USA Motorcycling

At some point or another, we’ve all likely had a motorcycle we want to trade, sell, or just check the value on. The most reliable source in 2023 are Kelley Blue Book motorcycle values. The Motorcycle KBB and automotive KBB has been a valued source for those looking to buy, sell, or trade their motorcycle or automobile for decades at this point.

While the Motorcycle KBB is a great “tool” there can often be some misunderstandings when it comes to real value vs perceived value on a motorcycle. Many times we become emotionally attached to a motorcycle and tend to give it more monetary value because of that.

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In the eyes of a motorcycle dealership or a private buyer, your emotional value doesn’t mean anything, this is where there can sometimes be a discrepancy with the Motorcycle KBB.

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Using Kelley Blue Book Motorcycle for Trades

When it comes to trading in your motorcycle, you’ll likely hop on over to the Motorcycle KBB, put in your motorcycle’s information like VIN number, styles, model, year, mileage, and so on. This is very similar to a car. When you get to the KBB site, you’ll see a ton of different motorcycle categories to choose from.

Pick the best one that fits your bike and then walk through the questionnaire. At the end of the walk-through, you’ll be given an estimated trade-in value for your bike, it will also have a range that depends on several factors and the condition of the motorcycle. When we see this number, the thing to keep in mind for trade-ins is the number is just a reference.

The Kelley Blue Book motorcycle values don’t guarantee any pricing information that you receive, so don’t expect that to be the magic number when you get to the dealer.

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Other Sources For Motorcycle Value

While Kelley Blue Book motorcycle values are a great go-to option, there are also other valued websites to check your motorcycle’s value. If you want to sell your motorcycle, you can use the NADA guides as well to check potential trade-in or private sale values.

Both sites will ask for your zip code to get you a better comparison value to what motorcycles are selling for in your area. Keep in mind, many motorcycles hold their value more than others, this is the same with automobiles as well.

Motorcycle Dealers Get A Bad Reputation

Motorcycle dealers, similar to car dealers, tend to get a bad reputation when it comes to trade-ins and sales transaction mark-ups. National automobile dealers are in the same boat. What a lot of people tend to forget is these dealerships have a lot of overhead that goes into their pricing. Not only do they have a brick and mortar store to deal with, but they also have advertising, employees, insurance, and a number of other expenses.

All of these have to be calculated in their monthly budget and the revenue for this has to come from somewhere. I’m sure if you look closely at their terms of service, you’ll get a better idea. I would think dealers tend to loath the Kelley Blue Book Motorcycle values because it can often lead to negative customer experiences. Nobody wants to be told their motorcycle is worth $3,000 less than what they saw online!

What it comes down to is research. If you want to buy or sell a motorcycle, do your due diligence and compare other listings. If you use a website like eBay, it can be easy to do price comparisons. Head over to some local dealership’s websites and take a look at similar motorcycles for sale.

What are their prices? Are they close to what you hope to get for your bike or are they close to the Kelley Blue Book Motorcycle values listed? Remember to take all factors into consideration before you label a dealership “bad or unfair” because their pricing was off. On the other side of that coin, don’t let a dealer rip you off either, that is where the research comes in!

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