Selling bike - should I replace the tire? | GTAMotorcycle.com

Selling bike - should I replace the tire?

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NuggyBuggy

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I'm going to be selling my 2020 Z400, if my planned purchase of a Multistrada goes through. The Kawi needs a new rear tire.

Is it worth replacing the tire before putting it up for sale?
 
If you're selling it certified you will. Otherwise, can sell it "as is" and mention a new tire is likely all it needs but expect to sell it for a bit less. It might end up being a toss-up $-wise.
 
LBV said:
If you're selling it certified you will. Otherwise, can sell it "as is" and mention a new tire is likely all it needs but expect to sell it for a bit less. It might end up being a toss-up $-wise.
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100% agree, could not have said it better.
 
I would sell as is. Who knows if the tire you choose would be the tire the future owner wanted? It is unlikely that you will sell the bike for more with a new tire (unless you can sell it certified but that adds even more costs on your end). Imo, more costs and more hassle on your end for probably less net money if you swap rubber.
 
NuggyBuggy said:
That's what I was thinking. Although, as this bike is popular for newer riders they might prefer not having to worry about this. I'll put it up sans tire and see what happens.
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If someone wants it certified and is willing to pay, I would entertain helping them. If I thought all it needed was a tire, my math would be something like price I want for bike plus tire plus safety plus at least 300 contingency (some mechanics grasp onto things to pad the bill). So if you want X for the bike as is, in the ballpark of X+750 if you want it certified. Deposit of $750 with a timeframe for certification and handover. I'm not using my money to pull a safety cert that may be worthless if the buyer flakes. If they want to take on the hassle of certification, they can save some money as they may get to keep the contingency money.
 
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I definitely understand both sides of the coin, but I personally prefer to sell bikes certified whenever possible. Mainly to expand the pool of potential buyers as much as I can. I think there is an argument you could make that buyers looking for their first bike might be intimidated by the process of buying a bike, getting it safetied, re-registering it as fit, etc...

Of course, when buying bikes I do not hesitate to consider bikes that are not safetied. I am pretty comfortable with assessing a bike's condition and estimating what it might need. And I do like being able to choose my replacement tires & parts.

Edit: I didn't complete that thought - I didn't meant for that to come off as "I am so great" lol, I meant that as a counterpoint to selling it safetied. The type of buyer that is unconcerned about it definitely exists. And there are definitely many more experienced/capable DIY mechanics around than I
 
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cryptorider said:
I would replace the tire. Selling started bikes as is will be much more difficult
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It would still be as-is just with a new tire. You could honestly say that you don't think it needs anything to certify but without paying a mechanic, you don't have a real answer to that question.
 
TwistedKestrel said:
I definitely understand both sides of the coin, but I personally prefer to sell bikes certified whenever possible. Mainly to expand the pool of potential buyers as much as I can. I think there is an argument you could make that buyers looking for their first bike might be intimidated by the process of buying a bike, getting it safetied, re-registering it as fit, etc...

Of course, when buying bikes I do not hesitate to consider bikes that are not safetied. I am pretty comfortable with assessing a bike's condition and estimating what it might need. And I do like being able to choose my replacement tires & parts.

Edit: I didn't complete that thought - I didn't meant for that to come off as "I am so great" lol, I meant that as a counterpoint to selling it safetied. The type of buyer that is unconcerned about it definitely exists. And there are definitely many more experienced/capable DIY mechanics around than I
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You make a good point.

A new rider would likely choose a certified bike over "as-is" just to avoid the hassle.

If I decide to sell my Husky dual sport I can see an advantage in getting it certified before hand as most DS are sold as-is.
 
Another factor is how rare of a bike you are selling.

Someone advertising a Ducati Sport Classic for sale will not need to change a worn rear. That bike will sell itself in a heartbeat.

A Z400, on the other hand, might need every competitive advantage to stand out in a sea of ads. Not just against other Z400s, but other beginner bikes as well.
 
Certified mine. It needed a new tyre so I put a Michelin road 6 on, since it matched the existing tyre. It's only money.
 
If it needs the tire just put it on, maybe mention in the ad.
Saying 'will certify and provide NVIS' takes the load off a newby and likely increases your chances of a quick sale for a fair price.
 
If you think you're going to get the price of the tire back over your asking price, Yes replace the tire. Or if not why take the hit.
 
Baggsy said:
Certified mine. It needed a new tyre so I put a Michelin road 6 on, since it matched the existing tyre. It's only money.
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The rub is that certifying is only good for 36 days (I think?). I think I'm going to offer the bike at say $500 less than the cheapest comparable on the market, and see if I can sell it. With a new bike in the garage, I don't want to be driving this one, don't want to be paying insurance on a bike I'm not riding, and I don't want to wait to schedule a swap.

If I can't sell it pretty quickly, I'll go ahead and put the tire. Bike and ownership is up at my cottage anyways so it'll be a few more days before I could even let anyone see it.

While I wait to actually get back to the bike, I'll list it here and maybe avoid the attended Marketplace/Kijiji hassle.
 
NuggyBuggy said:
The rub is that certifying is only good for 36 days (I think?). I think I'm going to offer the bike at say $500 less than the cheapest comparable on the market, and see if I can sell it. With a new bike in the garage, I don't want to be driving this one, don't want to be paying insurance on a bike I'm not riding, and I don't want to wait to schedule a swap.

If I can't sell it pretty quickly, I'll go ahead and put the tire. Bike and ownership is up at my cottage anyways so it'll be a few more days before I could even let anyone see it.

While I wait to actually get back to the bike, I'll list it here and maybe avoid the attended Marketplace/Kijiji hassle.
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The problem with not listing it on Kijiji or FB is that while you avoid the hassle you also avoid pretty much the entire market.

I know that the scammers, the used vehicle report sellers, the low ballers, the dreamers, and the twerps who've decided they know more about the bike and/or it's value than you who feel compelled to share their self-valued wisdom even though they have no intention of buying it are annoying, one group more annoying than the others.

The reality though is that if you want to sell it relatively quickly kijiji/FB are your best options.
 
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