| Author | Message | ||
     Terrible1one3 |
If so disregard this thread... I have been on and off badweb for a few years now, first got into Buells when I rode my buddies '02 M2 and it was awesome. Got a new 04 12S and loved it and moved up to the Ulysses in '06. Previous to Buell's I was a Harley rat. My Dad turned into a Harley guy in about 1998 over from the metric's and then I got hooked. We shared some bikes, took some long trips together and what not but I ended up on a Buell. I love my Uly, but boy according to KBB it isn't worth much. '06 with 15k miles listed at 4k trade in on kbb and only like 5700 retail. I bought the bike new with Bags on it for 10,500 in late summer '06. Put a few hundred into it doing the standard, race ECM, drummer, ZG windshield, Zumo 550 GPS, K&N filter, chopped air box, and meticulous maintenance for the entire life of the bike. The bike is in perfect condition, it rides awesome. Well if you watch the for sale boards I put it up there for 6k firm and got no bites besides some trade offers. I have had it on Craigslist locally for a few weeks and have had 2 initial e-mails but never a response to my follow-ups. For some reason I can't explain I want to make the jump back to a Harley, (something like a FXD 99 or newer, I had a 99 FXD and loved it). I financed the trade up amount as my 04 XB12S was paid off and had a measly 50 bucks a month payment for the last 3 or 4 years. I know I'm taking it on interest but honestly... I don't even notice the 50 bucks out of the account so I haven't minded it. I figured if I couldn't sell it outright, maybe the dealers are as desperate as the GM ones are (sold me a truck for 3k under blue book and gave me full excellent condition trade in on my truck from blue book). So I identified a heavily overpriced 04 FXD at the local shop, went in and looked at it and told the guy that I was sitting on an '06 Uly that I owe 1300 on. He said "well we'd love to have it" and we moved forward with a scheduled stop to value my bike. I did some research and realized it would take a miracle for this deal to go through as the bike is still worth enough for me to not take a huge hit financially in replacing it with something else. I went back to the dealer after peeling off all my stickers and shining it up and they took a look at it. I have worked at 2 different Harley dealerships one of which was also a Buell dealership, so I know how this shuffle goes. I handed the keys and kept my jacket on, knowing they were gonna low-ball me. They asked about service history and I said after the 1k and 5k service I have done all maintenance by myself (which I was lying about because I did the 1k and 5k at the dealership I worked at on my own time so it wasn't documented like I said). They gave me their BS about "you know how Buell guys are, they want to see service history so we will have to knock 300 bucks off for a 15k service so that makes our offer 3,700 for it." All hopes of an intervention by God to make this deal happen aside I shrugged and said, alright thanks. He tried a few more sales techniques to probe me and try to get me on a 2010 FXD for only 3k more than the '04. I stated how I was just fishing for the bikes trade in value as I wouldn't have gotten the bike anyways because a dealer 30 miles away is selling '08's for the same price as his '04. Happily he wasn't too offended by that he let me go on my marry way. I kind of kept up on blue book prices of my bike as a hobby and thought I remember a few months before the announced shutdown that my bike was worth about 6k trade and 7500 or 8k retail... I might have those numbers bloated a bit but they feel right... maybe that's just what I think it's still worth. I guess I am coming out with this self damning thread because I realize I am going to be on the Uly for a few more years at least, which doesn't bother me. I won't lie, I had a quick hiatus between my '04 and '06 in the form of a new '06 XL883R which I promptly ran up a 2k dollar service bill turning it into a sporty cafe racer with a 1200cc motor. I had that bike for exactly 2 months and 5k miles before I traded it back in for the Uly. That experience cost me 4 grand and I'm worried this one might be the same so I guess I am happy my bike isn't worth it's weight in aluminum (though those prices are going up). It is probably keeping me from another 4k short lived hiatus from Buell... The only good thing is I could get back in a '10 fairly cheap if it didn't work out but hey, in the long run, what's the point when my '06 suites me just fine and is running perfectly (knock on wood). Anyone else try to change their bike and run into a financial road block that said (hey idiot! your bike ain't worth $#!^?). I haven't been trolling the forums but I haven't noticed many like this. | ||
| Eulysses |
Good logic there Terrible. My buddy bought his bagged 07 last year at 1600 miles from the dealer for $7K. Before the crash. So, the bikes have always been great grin for the dollar. With my long legs I can't ride a Harley comfortably anymore anyways even though I like the pipes. No, my Uly is the best bike of countless bikes I have ever had costing much more. No more will be built and they are one of a kind. Nothing like them...even the new Multistrada for 20K. | ||
| Reg_kittrelle |
I love my Ulysses, Eulysses, but comparing it to a Multistrada is ...really silly. Between the two, I'd choose the XB for a cross-country trip. However, on a serious road the new Multistrada will be in the next ZIP code long before the Ulysses.If nothing else (and there IS plenty else), consider the power-to-weight thingy. Yeah, I've ridden 'em. Love your enthusiasm,and great to see you support the bike, but somewhere a little reality needs to seep in. | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
These Buells, every darned one of them is a collector's item. Hang onto to it if at all possible. Eventually they will go up in value. That isn't why I'll keep mine though, but only because it is fun to ride out to Homecoming on, and Sturgis, and everywhere else eventually. | ||
| Wesman |
Since the HD / Buell debacle; how's it go? I'd rather have a sister in a Ho'house than ride a Harley. Careful what you ask here.  (Message edited by wesman on April 14, 2010) (Message edited by wesman on April 14, 2010) | ||
| Dmmblaze |
Supply and demand. The demand has gone down considerably since the closing of Buell. A lot of people don't want to buy a bike with questions out there regarding continued support for it. The discounts offered to dealers to clear out inventory hurt resale a lot too. Setting up a demand for a reduction in price for the used market as well. It will be interesting to see what happens once the supply of bikes on the market dries up more. Hopefully there is enough demand to drive up the value. Since demand is what it takes to make something a collector's item. Right now there doesn't seem to be a lot of demand for our bikes unless they are being sold cheap... | ||
| Froggy |
The actual sales numbers disagree with you. | ||
| Dmmblaze |
Aren't the sales numbers based on all the bikes being sold at a discount? | ||
| Dmmblaze |
I think it is safe to wager that the demand for used bikes like Terrible1one3's has gone down considerably. Unless he gives it away, there is always a high demand for those kind of sales. | ||
| Bdrag |
Terrible1one3 Well, the deal is that MANY dealers dumped all their bikes when Buell HD was giving $5000 back on all bikes the day they yanked the rug out. So my 2009 XB12X with a sticker of $11.499 came my way Oct 15 2009 for $6500 plus TTL and dealer crap. So there went the resale market. The dealer basically sold it for sticker since they got $5000 plus my $6500. Deal for them! So I guess your toast on resale. I didn't buy mine to sell I bought it to ride the snot out of . Bang for buck for me its a real value at what I paid. Just keep the Buell and find the bike you want and just keep paying and p[aying. Then the second bike will be payed off and ya get a third one. Thats where I am, three damn bikes in the garage now. HAhahaaaaa. BDRAG | ||
| Buewulf |
I bought a pristine, used '06 with 4,000 miles for $4250 months before the Buell closing. 4K isn't bad for a trade in value. The dealerships dumping the bikes is what really depressed the price. Most everyone that ever wanted a Uly ran out and bought a new one cheap which hurts your resale by eliminating a large number of willing, premium buyers for the next few years. | ||
| Ulyssesmatt |
I'll sell you a 2010 Uly XT with 1700 miles, complete service records and no mods for $11k. | ||
| Paralegalpete |
I going to ride mine for the next six years and on the day after Hardly stops selling parts, I will part mine out piece by piece to all you nice folks  (Message edited by paralegalpete on April 14, 2010) | ||
| Reepicheep |
I'll likely take a bath selling my 05 XB9SX with 30k miles. But I knew that would happen when I bought new. I've gotten more then $5000 of fun out of it in 30k miles, and it won't have depreciated that much. On the other hand, I bought a 2000 M2 for $5000, and traded it in 27k miles later for $3200. Astoundingly low depreciation for any motorcycle. I just bought an 07 uly with 10k for $5100... that would be low depreciation as well, except that this is a "out of my cold dead hands" bike... I look forward to seeing the bike roll over 200k miles. | ||
| Eulysses |
Well Reg...I would not want to be considered a silly thought creator here! I meant that all considered FOR THE BUCK the Uly rules. Multi's don't have that much on a Uly for the buck ratio. With me? I like Multi's but not worth it for the gain in comparison. | ||
| Terrible1one3 |
Yeah, fair comments by all. I definitely didn't expect to buy a motorcycle as an investment so I obviously knew I would be letting go of it eventually but I guess I had hoped to get half of what I have into it as opposed to 1/3. Wesman, I had a long drawn up disclaimer about leaving your feelings out of the responses I was going to add. Then last minute dumped it out of respect for BadWeb and the fact that most of us are mature adults and the pointless flaming is lost on this community. Looks like I was right to not have it in there. Well I will at least be holding on to the Ulysses until it is paid off with my sorry $50 a month payments... that still will be a year and some change, maybe more don't even know... but many more miles and smiles to come for my 4 year old  . | ||
| Bdrag |
Terrible1one3 Well HELL! If your having problems making them BIG payments just roll that bad boy into my garage and I will finish making the payments and ride it till its payed off and then give it back to ya. Kinda like a lendlease program. That will keep the miles off mine. Of coarse you would have to provide tires every 2000 miles for that $50 a month. I will change the oil for ya while I ride it. DEAL? BDRAG | ||
| Terrible1one3 |
BDRAG, Read... Not having issues making the payments. If that was meant to be a joke... well, I don't get it. | ||
| Pkforbes87 |
My brand new '09 XT cost me $7941 OTD, and I couldn't care less what KBB says its worth. I'm constantly being stopped by people who want to know what kind of bike I'm on, and where I bought it. It's always with remorse that I tell them they're probably too late to buy a new one because BMC is gone and new inventory is dwindling. Whatever Buell model you have, just ride it like you stole it and maintain it meticulously. I bet Erik will have a new streetbike up for sale before you can wear your current one out | ||
| Whisperstealth |
I'm in with PK. Same bike, same price, same public response. Guess I could have just said Ditto! That said kbb for an 09xt was at more than I paid for it. Not sure if it's that way now... | ||
| Yamafreak |
Why would anybody sell a bike? When I buy a bike I have to love it. I have all of my bikes. Just rode my 1966 Yamaha 250 YDS3 I had in High School!  | ||
| Yamafreak |
I have the same problem with cars! Here is my 1967 SpitFire.  | ||
| Ratbuell |
The one thing that Terrible didn't note is...ALL used values tanked last season, and are continuing to do so. There are simply too many used bikes on the market right now, and it has nothing at all to do with the death of Buell. It has to do with too many fashion-show owners who bought their toy and couldn't afford it, and have now had to sell it or get it repo'd because of the economy / job losses / whatever (perhaps from financing too many people who shouldn't have been financed?). The other side of the coin is all the incentives HD is/has been offering on the new bikes - and dealer discounting - that has caused a lot of people to trade up to a current model. I watched HD values tank by nearly 20% - from ONE quarterly edition of KBB and NADA to the next. There's just too much used inventory out there, in ANY brand, INCLUDING HD. Supply and demand - if there's *one* Road King out there that you like, the seller can name their price. If there's one *thousand*...well, it becomes a buyers' market. And, truth be told, HD did more than just move "unwanted" inventory quickly with the Buell discounting (which, by the way, was $3k on a Ulysses, not $5k as noted above; the $5k was only on 1125 bikes). Not only did they blow out bikes - and I'll admit to buying at that point, because I'd always loved the CR but didn't 'need' a 4th bike...until HD said "we'll pay for half of it" - but they also guaranteed the used/trade values of the brand would be knocked in the dirt for many seasons to come. A kick while the brand was down, if you will. "Why is your used one $XXX, when a brand new one was only $XX?". And, a buyer looking for a deal isn't going to listen to reason like "OK, go find a new one, I dare you". And if you want proof of the "too many bikes" theory...look at what HD is doing to current/near future production runs. "Slashing bike output" is putting it mildly. They're covering their ass and trying to get back to the good side of the supply/demand formula. Remember '02/'03? Waiting list. Like I said...if only one dealer in three states has a Road King....chances are no dealers will discount 'em just to get 'em off the floor. HD got greedy and built and built and built and built....and flooded the market, without realizing (caring) about the result - a drop in brand market value. A used HD is no longer a "used HD" with all the associated glory and image (and price tag)...it's just a used motorcycle like all the rest. | ||
| Terrible1one3 |
Ratbuell Very good point. I don't know if it was soo much of a bad thing what HD did with producing more bikes, cause lets face it, from 02-06 they made A LOT of money, and their stock price reflected it. Yeah they are having reprocussions now but no one expected after a steady recover from the bubble burst in '00 that a worse recession would happen... And you are definitely right about used HD prices. A local shop has '08 Street Bob's with low miles going for 8-9k which is where they "should" be but historically not where HD used prices are. Supposedly this place buys repo bikes and sells them so that fuels the validity of your point even more. We'll see what happens when they "Slash Production" but I'm guessing it won't drive up prices for a good 5-10 years because of the high availability of bikes made the last decade from them. Interesting posts! | ||
| Cyclonedon |
I actually don't know what my 2006 XB12X Ulysses is worth, nor do I care because it's NOT for sale. Hell, I wouldn't even place a price on it because I'm afraid someone might just buy it and like I said, it's NOT for sale. It's the best motorcycle I've ever owned or ridden and it's a keeper. | ||
| Keith_mahoney |
I don't care what resale value is since I don't plan on selling my XT. I just wish I hadn't paid 13,700 for it when everyone else is getting such good prices. Of course if it wasn't for the internet I would still be happy with pay that much for this bike. | ||
| Terrible1one3 |
Cyclonedon If you read the post then you have a pretty good idea as to what it is worth . Keith mahoney Yeah, I feel the same way, would have loved to have kept my '04 XB12S until now and then picked up a '10 XB12X or XT for 7 or 8 grand... Hindsight is 20/20 right? No way we could have predicted all this stuff to go on. | ||
| Buellerxt |
Good post Ratbuell. Keith, I understand your thinking and I'd be the same but, as I'm sure you know, you have a bike value, when compared to other bikes, that exceeds $13,700., despite the market and the once in a lifetime very lucky opportunity for some due to Buell's closing. Your last sentence on the internet is so true! Hey, you supported Buell Motorcycles and should be proud of that. Thanks for your service. | ||
| Eulysses |
Same thing going on in the housing market. People are just "riding" their houses now...not selling because of the drop in value. +1 on Ratbuell's observation. Good time to get wanton lust for new toys/houses/wives under control and get economically sound. Appreciate what we have. Now if we could communicate that to our politicians...maybe November 2010? | ||
| Bdrag |
Terrible1one3 Well HELL yes I was tuggin at your nads. Damn son, lighten up. Wouldn't you love to find a deal for $50 a month on a bad ass ride. Oh yea, you already did! HAhahaaaa. That was also a joke. Just havin fun bubba. For real, Keep it and buy another style bike. I have Three now. Pay it off, keep it and get another and so on and so on. BDRAG | ||
| Terrible1one3 |
BDRAG, I was unsure if you were joking or mocking. I chose the ladder and was wrong, apologies. Actually that's exactly what my wife and I decided. Gonna get a new bike next year and keep the Ulysses. I'm satisfied, she's satisfied, pretty nice deal. Spending a bit more than we had planned but doing it a year later we will easily be able to afford it so it will work out nicely. | ||
| Terrible1one3 |
Oh, also put in a nice little order at American Sport Bike since deciding to keep it. Went with a rider comfort kit finally (been putting it off since it came out). Some Aprilia Tuono mirrors to spruce it up and get some more visibility (hopefully won't have to adjust every ride too). And I ordered the quiet module for the drummer. My drummer is about 2 years old now, I pulled it apart to paint it earlier this season, most of the packing is gone and the damn this is just plain loud. I didn't repack it as I didn't have the material but figured this mod will do it and probably won't sacrifice much power (even though it says I will notice it on American Sport Bike.com, I don't push my bike to the limit a lot so not a big deal, I keep it in the sweet spot (3-4k)). Looking forward to installing the ride-ability mods as soon as they get here. I also almost ordered a Cal Sci windshield but decided to hold off on that until the next long trip with it. |
