Some people love their bikes more than life itself. Others? They want a ride on them all. Every style and model is a temptation. They feel robbed when they can only buy one. Satisfy those urges with a cycle swap. While you may find you do have a favorite after all, you will also gain a lot of firsthand riding experience.
Finding a Place to Sell
A cycle swap, quite simply, is the act of selling your bike and buying a new one of similar value. The trade should not cost much. Most swappers work their way up, aiming their sights to slightly better bikes with each transaction.
In order to successfully begin a cycle swap, you need a reliable marketplace. You can sell your bike fairly well online or in person with the right advertising and seller protections. If selling online, using an escrow agency ensures you will get paid upon successful delivery or you will get your bike back. If you take a check, cashier’s check or money order, make sure the bank can guarantee it’s good before allowing delivery. This could take 30 days or more.
Finding a Place to Buy
The second step in the cycle swap process is finding the right bike to buy at the best price. Online sellers are often more motivated than people who are selling their motorcycles in-person. They are also more likely to be scam artists so finding someone to check out the bike is important. Get lots of pictures to ensure what you purchase is the same motorcycle that gets delivered and pay attention to feedback from buyers the seller has already worked with.
Your cycle swap adventure will be much easier with a reputable motorcycle sales website at your disposal. Look for sites that charge per ad versus a percentage of the sale. This ensures the price you agree to is what you’ll be paying and the true cost of the bike won’t be included as hidden, last-minute fees. Go with a site that offers sellers a guideline for the kind of information they should provide and one that allows for plenty of pictures.
You take a risk when
you cycle swap, but it’s one you can largely protect yourself against through your due diligence. Protect yourself from scam artists, both bad buyers and sellers. You can have a wide range of riding experiences without taking much of a financial hit.
