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2002 Suzuki Bandit 1200


imagineer
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Any riders near NE Ohio looking for a fun toy?

 

My Craigslist ad --->  2002 Suzuki Bandit GSF1200

 

As much as I like riding this bike, my original intention was, when it was done, to sell it.    Well it's done and I really need the shop space so this and a few other toys have to go.

 

P1030390_zpsvkxa9dch.jpg

 

P1030405_zps7dnxnvsr.jpg

 

Since these pic were taken, the header got ceramic coated and I wrapped the pipes with titanium exhaust wrap.   The CL pictures are new and show these changes.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Here’s a question for those out there who sell bikes on a regular basis…What am I doing wrong?

 

I’ve had this 2002 Bandit 1200 on Craigslist for 12 days now and have had ZERO legitimate inquiries.    Yes, I’m asking higher $$ for it, but haven’t even received one “would you take $#,### for it?” offer.

 

http://akroncanton.craigslist.org/mcy/5125171874.html

 

I buy and sell a lot on CL (mostly electric guitars on Cleveland and Columbus CL; over $5k/year) and almost never pay the asking price.   When I have one for sale, at least half the people responding make a low ball offer (sometimes an insultingly low offer).    

 

I’ve also previously sold 2 motorcycles on CL, one in late summer and one in early spring.    Each ad was on CL for less than a 24 hours before I was flooded with inquiries and had each bike sold (both for my asking price).  

 

So what about this Bandit is so unappealing?  

Is it that it’s been customized?   Or that it’s a single seater. 

Are the pictures bad, or are there too many pictures?

Is my ad too wordy?

 

Really, I’m in no hurry to sell as this bike is a blast to ride, but I'm curious why there has been ZERO interest in it.

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My take?  The summer is already starting to wane.  Those looking for bikes for this season have mostly bought already.  The other problem is that--while you've made some cool mods to the bike--most of the work (cosmetics) that you've done was done to please you and your sense of aesthetics.  Unfortunately, unless you find a buyer that thinks exactly like you or just happens to have the same taste in bikes, what you're done is either meaningless or even detrimental to the majority of potential buyers and thus, your mods have severely limited your market size.  If you don't have to sell and like the bike, hold on to it and ride it for the fall, store it for the winter, and then roll it out next spring in late March/early April.  As Tpoppa mentioned, that's when spur-of-the-moment purchases of motorcycles with tax refund money burning a hole in the pocket usually takes place.

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It's not a popular model. Most people on cl want either a Harley or a supersport. Most have never even heard of a bandit and see the air cooled motor and think 'slow piece of shit'. Most people are idiots and have no idea how great these bikes are.

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Mods don't usually add value. The more a vehicle is modified, the less useful it is. A ten year old truck with a 6" lift and caged windows isn't the daily driver people are looking for. A specialized bike needs a specialized owner.

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All good input...Thanks.  

 

Bubba, you're spot on.     I built, what I think is a drop dead sexy bike.    Maybe I'm the only one with a taste for this look.  

 

Looks like I might have to suffer through riding this bike for the rest of the season.

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I built, what I think is a drop dead sexy bike.    Maybe I'm the only one with a taste for this look.  

 

 

Nope.  The Cafe/Bobber genre is still hot, at least here in Cincinnati; it'll sell to somebody who wants to have THAT look without the hassle of doing the work.  You might think about posting it on some of the sites that are more oriented to the bobber/scooter/hipster (gawd, I hate that word!) crowd.  Try posting on the AFJ site; there are few folks there that might be looking for a hooligan bike.  Not MY cup o' tea....I'm old and enjoy the luxury of a front and rear fender and definitely NOT big on the loud pipe thing, but as a short-mileage-sunny-day scoot, it's prolly fine.  I do like the old school look of finned jugs, carbs and the simplicity of air/oil cooling.  GLWS!

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I think the market has sucked for the last year or better so I haven't even posted my Bandit. My kids have their own bikes and the only time my was listed I was offered a completely rusted Dodge that needed the brakes and A/C fixed.

It will just sit here and maybe I try to trade it for some guns or something.

 

Good luck moving your bike.

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When I see a bike like this (very cool, btw), my first reaction is to wonder what's been "bubba'd" so-to-speak. When I don't know the builder, my first assumption is that it's been hacked by a backyard enthusiast.

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Thanks for the props Skull.   I'm not a pro-welder or mechanic, but I try not to do crap work.    

 

It's a fair thing to be skeptical toward someone else's work and I don't take offense when someone tries to out "smart guy" me.   As I mentioned before, I do a lot of buy/sell on CL, focusing on electric guitars (And no, I don't play; I just like building and working on them).   Any time I read where a seller boast about upgrades or repairs they did, I am immediately skeptical that they screwed something up that will take time and $$ to fix.  

 

I just find this current CL situation confusing because the 2 bikes I've sold, a '05 Suzuki C50 and a '94 Katana 750 were nothing special or customized; just solid, good running bikes.    Within an hour on CL, I was inundated with legitimate offers and inquiries for each.    It was like a feeding frenzy.      This time . . . nothing.

 

I doubt it's the economy because I'm still flipping guitars quick enough, and doesn't matter if they're cheap replicas, custom builds or vintage.

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Well, after lengthy introspection, I've decided I don't want to sell the Bandit.    It's way too much fun.    Now I've got the "first-world problem" of where I'm going to park a 3rd motorcycle?

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That will be my plan B.  

 

So far, I've made space in the garage for the fat tire cruiser.   Not the easiest thing to back in, but desperate times...  

In the workshop, I moved the lower shelf on of the workbenches to provide clearance to roll the bike lift underneath when not needed.   I also made the wheel chock quick(er) release.

I made a shelf to store the small mower above the big mover that freed up a parking space for the Bandit.  

In a week or so, I'll also build a fixed height riser table on casters for my Goldwing project bike.    It's a long term project bike that can be rolled off to the side until I can get to it.

 

It's a lucky thing I don;t sleep much...

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