Selling your dirt bike can be a chore. Whether you’re looking to upgrade to a new machine, or if you just need the extra money, you’ll need to put in some work to get it ready for the showroom. Knowing how to get your dirt bike ready for sale can help you get as much money as possible for it.
8 tips for selling your dirt bike are:
- Clean your dirt bike thoroughly
- Know the value of your bike
- Take quality photos
- Use your social circle
- Create a descriptive listing
- Show honesty and integrity
- Meet in a safe spot
- Replace your levers and grips
If you want to get the most out of your old bike, you’ll need to cover your bases. If you do the job well, you won’t have trouble finding a buyer. Below, we’ll go through our top tips for selling your dirt bike for as much as possible in more detail, so that you can get more for your dirt bike.
Table of Contents
8 Tips For Selling Your Dirt Bike
1. Clean Your Dirt Bike Thoroughly
Before you can transform your bike into cash, you’ll need to clean it up! You must get all the dirt and grime off your bike before trying to sell it. Your dirt bike needs to look as close to brand new as possible. A hose and brush will do the job, but you might need to borrow or rent a power washer if your bike is extremely dirty and hasn’t been washed in a while.
First, put the bike on a stand and remove the plastic, seat, and tires. Use the power washer to clean the tires and plastic, quickly removing tough-to-clean grime and stains. Next, get the hose and brush. Wash the seat and let it dry.
With the plastic removed from the dirt bike, you’re free to clean the engine. If you can, remove the engine and scrub it with cleaner. Using brillo pads and aluminum polish to shine the metal. A little elbow grease at this stage could show a significant return later on.
After you’ve reassembled your dirt bike, you’ll have a much easier time selling it. No one wants to buy a dirty bike. Cleaning the bike will also give you the chance to inspect and take note of any damaged parts closely, as you may need to replace some or adjust your price accordingly.
2. Know The Value Of Your Bike
Now’s the time to seriously consider what your dirt bike is worth. You’ll have to take into account any missing or damaged parts. If the bike needs a lot of work, you might have difficulty finding a buyer, and might instead want to invest some money into fixing it up before you sell it.
All bikes lose value over time, so don’t expect to get as much for the bike as you paid for it. With that said, the value of some models depreciates faster than others, so it’s essential to do some research. Factors like style and color can affect how easily you can attract a buyer. You can usually find the starting price for your bike by visiting its manufacturer’s website and adjust from there.
Doing Your Research
Next, try checking online, looking anywhere used dirt bikes are sold. Look for models similar to yours and find out how much other people are charging for their dirt bikes. This will help you get an idea of how much your bike is worth.
Don’t forget to account for any problems with your bike when coming up with the price. Damaged parts, scratches, and other flaws will lower the value of your bike, as will a missing title. Be sure to prepare your paperwork and mention it in your listing. Have it ready for the date of the transaction.
Market Conditions And Timing
Timing can play a major part in determining how fast you can sell your dirt bike and how much you’ll get for it. You want to sell when there’s likely to be many people shopping for dirt bikes.
At the beginning of the riding season, more people are interested in riding and buying a used dirt bike. Having more buyers around makes it easier to get your asking price, so it’s a good idea to sell during or just before the racing season.
3. Take Quality Photos
One of the best ways to entice potential buyers is to take high-quality photos of your bike. Shoppers want to see products from every angle, so the more pictures you take, the better.
For most of your potential buyers, photos will be the first impression they get of your dirt bike. Most shoppers won’t give you a second look if the photos are poor quality. A good photograph, however, builds credibility and interest.
How To Get Good Photos Of Your Dirt Bike
To get the best photographs, you need good lighting. If you have access to a few strong lamps, you could take your photos in your garage against a clean background, but the best lighting is found outside. Find a brick wall or empty parking lot. Make sure the space is clean and take photos from every angle.
You’ll need pictures from the front, sides, and rear of the bike, as well as details of the controls. If you have the ability, it can be a great idea to make a short video of your bike in action. You may be more likely to sell the bike if you have a decent video to show it off. Once you have 5-10 photos, you can prepare your listing.
4. Use Your Social Circle
Selling your dirt bike can be a challenge. Finding someone to help will make the job a lot easier. Having a friend willing to give advice or hold a camera will improve the experience, letting you focus on other important aspects of selling your dirt bike.
When you’re elbow-deep in dirt cleaning your bike, you’ll be grateful for a bit of company. Not only do friends lend physical and emotional support, but they can also help you when it comes to selling the bike. For example, it’s not a good idea to meet up with strangers alone. If you can do it, bring a friend to meet potential buyers.
Spread The Word
If you’re heavily involved with motocross or even just ride dirt bikes with friends as a hobby, you likely already know people who may want to purchase your dirt bike, and you should use your social circle to your advantage. Let your friends and family members know that you plan to sell your dirt bike and ask them to spread the word.
It’s also a good idea to contact local dirt bike tracks and shops to see if they have a bulletin board or social media page where you could advertise your dirt bike. If you’re involved in the motocross scene, alerting fellow competitors that you’re looking to sell is often an ideal way to find a buyer and much preferred versus selling to a stranger.
5. Create A Descriptive Listing
There are a lot of places to advertise your dirt bike to the broader community, especially online. Popular choices include Facebook Marketplace, Instagram, and Craigslist. You could also advertise your bike in a local newspaper or classifieds publication, or on a dirt bike-specific website.
How To Make A Good Listing
At a minimum, you’ll need to include the following information about the dirt bike in your listing:
- Year
- Brand
- Model
- Engine type
- Engine size
However, for efficiency’s sake, it’s best to include as much information about your dirt bike as possible. To save time, describe its condition, the maintenance you’ve performed on it, any after-market features you’ve added, and provide your minimum asking price. Basically, include all the information you’d like to know about the dirt bike if you were on the buyer’s end of things.
Also, be sure to include accurate contact information in your description so the buyer can reach you easily. It’s usually preferred to offer more than one form of contact to make getting in touch with you as easy as possible. For example, a phone number for calls or texts and an email address are good starting points.
6. Show Honesty And Integrity
Be honest about the condition and price of your dirt bike. Discuss any potential mechanical issues with buyers and be upfront about the reasons for your pricing. A fair, above-board transaction benefits both you and the dirt bike’s new owner.
Creating Trust And Credibility
Having a title not only increases the value of your bike but also proves that the bike wasn’t stolen. People are arrested every year for selling stolen dirt bikes, so having the title will put many potential buyers at ease.
Additionally, while laws vary, most places require a title and registration to make your dirt bike street legal. Whether the buyer plans to use the dirt bike for a short commute or simply for pleasure driving on country roads, it’s crucial that they have the documents necessary to legally own the dirt bike.
Title Rules Vary
The rules for obtaining a title vary depending on your location. For example, to obtain a dirt bike title in the United States, many states require a Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin (MCO) or a Manufacturer’s Statement of Origin (MSO).
In addition to a title, dirt bikes often need specific safety features to qualify as street safe, such as rearview mirrors, headlights, tail/brake lights, turn signals, a speedometer, a license plate, and a horn. Again, the requirements vary by location, so if you plan to use a dirt bike on the road or advertise it as street legal, it’s essential to know your local laws regarding dirt bike use.
If you don’t have a title or a street legal dirt bike, be careful about where you choose to let potential buyers test ride your dirt bike.
7. Meet In A Safe Location
If your potential buyer is a stranger, it’s best to meet them in a neutral public space, preferably a space where they can check the dirt bike out and test drive it safely, if you choose to allow them to test drive it. Caution is advised when selling to those you don’t know. Most serious buyers will want to test drive your bike, so bring a friend and meet in a public car park or open space.
You don’t want to hand the dirt bike over for a test ride unless you’re fully confident the buyer is above-board and experienced with dirt bikes. Before meeting the buyer, it’s a good idea to speak with them over the phone.
Do Your Due Diligence
During your conversation, gauge their knowledge of dirt bikes and make sure they’re serious about purchasing a dirt bike by asking basic questions about their skills, current model, and what they’re looking for in a bike.
We don’t recommend disclosing your home address or where the dirt bike is being stored when selling to someone you don’t know, and you should avoid answering any questions about your work schedule or times you won’t be at home as well, just in case. It’s not unheard of for thieves to pose as potential buyers to scope out a home or business for robbery, so caution is essential.
Negotiations
In-person negotiations are often clearer and easier to complete for both parties than negotiations over the phone or through a messaging app. If you can meet the buyer safely, it’s ideal to negotiate pricing and other factors face-to-face. If you’ve priced your dirt bike reasonably, you shouldn’t need to lower the price by much, but factoring in room for negotiation is a good idea.
8. Replace Your Levers And Grips
Grips and levers sustain a lot of wear and tear since they’re vital to the operation of your dirt bike. You want to make an excellent first impression on the buyer, and when they sit down on the bike, the last thing they want to see are old, dirty grips or loose levers. Replacing these crucial parts is a simple way to improve the look and feel of the bike before selling it.
The Replacement Process
Replacing the levers and grips is a straightforward process for most dirt bikes. First, place your dirt bike on a stand. Then turn the adjuster inward to give you enough slack in the cable to remove the lever. Remove any bolts securing the lever through the perch and then detach the lever from the cable piece.
After removing the lever, clean the area thoroughly, wiping away dirt and grease. Finally, grease the new lever and interior of the perch at pivot points before attaching your new lever to the cable and restoring the bolts.
Changing The Grips
Changing the grips requires a screwdriver, contact cleaner, grip glue, and new grips. First, remove the old grips from the dirt bike. Most riders can remove the grips easily with the screwdriver and contact cleaner. Alternatively, you can cut the grips off the bike with a blade.
After removing the grips, carefully clean each bar and throttle tube with contact cleaner, eliminating old glue and grime before installing your new grips. Add glue to the bar – be careful to avoid putting it on the throttle housing – and inside the grip, then slide the grip onto the bar. Make sure the grip is positioned correctly, then use a rag to remove any extra glue.
Final Thoughts
Selling your dirt bike can seem like a daunting task. When you decide to sell, it can help to break down the process into manageable steps. Getting the most value for your bike is about presenting a great-looking product for the right price and hitting the market when there are plenty of customers.
Finding a buyer won’t happen in one day, and you might need some help along the way. But if you take your time and put in the necessary work, you’ll soon see your bike ride off into the sunset with a new owner. Letting go of a dirt bike can be a painful experience, but you can take solace knowing someone else is just starting their journey with it!