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Best Ways to Increase the Value of Your Motorcycle

Best Ways to Increase the Value of Your Motorcycle

A motorcycle’s level of demand depends on its brand, condition, age, frequency of use, and mileage. However, maintaining a motorcycle is crucial to keeping its resale value up.


If you want to eventually upgrade to or buy a new motorcycle, you must take care of your current motorcycle to ensure it sells for a high price when the time comes.


Here are some tips that may help you retain your motorcycle’s value.

1. Keep Original Motorcycle Parts

Many motorcyclists love to customize and redesign their vehicles to better suit their preferences. But customizing your motorcycle, especially heavyweight bikes, can cause their values to drop significantly. Customization includes adding new paint jobs or aftermarket parts.


If you want to add aftermarket parts and change your motorcycle’s design, then keep the original motorcycle parts. Reinstall the original parts before selling the motorcycle to raise its value. Additionally you can install motorcycle luggage like saddlebags, tank bag, sissy bar bag or trunk to you motorcycle.

2. Change the Tires

To reduce wear and tear on your motorcycle’s tires, try to ride on smooth roads and slow down when traveling over bumps or potholes. Every five years, change out your motorcycle’s tires as the rubber will become dried out due to extended use. Installing fresh tires before selling your motorcycle will help increase its value.    

3. Apply New Paint

Due to constant use, your motorcycle may become rusty or scratched. But applying fresh paint to your motorcycle can help cover damage and make it look like new.


Many companies provide or are working on new types of motorcycle paint. There is a large variety of paint jobs you can use to hide dents or repaint your entire motorcycle.

4. Change the Grips

Changing out your motorcycle’s grips for new ones ensure they are long-lasting and reliable. This will also help increase your motorcycle’s value. Before showing your motorcycle to buyers, install new grips.   

5. Change Out Torn Seats

Frequent cruising will cause the seat foam to gradually become less comfortable and tears may start to form. A torn and compressed seat will give your motorcycle a bad look. Before selling your motorcycle, install a new and plush seat.    

6. Check the Lights

If the headlight, turn signals, and brake light are well-maintained, they will ensure better safety when riding in the dark and increase their resale value. Installing new and colorful lights will increase visibility and make your motorcycle look more attractive to buyers.     

7. Clean Your Motorcycle

To ensure your motorcycle stays clean, keep it stored in a clean and well-maintained garage. Otherwise, dust can build up on your motorcycle’s parts and reduce its efficiency. Wash the parts that will not be damaged by soap and water. Polish the chrome motorcycle parts like the exhaust pipes.

8. Pick Motorcycles from Popular Brands

When you buy a new motorcycle, its price will decrease slightly after only a few days of riding. When buying a motorcycle, always choose one from a popular brand since its price will not drop as quickly as a motorcycle from lesser-known brands. Honda, Harley Davidson, Yamaha, Suzuki, and BMW are examples of popular brands. Some limited-edition motorcycles will not depreciate in value by much during the first two years after purchase.        

9. FAQs

How quickly do bikes lose value?

Answer: Most motorcycles depreciated in value by about 10% to 45% during the first two years after being purchased. After one year, motorcycles can be sold at 90% of the original price. Motorcycles in poor condition can be sold at 55% of their original price. 

At what rate does a motorcycle’s value depreciate?

Answer: A motorcycle’s value depreciates every year based on its condition and age. A motorcycle’s value depreciates an average percentage of 10% to 15% every year. 

Which motorcycle’s value depreciates the least?

Answer: The Harley Davidson CVO Ultra Limited can sell for 78% of its original price after one year and at 61% of its original price within the first five years.

10. Conclusion

Good changes are not only helpful to keep your motorcycle efficient and durable, but also increase its value. Take care of your motorcycle to keep it in good condition. Maintenance of the motorcycle increases its function and also its selling price in the market. If your motorcycle is in good condition it will give a good impression to the buyer.

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