Question about used ninja availability

[Aldent]

Since It's now fall where I live, I would have thought that many of the people that have ninja 250's (or other beginner sport bikes) would be putting them up for sale if they didn't want to store then for winter. Yet, the opposite seems to be happening; I've been watching Craig's list for about a month and a half and the number of 250cc -> 650cc sport bike listings has steadily decreased.

I thought about this for a moment and thought that perhaps in spring and throughout the riding season people are actually riding these bikes and learning on them instead of putting them away, hence more bikes will be sold, bought, ridden, resold, etc.

Do either of my brain farts make sense or do I need to buy more toilet paper?

[Triple Jim]

Welcome to the board, Zavier. I don't know about that last part, but here in the US, fall starts on September 22nd. I know in some countries they consider it fall on September 1st though. (meteorological fall)

Fall is one of the two best motorcycling seasons in many places in the US, so maybe when the nice fall weather starts getting too cold to ride, you'll see more motorcycles for sale. What state do you live in?

[ducatiman]

thinking ahead a bit a good attribute....IMHO still riding season...a bit early yet to see the onslaught of bikes FS on Craiglist.

[jrshooter]

also the racing season has got another month here. 2 months for track days.
I would look seriously late november and on, in nor ca

[Aldent]

I'm in MI. Since it gets relatively cold here, you'd think I'd be used to, or even like lower temperatures. Nope; I think there is a little bit a Californian blood in me - once the thermometer dips below 65, out come the long sleeve shirts.

[Triple Jim]

Originally Posted by Aldent

... once the thermometer dips below 65, out come the long sleeve shirts.

I won't fault you for that, since I do the same thing with sweatshirts. Once wood stove season starts I'm normally in two layers of sweatshirts and sweatpants.

[CaliGrrl]

Ha, so I'm not the only one who's cold-blooded! Welcome to the board, Zavier! Keep looking around, you'll find a bike.

[JohnnyBravo]

I get cold under 75, an lots of times I feel cold when it's warmer

Still riding season;

[JustRidin]

Despite not having owned a Ninjette for a couple years now I still look all the time (Craigslist addiction....it's wretched).

I've noticed that typically you see a burst of listings in mid spring (wherever you are), and that they taper off towards the end of summer.

I take it as most people would have taken care of their spring cleaning earlier in the year, and those that held onto and rode their bikes are likely happy enough to wait until spring to sell when prices are high.

That's what I do anyhow, buy late fall / winter despite fewer listings for cheap and sell off in spring sometime.


P.S.
Ah, but there can be that pre-Christmas season mini burst of sales for people looking to pay for gifts by selling their unused Ninjette.

[VaFish]

Originally Posted by JustRidin

P.S.
Ah, but there can be that pre-Christmas season mini burst of sales for people looking to pay for gifts by selling their unused Ninjette.

Or post Christmas paying bills.

[JustRidin]

Originally Posted by VaFish

Or post Christmas paying bills.

Haha, very true. Those huge credit statements show up in January!

[maverick9611]

welcome to the site!i found this in florida. only had 4440 miles on it. got lucky. it was 5 hours away from me.

[verboten1]

Not a whole lot of 250s around here honestly. We needs our fords and our Harley's! ��

My 00 came from a friend, but my '08 came from upstate NY, my KLR did as well. My Tenere came from Cincinnati.

[MrChomper]

I picked up a 2007 with 4.5K miles on CG Seattle for $1,500.00. Before labor day there were several ninja 250's listed under 2k, but since labor day weekend people seem to be asking for 2K+.

TBH the Seattle area is notorious for people asking more than blue book for motorcycles on CG, so when I found this deal I jumped all over it.

My poor wife had to drive a 200 mile round trip for me to pick it up. She's the best.

[DannoXYZ]

Prices tend to drop in fall and rise in spring. This is cause & effect with availability. If you're buying, the number of bikes for sale shouldn't make a difference since you're buying just one.

Don't have to buy and pay retail. Set alerts for deals. I bought my 2008 street bike for $700 with 3500 miles. All that it needed was a battery and ducatiman's magic carb refurb.

Last week I saw a 2013 Ninja 300 with 5k-miles for $500. Got there just minutes too late!

[jkv45]

Originally Posted by JacRyann

Prices tend to drop in fall and rise in spring. This is cause & effect with availability. If you're buying, the number of bikes for sale shouldn't make a difference since you're buying just one.

Don't have to buy and pay retail. Set alerts for deals. I bought my 2008 street bike for $700 with 3500 miles. All that it needed was a battery and ducatiman's magic carb refurb.

Last week I saw a 2013 Ninja 300 with 5k-miles for $500. Got there just minutes too late!

What was the deal with that?

In the midwest, you will find deals at the end of the year. Plenty of people are short-sighted, and buy a bike in spring without having a place to store it over the winter. Plenty of other people buy bikes in spring, then figure that riding a motorcycle wasn't really what they thought it was.

This week we had 2 of the bikes we sold in the last year up for sale on CL at the same time. Both were $300 to $400 less than what they bought them for. The guy that bought our immaculate 2004 Ninja 250 decided he wanted a Buell, the girl that bought our immaculate 2009 Ninja 500 must have decided she wasn't going to take up riding, as there was a helmet included. Ad stated she put 50 miles on it.

I should have bought them back and re-sold them next spring.

[DannoXYZ]

Originally Posted by jkv45

the girl that bought our immaculate 2009 Ninja 500 must have decided she wasn't going to take up riding, as there was a helmet included.

I met girls like that. Positively would ONLY buy bike that had a colour-scheme that they can find matching outfit. And that outfit had to make them look cute or else they can't get it. Then helmet-hair comes up and the whole deal's off!!!

Originally Posted by jkv45

What was the deal with that?

Guy dropped it and took too long to repair, lost interest. It needed:

- both handlebars
- clutch-lever
- left rearset
- shift-linkage
- bodywork scratched, but not cracked or broken

I even had all stock parts to repair in a box from when I upgraded my race-bike. I get these alerts through email, maybe I should set them up to text me instead!

[Ram Jet]

Originally Posted by JohnnyBravo

I get cold under 75, an lots of times I feel cold when it's warmer

Still riding season;

For me, enjoyable riding occurs at 50 degrees on up. I'll ride when it's 25 or 30 but only if I have to and there's no ice or snow on the road.

Bill

[JohnnyBravo]

Originally Posted by Ram Jet

For me, enjoyable riding occurs at 50 degrees on up. I'll ride when it's 25 or 30 but only if I have to and there's no ice or snow on the road.

Bill

I could probably do 50; it's the almost freezing I almost always refuse... Been there done that (I don't like the cold, or the tingling)