RFI - How to sell “collector” motorcycle

Joined
Apr 5, 2015
Messages
5,942
I have a 2003 Harley fat boy. The 100 year anniversary edition with all the special badges and cool paint. It is bone stock (all original apart from maintenance items and LED bulbs). I bought it with ~110 miles and add 2k of easy summer cruising. Garage kept. Condition is 95-98%.

I want to sell it but don’t know how to position it to a collector type buyer and don’t want to sell for the “used car” value.

Any thoughts?
 

intunegp

WKR
Joined
Sep 28, 2021
Messages
616
I'm not an expert but I think that's going to be a hard sell. You're going to have to wait for the perfect person to stumble across your listing because, as you said, it is a regular Fat Boy with special badges and cool paint. To the buyer, they could pay a premium for that, or a newer bike. Unless you find a 100th anniversary collector you might just have to accept that you're going to sell for market value of a 21 year old bike. You do have the super low mileage going for you but I think that's more of a selling point than paint and badges.

I hopped on Cycle Trader and found one in Florida with a Vance & Hines and 4k miles for $8000. Without knowing what you want to get out of the bike, is there a reason the super serious collector guy would buy yours versus the one in Florida?
 
Joined
Apr 8, 2019
Messages
1,971
Now is not the time to try to sell a Harley...wait till spring or at least for a news cycle to change.

Great time to buy one...not to sell one
 

KenLee

WKR
Joined
Jun 9, 2021
Messages
2,503
Location
South Carolina
I hope I'm wrong, but you will probably get your heart broken at what you'll get offered for the bike. I had a 95th and 100th anniversary. 99% of potential Harley buyers want em to look and sound wicked and don't care a lick about a boring paint scheme and badges
 

Reburn

Mayhem Contributor
Joined
Feb 10, 2019
Messages
3,399
Location
Central Texas
google says,
In 2003 there were 19240 Fat-boys made World Wide. Of the 19240 bikes, 6752 bikes were manufactured as 100 Anniversary Edition.

So more than a third. Its not very limited edition with that many made.
 
OP
Desk Jockey
Joined
Apr 5, 2015
Messages
5,942
google says,
In 2003 there were 19240 Fat-boys made World Wide. Of the 19240 bikes, 6752 bikes were manufactured as 100 Anniversary Edition.

So more than a third. Its not very limited edition with that many made.
Hmmm. Fair point. I guess I had kept it stock all these years thinking it would be worth something to a collector some day.

Dang. I may just have to hang on to it.
 
Joined
Oct 1, 2019
Messages
350
Location
Oregon
I’ve been collecting cr500 s for years. Turns out electric start is pretty cool and no one wants to kick them lol. I don’t see value going up ever but cool shop ornaments.
 

Arcola

FNG
Joined
Jan 20, 2024
Messages
58
Man, I clicked on this thread hoping for some market insight. I have a 1937 Harley that I keep toying with the thought of selling. Market feels soft on all bikes right now but as they age there are less and less comps out there to use for pricing.
 

NMJM

FNG
Joined
Aug 2, 2022
Messages
72
Location
New Mexico
Generally speaking anytime a company comes out with a "collectors edition" it is rarely what collectors actually want 20+ years later
 
Joined
Dec 13, 2023
Messages
430
Kinda like selling a custom built rifle.
It can be the most common of calibers, but the $3500 you spent for a Neidner palm swell, 24 lpi checkering, triple A grade walnut, cartridge trap and other goodies......and it's still just a bolt action .270 Winchester!

Yeppers, she's (he?) has a fancy paint job, but it's still just a Harley "Fatboy" with fancy paint!

Second, how many did they build?
If it's the only 100th Anniversary that got the specials, you might just have something.

How about contacting Danny Koker (Kounts Kustoms) out in Vegas?

If you have the time, SOMEBODY out there will be as impressed as you were when you bought it!
 

Backyard

WKR
Joined
Jan 24, 2014
Messages
764
Location
Minnesnowta
There is no more market for the 100th “anniversary “ edition than any other year. That was just a marketing gimmick by the company to get people who don’t know to buy. Its worth $5k at tops. Sorry.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Bluumoon

WKR
Shoot2HuntU
Joined
May 4, 2020
Messages
1,162
Trying to sell my Dad’s 03 Fatboy that is immaculate and chromed out, zero bites at $6k. Anything close to 5k I’ll be happy.
 

tdhanses

WKR
Joined
Sep 26, 2018
Messages
5,895
Hmmm. Fair point. I guess I had kept it stock all these years thinking it would be worth something to a collector some day.

Dang. I may just have to hang on to it.
It will be in about 60 years, if you don’t need the cash just hold on to it, 20yrs old isn’t really collector status yet.
 

wyosteve

WKR
Joined
Jul 1, 2014
Messages
2,207
Agree with all of the above. To bring a premium it would have to essentially be undriven/no miles.
 
Joined
Dec 13, 2023
Messages
430
Hmmm. Fair point. I guess I had kept it stock all these years thinking it would be worth something to a collector some day.

Dang. I may just have to hang on to it.
It will be ..... someday.
Just consider it a long term investment.
 
Top