Best time of year to sell an old bike

[JW113]

Well my garage is overflowing with motorcycles, and wife has put the proverbial foot down and said one (or more) of 'em has to go. Going to start with the one that gets ridden the least, my ironhead chopper. Never really sold a bike before, and not sure how to proceed. My biggest obstacle is when to sell, spring is what they say I guess when tax returns get mailed and the weather turns nicer. For a unique bike this chopper, not really sure if that makes a difference or not, as it's not for the typical bike rider. And I guess Ebay is the way to go?

-JW

[garyajaz]

here?
post some pix and price

[jbexeter]

Keep the bikes.

Sell the wife, no reserve, no minimum bid.

(and many will think I am joking)

[rider7816]

Keep the bikes.

Sell the wife, no reserve, no minimum bid.

(and many will think I am joking)

   

[nibroc]

wife has had her foot down for 15 years---but I still got all my bikes----she even started bitchin cpl years ago bout all my tractors--might have to sell one of them 

[JW113]

OK, this is not a FOR SALE ad! Don't want to get in dutch with the immoderators!

So first, can't sell the wife. I'd starve to death. Second, I can't disagree with her point that if you don't use it, you need to lose it. Third, there is truly no more space in my garage to bring home any more "projects". So one has to go, and this is the one.

It's titled as a 1980 Ironhead, but the only thing "original" is the motor/trans. Has all kinds of hot rod modifications, and is one quick mofo. In fact, with the cams in it currently, one might even say it's not really streetable. (Andrews X cams) It's bored/stroked to 1250cc, dual plug & ported heads. It has hardly any miles on it (of course!), lots of aluminum parts for light weight, aluminum rims (150-16 rear, 90-21 front) Tech Cycle starter and V-tech alternator for light weight, Paughco hardtail frame and narrow springer front end, etc, etc. It's basically bare bones old school chopper. Draws lots of attention in a parking lot.

Here is a pic:
[attach=0]

I'm going to pop it on ebay, maybe in March or April, with a reserve of $6500 and see what happens.

-JW

[Racepres]

That style, done well like that, will bring top dollar on the Fleabay, Not so much on the Local Craigslist, depending on your location.
Good Luck, But, I think it will move nicely...

[calif phil]

That is a great looking bike.  That is my definition of a chopper.   I built one similar and have been thinking about selling it.   Good luck with the sale. 

[ihrescue]

And I guess Ebay is the way to go?

There is a Facebook Sportster Only Swap and Shop  if you do that social media. You can also sell it on the Antique Motorcycle Club of America Facebook page if your Ironhead is a 1981 or older.

[JW113]

Well sad to say, I don't do Facebook at all.

F BI
A nd
C IA's
E ncyclopedia

Gonna go for eBay I think. I was getting an ad together this past weekend, but in looking at the pics I took, they suck. Need to get some better pics, everybody says that makes or breaks your auction.

-JW

[Breeze]

If you list on Ebay make sure you state how involved you will or will not get in shipping after the sale. Make the seller do all the arrangements.
And be very wary of 0 transaction buyers.

[nibroc]

yeah what him said    "0 transition buyers"

[biker3r]

Damn good lookin JW, I chopped my 79  and it sure looked alot better when done. I personally think the 79 thru 81 were some butt ugly years but good years for a project bike.

[JW113]

Ah, the 1979 XL, everybody's favorite Sportster!  Has to be the quintessential red headed illegitimate stepchild of the Sportster family. Always a fun time rounding up parts for those rascals.

But, in fact, that '80 chopper had a lot of '79 parts on it at one time that I did manage to round up. A guy at work gave me that bike, it had been sitting in his back yard for maybe 12 years, under a torn up tarp. Motor and trans were froze up, all full of water. I fixed it all up into a cafe type bike.

[attach=0]

I wanted it as light weight as possible, which meant get rid of big battery and heavy iron starter. 1980 was the last year you could easily put a kicker on an ironhead, if you found all the right parts to do so. Which I did. The actually kicker parts were not to bad, common to earlier years. But that totally wonky rear brake master cylinder! Whoa. That one year only sprocket cover was probably the hardest. I got lucky with the weirdo brake linkage, calling all over the country for NOS sitting on dealer's shelves.

Can't tell in the pic, but the front end is from a 1999 Sporster Sport models, with the adjustable damping and pre-load. Also had the external chamber rear shocks on it later from same model. The sucker would fly up in the mountain roads around here. But then, I came to grips with the fact an old coot did not really need to be riding that way, especially with a newborn baby. Therefore, tore it all down, turned it into the chopper you see above.

Speaking of kick starter, I had bored/stroked the motor to 77 cubes. I weigh 170 lbs. I LITERALLY could not kick the damn thing over. Either that stupid ratchet plate would slip, and my knee get a good hammering, or it would grab OK, and turn the kick lever into a passenger peg and I'd bounce right off of it. About the only guys that could kick it over were like 220 lbs or so. So, I pulled the kicker and put on a Tech Cycle starter, which fires it up just as soon as you touch the button.

Ah, the memories. Gonna miss this bike. So, when are one of you guys going to buy it?


-JW

[biker3r]

Yep 79 was a bastard year , brakes, exhaust,  frame you name it. My days of me on a ridgid are over, this 62 year old body cant take it anymore, let alone getting wifey on the back. My 79 was cobbled together with whatever fit or I could make but thats the fun of building your own. You Sir do some damn good lookin work.

[JW113]

Brother you and me both! Choppers are young buckeroo's bikes, not old coots. BTDT, glad for suspension and soft seats now. FLHRGG.


-JW