You're not going to see prices change at stealerships unless they are attempting to clear out the previous year models. Regarding privates sales, you'll see people trying to sell their stuff at the higher end (+ or - $500) of KBB suggested value. I am sure if you walk up with cash in hand, I am sure guys/gals will let their bikes go for less than their asking price. Ever watched Pawn Stars?
As you've already seen, there be people trying to sell the bike at a price that is WAY too much. Here is a prime example of someone selling their 02 F4i for way too much and refuses to negotiate (http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/n...575443853.html). The only thing these posts are good for is a good laugh. You'll just have to be patient and keep looking around through various classifieds (craigslist, cycle trader, ebay, and etc). There are still people around like my brother who don't have a clue how to post things on craigslist and go to classifieds like Auto Trader instead.

 

One thing to keep in mind about buying a bike in the spring, particularly a carb'd bike like an F3 is that the bike probably sat all winter, and like many F3s may not start, a simple carb clean is usually the solution and you can get these bikes for uber- cheap because the seller may not want to mess with it. But others may claim to only need "carb's synced" or something and be totally F'd.

 

I'm not too worried about cleaning the carbs and there isn't anything a repair manual or a forum can't help me with. I hope lol. When I go to look at the bike I'll obviously make sure its not running like poo from what I can tell.

The biggest problem I'm gonna have is wanting to buy the first one I see. Hopefully that won't be the case.

Thanks for the help guys!

 

I just bought the f3 that IDoDirt is talking about. I think it's a great price for a (hopefully) great bike. I was able to get it on eBay for $1000 less than their price tag. It seems to me that people who are selling their bikes because they need money don't necessarily take into account what the bike is actually worth. They need x amount of dollars so they think they can get x amount of dollars out of the bike. Or, like someone else already said, they think they can sell it for what they bought it for. I relied heavily on NADA and this forum (I started a couple "what would you pay for it" threads). The more I looked the better idea I had of what certain models and years were going for in my area, if you just ask people what they paid, you're going to get a million different answers based on where they are, when they bought it, etc. etc.

There was an f2 I looked at a couple of months ago...He wanted no less than $1600, I think I offered him $1200 (after looking at it I don't think it was even worth that). He basically said nope, if you won't buy it for that much someone else will. Just recently it's back on craigslist for $1500.

And to Marc up there...you think $3900 for an 02 f4i is bad...there's one a couple hours from me that's asking $4500.

 

Like others have said before, "cash talks". I know a lot of people out here (Las Vegas) are pricing their bikes super high on craigslist knowing they are going to get talked down.

I bought my 97 F3 with 18K two months ago for $1700. The guy wanted $2300 but it ran like ****. I too wanted to buy it right on the spot. I prob. would have paid $2300 for it cause I wanted a bike so bad. Instead I went home, looked into possible causes why it wouldn't run, then made up a list on how much it would cost for repairs and new parts. I put on every OEM part needed and what stealerships charge for maintenance on the bike. The list ended up being a lot of money and he agreed to take off $600. When I got home I noticed one of the spark plug caps had not been put on all the way so I pushed it on and the bike ran like a dream haha.

When you decided to pull the trigger bring cash and ONLY take as much as your willing to spend, no more! If the seller will not budge, walk away. Chances are, someone selling a bike right now needs the money a lot more then they need the bike.

Hope this helps. Sorry for the length

 

lengthy yes but spot on. Like I said before a guy was asking 2500 for his bike. I told him I really didn't want to spend more than 1800 on a bike and he said he would take that. I went down with all 1800 but upon looking at the brakes I noticed that it needed new rear brakes so I offered him 1500 and he countered with 1600 and I took it. And today it broke down on me and had to get towed. :-(

 

yeah i can see where your coming from. I was looking for a while before i found mine. Mine was listed on craigslist.com. i waited for a while still searching for a better one, Mine needed some work. But he was asking $1800 for it. When i went to look at it, it was ok. I had a figure in mind of what i wanted to offer. So i asked what would he take for it. He said "if someone had $1300 cash id give it to them. I was there the next day with the money. Its all about bargining and cash. Cash is king....... Best advice is use your instincts and stick with them.

 

Bikerboy, sorry to hear about the bike. Good thing you talked him down. Hope its a simple/cheap fix!

Footnfool, do you have a local motorcycle club you can get in contact with? When I was looking for my bike I knew nothing about them, still don't really ha. I started talking to people on 702sportbikes and got the head mechanic of a dyno store to come look at bikes with me. It really helps to have someone who knows bikes really well in order to spot the small stuff like stripped or miss-matched engine screws.

If your worried about spending to much when you get there bring someone else with you (friend, girlfriend, anyone) and tell them your spending limit. Its a lot easier to say no when someone else is there to back you up.

 

Guy on ebay a year ago was asking $3000 "buy it now" but I sent him a message with an offer of $2500, and was on my way to pick it up two days later!

 

motorcycle prices are regional. base on relative market value, one can find an f3 anywhere from 1500-3500$ depending on season, upgrades, and location. A guy out in the boons may take 2500$ for the same bike that a guy in the city has for 3500$ in the spring/summer. Market value is WHATEVER people are willing to pay for what it is. I've seen f3s stock sold for 3500$+ in summer / spring.