Craigslist is a popular marketplace for selling and trading thousands of items, and motorcycles are by no means an exception. Most riders often turn to this platform whenever the need to purchase or sell one arises.
However, we must admit that the site does have certain complex features that first-timers struggle to navigate around. Worse, some people don’t even know how to write a selling post properly, missing the chance with numerous potential buyers.
This article, crafted from our experience and observation, will discuss how to put your motorcycle for sale on Craigslist.
Table of Contents
What Should You Include On Your Motorcycle Craigslist Post?
1. Include At Least Two Photos Of Your On-Sales Motorbike
Are you willing to pay a fortune for a product you have never seen? We are sure your potential customers also have the same answer.
Hence, ensure the post has at least two photos from different angles to provide readers with the best product overview. Give your old lady a decent wash, and place it somewhere with a clear, neat background and natural sunlight for a perfect snap.
Plus, these pictures should be original (taken by you or your family members). While stock photos on the Internet look stunning, there’s no way they could help buyers confirm whether the bike is truly yours.
2. Include The Most Basic Details About Your Motorbike
These pieces of info might have a say in the overall price of the bike, no matter how redundant and trivial they seem. Include the following in your writings:
- Brand: Specify the bike’s brand (ex: Harley Davidson, Raleigh, Honda, Giant Trek, etc.). Some buyers are devoted fans of a particular brand (especially for motorcycle club members), which is why mentioning it in your post is all the more important.
- Model: A brand produces thousands of product lines every year. So you should detail your bike’s model as thoroughly as possible (ex: Raleigh City Sport Detour, Trek Valencia, etc.)
- Manufacture Years: List what year the bike is produced (ex: 2015). Have no idea about that? Then quick online research should do. And even if it brings no fruitful results, try to give your buyers an accurate estimation.
Do not even try to lie about it. Bikes of different years come in different themes and colors, so experienced buyers can tell in a blink whether you have been lying.
- Size: Give inclusive descriptions of the bike’s measures (ex: 16 inches for hybrids or mountain bikes, 55 inches for road bikes). Doing so saves everyone (both you and the buyers) from wasted time!
Many practical charts and guidelines on frame sizes are available online, and it doesn’t hurt to have a quick look!
But what if you cannot figure out the sizes? At least describe whether it’s large, medium, or small. You can also bring your body sizes and heights onto the table: “I am about 6’9”, and the bike fits me well.” That way, anyone 5′ tall will understand there’s no point wasting time on this bike.
3. Mention The Technical Specifications
If possible, mention other specs and components of the motorbikes (finish type, materials, weight, engine displacement, etc.). Few riders know about these information bits, actually, so your best bet is to go to the official website and copy them.
We also recommend finding good reviews from other people who have used this bike model. Insert the links to those reviews in your post to save buyers tons of effort and time in research. They will be more convinced to click that “Buy” button!
4. Describe The Bike’s Current Condition
Here are some good examples:
- “I used this bike about 40 times in urban conditions. Despite that, it is still in as-new conditions.”
- “It has been used for …. (Enter the exact number) miles but is still in excellent condition. I have tried to maintain the bike very well.”
- “It’s hard to testify to its current shape. My family has left it unused in our garage for 20 years.”
5. State Your Price
Lastly, decide on the price you wish to get on this motorbike. Unless the bike is 100% brand-new and you have never used it, do not charge it equally (or more) than the upfront cost. The more damage and wear there is, the lower the price should be.
6. Extra Notes
- Be an honest person; we cannot stress it enough! Bad reputations spread faster than fire, and once someone finds out you are lying, it’s difficult to continue conducting business with your current Craigslist account.
- Avoid publicizing too much personal information. If in-person meetings are a must, choose a place close to both parties’ residences rather than your actual address. Do not use your work/home phone number and email, either.
7. Examples of Qualified Motorbike Ads
Let’s study this Craigslist ad for used motorbikes, which satisfies most of our above criteria. Most importantly, all relevant info is put in its subject line (right on the top), including:
- Manufacturer year (2018)
- Bike make (Trek)
- Gender (WSD = Women’s-Specific Designs)
- Bike model (7.5 FX)
- Size (small)
- Your desired price ($400)
That way, buyers will not waste their time clicking the post only to realize the motorbike is too expensive/too old/ too small, etc.
Example:
Subject lines: On sale: 7.5 FX Trek, 2018, WSD, small, $400
Selling this beautiful Trek bicycle. It’s WSD (Women-Specific Design). I’m selling it because of my upcoming knee surgery; to avoid injury, I am not allowed to ride bikes for a while.
- Size: 49 cm (small), suitable for people around 5’2” with small-sized gloves/hands.
- The bike has been lightly used in good weather conditions, around 450 miles. Recently serviced and well maintained, ready for immediate usage. A good commuting bike that’s easy and light to ride!
- Includes lights, mudflaps, rat traps, big bike frame sizes, high bike seats, and premium bike rears.
- I am asking for $400 or the best reasonable offers.
How to Post Your Motorcycle on Craigslist?
You have just learned what to include in a motorcycle ad. The question is, how to upload it on Craigslist? Refer to the guides below:
Step 1. Enter the Craigslist Website (Obviously).
Either type “Craigslist.org” into the address bar or search “Craigslist” on Google search.
Step 2. Choose Your Current State.
On the page’s ride side is a long list of cities that might reflect your current regions. Don’t see yours there? Keep scrolling to the bottom to customize/fine-tune the location.
A good tip to go straight to the city is to enter “yourcity.craigslist.org.” Let’s say you live in New Jersey: go to “https://newjersey.craigslist.org/.” If Craigslist does not list your city, you may choose the one closest to it.
Remember to publish your ad for just one city. Craigslist bans uploading the same block of postings to several cities.
Step 3. Click “Posts to Classifieds.”
Click the “Posts to Classifieds” button under the logotype on the page’s left side. A new page will pop up and ask you about your posting types, giving out several options to choose from:
- “Items for sales by dealers.” – Choose this if you are recurring sellers with inventories or make/buy items for reselling.
- “Item for sale by owners” – Choose this if you are a private user selling random, used products in limited amounts.
Regardless of your choice, the site will direct you to its category page afterward.
Step 4. Choose the Right Category
There are 100 categories in total. The site will ask you to choose one best suited to your product. In this case, we are selling motorbikes/bicycles/mobility scooters. Click “bicycles – by owner.”
Step 5. Craft Your Advertisement
Here comes the decisive step everyone has been waiting for: writing your ad! Potential buyers will see all the information you have put up for the bike and decide whether it’s worth their investments.
Fill in the following blanks (not necessarily in order, but you must not leave anything out):
- Legitimate title: This heading will appear first when buyers scan through search results. Make it clear and concise.
- Price: How much is the bike?
- Specific locations: Enter your city/town/country and other info if needed. (Do NOT type in your current address!)
- Reply to: Write down your email addresses. You may choose to have “anonymous” addresses made specifically for that ad – a great way to prevent spam.
If you chose “for sales by dealers” in the previous steps, it would be best to list business contact information in the item listing. Options for phone number listing are also available, and you should specify whether this number/cell accepts texts and messages.
- Description: That’s where you plan out your selling. Make your advertisements catchy and interesting. If writing sales copy seems too difficult for you, refer to the example post we provided above or study newspaper/catalog ads. State facts only and avoid overhyping.
Step 6. Finalize and Publish the Post
- If you do not mind getting unsolicited messages and email inboxes from people you don’t know, click “ok for other people to contact…”
- Check the form by filling in all the green fields.
- Submit photos of the real bike; you can upload 24 pictures at maximum. Once finished, hit “Done with the images.”
- Click Continue => Publish.
Guides on Selling a Motorcycle on Craigslist
1. Documents Needed
- Bills of Sales: Make at least two copies (original, not photocopied), one for you and one for the buyers.
- Pink Slip or Title: to sign over at its back with the correct bike information. Apply for replacement titles if you have misplaced them.
- Number Plates: not required for every state/region. Check your local laws to see whether they are mandatory.
2. Tips for Sellers
- Understand your bike’s worth, but be open to negotiation if needed.
- Take great pictures of the bike without using too many filters.
- Be aware of scammers. They often think of crazy stories to convince you to ship the bike before payments and even make fake checks. Their grammar is often sloppy and terrible.
Some Other Websites To Sell Used Motorcycles
Here are some popular websites where you can list and sell your used motorcycle:
- eBay Motors
- CycleTrader
- MotosportsNation
- PowerSportsNetwork
- Bike Finds
- AutoTrader
- Bring a Trailer
- Motorcycle.com Classifieds
- RumbleOn
- Ride tradernetwork.com
These websites offer various features to help you sell your motorcycles, such as online listings, detailed product descriptions, and pictures. Some of these websites are specifically for motorcycles, while others are for a variety of vehicles.
It’s a good idea to compare the features and fees of each website to determine which one is the best fit for your needs.
FAQs
Does Selling Electric Bikes on Craigslist Cost You Money?
Yes.
The site asks for a small fee of $5 for ad listing. That’s understandable since Craigslist needs some revenue to run the website.
Can You Sell Motorbikes on Craigslist With No Account?
Yes, as long as you have put your contact info in the ad’s body.
Conclusion
Now you know how to sell a motorcycle on Craigslist (or anything else, for that matter). Practical tips to draw potential customers as fast as possible are well-covered; even the smallest details provided in your Internet advertising can do wonders, so do not dismiss or skim over them!
Another equally critical facet is your online privacy. Unless you are certain the buyers are 100% legit (which is quite impossible, considering they all are strangers to you at that point), never give away your main email address or current residence.
