6 Great Tips for Purchasing a Harley on eBay!
One of the important features of Usedhogparts.com is your ability to browse the used bikes on eBay's Motorcycle Section. It’s a great way to get a realistic estimate of what a bike is worth. Ebay is also great for possibly pulling the trigger on a great deal on a model that you've had on your wish list for a while. However, before you pull that trigger and go through with a purchase, you'd better be sure you've done your homework. It could save you a lot of time, stress, and hard earned money.
Below is a great list of 6 tips for buying a used motorcycle on eBay. Keep in mind; these tips are good even if you are buying your bike in your own neighborhood!
1: Always keep an eye on what bikes are going for on eBay. This will help you save money if you're shopping locally. But remember that motorcycles are a supply & demand thing. The price in one part of the country might be very different than somewhere else. For example, down South there is no winter season. This means that prices don't fluctuate like they do up North, where in the middle of Winter, you can find an amazing deal on just about any Harley you want.
For instance, if you see an ad on eBay for a 1981 Harley-Davidson Sportster that is going for under $2,400.00, you’re ears will perk up. Now you have to ask yourself, can you get a deal like that locally? If not, then eBay might be the place for you to get the best deal. However, you can also use eBay as a good bargaining tool if you could print out a few auction pages. Sometimes you can get proof that the same bike is actually selling for a grand less than the local shop is asking. If you show the shop the auction pages, he may lower the price. If he doesn’t then thank god for ebay!
2. Check a seller's feedback! Never buy ANYTHING as expensive as a Harley Davidson from someone with no feedback, or with anything less than a 90% positive rating. Basically, feedback is a seller's reputation on eBay. You can check out what former customers have to say about this person. People with a 90%+ rating are more than likely a decent fellow. Just click on “Read feedback comments” to check him out.
3. If a seller is serious, and you are serious, ask for the pictures you need, before you make your decision to buy or not. When people try to sell bikes on eBay, they'll upload a bunch of photos to help give people an idea of what the bike is like. Never buy a bike without a lot of pictures. If you need to see a picture that isn’t available, like tire tread, ask the seller. However, don't bother him/her if you're not serious. It isn’t fair to make people go to the trouble of taking more shots if you won't be buying it in the first place.
4. If you are serious about purchasing a bike off eBay and you've seen all the pictures you need to, and you know the seller is decent, and you're ready to pull the trigger, get a mechanic to inspect it. One of the great things the Internet has brought us is CarFax. However, unfortunately, CarFax doesn't list motorcycles. Lastly, make sure the title is clean (it's against the law for them to lie about this) and run the VIN to make sure it isn't stolen.
5. EBay provides fraud protection! This is something eBay just had to provide--whether it wanted to or not. But thank God they did! You get up to $20,000.00 in fraud protection!! That's a nice safety net.
6. The last question is whether to ship or to pick up your purchased Harley. It’s a personal decision, but keep in mind that the professional shipping companies know what they're doing. One good recommendation is Allied Van Lines or Federal Motorcycle Shipping.
Looking for More Information?
Keep in mind, Usedhogparts.com has discussion forums and articles on every bike. View comments, questions and answers at the Forum section. You can ask other users about their eBay experience.
If you are considering buying a Harley Davidson off eBay, you should check out the list of Harley Bikes for sale Here!
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