Am I Making Fair Offers? | GTAMotorcycle.com

Am I Making Fair Offers?

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Nibs

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This is in Canadian Dollars.

I'm looking to buy my first bike and I'm mainly looking between Yamaha R3's and MT 03's.

I've seen a lot of 2015-16 R3's with 10-30k KM's usually with a bit of fairing damage like scratches. None have the safety cert and sometimes need a tire replacement soon. I've been offering 4k for these bikes and 4.5k for some 2019's in the same shape.

I feel these are very fair offers but most sellers don't seem to agree and think 4.6k to 5.6k is better for the 2015-16 models and usually 6k+ for the 2019's.

Am I being unreasonable or should I just keep being patient and making offers around this range?


EDIT: Hey, thanks so much for all the responses and adivce! I ended up finding a 2018 Yamaha R3 with 13.3k KM's for $3900 cdn. It only had one owner, a 45 year old woman who treated it well. It runs great and I'm getting it safetied as I write this. It needs tires though so.... oh well, I'm happy.
 
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Nibs said:
This is in Canadian Dollars.

I'm looking to buy my first bike and I'm mainly looking between Yamaha R3's and MT 03's.

I've seen a lot of 2015-16 R3's with 10-30k KM's usually with a bit of fairing damage like scratches. None have the safety cert and sometimes need a tire replacement soon. I've been offering 4k for these bikes and 4.5k for some 2019's in the same shape.

I feel these are very fair offers but most sellers don't seem to agree and think 4.6k to 5.6k is better for the 2015-16 models and usually 6k+ for the 2019's.

Am I being unreasonable or should I just keep being patient and making offers around this range?
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You're unfortunately buying at the worst time. Market will come down and people will be more open to parting with their toys in the fall.

The used toy market is still on fire from covid, i assume people are nickel and diming due to financial constraints.
 
Evoex said:
You're unfortunately buying at the worst time. Market will come down and people will be more open to parting with their toys in the fall.

The used toy market is still on fire from covid, i assume people are nickel and diming due to financial constraints.
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Yeah, it does feel like people are not really serious about selling rn. I'm definitely not trying to lowball or rip anyone off. I also feel 4k is even the high end within reason for a 2015 tbh. However, I'm newer rider so my opinion might be way off.
 
Prices have been ridiculous since COVID turned the taps down. As long as demand exceeds supply expect things to remain the same.
 
The market is the market. Are you actually seeing the bikes in person, or just shooting a number through FB marktplace/Tradet/Kijiji?
An in person offer is much more valuable than a random number you send fron an ad.
Are your offers fair? They seem to be, but that doesn't appear to be the market price based on what you are seeing.
 
cryptorider said:
The market is the market. Are you actually seeing the bikes in person, or just shooting a number through FB marktplace/Tradet/Kijiji?
An in person offer is much more valuable than a random number you send fron an ad.
Are your offers fair? They seem to be, but that doesn't appear to be the market price based on what you are seeing.
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Agreed.... cash and a trailer go a long way to moving numbers.
 
cryptorider said:
The market is the market. Are you actually seeing the bikes in person, or just shooting a number through FB marktplace/Tradet/Kijiji?
An in person offer is much more valuable than a random number you send fron an ad.
Are your offers fair? They seem to be, but that doesn't appear to be the market price based on what you are seeing.
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Soulcatcher668 said:
Agreed.... cash and a trailer go a long way to moving numbers.
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Fine advice, just don't be the tire kicking/d'bag buyers I had to deal with recently.
My bike was pretty flawless. Yet I still posted about $1k lower than any other comparable I saw on the market.
Buyers message still wanting to lowball below that. I respond, dude it's a perfect bike. As stated, not plated, not safetied, price reflects that already. Come see it and assess, you will see it will pass safety no problem.
Agree to a tentative price (even a few hundred lower) and they come see it.
"Oh, can you deliver it for me"... No, it's not plated as mentioned. Get a trailer... "oh, can you trailer it for me then"
[start to get angry]
"Oh, it's not safetied, can you do that for me"
[start to get angrier]
SURE, for my original price, PLUS $500. Deal?
They get ******, walk away.

This played out exactly the same twice in a row.
 
If a bike is unreasonably priced and you think your offer is fair, stick to it.

Unreasonably priced bike will keep sitting on the market in most cases.
If you really like the bike, stay in touch with the seller , go check out bike with cash in pocket and you will get it.

I have bought and sold plenty of bikes on marketplace, never had an issue. Sellers can sometime be triggered due to tire tickers and time wasters with stupid questions and demands.
 
Wind Shear said:
Fine advice, just don't be the tire kicking/d'bag buyers I had to deal with recently.
My bike was pretty flawless. Yet I still posted about $1k lower than any other comparable I saw on the market.
Buyers message still wanting to lowball below that. I respond, dude it's a perfect bike. As stated, not plated, not safetied, price reflects that already. Come see it and assess, you will see it will pass safety no problem.
Agree to a tentative price (even a few hundred lower) and they come see it.
"Oh, can you deliver it for me"... No, it's not plated as mentioned. Get a trailer... "oh, can you trailer it for me then"
[start to get angry]
"Oh, it's not safetied, can you do that for me"
[start to get angrier]
SURE, for my original price, PLUS $500. Deal?
They get ******, walk away.

This played out exactly the same twice in a row.
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That's sh!tty.

What are you selling?

What about offering to safety it for $xxx more? I live out in Port Hope, or to most people in the GTA "the far unlit unknown". As such I've delivered stuff multiple times, and put that in my ad as a possibility.

Negotiations definitely can be a PITA, but it is what it is. What you experienced though shouldn't happen really.
 
I always list two prices - with or without NVIS/safety. Then the tire kicker doesn't bother to read and asks the same dumb questions.
I put a mint roadie bicycle up on FB Marketplace at a very fair price - basically half what a comparable new one would cost but ended up taking the ad down because of all the idiots. Maybe I should have started higher and let them 'talk me down'...
 
This is why i traded in my last 3 bikes. The dealer actually offered above blue book price and once you add in the tax savings, I wasn't far enough off the sticker price to bother dealing with morons wasting my time.
 
I have to admit I am one of the absolute worst lowballers out there but I am also very patient. I give an offer and if refused I simply forget about it because something else will come up. In the unlikely event the seller agrees I show up asap with cash, a helper, trailer and usually drive away with a big smile!
 
Evoex said:
This is why i traded in my last 3 bikes. The dealer actually offered above blue book price and once you add in the tax savings, I wasn't far enough off the sticker price to bother dealing with morons wasting my time.
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Agreed, I've only sold 1 bike privately and I'll never do it again.
Some people love to wheel and deal, I'm not one of them...
 
"Fair" is relative. Most of us have been on both sides of this equation.

If I'm a buyer then I've read the entire manual, know the service intervals and ingested all the free forum knoweldge available for that specifc bike before I go out negotiating. You'd be surpised how much time and $$ you'll save yourself and the sellers with an agreed "fair" price.

If I'm a legit seller then I'm posting at least 4 pictures (one per side of bike) plus close-ups of any areas of concern with a descriptive title (e.g. 2019 Yamaha MT-03, not yammie mt bike) and detailed description with history with a disclaimer of "No lowballers, Price Firm, etc.". If a seller doesn't provide that mimimum. I simply move on.

Happy hunting!
 
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To the OP's original question, and I think someone addressed it already - if you're just "shootin' an offer" without actually seeing the bike they're probably not taking you seriously.

I do think that prices have remained persistently and unreasonably high, post pandemic. Maybe there's a shortage and/or it's a reflection of the astronomically high prices for new bikes.

I kind of have the hots for the new Guzzi Stelvio, but by the time you've added tax I think you're cresting $25k. That's a huge chunk, particularly when my 2018 KTM is paid for, meticulously maintained, accessorized and satisfies my needs and riding preferences just as well as any new bike. New tech just don't move the needle enough for me.
 
fmp said:
"Fair" is relative. Most of us have been on both sides of this equation.

If I'm a buyer then I've read the entire manual, know the service intervals and ingested all the free forum knoweldge available for that specifc bike before I go out negotiating. You'd be surpised how much time and $$ you'll save yourself and the sellers with an agreed "fair" price.

If I'm a legit seller then I'm posting at least 4 pictures (one per side of bike) plus close-ups of any areas of concern with a descriptive title (e.g. 2019 Yamaha MT-03, not yammie mt bike) and detailed description with history with a disclaimer of "No lowballers, Price Firm, etc.". If a seller doesn't provide that mimimum. I simply move on.

Happy hunting!
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Not to mention the photos were the seller hasn't even bothered to wash it or it looks like it's been parked under a tree for a decade. If you want to sell, you've got to help yourself out.
 
Basically, I've never owned sh*t. All of my bikes (and cars) have been collectors' items. Try listing an RZ/RD 350. The clowns come out of the woodwork from all across Ontario, and try to tell ME all about them, and then low-ball me!

It's even worse when I've been purchasing two strokes. The seller is usually a know-nothing clown who thinks he's Kevin Cameron. I show up with a lot of cash in my pocket and look at the bike. After I figure out how much it is worth, I make a fair offer. If it is not accepted, I give the seller my phone number or e-mail and say good-bye.

ALSO! I always use a fake name, buying or selling. I prefer "Jim". When a buyer calls and the bike is sold and they ask for Jim, I know right away who they are and I can immediately say 'the bike is sold'. As well, when selling, arrange to meet at the local police station. Keeps the thieving bastards away.
 
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Urgh! Stories like these are the reason why I don't want to sell my bikes, even though I want too.
 
It's not that bad. Just acknowledge you'll run into a bunch of idiots before the right buyer comes along.

And yes showing up with a trailer really helps with a lowball offer. (actually ANY offer)
 
If you're selling a bike and no one is buying then your price is too high.

If you're buying bike and no one will accept your offer then its too low.

Into this basic equation you have to factor in type of bike, time of year, condition of bike, milage, safetied or not, what, if anything, you expect the seller to do for you. The cleaner the transaction the more a seller is happy and willing to accept your offer. Arrive with no attitude, cash, a trailer and a reasonable offer and the bike is yours to haul away.
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