CL is a small community, there is plenty of stalking and baiting and what not. You see someone selling stuff you like, I know of people who'd put stuff similar to it cheaper, little/lot cheaper. That would give the idea to both the seller and the potential buyers that the crap is less valuable than it is. It sits, seller gets desparate and lowers the $.

Its what is I believe caused milliken to develop the oil drop experiment. The act of observing an electron causes it to behave differently. Hence he attached an oil drop to it. It then moves slower and is easier to see cos its bigger.

So, watch the market. Get some data on it. Then formulate yoru plan. Anything that shows up after is likely influenced by your ad.

I also have had people try to trade it for various crap. Be careful what you are trading, since my 2 vices are audio and bikes, I have friends try to swap audio for bikes. Sorry wrong answer, you find audio trash @ goodwill. It usually sells for 1/2 to even less of market value. Worse yet, they quote its retail price ... in 1999 this cost 2500 bucks. Sorry I found it yesterday @ GW for 30. In 1999 a gs cost 4G You dont see people riding out of GW on GS'es they bought for 100 bucks do you. Exactly, electronics depreciates very very rapidly, bikes much much slower.

Anyway good luck.
Cool.
buddha.

BTW I love it when Clueless CL fools put in their ads - "Need to get rid of it" and its priced 2 X what it would sell at if you could use it.
Oops I forgot to paste this gem -

I have a 86 Honda Rebel 450...all origianal....except for paint job...I just had it painted corvette blue.....with Ghost Flames on tank and front fender....It runs great...I have to get rid of it....I'm asking $2500.00 for it...Cash Only Plz....in the pics below it has the origianal miles....it was trailer kept until I got it....I have been to the Mountains and the beach....and many more places on it....I'm located in Salisbury NC....plz call 704-202-3013 if you have any questions...thanks...

Yup need to get rid of it, and want 2500 bucks for a 450 re-ball. Yup, I'm running over there buddy ... with teh money. Fool.

Then there is the hilarious "will not ship" - when its priced 2 X what it will sell for ... like people from other states are beating each other up over it and they want you to ship it. Like this fool -

* 750 cc
* 1600 miles
* Cobra Drag pipes
* Re-jetted
* One owner
* Garage kept
* Excellent condition

Bought it brand new off the showroom floor in May of 2007. It's been well kept. Great for a first time bike owner. I hate to see it go but we have a baby on the way so no more riding for me for a while. Call 704-209-1391 and leave message. Serious inquiries only.

PLEASE NOTE: LOCAL PICKUP ONLY. I WILL NOT SHIP OR HAVE SHIPPING COMPANY TO PICK IT UP!

Yea pal, people are fighting each other to buy your POS 750 shadow from other states.

BTW its been there for over 3 months that I remmember. And a baby doubles as a bike lock ? no more riding cos baby on the way ... huh ... man I guess I have to stop riding cos I have a 7yr old. Daym ...

Also I suspect it is older than 07 ... cos around that time a bike dealer went belly up and I bought a bunch of their exhaust cans. I know some dealers bought their inventory out and discounted bikes like crazy. SV650's went for 5299 naked and 5699 with 1/4 fairing. Those were all 04 and 05's.

Cool.
Buddha.

Sorry one more gem - Just plain stupid here -



This is a pair of Infinity Speaker boxes. The speakers do NOT work. The exterior is wood, and they are heavy. They are in excellent shape!!!!! They would be a great addition to any home entertainment system.
The dimensions of these speaker boxes are:
H: 35 1/8"
W: 12 1/2"
D: 12 1/2"

We are located right off of I-485 and Exit 39 (Harrisburg Road), please contact me if you would like to take a look at them.

I need to sell these ASAP, please make me an offer!!!

Serious Inquiries Only Please.


So now who can tell me what is wrong wiht that ad ?


Yes lets see here - The speakers do NOT work. The exterior is wood, and they are heavy. They are in excellent shape!!!!! They would be a great addition to any home entertainment system.

Do not work - OK check.
Exterior is wood - Oops, sorry nope, they are particle board with wood like paper glued on top of that just like all other speakers in the world. Fine, honest mistake, OK fine.

Then ... they are in excellent shape - OK fine maybe cosmetically cos they are dead as per the first sentence. One more honest mistake, OK fine.

And then "they will be a great addition to any home entertainment system" ... wonderful. They will I guess entertain you by dancing cos they sure cant sing ...

I tell ya we are surrounded by idiots.

Cool.
Buddha.

I've taught in the university system for 5 years - trust me, you don't need to tell me... it used to just be freshman, now its seniors, too...

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Buddha Triple posted on your thread....Are you his illegitimate son? I have seen the towering skies, the shimmering lights..but I have have never for the love of..Uh Oh GF's home gotta go see you

Lol. Solid post, sir.

Quote from: JB848 on October 12, 2010, 09:51:27 PM
WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Buddha Triple posted on your thread....Are you his illegitimate son? I have seen the towering skies, the shimmering lights..but I have have never for the love of..Uh Oh GF's home gotta go see you

Stupid people I tell ya ... they're everywhere. And some of them just turn up where you never expect too.
Cool.
Buddha.

Quote from: The Buddha on October 13, 2010, 06:23:59 AM

Stupid people I tell ya ... they're everywhere.

Michael

Although the mods will probably think this thread has gotten off topic, I almost had hot sauce coming out of my nose. Well worth it if the mods close this, imo.