Harley Guys: Help me value a custom bike??

[kaisen]

Tapping the Pelican brain trust:

This is my wife's father's bike. He's a vietnam vet and had this bike built for him after a bike he wanted back then. He's now unable to ride and in the VA hospital. I told the family I would help them sell it, but I'm not a motorcycle guy.

Here's the specs as I know them. It is a 2000 Springer Softail, custom built from the ground up using new parts. The frame is a Pro Street, the motor is a billet S&S, it's a 6 speed. I'm not sure which S&S motor it is, but it was balanced, blueprinted, ported, polished, and dynoed over 100 horsepower at the rear wheel. The paint is House of Kolor Brandywine Candy Pearl by a well-known local artist. There are ghost skulls, crosses, dice, nudes, etc. Everything is chrome or polished billet. Parts and paint alone were $35K. It has a little under 15K miles.

They need it gone asap, they need closure. What is it worth? What's the best-case wait-for-it money? What's the sell-it-this-week money?

Thanks guys!

[Chocaholic]

I'll take a WAG:

Sell it quick: $7500 - $8500
Best you could ever hope for in a million years: $12 - $15k

Not a great market and a bazillion "one-of-a-kind" HD's are always for sale. Sounds like an emotional situation unfortunately, but HD's just don't hold much value these days. Just my opinion...I'm sure others with more experience will chime in.

BTW...are you sure it's a Softail? Perhaps it was once, but I see rear shocks...so it's probably not anymore (not a bad thing, mind you).

[kaisen]

Mike, I don't know much about bikes. I was told it was a softail, but it sure does have Works coil-overs. It was originally built that way, using a new frame. So what is that known as?

I looked at eBay completed listings and thought $7-8K was the money, but those weren't as fancy, for better or worse. I think the family is being realistic about the value. Seems like all the custom stuff doesn't really add value. Rather, someone would rather buy one stock for $8K then go hog wild at the HD dealer in the coming years and make it their own (for another $10K). It's a little sad, the paint alone was almost $6K.

Anyone else? Is $7-8K the right money?

[Targa Me]

I'm not an expert but I do own an HD and check out the market prices from time to time.
Custom bikes can be hard to sell because you need to find a buyer that really likes the paint, specific engine, custom parts, as well as springer front ends.
A fairly stock 2000 softtail goes for around 10k, give or take a grand or 2 depending upon mileage and add-ons.
I would say start asking around 15k and go from there, but be willing to negotiate. You'll probably get around 12k for the bike, but that's just my opinion.
If you want the absolute most money possible; ask for 20k (be ready to drop the price as well as be patient until the right buyer comes along.)
I just noticed something... this frame is not a softtail ! Softtails did not have that type of rear swing arm. Softtails have the rear shocks underneath the frame, hidden from view. This bike looks like a Softtail from the pivot point of the swing arm up to the front. The swing arm, shocks and fender look kind of like a Dyna Glide.
Notice the rear swing arm.


This is a dyna wide glide.
The chrome piece underneath the seat is where the battery is located. on the softtail the chrome piece underneath the seat is the oil tank.

So there's it is. I hope this helps you.

[Gogar]

I kind of agree that $10K plus or minus a few is your ballpark.

"Custom" Harleys provide about the same return on your money as just throwing cash into a garbage disposal. Fun, though!

[pwd72s]

I guess it hold true in bikes as well as Porsches...modding is fun, you end up with something unique and "you". But at resale time, you've limited your buyer pool to people with the same taste?

Hey, I think it's a pretty bike...

[kaisen]

Originally Posted by Targa Me

I just noticed something... this frame is not a softtail ! Softtails did not have that type of rear swing arm.....The swing arm, shocks and fender look kind of like a Dyna Glide. The chrome piece underneath the seat is where the battery is located. on the softtail the chrome piece underneath the seat is the oil tank

You helped a lot, but now I'm more confused. I know the frame is custom-made by Pro Street (how it's titled too) so it may combine elements.

The oil tank is under the seat! But the coilovers are outboard. So what does that make it (other than bastard)? The springer part is undisputed

Anyway, based on all your input, I'm thinking of listing it for $9999 obo as I don't want it sitting in my third stall while cars sit out

That should sell it fast, shouldn't it?

How can I tell how many cubes the S&S motor displaces? And what's the difference between panhead, shovelhead, etc?

[javadog]

I'd stick it on eBay and as many bike sites as you can. You might get more money than you think. Even though the economy isn't the best, nice stuff is still selling. I've sold 10 cars over the last year and have gotten in excess of high retail book value on every one of them. I'd take a little time and not just blow it out the door. You can always come down on the price but it's hard to go up.

JR

[kaisen]

The frame is a Pro Street FXR

So does the FXR signify that style of rear suspension?? It's a Springer Softail except for the rear arm and rear fender, so it seems.

We'd really rather get it gone at the beginning of Summer, as around here if it isn't gone by July 4th, it won't sell. So cheap and sold is better than trying to long and sitting another year.

[pwd72s]

If "cheap and sold" is your goal? Take more pics, send them to every Harley dealer in the land. One may want this beauty in his showroom.

[nota]

panhead, shovelhead are old designs and are head/valve cover shapes
the newer design is a EVO

like many custom built things parts maybe worth more then the whole bike will sell for

most SS motors are way bigger then stock and cost 5000-10000
numbers should be a clue to size

S&S® Large Displacement Performance Engines

[nota]

i think 10 is tooo low

HD dealer consignment would solve storage problem

[VINMAN]

I would start in the mid teens. Shes a beauty! That bike has a lot of nice pieces on it. But unfortunately, with any custom vehicle, you will never get in return what u put into it. Especially with a bike.

[Moses]

Listing a bike like that for 10K will make people think it has serious problems.

[sailchef]

Prices vary greatly depending on what part of the country you are in. Florida has some really nice customs for sale well below the $15k range because there are more of them. Up north bikes get dirty really fast and don't seem to have that "shine" going for them.

Without a close inspection I would still say you have a very good condition motorcycle on your hands, I would probably hold out for a better price.

[Gogar]

While I posted that you should expect $10k I think you should list for $12-14, expecting $10k. And don't ever put "o.b.o.", it's code for "I'll take much much less.". IMO the typical Harley buyer is goin to lowball the shyte out of you right off the bat.

My price guess is also a "Colorado" guess, where you can't leave the house without seeing a Harley trying to pass a prius on the right.

[LakeCleElum]

HD Value? How much does it weigh?

[HardDrive]

Like others have said 8k-12k depending on your market. I can't imagine getting more than $14k for it. Oceans of these bikes floating around. $30k choppers are on craigslist out here for $10-15k

Thats a springer softail front fork on a custom frame. I would not refer to the bike as a softail in an ad.

[greglepore]

Springers are worth a bit of a premium-I'm guessing 10 - 12k is value, at 7-8 its a giveaway, but you did say that they wanted closure.

[Joe Bob]

In Nevada.....15-20K bikes custom or stock are being stored until the economy picks up....not a good time to sell. Buyer's market. The dealers are doing...OK....at least that's what they say.