Best Place To Sell My Royal Enfield 535 Continental GT

[xbally]

I fancy a change of bike and have had my above machine up on Fleabay as a classified ad with no interest whatsoever. I'm quite possibly asking too much but I only want to sell to try something else and otherwise I'm more than happy with the bike. I'm not on social media but wonder where else I should try to sell this bike?

[iansoady]

Although I hate facebook I've bought & sold several bikes over the last few years there - all very problem free. Having said that, there are many tales of scams etc, just that I haven't experienced them. The market for older bikes has dropped dramatically over the last couple of years - not sure whether that might affect your RE?

[xbally]

Well just as the Ebay ad' was ending I had an offer which was not unreasonable but then the prospective buyer tried to back out after I accepted his offer online and we are now engaged in a merry dance of messages through Ebay going round in circles.
My previous experience of Ebay has been quite positive but this has soured it somewhat- I know there are certain types out there who while not necessarily out to scam you use all sorts of tactics to get a cheaper deal and i think he may be one of them? Who knows?
I'm clearly not going to get anywhere with this one so may just end up keeping the bike-it is a perfectly nice reliable model with no issues.
I'm afraid I have never been on social media as my previous long standing employment meant I had to keep my private and professional lives quite separate and apart.

[Moto63]

That’s a Shame Martin. Whatever happened to the days when one just popped an ad in the local rag and then one sat waiting for the phone to ring. My fingers are firmly crossed for you that all ends well with the sale 🤞🤞
Cheers, Michael

[xbally]

Thanks for replies Ian and Michael. As I said in one of my many messages to the purported buyer the days when you could assess the seller or buyer as well as the vehicle by meeting up seem to be largely long since gone. Have already stuck a free ad in Classic Motorcycle Mechanics and intend to do the same in Real Classic and maybe others.

[iansoady]

As it happens I bought the little Yam V-twin from an ad in RealClassic after it had been checked out by my brother. When it arrived it was described as a "project" in the handwritten receipt, which turned out to be very true. However, I didn't pay much for it......

I've never had much success using ads in magazines.

[kevberlin]

I fancy a change of bike and have had my above machine up on Fleabay as a classified ad with no interest whatsoever. I'm quite possibly asking too much but I only want to sell to try something else and otherwise I'm more than happy with the bike. I'm not on social media but wonder where else I should try to sell this bike?

Have you tried Gumtree? It’s free and no problem if you provide only an email rather than a phone number.
I’ve used it often in this manner and it’s been good.
Kev

[xbally]

Thanks Kev. I may give Gumtree a try if the bike mag ads don't bear any fruit.

[xbally]

Bike has now been sold via Ebay to someone up the road. No response from magazine ads so I put it back on Ebay and Bob's your uncle!

[iansoady]

Well done Martin. Did you get a reasonable price?

I've put my ES2 on ebay after no interest on facebook (but 60-odd "likes"!). More than 200 views but nobody biting as yet.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/156248710453

[Moto63]

Yes. Good news for you Martin with the sale
Best of luck with the Norton Ian 🤞
Cheers, Michael

[xbally]

Thanks.
Ian I love your ES2. One of my early girlfriend's mothers reputedly had one when she was younger. I never saw it but she insisted I take her out on the back of my new Kawasaki Z750 twin in 1976.
I didn't get as much as I wanted but felt it was time to move it on as room was needed for other projects. It was a very reluctant sale as it was almost like new with a load of new parts fitted including clocks tank and seat after being declared an uneconomic write (before my ownership). It cleaned and polished up really well and ran very nicely.
I understand the bike market is very strange at the moment and no dealer was interested in a part ex due to its history.
I've been very clear (as politicians say!) about the bike's history and I'm sure the new owner is getting something of a bargain.