The time has come for me to sell, seeking advice.

[Jonz_imp]

I did sell through Craigslist, it took a few weeks. The first guy who came offered what I asked for. I rode it to his place, then got a ride home from his wife. After a month he (or his wife) changed his mind about his being on a motorcycle. He offered it back to me for $100 less, but I declined. Not really the happy ending I was hoping for, but it was easy and I got the $ I wanted.
Jon Z

[nhawk7504_imp]

Sold my CB500F on Craigslist. The guy had to come see it with his Dad, and a neighbor who worked to low ball me. He also said my not using a funnel to add oil was an "oil leak". Oil under the motor. In the old days we just poured oil in when we needed it. We didn't always have garages and tools handy. We worked on the fly. - Anyway the next day I rode it to his house and he paid me cash and that was that. I took 100 less than I was asking. GT's a nice machines. I've looked for them from time to time. Sold tons of bikes on CL.

[c-breezy_imp]

I was afraid you were going to say you were getting rid of all your bikes too.

The S2K is beautiful - congrats! That's exactly what I wanted but the prices for a white AP2 in SoCal has been ridiculous and only getting worse.

[Guth_imp]

I really appreciate the back stories involving selling through Craigslist. It actually helps me prepare how I might want to word my ad and gives me a better idea of what to expect.

The CB1100 is staying put. Even if I were to end up selling the CB, I wouldn't simply abandon this place — It is far too special. The ferret and Cormanus would certainly be in the know were any major changes in the plans. But that isn't even a thought at this point in time. Sorry for any uneasy feelings that I might have caused. Anyone who has been hanging around here long enough knows that the Hawk is pretty special to me so this isn't the easiest task for me to deal with.

It is offset by the fact that the S2000 has under 25k miles, practically looks brand new and was obtained for around $5-6k less than the going rate for the few similar examples in the area. We were very fortunate to find such a great deal.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Stichill_imp]

Well, I've gotten myself into a bittersweet situation. I imagine that when it comes to selling off motorcycles I would have a hard time finding a more knowledgeable group of people than you guys. So I'm turning to you for advice.

My son just graduated high school and will be heading off to college this coming fall. He is our only child, so my wife and I will joining the ranks of other empty nesters — soon to experience all of the trials and tribulations that this phase of life will be bringing our way. It will be a sizable change for us as we've been a pretty tight knit family. But change, as I like to say, is the only constant in life. So change it is then...

My wife does not really care all that much for motorcycles but she has tolerated, and even encouraged at times, my fascination with them. She knows that a ride is a great way to improve my mood. Still, there is no way she is going to be joining me for a ride (ever). So for quite a while now we've been thinking about a sports car as a fun way to go enjoy the open road together. This week we evolved from the "thinking about it" phase to the "doing it" phase. Which leads to this post.

I've started to rearrange the garage, making way for our newly acquired car. (I'm currently in the middle of a lunch break.) I've been riding far less this past year and now that I've started on the garage it is more than apparent that I'm going to need to sell a bike. It's going pain me to do so, but it looks like the time has come for me to sell my Hawk GT. I've now owned it for a full decade. It was my "dream bike" and the machine responsible for getting me back into motorcycling as an adult. I've gotten a great deal of pleasure out of my ownership experience over the years. But the truth is, I just don't rack up many miles on my bikes. Even when I was riding a majority of the year for my commute to work and back, I still was only racking up a few thousand miles every year. These days the Hawk more or less just sits in the garage looking beautiful. I'd probably hang on to it forever if I had the space, but I don't and it doesn't make sense keep up with insurance on a bike that isn't being used. It's time for someone else to enjoy the bike.

I'm guessing that collectively speaking, more than a few lessons have been learned when it comes to selling bikes amongst this group (heck, probably more than a few lessons amongst just individuals in many cases). So, I'm asking anyone who might care to share their wisdom: what things should I keep in mind when it comes to selling my Hawk? I understand that I'll lose the most money on any aftermarket parts that I leave on the bike. Fortunately for me, my Hawk is pretty much bone stock with the exception of upgraded suspension components, which I'll probably be leaving on the bike since I had to alter the damper rods in the forks to install the gold valve emulators and I can't easily return the forks to stock spec. Other than that, I'm guessing that there are bound to be a few things that I'd overlook. so please share what you know.

(Now it's back to garage.)

Much appreciated,
Guth

My wife and I are in almost identical life circumstances, Guth. My youngest son just graduated college, and my wife has zero interest in riding on the back of a motorcycle with me. There was some exploratory talk about a sidecar rig that never really got off the ground (thank the maker). The more serious discussions always revolved around getting a sports car.

Well, "this week we evolved from the 'thinking about it' phase to the 'doing' it phase. Which leads to this post."

2018 Fiat 124 Spider Lusso, Red Top Edition

[LongRanger_imp]

Stichill, that's pretty cool. Congrats? Basically an upscale Miata, correct?

[Lord Popgun]

Nice car! I want one now

[Stichill_imp]

Thanks, guys!

You're right, LR. It's made on the same assembly line in Hiroshima, Japan as the MX-5 (ND) "Miata". Main difference is that the Spider has the FCA 1.4L SOHC turbo vs. the MX-5's options of 1.5L or 2.0L naturally aspirated. The manual transmission is the gearbox from the previous MX-5 (NC), as is the Aisin 6-speed automatic in our car (initially a concession to Ms. Stichill). She can drive stick, but correctly predicted that in general neither of us want to fool with a manual most of the time. I find that the auto still delivers plenty of fun and excitement in manual mode during spirited driving.

The Spider also has (IMO) more refined suspension tuning and less twitchy steering than the MX-5. Entering a corner, the chassis sets and exhibits less body lean than the MX-5, yet the ride is nicely compliant over rough roads. It's been a long time since I've driven a rear-wheel-drive sports car...was quickly reminded just how great they are!

I think appointment-wise the Spider and MX-5 are pretty comparable. The MX-5 may have a few more gadgets in some areas than the Spider, but the Spider has nicer interior materials and more sound-deadening. The choice comes down to which styling you prefer and whether or not you're looking for a more refined driving experience. Our car is in the Lusso ("Luxury") trim...you can also get the racier Abarth version if you want to head for the track on weekends.

It's been hot and humid here recently; I haven't been too motivated to get on a bike. It's nice to have option of heading out with the top down wearing shorts, a T-shirt, and lightweight shoes. You get so used to ATGATT that you forget it's possible to be enjoy the open road, even on a hot day, if you take the convertible.

[Houtman_imp]

Did you have to make us jealous ? Beautiful car !

[GoldOxide_imp]

Yup - very nice indeed. That could be my retirement ride when I can't stay upright on two.