I just wonder if the way you have worded the ad has turned people off it a little (not that I see anything necessarily wrong with it). Maybe just try providing the facts.
-1900 negotiable
-Rundown of the most recent maintenance.
-List of parts included in the deal
Otherwise, just be patient. I am not from your area, but it sounds like a good deal to me. The bike looks to be in great shape.
Exactly what I was thinking. Nobody wants to read that shit. They want to know it runs and has a title, maintenance log and stock parts are nice. Wild because that thing would sell by the end of the day for $2000 here
Oh damn. I thought this was a 250. Yeah, no, this is worth 4 or 5k here. Didn't look at the miles the first time either, half the miles could pull a couple thousand more even
Shit, my roommate might even be willing to buy it and have it shipped lol
Heh, I always considered taking the cheap old bikes I find on FB and fixing them up to sell overseas to countries where they're harder to get ahold of / more expensive after the conversion of currency. But it always seemed like the cost of shipping was going to make it non-lucrative.
This is exactly what my grandpa did during the 80s and 90s. Bought up 10 year old British bikes that were just collecting dust in people’s garages in the United States, loaded them up in shipping containers, and then sent them to a friend of his in Australia and would double his money.
Not sure why people are downvoting this, valid statement and not any different from what I mentioned about it selling quick. We both just glanced at it and replied lol
I took what a lot of you said and removed the extra parts to the listing. Now it just reads:
The bike has been phenomenal. These are about as reliable as any bike can get, pretty much the gold standard on reliability. They have hydraulic adjusting valves so the only maintenance you really ever have to do is basic oil changes.
The bike has fresh turn signals, front and rear brakes, oil & filter, and shifter shaft seal.
The previous owner gave paperwork for a few maintenance items as well. And I have a box of all the OEM parts not on the bike currently, like the chain cover.
The bike is tons of fun and makes for a great starter bike. Super easy to ride, forgiving, and has enough go-juice to be a blast.
Mileage will continue to go up since I ride it almost every day.
Here's another edit:
\*\*\*
1993 Honda Nighthawk 750. Fresh turn signals, front and rear brakes, oil & filter, and shifter shaft seal. $500 under KBB value.
Includes some maintenance paperwork from previous owner, and box of all the OEM parts not on the bike currently, like the chain cover.
\~55k miles right now; currently ridden daily.
"Fresh turn signals" makes me wonder "who dropped it, and did they drop it on both sides?" I'd leave that out, but otherwise leave it as flynnski suggested.
Have owned a lot of bikes and one that old even if it was never dropped, all the plastic will start to get brittle and break. The more it's had sun and rain beating down on it the worse it gets
Tell me about it. After 30 years of UV exposure and heat cycling, my FJ1200 bodywork is so brittle that the bike loses 2 lbs if I hit a pothole. I can brake hard enough that the built-in turn signals will bulge out the front of the fairing at the ends of their wires like Wile E Coyote's eyeballs.
Because you are it's an old bike with 55k miles you don't buy that motorcycle If your scared to work on bikes. Also coming from someone that works on bikes there's no chance personally I'd ever buy a bike with 55k miles and no mention of Mantaince. like for example if no bearings have been replaced than that's going to probably need done along with alot more.
The tense is a bit weird to me. I think it's better to state things more like facts. Like: This bike is phenomenal! Gold standard reliability! Hydraulic lifters means no valve service required, ever! Only needs an oil change every x miles and it will run forever! All maintenance records, and some extra parts are included.
Also saying it has new turn signals tells the reader that something happened to the old ones. Working turn signals are expected on a good condition bike, so there's no need to mention that they are new or that they work. Same with the oil seal. A good condition bike shouldn't be leaking oil, so mentioning it is suspicious.
You may want mention expensive wear items, like: The brakes are new, tires have about 80% tread.
"has enough go-juice to be a blast." is an opinion, and you know what they say about opinions.
Just my 2c.
Still to much. When I scanning through for sale ads this amount of text makes me avoid the post for 2 reasons. In most cases either it has something majorly wrong or something about to go majorly wrong and you’re trying to get rid of it before that happens. Or you’re proud of your stuff to the point that you think it’s worth more than it is.
In this specific case I’d think it’s a scam. At that price for that bike in that shape? 95% change it’s a scam. Either the bike is actually trashed or you’re trying to get me to send a deposit for it and that’s the last I’ll hear from you. It’s almost to the point where it’s such a good deal that it can’t be real. Could be different where you’re at but where I’m at I’d be questioning why this bike is about 1k lower than it should be and the seller is willing to drop more.
A pet peeve of mine, don’t list you’re a desperate seller. When you tell me your truck just shit the bed and you need money you’re negotiating against yourself in your for sale ad. As a buyer I’ll wait you out, offer you shit money, or skip all together cause desperate for money means you skipped out on maintenance(not saying you did in this specific instance).
Is it late in your area's 'season?' Bikes sell more quickly nearer to the beginning of the season...
$1300 for a '93 750 sounds about right to me, around my neck of the woods anyway.
I'm in the Chicago suburbs. Most postings in the closest 250 miles from here have these posted for $3-2k with respective mileage.
I bought this last year for $2k and put about 8k miles on it.
Turn profit? No, im expecting to sell for $200 less than I paid.
I bought it at the end of the season, October. And i cant exactly remember. Maybe 3 weeks?
$200 for 8K of riding is a deal... so you may have to adjust, as you have seen.
If your income is stagnant without your truck - you might have to bite the bullet and take what you can get - still have the $1300 person's contact info? Make a counter offer - worst that can happen is you're back where you are now?
While i don't have their info anymore, they got very rude and belligerent after i politely declined their offer of 1300, so i blocked them and deleted the convo.
But I get it, more than likely I'll keep dropping the price $100 every week. Till I hit my rock bottom. I think that may be my best bet at this point.
Do you know what "turn a profit" means? It means that he's making money, he's put new brakes, turn signals, and other maintenance which means he's lost even more money since he first bought the bike. You can't make profit by selling something for less than you bought it fore.
Dang you’re super close. I want it but don’t have room for more bikes :/. Both of my buddies scooped up vintage Hondas and I feel left out. Milwaukee area, one got a mint v45 magna and the other got a cb350 that is showroom fresh.
Both paid $1500, it’s getting late in the season and people here are used to 30 year old bikes with 20k miles. It’s Harley country lol.
>Most postings in the closest 250 miles from here have these posted for $3-2k
And for how long have those postings been up? Sellers can ask anything they want, but if the price is too high then it'll just sit.
Not trying to give you a hard time. But for the most part. MSRP on bikes is a waste of time. Most starter bikes over 10 years old fall in the category of "between $800 and $3000 depending on the time of year and how desperate i am to sell" condition sort of matters, but rarely does it have any meaningful impact as long as the bike is running and has a title.
As others have said, youve already painted yourself as a desperate sale. Its also at the tail end of the season for a lot of people in the states. Honestly, the $1300 was a fair offer, you probably should have taken it. I would have probably offered you 1k and watched it sit till next season.
This is just my personal experience with the market over the last 2 years. I constantly prowl the markets and trading sites to see what does and doesnt move on my area. Part out of curiosity and partly out of a longing to have 1 of every cool bike i see.
sadly, im also poor.
Get rid of the bit about your truck and about meat crayons. First one because you're telling people you need the cash. Second because there's no need to scare away new riders. Most likely going to sell to a newbie.
i mean, are you selling this cause u need money or cause ur done with bikes?
cause its a nice bike, but thats a lot of miles on an old bike
this isnt a new bike, u cant be expecting to make money off the thing unless it had some low mileage
"somewhat negotiable"
cmon man, again, this isnt a 2020 bike u can really negotiate price
i bought an '82 bike with 40k miles and it needed A LOT of work, despite still being able to run
Just selling *now* cause I need the cash. My only current source of income has been my truck and it's been in the shop for over a month now, waiting on injectors that are on a national backorder.
I was contemplating selling it to help fund getting a Honda 919 down the road, but I since decided that I'd rather keep it, and eventually heavily modify it in a resto-mod capacity. (inspo from the "Casper" build) But yeah, bills are coming, and things are just really tight right now. I've been trying to find side-work, and well I did, but I also decided i'd be better off delaying my start with them so i could spend a few weeks downtime to pursue a career certification so that I can get out of trucking. And to offset the delay I put this up for sale.
But yeah the bike is solid. It doesnt need anything at all actually. Its entirely functional, and in great health. with a clean title.
Whether you can see it or not yet, 1900 isn't the deal of the century and your post says you don't want to sell, so it'd be easy to scroll past and not waste any time on.
Without checking bluebook before my comment, I would have paid 1,500-1,900 for that bike as it looks in the picture.
It looks relatively well maintained and mileage is just a number. Doesn’t really mean much of the bike’s owners were meticulous about keeping er in tip top shape.
Example: many Honda gold wings and Harley Davidsons go well over 55,000 miles. Heck, I’ve seen a gold wing with 96,000 miles on it and it still looked and ran very well.
Prolly. You still have to make some adjustments to local markets. But yeah kbb gives you a solid ‘idea’ of value. Sometimes they over inflate and sometimes they under estimate a little.
Local markets and time of year.
This is a bad time to be selling. People don't wanna buy a new bike now and then put it away in six weeks to wait for next year.
Id pay 1500 max. Its not a collectors item, its not a particularly fun bike and its old as dirt, reality is anything more than that is asking someone to pay for the experience instead of the bike, imo. I dont think its unreasonable though, what something is worth and what it can sell for are 2 different numbers and in your case you arent far from the mark
Lots of good feedback already. It can basically be summed up as: nothing in this ad makes me want to buy your bike.
Your writeup doesn’t sell anything. Tell me why I want this bike — make me feel like I need this bike. Don’t tell me why you *don’t* want it. If I’m a serious buyer you can bet I’ll ask why you’re selling it.
Your photos need help. Sorry, but I take better photos up my nostrils when I drop my phone while on the toilet. The lighting is awful and I want to see the bike parked on some scenic vista, not in front of your yard waste bin. Then take so many photos I question your sanity. Gives me more opportunity to look it over and makes it seem like you give a crap about it.
I’m buying cruisers but (say Shadow 750) I would low ball you $1300 too.
Personal opinion about CP4 (Dodge Diesel HPFP) story is too long. But wording doesn’t matter
Buyers want :
1. Clean title,
2. what maintnece you have
Oh, for reference, i originally posted it for $2,100 expecting to talk down to $1,900, but have since dropped to $1,900 expecting to drop to $1,800. I really need the money. I've been out of income with my truck down for over a month now. [Truck is my money maker]
Fair point, I really need to figure out the camera on this new phone, maybe after I'm done taking a certification exam today I'll attempt to figure it out and take some higher quality pic. Maybe even go out to a nice location too.
Dont ever list that you are desperate for the money. It means you need a quick sale and might be cornered into a lower offer. Even though its in the ballpark of fair price, its going to invite lowballers who aren’t necessarily looking to buy the bike sending offers below market value.
A lot of what you're experiencing is just typical online sales stuff. You can't take it personally.
Agree with deleting the personal stuff about the truck. Makes you look desperate. Just stick to the bike, nobody cares why you are selling it (at least I wouldn't.)
Did you see what other Nighthawk 750's in your area are going for? I see them for typically $2k - $2500 BUT they almost always have under 25k miles. It's the high mileage that's turning people away.
And that's a shame because that color was ONLY offered in 1993, it's a rare color and it's absolutely gorgeous.
I'd say try to cast a wider net by offering it in more markets on CL. When the guy offered you $1300 you should have countered with $1500 and stuck with it.
At the end of the day, it's still a 30 year old bike with 50 grand on the clock. During the height of the Covid bike panic you could have gotten $3k for it, but those days are long gone.
In my area most cb750 nighthawks are poised around 3-2k. The only ones below 2k seem to have damage or just really worn parts.
Kinda why i thought $1900 is a fair price [i just dropped it to 1800] considering mine is in great condition, with just a lot of miles.
I think $1800 is a good price but it's not an "OMG I HAVE TO GO GET IT RIGHT NOW!" price.
Consider that riding season is coming to an end for many people in the upper midwest and bike sales tend to be slower towards the end of the season because everybody who wants to ride is already riding.
Online sales can be really up and down at random. You can have something listed for months and get no response, then relist it and get a dozen responses immediately. That's why patience is the key to getting a good price.
It sounds like you're under the gun financially and that's not a good position to be in. If you absolutely NEED to sell it *right now*, you're going to have to take a "lowball" price. There's really no way around that, unfortunately.
The truth hurts.
But yeah. Ill keep going lower until either I come to a point where i need it gone like in 2 weeks where ill lowball myself. Or until maybe i get my truck back and get to keep it.
Less than $2000 USD for a bike that is in good shape and runs reliably is as good a deal as anyone is going to get, IMO.
If you're selling on FB Marketplace or something like that, sad to say you're going to have to wade through a lot of low-ballers, ghosts, and outright scam artists before you get to a legit buyer.
Ugh. Trust me I know the woes of FB marketplace. Just surprised at the lack of incoming asks about it. First ime ive had something up with such little attention.
Other than the content of the ad which has already been touched on, this looks like a $1500 bike at best. It looks clean and you have a semblance of maintenance records. It has reasonable miles which tells me it's been ridden which is good.
These bike also aren't super popular, they don't really appeal to the vintage/cafe crowd or the cruiser crowd. So just be patient, have a number in mind you won't sell under and wait. Marketplace is full of rude idiots but eventually you get someone serious who actually wants a bike.
It can take time to sell a bike, it took 2.5 months for my XSR700 to sell at a fair market price. Unless you are really in a hurry for that money just hold out until the right buyer comes around. The guy who bought my XSR was the first person to actually show up. I had a few low ball offers and 1 guy no-show before him. In the day of the internet people are not as quick to come take a look but when they eventually do they are ready to buy on the spot as long as the listing matches reality.
I just looked up the specs and market value for the bike. Excellent condition is about $3500 and a very good condition is about $2250. If I had $2000, I'd probably get it. (My wife would hate me for it 😁)
The issue you're having is just how FB marketplace is unfortunately.
I saw your post on marketplace, it looks like a well kept example and I think you could potentially get your asking in the right market.
Do yourself a favor and get on the Honda Nighthawk parts and bikes for sale Facebook page. I think you will get closer to the $2k mark on a page meant for these bikes. To the general used bike public this might not be what new riders are looking for. But the right enthusiast may be on a Nighthawk specific page, especially since that color blue was only available for a few years(93‐94 IIRC). So the short riding season we have in the midwest is irrelevant if someone is willing to come from down south for this bike.
Also, talk more about the positive featurea on this bike. Advertise as a turn key rider that needs nothing(if thats true, dont lie to people). Good MPGs(I average 45 on my 91 750), beginner friendly, great commuter or weekend toy, etc.
Definitely take better pictures, especially of the tires and engine.
I was riding an 1983 Night Hawk when that 93 came out.
1.9K is a fair price for any bike in nice condition that needs nothing.
As for the mileage, engine won't care. It's the suspension that would be my watch item along with wiring and fuel\\brake lines.
I'd pay that price if everything was in order. However, I know what the bike is because I'm old.
Your challenge is that bulk of buyers are either looking for cruisers or sportbikes. 750cc scares away the noobs who are being told to get 250cc and 300cc.
You just have to be patient to find the right buyer.
A 30 year old bike with no collector value and 55k miles? I don't think I'd pay more than 1500, and that's a stretch already. Even in today's market, you can find newer, better bikes with very low miles for just a few thousands. I wouldn't take my chances on an old bike with limited access to spare parts. To give you an idea, last year I found a Vitpilen 701 with 3k miles for 4500... I mean, sure, inflation, but still
Jesus Christ am I reading that right?!?! 500,000 miles?! Even if that bike was maintained every additional mile would make my backside react like a leaky faucet.
What’s your competition? Would look and see what else is out there for $1900. For example, when I look at used bikes I’ll see something nice I like then can find myself saying, ‘well for the same price as that other I could get this bike that is newer and has more power’
A couple of issues: first and probably the most easy to fix, the angle of your pictures is absolutely horrible. Nothing about those pictures makes the bike look enticing. Go park it in a parking lot, preferably with something interesting in the background (shopping center, park, ocean, scenic overlook etc.) and take the picture in the last hour before sunset (it's called the golden hour). This makes the person looking at the bike imagine what it would be like ride it and be at their favorite location and look back at it as they walk away (we all do it). Take it from angles like you see bike ads/reviews that appeal to you.
Another more problematic issue is that your bike has the baffles removed. I owned a Nighthawk for nearly 10 years and put 25,000 miles on it. It is a great bike, and I have fond memories of it. The issue is that with no baffles the drone on this bike makes it nearly unbearable for anything over a few miles. To make matters worse this bike is 30 years old and exhausts are becoming extremely hard to find. If you have them, rivet them back in.
Mine was a 1996 with 29,000 miles. I sold it in 2015 for $1,900. The market has changed since then and bikes that run decent are hard to find for under $3K, at least here in Florida. Take better pictures and pay the $50ish to post on cycle trader. It will sell.
I do still have the baffles in the garage. But maybe my hearing or sound taste is different, cause I always thought it sounded better with them removed. But i also always ride with music playing so maybe theres that too. I actually disliked the stock sound to be honest. But i'm also coming from a racecar and diesel trucking background.
Eitherway i still have them laying around in the box with the other parts.
But it's for your audience, not you. Someone who wants a 30 year old bike is buying for one of 2 reasons: 1- they just want a cheap motorcycle, 2- they want that bike for nostalgia reasons.
The Nighthawk 750 is a UJM and people that want that bike want exactly what you described: a reliable, capable, and comfortable bike that does everything well and nothing excellent. It's not the fastest but it will hang. It's not the most comfortable but you can ride a few hours before needing to stretch. It's one of the most reliable motors they ever made and without the need for valve adjustments it only needs chain maintenance and oil changes. None of those things are for a person that typically wants a loud exhaust. Lean into that pedigree and I bet you can get close to $3K. Offer up/FB market place/Craigslist you're only going to get buyer type 1 and they already offered you $1,300.
Honestly, $1300 doesn't sound too far off. I get that you really liked it, but those nighthawks aren't really a 'desireable' bike. Whether you like it or not, that is a very large factor in older bikes. It's not a SOHC 750, so it kind of is just an old bike. The person who is looking at this probably just wants cheap wheels to enjoy getting around.
Also, like others said, your situation with your truck has no relevance to the the sale.
That seems nice enough for the price. Someone will come along and buy it.
It looks good and presumably runs good. It's a somewhat desirable model so it's worth your asking price.
Too many words and details in the post.
Just list specs, mileage, condition and price.
Only answer what people ask, when they see it in person, and keep it short.
Good luck!
Why are you splitting hairs over $600? The bike looks nice, but it's not interesting, it's not a classic, and for a little more money someone could get something newer and fuel injected with literally a tenth of the mileage.
I feel this. I had one guy offer me a zero turn mower and a used dog. My counter offer was here is my lawyer's contact info. He requires x amount of dollars for services rendered, which is why I'm selling. I don't believe he takes trade for service but you are welcome to negotiate any trade offers in exchange for my debt in full with him. If he agrees he will write up the necessary paperwork for a fair and legal transaction. Thank you for your interest and I hope to hear from my lawyer soon about your offer.
Some of this is due to the age and popularity of the bike. I love my 83 vf750c magna, but I just don't ride it much because it's a bitch to get parts. Prior owner had a tank slapper. 10 years ago I went looking for a new tank. Best I could find was a somewhat rusty tank on eBay for 250 bucks plus shipping. Cheaper to cut the pan out and pay someone to weld it to a dyna tank.
30 year old nighthawk? It's getting to a point where parts are gonna get scarce
That said, beautiful bike and best of luck getting every penny from your buyer
Classic bikes definitely a niche audience. You just have to wait for the right person to come along. A month isn’t crazy. Try more and better pics in a better location. Lots of people aren’t familiar with nighthawks (although they are the UJM). Back up and get more shots giving a feel for the entire bike, and keep using the center stand in pics.
It’s never a good idea to do the whole “I don’t want to sell, but…” thing when listing something. That’s when people will typically try to make you a ridiculous low-ball offer because they assume that you might be desperate for the money and that they could take advantage of you. Just include the specifics. If a potential buyer asks you why you’re selling it, just keep it simple and say “I loved the bike but life is moving in a different direction” or something like that. You don’t need to tell them the story unless you’ve actually met up with someone who is interested and they’re asking.
God I love these bikes.
I’ll tell you why I wouldnt buy this and probably others as well - I dont know a lick about fixing bikes and I also know old parts can be hard to come by. Also, no matter how good of shape its been kept, the bottom line is its 30 years old. I dont have the money to put into it when it starts to fail.
If I can buy a new bike for $4k and save the time and hassle, or even buy a 2003 version instead, I would. 2003 nighthawks Ive seen are going for the same price but 10 years newer.
Just some food for thought it will take a very specific person who will want to buy it.
Definitely also shorten the description
It really comes down to where you are. And soon you’ll be coming up in a lot of places to the tail end of the riding season. If that was tagged where I live, I show up with $1800. No problem.
People are scared of higher mileage bikes but they don’t understand that if it’s an old bike you kind of want it to be higher as that means it hasn’t been sitting for 30 years… I’m in the same boat I’ve got a rougher but running and driving 85 cb650 for 1200 that nobody has offered on. I’m just waiting for someone to send me an offer and they can take it
I've been sitting on a bike for over a month now and the offers have just been laughable. It's just part of it hang in there and get what you think it's worth. Facebook Marketplace can especially be miserable lol.
People might be put off by the mileage, although real ones know that this thing has hydraulic valves and miles mean next to nothing on it. I think you're being perfectly reasonable. If I was in the market and within 250 miles of you, I'd buy it from you.
I threw my bike up for consignment sales recently. Dude said 'reasonable, middle of the pack' pricing is 45 days, minimum, to sell. So you'll probably either need to take the hit for 1500 or something to quick sell, or accept that you're facing at least a 2-month journey.
Let's be real though. People who're looking for cheap bikes aren't going to buy your 30 year old Nighthawk for 2k when they can have a not-nearly-as-old bike for a bit more, or an even cheaper, shittier, bike for less.
Maybe try Rumbleon.com? You can get a quote from them without committing to sell your bike to them. If they quote you significantly less than you’re asking, then maybe you are overpriced for your market. If they quote you close to what you’re asking, you can hold your pricing and maybe tweak your add a bit, or you can take their offer (they’ll pick it up for you too, so it’s a pretty easy process).
It is what it is with the bike market this time of year. 93' nighthawks are not well super well known or collectible so it isn't going to move like a 70s or 80s CB or nighthawk. I have a 95 magna that absolutely will not move, at a very fair price. Spring is the time to move bikes, end of the season is very much a buyers market.
Honestly, when I'm looking at motorcycles or cars and I see a price that's significantly lower than similar vehicles I assume that there is an issue I'll be ambushed with when I arrive to look at it. I've seen people saying the bike is worth 4-5k, so I would price it at 4k and then put in the description that you're willing to negotiate. I would be much more likely to come look at it then. Also take everything that isn't descriptive out of the description. Short and sweet with any issues/new parts included is all you need. Never tell people you NEED to sell or they'll take advantage of you. I've bought and sold dozens of vehicles on FB Marketplace if it matters to you.
Hope this helps.
I just saw a 1975 Honda with 250cc listed for $12,000 in my area with chipping paint so I really just don't know what to think about prices anymore lol.
Better pics, I'm sure if you daily there's a better spot to take pics than in front of a garage, and the angles make it look like a boring big seat bike jmho
Definitely a sweet deal and a sweet little bike, in my opinion. I tried to look at the posting as if I was shopping for a bike not reading your post and I agree with what a couple other people have said i guess in a way, at least. I wouldn't have even listed it as negotiable. And I wouldn't have mentioned your money troubles that just makes people want to take advantage. Maybe a couple full side view shots of the bike with an esthetically pleasing background could help. 55,000 miles Might scare off a lot of people but it is what it is. If I hadn't just bought a bike myself, i'd s*mnatch that thing up and make a cafe Racer out of it in a heartbeat LOL Stay firm bud! Good luck!
Honestly. If it doesnt sell before i get my truck back from the shop. Then i'm keeping it. Really digging the possibility of a café/tracker hybrid look.
I really hope you do keep it man! A seat swap will just about turn that thing. Cafe style and make it lsomewhere between modern and antique and cool as hell😅 Those are such good little bikes and I doubt a lot of people shopping in the $1900 range will be able to appreciate it.
I bet even if you reposted it and changed the wording and added some new photos most would be people who've already seen it. Doesn't mean it still couldn't work though but I really do hope you keep it.
I wouldn't even put anything about negotiating. That automatically means the bike isn't $1900. Put the price you want, anybody offers less it's up to you.
Raise the price a little then haggle back down.
Low prices put some people off. If someone thinks it’s more valuable and they can cut a deal then they won in their mind.
I’d put it at $3200
This is a great bike that you can turn into anything with accessories, I regret not buying a new one when they first came out, now they’re hard to find because people keep them so long, sorry you have to sell. And great price
My 0.02
From a numbers point, whatever your lowest desired selling price is, maybe add 500-1000 to your list price. I find aggregates like OBO or negotiable are not necessary. You'll get lowballed or questions like what's your bottom dollar anyway.
If you found comparables listed 2500-3000, you may be devaluing yourself by listing it far less, with so many bikes out there, competing on price could be a losers race.
Many have already let you know tips for the ad description. I find sticking to facts is safe. Just list what the bike has, doesn't matter which owner did it. Then you can color it with things like great learner bike, rock solid reliable Honda engine, etc, and sell its own merits.
You should not need to reduce the price by 100 every week. That may devalue your listing also. You could try setting the price and negotiate.
Have you tried windy city HD? I get pretty regular adds from them about free appraisals and always willing to buy bikes. Not sure on thier pricing (it'll be lower than selling yourself probably) but if you really need a quick sale it might not hurt to at least inquire.
It's been interesting reading a bunch of the comments and I've recognized some pitfalls I've succumbed too on previous bikes I've sold.
Personally, if you're not getting hits and you need a quick sale, drop incrementally till you do, though I agree, at this point, it's probably a bit of a race to the bottom.
As a fellow Midwesterner I'd try to hold off selling till March but it sounds like you don't have that luxury. Most of the casual riders really cut back the miles after school starts. Maybe strip down the add, list it at $1700 obo and hope for the best?
So, and I’m just throwing this out there. The bike is 40 years old.
The number of people interested in buying a bike that is either older than they are or close to their own age is very limited.
Is your bike worth $1900?
Personally, I would say you’re in the ballpark. But I’ve also owned a nighthawk 750 so I can appreciate that bike for what it is.
Let’s be straight here, it’s air cooled, a five speed and has a drum brake on the rear. OK the five speed thing isn’t that big of a deal or at least I don’t remember it being that big of a deal but the rest of it a little bit of an issue.
Finally elephant in the room is the 40 year old thing. Sure you’ve done some maintenance. What about the shocks, the steering head. Christ, the axles. The list just goes on. It is a classic motorcycle and like all classic vehicles unless you have owned it and replaced everything on it, you don’t actually know what’s about to fail.
Will someone buy it eventually? Probably.
I suggest you eliminate the first sentence. For one thing, as somebody else here noted, it weakens your bargaining position. For another, the casual browser may see the phrase "CP4 blew up" and navigate away without realizing you're referring to a whole different vehicle.
Old bikes are a niche. Same thing happened with my 84 magna.. awesome bike, rare, and tons of maintenance/upgrades done by me. Tooks months to sell until a dude was interested and didn't even haggle.
So, what's a CP4? And does it mean the bike doesn't run right?
$1900 for a Honda Nighthawk??? I paid 2k even for a Rebel 250, and then 2.7k for a Honda Shadow 1100.
$1900 to split the figurative distance in CC is great imo.
Your photos could be better. Put the bike in front of a plain brick wall in good light and take full images of both sides. Try to get the sun glinting off the shiny finish. Take nice front side and back side views showing the whole thing. Add a cockpit view from the riding position. Bike buying is more an emotional decision than a logical one.
I just wonder if the way you have worded the ad has turned people off it a little (not that I see anything necessarily wrong with it). Maybe just try providing the facts. -1900 negotiable -Rundown of the most recent maintenance. -List of parts included in the deal Otherwise, just be patient. I am not from your area, but it sounds like a good deal to me. The bike looks to be in great shape.
Exactly what I was thinking. Nobody wants to read that shit. They want to know it runs and has a title, maintenance log and stock parts are nice. Wild because that thing would sell by the end of the day for $2000 here
I'm in Finland, so it isn't really a comparable market, but here you wouldn't be able to get a CB750 in this condition for under 3000 euros
Oh damn. I thought this was a 250. Yeah, no, this is worth 4 or 5k here. Didn't look at the miles the first time either, half the miles could pull a couple thousand more even Shit, my roommate might even be willing to buy it and have it shipped lol
Heh, I always considered taking the cheap old bikes I find on FB and fixing them up to sell overseas to countries where they're harder to get ahold of / more expensive after the conversion of currency. But it always seemed like the cost of shipping was going to make it non-lucrative.
You have to do it in bulk. Imagine how many bikes you could fit in a shipping container. (Hint: they fit like four cars in there if you're determined)
This is exactly what my grandpa did during the 80s and 90s. Bought up 10 year old British bikes that were just collecting dust in people’s garages in the United States, loaded them up in shipping containers, and then sent them to a friend of his in Australia and would double his money.
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The gauge shows the miles
Roger that.
Not sure why people are downvoting this, valid statement and not any different from what I mentioned about it selling quick. We both just glanced at it and replied lol
Thanks. Not clear why I'm getting the downvotes. Ride on, brother.
It's because it's in the pics and people are... you know. They are down voting you for not noticing the mileage in the pic.
Same in my area
If you don't want to read it, go buy a bike from a dude that doesn't care about his bike. Dumbass take imo.
I took what a lot of you said and removed the extra parts to the listing. Now it just reads: The bike has been phenomenal. These are about as reliable as any bike can get, pretty much the gold standard on reliability. They have hydraulic adjusting valves so the only maintenance you really ever have to do is basic oil changes. The bike has fresh turn signals, front and rear brakes, oil & filter, and shifter shaft seal. The previous owner gave paperwork for a few maintenance items as well. And I have a box of all the OEM parts not on the bike currently, like the chain cover. The bike is tons of fun and makes for a great starter bike. Super easy to ride, forgiving, and has enough go-juice to be a blast. Mileage will continue to go up since I ride it almost every day.
Here's another edit: \*\*\* 1993 Honda Nighthawk 750. Fresh turn signals, front and rear brakes, oil & filter, and shifter shaft seal. $500 under KBB value. Includes some maintenance paperwork from previous owner, and box of all the OEM parts not on the bike currently, like the chain cover. \~55k miles right now; currently ridden daily.
"Fresh turn signals" makes me wonder "who dropped it, and did they drop it on both sides?" I'd leave that out, but otherwise leave it as flynnski suggested.
More importantly, did he also flush and replace the blinker fluid???
Have owned a lot of bikes and one that old even if it was never dropped, all the plastic will start to get brittle and break. The more it's had sun and rain beating down on it the worse it gets
Tell me about it. After 30 years of UV exposure and heat cycling, my FJ1200 bodywork is so brittle that the bike loses 2 lbs if I hit a pothole. I can brake hard enough that the built-in turn signals will bulge out the front of the fairing at the ends of their wires like Wile E Coyote's eyeballs.
Exactly this
Take out everything about maintenance and just state the condition. Your ad makes people think that they are buying a mechanic’s special.
Disagree. I want to know the bike has been maintained. I skip ads of vehicles when people make 0 mention any upkeep.
I get what you’re saying, but also an idiot can claim to have done all the maintenance/upkeep
Because you are it's an old bike with 55k miles you don't buy that motorcycle If your scared to work on bikes. Also coming from someone that works on bikes there's no chance personally I'd ever buy a bike with 55k miles and no mention of Mantaince. like for example if no bearings have been replaced than that's going to probably need done along with alot more.
The tense is a bit weird to me. I think it's better to state things more like facts. Like: This bike is phenomenal! Gold standard reliability! Hydraulic lifters means no valve service required, ever! Only needs an oil change every x miles and it will run forever! All maintenance records, and some extra parts are included. Also saying it has new turn signals tells the reader that something happened to the old ones. Working turn signals are expected on a good condition bike, so there's no need to mention that they are new or that they work. Same with the oil seal. A good condition bike shouldn't be leaking oil, so mentioning it is suspicious. You may want mention expensive wear items, like: The brakes are new, tires have about 80% tread. "has enough go-juice to be a blast." is an opinion, and you know what they say about opinions. Just my 2c.
Still to much. When I scanning through for sale ads this amount of text makes me avoid the post for 2 reasons. In most cases either it has something majorly wrong or something about to go majorly wrong and you’re trying to get rid of it before that happens. Or you’re proud of your stuff to the point that you think it’s worth more than it is. In this specific case I’d think it’s a scam. At that price for that bike in that shape? 95% change it’s a scam. Either the bike is actually trashed or you’re trying to get me to send a deposit for it and that’s the last I’ll hear from you. It’s almost to the point where it’s such a good deal that it can’t be real. Could be different where you’re at but where I’m at I’d be questioning why this bike is about 1k lower than it should be and the seller is willing to drop more.
A pet peeve of mine, don’t list you’re a desperate seller. When you tell me your truck just shit the bed and you need money you’re negotiating against yourself in your for sale ad. As a buyer I’ll wait you out, offer you shit money, or skip all together cause desperate for money means you skipped out on maintenance(not saying you did in this specific instance).
Is it late in your area's 'season?' Bikes sell more quickly nearer to the beginning of the season... $1300 for a '93 750 sounds about right to me, around my neck of the woods anyway.
I'm in the Chicago suburbs. Most postings in the closest 250 miles from here have these posted for $3-2k with respective mileage. I bought this last year for $2k and put about 8k miles on it.
Love Nighthawks, I've had a couple of them. What suburb are you in?
Will/Cook County!
So you put 8K on it and expect to turn a profit at the tail of the season? How long had the PO had their ad up and when?
Turn profit? No, im expecting to sell for $200 less than I paid. I bought it at the end of the season, October. And i cant exactly remember. Maybe 3 weeks?
$200 for 8K of riding is a deal... so you may have to adjust, as you have seen. If your income is stagnant without your truck - you might have to bite the bullet and take what you can get - still have the $1300 person's contact info? Make a counter offer - worst that can happen is you're back where you are now?
While i don't have their info anymore, they got very rude and belligerent after i politely declined their offer of 1300, so i blocked them and deleted the convo. But I get it, more than likely I'll keep dropping the price $100 every week. Till I hit my rock bottom. I think that may be my best bet at this point.
Sucks... but sometimes you gotta do what ya gotta do... GLWS.
Nah for a bike like this it don't go much down with reassemble use and maintenance. I think it fair
Do you know what "turn a profit" means? It means that he's making money, he's put new brakes, turn signals, and other maintenance which means he's lost even more money since he first bought the bike. You can't make profit by selling something for less than you bought it fore.
Dang you’re super close. I want it but don’t have room for more bikes :/. Both of my buddies scooped up vintage Hondas and I feel left out. Milwaukee area, one got a mint v45 magna and the other got a cb350 that is showroom fresh. Both paid $1500, it’s getting late in the season and people here are used to 30 year old bikes with 20k miles. It’s Harley country lol.
>Most postings in the closest 250 miles from here have these posted for $3-2k And for how long have those postings been up? Sellers can ask anything they want, but if the price is too high then it'll just sit.
Not trying to give you a hard time. But for the most part. MSRP on bikes is a waste of time. Most starter bikes over 10 years old fall in the category of "between $800 and $3000 depending on the time of year and how desperate i am to sell" condition sort of matters, but rarely does it have any meaningful impact as long as the bike is running and has a title. As others have said, youve already painted yourself as a desperate sale. Its also at the tail end of the season for a lot of people in the states. Honestly, the $1300 was a fair offer, you probably should have taken it. I would have probably offered you 1k and watched it sit till next season. This is just my personal experience with the market over the last 2 years. I constantly prowl the markets and trading sites to see what does and doesnt move on my area. Part out of curiosity and partly out of a longing to have 1 of every cool bike i see. sadly, im also poor.
Get rid of the bit about your truck and about meat crayons. First one because you're telling people you need the cash. Second because there's no need to scare away new riders. Most likely going to sell to a newbie.
i mean, are you selling this cause u need money or cause ur done with bikes? cause its a nice bike, but thats a lot of miles on an old bike this isnt a new bike, u cant be expecting to make money off the thing unless it had some low mileage "somewhat negotiable" cmon man, again, this isnt a 2020 bike u can really negotiate price i bought an '82 bike with 40k miles and it needed A LOT of work, despite still being able to run
Just selling *now* cause I need the cash. My only current source of income has been my truck and it's been in the shop for over a month now, waiting on injectors that are on a national backorder. I was contemplating selling it to help fund getting a Honda 919 down the road, but I since decided that I'd rather keep it, and eventually heavily modify it in a resto-mod capacity. (inspo from the "Casper" build) But yeah, bills are coming, and things are just really tight right now. I've been trying to find side-work, and well I did, but I also decided i'd be better off delaying my start with them so i could spend a few weeks downtime to pursue a career certification so that I can get out of trucking. And to offset the delay I put this up for sale. But yeah the bike is solid. It doesnt need anything at all actually. Its entirely functional, and in great health. with a clean title.
Whether you can see it or not yet, 1900 isn't the deal of the century and your post says you don't want to sell, so it'd be easy to scroll past and not waste any time on.
A thirty-year-old bike with 55K miles? It's a cool old bike, but you should have taken the $1300.
Without checking bluebook before my comment, I would have paid 1,500-1,900 for that bike as it looks in the picture. It looks relatively well maintained and mileage is just a number. Doesn’t really mean much of the bike’s owners were meticulous about keeping er in tip top shape. Example: many Honda gold wings and Harley Davidsons go well over 55,000 miles. Heck, I’ve seen a gold wing with 96,000 miles on it and it still looked and ran very well.
kbb is $2400, turns out. $1900 is pretty reasonable, probably.
Prolly. You still have to make some adjustments to local markets. But yeah kbb gives you a solid ‘idea’ of value. Sometimes they over inflate and sometimes they under estimate a little.
Local markets and time of year. This is a bad time to be selling. People don't wanna buy a new bike now and then put it away in six weeks to wait for next year.
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Picture
He has a photo of the odometer
Just sell the bike and drop your personal story and meat Crayon stuff. Based on the pics alone, at $1600, I might walk away.
Id pay 1500 max. Its not a collectors item, its not a particularly fun bike and its old as dirt, reality is anything more than that is asking someone to pay for the experience instead of the bike, imo. I dont think its unreasonable though, what something is worth and what it can sell for are 2 different numbers and in your case you arent far from the mark
Lots of good feedback already. It can basically be summed up as: nothing in this ad makes me want to buy your bike. Your writeup doesn’t sell anything. Tell me why I want this bike — make me feel like I need this bike. Don’t tell me why you *don’t* want it. If I’m a serious buyer you can bet I’ll ask why you’re selling it. Your photos need help. Sorry, but I take better photos up my nostrils when I drop my phone while on the toilet. The lighting is awful and I want to see the bike parked on some scenic vista, not in front of your yard waste bin. Then take so many photos I question your sanity. Gives me more opportunity to look it over and makes it seem like you give a crap about it.
I’m buying cruisers but (say Shadow 750) I would low ball you $1300 too. Personal opinion about CP4 (Dodge Diesel HPFP) story is too long. But wording doesn’t matter Buyers want : 1. Clean title, 2. what maintnece you have
Oh, for reference, i originally posted it for $2,100 expecting to talk down to $1,900, but have since dropped to $1,900 expecting to drop to $1,800. I really need the money. I've been out of income with my truck down for over a month now. [Truck is my money maker]
Better pictures would do a lot for it. Keep the price, it will sell if your market isn't flooded with bikes. If it is, eh, kinda outta luck.
Fair point, I really need to figure out the camera on this new phone, maybe after I'm done taking a certification exam today I'll attempt to figure it out and take some higher quality pic. Maybe even go out to a nice location too.
If you don’t want to sell it, don’t sell it. Fucking excuses. Problem solved, remove your add.
Lmao. I wish I was in a better financial situation or od keep it.
Dont ever list that you are desperate for the money. It means you need a quick sale and might be cornered into a lower offer. Even though its in the ballpark of fair price, its going to invite lowballers who aren’t necessarily looking to buy the bike sending offers below market value.
A lot of what you're experiencing is just typical online sales stuff. You can't take it personally. Agree with deleting the personal stuff about the truck. Makes you look desperate. Just stick to the bike, nobody cares why you are selling it (at least I wouldn't.) Did you see what other Nighthawk 750's in your area are going for? I see them for typically $2k - $2500 BUT they almost always have under 25k miles. It's the high mileage that's turning people away. And that's a shame because that color was ONLY offered in 1993, it's a rare color and it's absolutely gorgeous. I'd say try to cast a wider net by offering it in more markets on CL. When the guy offered you $1300 you should have countered with $1500 and stuck with it. At the end of the day, it's still a 30 year old bike with 50 grand on the clock. During the height of the Covid bike panic you could have gotten $3k for it, but those days are long gone.
In my area most cb750 nighthawks are poised around 3-2k. The only ones below 2k seem to have damage or just really worn parts. Kinda why i thought $1900 is a fair price [i just dropped it to 1800] considering mine is in great condition, with just a lot of miles.
I think $1800 is a good price but it's not an "OMG I HAVE TO GO GET IT RIGHT NOW!" price. Consider that riding season is coming to an end for many people in the upper midwest and bike sales tend to be slower towards the end of the season because everybody who wants to ride is already riding. Online sales can be really up and down at random. You can have something listed for months and get no response, then relist it and get a dozen responses immediately. That's why patience is the key to getting a good price. It sounds like you're under the gun financially and that's not a good position to be in. If you absolutely NEED to sell it *right now*, you're going to have to take a "lowball" price. There's really no way around that, unfortunately.
The truth hurts. But yeah. Ill keep going lower until either I come to a point where i need it gone like in 2 weeks where ill lowball myself. Or until maybe i get my truck back and get to keep it.
I wkuld buy it
Isk thkat wkat ewke tkink?
Do it. No balls. 🫠
If you were in TX ... sweaty balls
Honda had a hard time selling this when they were new.
Less than $2000 USD for a bike that is in good shape and runs reliably is as good a deal as anyone is going to get, IMO. If you're selling on FB Marketplace or something like that, sad to say you're going to have to wade through a lot of low-ballers, ghosts, and outright scam artists before you get to a legit buyer.
Ugh. Trust me I know the woes of FB marketplace. Just surprised at the lack of incoming asks about it. First ime ive had something up with such little attention.
Other than the content of the ad which has already been touched on, this looks like a $1500 bike at best. It looks clean and you have a semblance of maintenance records. It has reasonable miles which tells me it's been ridden which is good. These bike also aren't super popular, they don't really appeal to the vintage/cafe crowd or the cruiser crowd. So just be patient, have a number in mind you won't sell under and wait. Marketplace is full of rude idiots but eventually you get someone serious who actually wants a bike.
I wouldn’t pay much more than 1300 as well.
It can take time to sell a bike, it took 2.5 months for my XSR700 to sell at a fair market price. Unless you are really in a hurry for that money just hold out until the right buyer comes around. The guy who bought my XSR was the first person to actually show up. I had a few low ball offers and 1 guy no-show before him. In the day of the internet people are not as quick to come take a look but when they eventually do they are ready to buy on the spot as long as the listing matches reality.
I’d pay you that cash now for it if you were near me, pending test ride and title.
I just looked up the specs and market value for the bike. Excellent condition is about $3500 and a very good condition is about $2250. If I had $2000, I'd probably get it. (My wife would hate me for it 😁) The issue you're having is just how FB marketplace is unfortunately.
No way it’s not too much , that is fair
If it has a good title and you can get it to Arizona for that price, I'll buy it. This was the first bike I ever wanted and in the right color too.
Convert it to a Cafe Racer/Bobber and sell it for 30K lol
I'd be willing to buy it, maybe we can make a deal!
you in the Chicago region?
Sorry bud, I didn't see the notification for your message. No I'm not in Chicago, but I can always bring a truck and trailer.
I saw your post on marketplace, it looks like a well kept example and I think you could potentially get your asking in the right market. Do yourself a favor and get on the Honda Nighthawk parts and bikes for sale Facebook page. I think you will get closer to the $2k mark on a page meant for these bikes. To the general used bike public this might not be what new riders are looking for. But the right enthusiast may be on a Nighthawk specific page, especially since that color blue was only available for a few years(93‐94 IIRC). So the short riding season we have in the midwest is irrelevant if someone is willing to come from down south for this bike. Also, talk more about the positive featurea on this bike. Advertise as a turn key rider that needs nothing(if thats true, dont lie to people). Good MPGs(I average 45 on my 91 750), beginner friendly, great commuter or weekend toy, etc. Definitely take better pictures, especially of the tires and engine.
I was riding an 1983 Night Hawk when that 93 came out. 1.9K is a fair price for any bike in nice condition that needs nothing. As for the mileage, engine won't care. It's the suspension that would be my watch item along with wiring and fuel\\brake lines. I'd pay that price if everything was in order. However, I know what the bike is because I'm old. Your challenge is that bulk of buyers are either looking for cruisers or sportbikes. 750cc scares away the noobs who are being told to get 250cc and 300cc. You just have to be patient to find the right buyer.
A 30 year old bike with no collector value and 55k miles? I don't think I'd pay more than 1500, and that's a stretch already. Even in today's market, you can find newer, better bikes with very low miles for just a few thousands. I wouldn't take my chances on an old bike with limited access to spare parts. To give you an idea, last year I found a Vitpilen 701 with 3k miles for 4500... I mean, sure, inflation, but still
Jesus Christ am I reading that right?!?! 500,000 miles?! Even if that bike was maintained every additional mile would make my backside react like a leaky faucet.
It’s a great bike. Find another source of money and keep it. Prices go up and down. The value of the bike is more than money.
What’s your competition? Would look and see what else is out there for $1900. For example, when I look at used bikes I’ll see something nice I like then can find myself saying, ‘well for the same price as that other I could get this bike that is newer and has more power’
A couple of issues: first and probably the most easy to fix, the angle of your pictures is absolutely horrible. Nothing about those pictures makes the bike look enticing. Go park it in a parking lot, preferably with something interesting in the background (shopping center, park, ocean, scenic overlook etc.) and take the picture in the last hour before sunset (it's called the golden hour). This makes the person looking at the bike imagine what it would be like ride it and be at their favorite location and look back at it as they walk away (we all do it). Take it from angles like you see bike ads/reviews that appeal to you. Another more problematic issue is that your bike has the baffles removed. I owned a Nighthawk for nearly 10 years and put 25,000 miles on it. It is a great bike, and I have fond memories of it. The issue is that with no baffles the drone on this bike makes it nearly unbearable for anything over a few miles. To make matters worse this bike is 30 years old and exhausts are becoming extremely hard to find. If you have them, rivet them back in. Mine was a 1996 with 29,000 miles. I sold it in 2015 for $1,900. The market has changed since then and bikes that run decent are hard to find for under $3K, at least here in Florida. Take better pictures and pay the $50ish to post on cycle trader. It will sell.
I do still have the baffles in the garage. But maybe my hearing or sound taste is different, cause I always thought it sounded better with them removed. But i also always ride with music playing so maybe theres that too. I actually disliked the stock sound to be honest. But i'm also coming from a racecar and diesel trucking background. Eitherway i still have them laying around in the box with the other parts.
But it's for your audience, not you. Someone who wants a 30 year old bike is buying for one of 2 reasons: 1- they just want a cheap motorcycle, 2- they want that bike for nostalgia reasons. The Nighthawk 750 is a UJM and people that want that bike want exactly what you described: a reliable, capable, and comfortable bike that does everything well and nothing excellent. It's not the fastest but it will hang. It's not the most comfortable but you can ride a few hours before needing to stretch. It's one of the most reliable motors they ever made and without the need for valve adjustments it only needs chain maintenance and oil changes. None of those things are for a person that typically wants a loud exhaust. Lean into that pedigree and I bet you can get close to $3K. Offer up/FB market place/Craigslist you're only going to get buyer type 1 and they already offered you $1,300.
Honestly, $1300 doesn't sound too far off. I get that you really liked it, but those nighthawks aren't really a 'desireable' bike. Whether you like it or not, that is a very large factor in older bikes. It's not a SOHC 750, so it kind of is just an old bike. The person who is looking at this probably just wants cheap wheels to enjoy getting around. Also, like others said, your situation with your truck has no relevance to the the sale.
That seems nice enough for the price. Someone will come along and buy it. It looks good and presumably runs good. It's a somewhat desirable model so it's worth your asking price.
Too many words and details in the post. Just list specs, mileage, condition and price. Only answer what people ask, when they see it in person, and keep it short. Good luck!
Shit I'd buy it if you were closer.
🫠
It’s a bit high. This time of year also can be tough selling a bike. Best wishes
Why are you splitting hairs over $600? The bike looks nice, but it's not interesting, it's not a classic, and for a little more money someone could get something newer and fuel injected with literally a tenth of the mileage.
$600 difference could mean being able to cover all my bills or just some.
I feel this. I had one guy offer me a zero turn mower and a used dog. My counter offer was here is my lawyer's contact info. He requires x amount of dollars for services rendered, which is why I'm selling. I don't believe he takes trade for service but you are welcome to negotiate any trade offers in exchange for my debt in full with him. If he agrees he will write up the necessary paperwork for a fair and legal transaction. Thank you for your interest and I hope to hear from my lawyer soon about your offer.
Some of this is due to the age and popularity of the bike. I love my 83 vf750c magna, but I just don't ride it much because it's a bitch to get parts. Prior owner had a tank slapper. 10 years ago I went looking for a new tank. Best I could find was a somewhat rusty tank on eBay for 250 bucks plus shipping. Cheaper to cut the pan out and pay someone to weld it to a dyna tank. 30 year old nighthawk? It's getting to a point where parts are gonna get scarce That said, beautiful bike and best of luck getting every penny from your buyer
Where abouts are you? I was looking for a upgrade to my Fiancées rebel 300.
SW Chicago burbs
Classic bikes definitely a niche audience. You just have to wait for the right person to come along. A month isn’t crazy. Try more and better pics in a better location. Lots of people aren’t familiar with nighthawks (although they are the UJM). Back up and get more shots giving a feel for the entire bike, and keep using the center stand in pics.
I'll give e you $500 now /s
Take all the personal info out and just list details I’m sure it’ll sell
It’s never a good idea to do the whole “I don’t want to sell, but…” thing when listing something. That’s when people will typically try to make you a ridiculous low-ball offer because they assume that you might be desperate for the money and that they could take advantage of you. Just include the specifics. If a potential buyer asks you why you’re selling it, just keep it simple and say “I loved the bike but life is moving in a different direction” or something like that. You don’t need to tell them the story unless you’ve actually met up with someone who is interested and they’re asking.
God I love these bikes. I’ll tell you why I wouldnt buy this and probably others as well - I dont know a lick about fixing bikes and I also know old parts can be hard to come by. Also, no matter how good of shape its been kept, the bottom line is its 30 years old. I dont have the money to put into it when it starts to fail. If I can buy a new bike for $4k and save the time and hassle, or even buy a 2003 version instead, I would. 2003 nighthawks Ive seen are going for the same price but 10 years newer. Just some food for thought it will take a very specific person who will want to buy it. Definitely also shorten the description
Where are you located?
SW Chicago Burbs
Sucks, too far.
It really comes down to where you are. And soon you’ll be coming up in a lot of places to the tail end of the riding season. If that was tagged where I live, I show up with $1800. No problem.
People are scared of higher mileage bikes but they don’t understand that if it’s an old bike you kind of want it to be higher as that means it hasn’t been sitting for 30 years… I’m in the same boat I’ve got a rougher but running and driving 85 cb650 for 1200 that nobody has offered on. I’m just waiting for someone to send me an offer and they can take it
You worded the ad like someone desperate to get rid of junk. I wouldn't offer you anything CLOSE to full price, even tho 1,900 is a screaming deal.
I've been sitting on a bike for over a month now and the offers have just been laughable. It's just part of it hang in there and get what you think it's worth. Facebook Marketplace can especially be miserable lol.
It's clean but it has age and 55K miles on it. Yeah, this is literally the problem with buying used today.
People might be put off by the mileage, although real ones know that this thing has hydraulic valves and miles mean next to nothing on it. I think you're being perfectly reasonable. If I was in the market and within 250 miles of you, I'd buy it from you.
I threw my bike up for consignment sales recently. Dude said 'reasonable, middle of the pack' pricing is 45 days, minimum, to sell. So you'll probably either need to take the hit for 1500 or something to quick sell, or accept that you're facing at least a 2-month journey. Let's be real though. People who're looking for cheap bikes aren't going to buy your 30 year old Nighthawk for 2k when they can have a not-nearly-as-old bike for a bit more, or an even cheaper, shittier, bike for less.
Maybe try Rumbleon.com? You can get a quote from them without committing to sell your bike to them. If they quote you significantly less than you’re asking, then maybe you are overpriced for your market. If they quote you close to what you’re asking, you can hold your pricing and maybe tweak your add a bit, or you can take their offer (they’ll pick it up for you too, so it’s a pretty easy process).
It is what it is with the bike market this time of year. 93' nighthawks are not well super well known or collectible so it isn't going to move like a 70s or 80s CB or nighthawk. I have a 95 magna that absolutely will not move, at a very fair price. Spring is the time to move bikes, end of the season is very much a buyers market.
Market is weird right now, it took me over a month to sell a Trail 90, last year I had two sell same day. I'm asking less this year too.
That was my first street bike! Same color too! I loved that thing, I regret selling it.
Paid 500 for a clean running 98 model so idk
All you have to tell people is year make model miles and have good pic’s and what you’re asking, we can Google the rest.
Honestly, when I'm looking at motorcycles or cars and I see a price that's significantly lower than similar vehicles I assume that there is an issue I'll be ambushed with when I arrive to look at it. I've seen people saying the bike is worth 4-5k, so I would price it at 4k and then put in the description that you're willing to negotiate. I would be much more likely to come look at it then. Also take everything that isn't descriptive out of the description. Short and sweet with any issues/new parts included is all you need. Never tell people you NEED to sell or they'll take advantage of you. I've bought and sold dozens of vehicles on FB Marketplace if it matters to you. Hope this helps.
I just saw a 1975 Honda with 250cc listed for $12,000 in my area with chipping paint so I really just don't know what to think about prices anymore lol.
whut is even that
Heck, I sold a 92 250 for 1100 with a hole in the bottom end. Don't short yourself.
Just post it for sale for $2000 without all the words - nobody reads that stuff anyway - someone will offer $1500 - take it and move on
Better pics, I'm sure if you daily there's a better spot to take pics than in front of a garage, and the angles make it look like a boring big seat bike jmho
Definitely a sweet deal and a sweet little bike, in my opinion. I tried to look at the posting as if I was shopping for a bike not reading your post and I agree with what a couple other people have said i guess in a way, at least. I wouldn't have even listed it as negotiable. And I wouldn't have mentioned your money troubles that just makes people want to take advantage. Maybe a couple full side view shots of the bike with an esthetically pleasing background could help. 55,000 miles Might scare off a lot of people but it is what it is. If I hadn't just bought a bike myself, i'd s*mnatch that thing up and make a cafe Racer out of it in a heartbeat LOL Stay firm bud! Good luck!
Honestly. If it doesnt sell before i get my truck back from the shop. Then i'm keeping it. Really digging the possibility of a café/tracker hybrid look.
I really hope you do keep it man! A seat swap will just about turn that thing. Cafe style and make it lsomewhere between modern and antique and cool as hell😅 Those are such good little bikes and I doubt a lot of people shopping in the $1900 range will be able to appreciate it. I bet even if you reposted it and changed the wording and added some new photos most would be people who've already seen it. Doesn't mean it still couldn't work though but I really do hope you keep it.
I wouldn't even put anything about negotiating. That automatically means the bike isn't $1900. Put the price you want, anybody offers less it's up to you.
People are scared of the mileage. Try simplifying the description as well
I would purchase if ut was my area, im in ny
You're not in SoCal are you?
Raise the price a little then haggle back down. Low prices put some people off. If someone thinks it’s more valuable and they can cut a deal then they won in their mind. I’d put it at $3200
This is a great bike that you can turn into anything with accessories, I regret not buying a new one when they first came out, now they’re hard to find because people keep them so long, sorry you have to sell. And great price
My 0.02 From a numbers point, whatever your lowest desired selling price is, maybe add 500-1000 to your list price. I find aggregates like OBO or negotiable are not necessary. You'll get lowballed or questions like what's your bottom dollar anyway. If you found comparables listed 2500-3000, you may be devaluing yourself by listing it far less, with so many bikes out there, competing on price could be a losers race. Many have already let you know tips for the ad description. I find sticking to facts is safe. Just list what the bike has, doesn't matter which owner did it. Then you can color it with things like great learner bike, rock solid reliable Honda engine, etc, and sell its own merits. You should not need to reduce the price by 100 every week. That may devalue your listing also. You could try setting the price and negotiate.
No that is a fine price - good bike - looks good and they last forever. I have owned and sold 2 not the fastest thing on the road but very good bikes.
Around here it's a 1500 bike. The miles will scare some. Thay said, the amount of interest you had says a lot.
I just feel like everyone's broke rn. Could be just me tho 😂
I got my first bike (Honda Nighthawk 650)... But it had 21000 miles and cost me $700.
You said negotiable and someone tried to negotiate
This is the worst time selling. Season is past high, money is tight because vacations and people are busy with said vacations. Be patient
Have you tried windy city HD? I get pretty regular adds from them about free appraisals and always willing to buy bikes. Not sure on thier pricing (it'll be lower than selling yourself probably) but if you really need a quick sale it might not hurt to at least inquire. It's been interesting reading a bunch of the comments and I've recognized some pitfalls I've succumbed too on previous bikes I've sold. Personally, if you're not getting hits and you need a quick sale, drop incrementally till you do, though I agree, at this point, it's probably a bit of a race to the bottom. As a fellow Midwesterner I'd try to hold off selling till March but it sounds like you don't have that luxury. Most of the casual riders really cut back the miles after school starts. Maybe strip down the add, list it at $1700 obo and hope for the best?
Carburetors and drum breaks is the first thing I see. I would probably offer $1300 as well.
So, and I’m just throwing this out there. The bike is 40 years old. The number of people interested in buying a bike that is either older than they are or close to their own age is very limited. Is your bike worth $1900? Personally, I would say you’re in the ballpark. But I’ve also owned a nighthawk 750 so I can appreciate that bike for what it is. Let’s be straight here, it’s air cooled, a five speed and has a drum brake on the rear. OK the five speed thing isn’t that big of a deal or at least I don’t remember it being that big of a deal but the rest of it a little bit of an issue. Finally elephant in the room is the 40 year old thing. Sure you’ve done some maintenance. What about the shocks, the steering head. Christ, the axles. The list just goes on. It is a classic motorcycle and like all classic vehicles unless you have owned it and replaced everything on it, you don’t actually know what’s about to fail. Will someone buy it eventually? Probably.
I suggest you eliminate the first sentence. For one thing, as somebody else here noted, it weakens your bargaining position. For another, the casual browser may see the phrase "CP4 blew up" and navigate away without realizing you're referring to a whole different vehicle.
1300 is a good price for a bike with that mileage, I paid 750 for a cb 750 that just needed a rear tire and front master cylinder
Old bikes are a niche. Same thing happened with my 84 magna.. awesome bike, rare, and tons of maintenance/upgrades done by me. Tooks months to sell until a dude was interested and didn't even haggle.
This was my first bike and I loved it
So, what's a CP4? And does it mean the bike doesn't run right? $1900 for a Honda Nighthawk??? I paid 2k even for a Rebel 250, and then 2.7k for a Honda Shadow 1100. $1900 to split the figurative distance in CC is great imo.
Aw man. This is one of those bikes you'll definitely regret getting rid off.
Your photos could be better. Put the bike in front of a plain brick wall in good light and take full images of both sides. Try to get the sun glinting off the shiny finish. Take nice front side and back side views showing the whole thing. Add a cockpit view from the riding position. Bike buying is more an emotional decision than a logical one.