Let us have a look at some of the long forgotten and always remembered classics and legends together: The avant-garde – German classic motorcycles Having been a direct opponent of the English rivals Norton, BSA and Triumph, Harley Davidson has become a well-established name in the motorcycle industry that suggests freedom, adventure and tradition. BMW – the German motorcycle giant with the most unique classic status

In the late 60s and early 70s, Japanese motorcycles became serious competitors for the more expensive European motorcycle producers and made their names in racing sports against well-established brands. Models such as the Yamaha XT 500, Honda CB 750 Four, Kawasaki Z1 and the Suzuki GS 750 have even become popular outside Europe. Café Racers as a new breed of motorcycle cult and the Isle of Man racesCommon sense suggests that selling your bike privately will get a better price and give you more flexibility to either buy privately or haggle with a dealer. And mostly, common sense is right. But not always and, for some people part-exchanging your motorcycle makes much more sense. To discover which one is best for you, read our guide below.

The bike you’re buying from them already has that mark-up added so you are paying the margin on the bike you’re buying while sacrificing value from the retail price of your bike to give them margin on the one you are selling.

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English brands were especially popular when it came to individualising one’s motorbike in reference to the TT Isle of man. The trend was so strong, that later on, renowned producers such as BMW or Benelli and Moto Guzzi adopted the style. They developed special Café Racer editions of their own models that were extremely well received. It’s less of an issue (but still very convenient) when buying a new bike because there’s a Honda dealer in every town, meaning you have the time to sell your bike privately if you choose. And, if they sell the new bike before you’re ready, you’ll be able to find another one. The 50s and 60s sustainably shaped the image of historic motorcycles and gave them that little something that gives them this unmistakable prestige, that is so highly valued by enthusiasts. The Triumph Thunderbird, for instance, became an overnight movie star when it featured in “The Wild One” and has since never been forgotten. Companies competed for technical benchmarks and Triumph was able to set a world-record with their 1955 Lake Bonneville race in Utah (USA), which gave birth to their Triumph Bonneville, lovingly called “Bonnie”. Norton, another English motorcycle manufacturer, highly ranks in 350cc and 500cc racing classes and the company prides itself with over 40 victories at the well-known “Isle of Man” race. Italian racing motorcycles – a dream for every enthusiast Not that long ago most people selling their bike privately would have used their local paper, AutoTrader or the free-ads papers. These days most selling has moved online and there are a handful of popular platforms each with pros and cons.

Decide how you want to manage test rides. Many riders won’t buy a bike without one, so you need to allow it… on your terms. Can they leave the full asking price as a deposit? Will their mate/partner who drove them here stay with you while they try the bike? Can they show you that they are insured to ride other people’s bikes (because if they aren’t and they get stopped, you can also get fined plus six points for allowing your bike to be ridden without insurance)?If someone is willing to travel to come and see your bike, chances are they are serious. If they don’t buy it don’t dismiss them as ‘timewasters’ before asking yourself ‘how could I have handled that better?’ Learn from the experience and adapt.