If you’ve decided that it is time to part with your motorbike, whether that’s to make a bit of cash or so that you can upgrade, you’ll want to make sure that the process of selling it is as quick and painless as possible.
We thought we’d run through what your options are for selling your bike, and a few tips for being savvy about your sale. Read on to find out more!
Sell safely
Before you skip ahead to listing your bike online, there are a few things you need to be aware of to avoid falling victim to scammers and criminals.
Often those who are out to scam you will pose as would-be buyers, so you should be wary of any buyers who seem too good to be true. Anybody who offers to buy the bike without coming to take a look at it in person, or who offers you more than the asking price should definitely throw up a red flag, and you should always be careful to avoid giving out any details to anybody upfront, whether they be personal details or the V5C.
There are more risks when it comes to taking payment, so avoid cash as this could be counterfeit. Bank transfer is the safest way of receiving payment for your bike, and using the Bank of England’s CHAPS system can help to add an extra layer of security, so we would definitely advise you make use of it.
Be sure that you don’t use any delivery companies or ESCROW services that are recommended to you by the buyer, as these could be bogus.
Make use of social media
Social media is often the go-to for just about anything these days, and selling things is no exception. Facebook Marketplace is now a very popular way to sell anything from household goods to cars and motorbikes, and Facebook has their own guide to listing your vehicle for sale which you can find here.
People are loving how Facebook Marketplace is a fee-free alternative to eBay, and it works in a pretty similar way. You just list your bike and the price you are hoping for, add in relevant details and a picture and share it. You can also share your posts with your friends’ list and any local selling groups that you’re a member of to maximize the exposure of your post.
Auction sites
Sometimes the tried and tested routes can work really well, and eBay is a great site to use if you want to sell your bike within a short space of time. Auction listings tend to attract a lot of interest, but you should be careful to set a reserve price so that you don’t end up parting with your bike for 99p by accident.
eBay also have their own guide to selling your car or motorbike which includes all of the fees that you can expect to pay.
Specialist sites
A safe and foolproof way of selling your bike is to use a specialist site like Motorbike Trader or We Want Your Motorbike. It’s a great way to make sure you sell your bike really quickly and it takes a lot of the stress out of the sales process because you don’t need to worry about getting scammed.
You might be able to fetch a higher price by selling it privately yourself, but if it’s peace of mind and a swift sale you’re after, you can’t go far wrong with these sites!
All you need to do is enter your registration and a few details about the bike on the website and then you are given a valuation that same day! They even sort out the collection of the bike for you, which is one less thing to deal with.