It is important to do your homework before you buy anything. Check the NADA value or KBB. Most of us know what signs to look for on a bike as far as abuse goes. CL is full of good deals, but it is also full of shady folks trying to get top dollar for their broken toys and failed projects.

CL is great if your careful and smart...don't trust anything anyone says. Look over bike carefully, listen. Ride. Look for signs of things being modded cheaply, "thrown together", fastners that aren't stock (junky cheap hardware store fastners), fit and finish.... the bike itself tells you the whole story. The yabbering seller is of no consequence. Always assume you have to replace all fluids/filters/plugs etc.....don't matter what seller says has been done/changed. If title isn't clean and legit walk away. Price is dictated by what the seller will accept...NADA KBB are resources but don't really matter all that much.

I still think the best way to find the actual value of something is to put a few of the items in your eBay watch list, then go back later and see what people are actually willing to PAY for the items, not what the sellers thought they were worth.

I had some antique furniture, people were asking 3 grand for the same set on CL, and $300 for another old table.
Yet I finally ended up giving it all away to get rid of it.

Most of you guys are looking at relatively new bikes. I've spent decades looking and buying truly old stuff and its far more ugly than you want to think about.

Title issues, serial number issues, VIN problems, mismatched parts and pieces, sketchy owners, sketchier sale locations and on and on. Probably the worst is most sellers unless they are lifelong gearheads will believe what they were told by the previous owner. You wouldn't believe how many guys claim their bike has this and that parts on it when in fact they aren't those at all.....they took someone else's word.
Do your homework, then do it again, take information with you about the make and model including VIN numbers, ask to see the title and their license, get a test ride if possible even if they have to drive it while you ride bitch, know before you get there the areas of concern for the model you are oging to looka t (on a Roadie wouldn't you check the front dirve gear for tightness, the rear fender support for cracks etc?).. Much shows up at speed that doesn't just hearing it run. Dont accept any story about the title at all. They start in with an explanation walk the hell away.The biggest one is don't be cheap. Pay more to get the right thing, bargain hunting will bite you in the butt quicker than anything. Rare is a bargain that is worth it.

I might be the 'luckiest' CL buyer there is. I've got 3 Road Stars and a Strat... all off of CL locally. I bought 2 '01's and an '04, plus an '06 Strat... all 4 for no more than 1 'good' Harley!

I found my first R* in '07. Real good shape... still ride it, for $4,600. Bought the second one in Sept. of '10 for $4k.

I acquired my third, a nice '04 last April for $3k... and the best deal of them all, was the '06 Strat I scored only one month ago today for a mere $2k. All 4 for an initial $13,600.

Now, as long as we NEVER bring up how much I've put into my 2 long-term held R*, just to make them a little better each time... well, I'm sure we all know, it's WAY cheaper than psychiatric therapy!!!

Headin' out to buy this right now! Right!

http://roseburg.craigslist.org/mcy/5867595084.html

If you deal with a "stealership" check them out REAL good. And before you sign on the dotted line check to make sure thay did everything they said they would do to make the deal. They don't call them "stealerships" for nothing. If you don't know a lot about motorcycles find a friend who does and he'll have your six

Shores, put a CT on the back of that sucker, and you'll be riding in the good company of those Polaris Slingshots, for a fraction of the dough!!!

When I want sell something, I usually price it way below Blue Book. When the buyers ask why I priced it so low, is because I just want to sell it and don't need a profit, but just a price I set that is fair. Sold my 2003 that way and it stayed on craigslist 6 hours and it was bought. The next day the buyer came with cash and a trailer !!!

I pretty much operate the same way... I throw it out there on CL as a really good deal, hoping to be rid of it quick, and not have to think about it ever again.