Best-ever Royal Enfield CraigsList ad

What if you wanted to sell this Royal Enfield?

 Here's the best Royal Enfield ad I've ever read on CraigsList. Catchy. Honest. Sincere. With links to descriptions of the accessories fitted. Good photographs, including a photo labeled with the selling points identified in the ad. 

And there is one element that, in particular, nails down the seller as a genuine fan of Royal Enfield motorcycles. I'll save that to the end. 

For starters, consider the way this ad, from California, begins: 

"I love this bike. Excels at nothing but does everything well." 

Wait: he loves this Royal Enfield INT 650 and celebrates its capabilities as an all-arounder. Yet he's selling it? That's what I call catchy. You want to know more.

And, boy, do you get it.

It's a l-o-o-n-n-n-g ad, including descriptions, with links, to accessories the seller fitted, all keyed to a labelled photo of the motorcycle.

You just don't get this on CraigsList, normally home to the lazy expression "what you see is what you get."

But this ad is not just a list. The writing is engaging, convincing you that the seller, like you, is an enthusiast.

Here's just part of the ad:

"It’s a right-down-the-middle retro bike with the updated safety, convenience, and reliability that you would expect from a modern bike. A perfect blend of form and function. RE’s goal with this platform to challenge the American market and they did it by building a great, stylish, unpretentious bike for half the price of the European competitors.

"The simple, surprisingly grunty twin puts out nice linear power, making for a fun, confidence-inspiring ride. At 650ccs and 50hp, I would be happy to recommend this bike to most anyone. Perfect for a beginner who wants something approachable that they won’t wind up bored of in a year or two. Great for a lapsed rider who misses riding but doesn’t miss the constant wrenching of a true retro. Awesome for an experienced rider looking to take it back to the simple basics.

"In short, it's the perfect bike for someone who just wants to cut through Santa Cruz traffic with groceries and their work clothes and get home in one piece, go cruising up through the redwoods on the weekends, and maybe take a summer road trip or two.

"When you look below, you’ll see that (almost) everything I have done to this bike has been in service of comfort and utility.... I’ve really leaned into the 'standard' of this modern retro standard: it will do it all."

Go read the ad to learn about all the "farkles" (as he calls them) he added to the motorcycle.

Numbers key to accessories added to the motorcycle.

But here is the ONE thing he did that really tells me he sincerely loved this Royal Enfield and what it represents:

He added "OEM 'Interceptor 650' side panels — Honda owns the rights to the name 'Interceptor' in the U.S., so around here they badge them 'INT 650.' Dumb name. I got these from British eBay for a touch of class."

That's classy. Who would even notice except someone who truly appreciates Royal Enfields?

So why is he selling? I wrote to ask and got this honest response:

"I just upgraded to a Honda CB1100, which fills the same 'naked retro standard' niche but does literally everything better. I just can’t justify keeping both."

Selling your Royal Enfield? Lots of luck

 Selling your Royal Enfield? Believe me, I feel your pain. 

I recently blogged here that I would NEVER sell my Royal Enfield motorcycle. But I have sold a different motorcycle, and I have sold cars I now wish I had kept. 

I had good reason for selling them, or thought I did. I am sure you have good reasons for selling your motorcycle, if that is what you have decided. 

But I see you out there, going through all the stages of grief/indecision/commitment.

I have read your advertisements on eBay and Craigslist.

Your first try names a price that is clearly too high. You haven't done your homework, and are picking a figure that reflects how much you value your motorcycle. 

OR...

Your first try names a price that is ridiculously too low. Again, you haven't done your homework, and you are applying a dollar amount based on your decision to get it over with and give up the motorcycle.

Either way, you're stunned by the response. Either people ignore you completely, or you suddenly have more offers than you know what to do with.

Too many offers clearly means you have priced your motorcycle too cheaply.

Your next attempt shows that you've looked at other advertisements, and have a better idea what other people are asking for similar motorcycles. You set your revised price at that level.

Oddly, this doesn't entirely work either. The problem is that those ads are only still out there for you to read because their asking price is still too high, or the wording is unreasonable.

By "unreasonable" I mean that it may insist the price is "firm." (As if the seller's stiff neck alone could cancel free market forces!)

Or maybe the ad makes the seller seem like someone no one would want to deal with. Phrases like "do your homework," "I erase all texts," "don't waste my time," or "no test rides" only scare prospects away.

Sure, if that is the way you feel, then go ahead and say so, but wait until AFTER the potential buyer reaches out. Save the warning to bring riding gear, motorcycle endorsement and cash until the prospect asks where he can come to see the motorcycle.

Or, maybe your ad is too bare bones.

"What you see is what you get" isn't very helpful if the photos don't show everything good about the motorcycle. Roll it out of the shed before you take the pictures! List the good things about the motorcycle, and list the cons, too.

Even so, there may be few takers.

Winter and around the holidays are usually bad times to sell, for obvious reasons.

Keep in mind that brand new Royal Enfields are selling at prices that make them enormous bargains. They're your competition, and they're awfully hard to beat. You're not going to get rich selling your used Royal Enfield.

Sellers who insist on running their ads week after week are inviting buyers to wonder why no one else is buying.

An even worse tactic is playing with your asking price: say, switching from $3,700 to $3,699. You might as well tell buyers that you are desperate.

However it goes, don't be too hard on yourself. It takes time to find the right person who wants to spend the right amount.

You can expect, in years to come, to glance at the advertisements yourself, wondering what it would cost to buy back that Royal Enfield you let go. It's either going to hurt, or it's going to make you smile.

About 1973 I sold an MGA for a price so low I'm ashamed to reveal it. It was falling apart so fast I just couldn't afford to keep it running. It was, at the time, a 15-year-old car.

Today, a nice MGA will cost many, many, many times the price I got — yet, today, that car would be almost 60 years old!

Should I laugh or cry? I'll say I should laugh: it's certainly not any more reliable now than it was then.

Good luck.

How much is your Royal Enfield worth?

 If you want to sell your used Royal Enfield motorcycle, prepare for a surprise.

You probably considered your Royal Enfield a real bargain when you bought it. Back then you probably knew it wasn't the fastest motorcycle on the planet, or even the most reliable.

It was the style -- and that low price -- that you liked.

Well, it still has style going for it, but if you're ready to sell and move on, guess what?

It's going to be a bargain for the person who buys it from you, because the going prices for used Royal Enfields are surprisingly low.

Ask me! I paid $4,100 for my 1999 Royal Enfield Bullet in 2001. I thought that was pretty low, given that I needed a new way to get to work and a car would have been much more.

But today, a quarter century of inflation later, it's possible to buy a late model used Bullet for even less! And it will come with disc brakes, fuel injection, electronic ignition and -- glory be -- even ELECTRIC START.

In fact, if I look hard enough, I bet I could find on eBay or CraigsList a low mileage Royal Enfield 650 twin in good condition, for not much more.

According to an online inflation calculator, my $4,100 spent in 2001 equates to the buying power of $7,400 today.

For that I could easily pay the Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price for a brand new 2025 Canyon Red INT 650 twin: only $6,149.

Sure, as always in the U.S., destination and handling fees, tax, title, license and registration are extra, and dealer prices may be higher. But I am still in the ballpark.

So have I been tempted to upgrade?

What? Me? Give up my 1999, with its kick starter, drum brakes, balky four-speed gearbox (with its neutral finder lever) and vibrating rear-view mirrors? Me? Me enjoy a cruise speed of more than 42 mph? Me? Give up oil leaks, for heaven's sake?

Not yet. Ask me again tomorrow.

Buying a Royal Enfield is like a booster shot for your ego

Royal Enfield motorcycle will kick start your ego. If it starts.

Buying a Royal Enfield motorcycle is the road to happiness. This is according to a man who, ironically, is selling his Royal Enfield on CraigsList in Oklahoma.

"Tired? No drive? Uninterested in your partner? Before you contact Universal Men's Clinic, please save yourself potential disappointment and at least read this ad," he urges.

The subject of the ad is his 2007 Royal Enfield Military motorcycle. It will transform your life, the seller alleges:

"Tired of getting sand kicked in your face? Don't want to be the last one picked for teams at the company picnic? This may very well be the answer for you! Put that bottle of Rogaine down and cancel your membership at the Men's Hair Club. Your life is about to change! If you find yourself hitting the hay at 8:30 on a Saturday and your idea of excitement is getting carded at Chili's, then your life is about to take a turn for the better."

How? Just purchase his Royal Enfield Bullet 500 Military edition motorcycle!

It'd be good for your ego, the seller suggests:

"You can't ride this bike anywhere without being stopped for photos and questions."

And that much is true, as I can verify, having been stopped just this morning in the church parking lot as I was preparing to head home. A gentleman approached me and expressed admiration for my 1999 Royal Enfield Bullet.

"I am from Brazil," he said. "I appreciate motorcycles."

I wasn't sure what to say except "thank you," and, turning to the Bullet, I prayed that it would not embarrass me by refusing to start.

First kick: Nothing. Oh-oh. But, then, it never starts on the first kick.

Second kick: Roarrrrr! Thank Heaven.

Good for my ego? You bet.

Why buy a Royal Enfield? Ask the man who's selling one

Royal Enfield pictured with its ideal road.

Why buy a Royal Enfield motorcycle? Oddly, the best argument I've read recently comes from a man who has one to sell.

"It's as if you discovered that some company is still making mid-'60s Mustangs at a reasonable price," writes Doug, of Brentwood, Mo., in his CraigsList ad.

He's selling his 2002 Royal Enfield because he "got the bug for a bigger bike." Reading his ad, it sounds as though he hasn't work the bug for a Royal Enfield out of his system yet.

"The Bullet is the longest continually produced motorcycle model in history. It has the styling of an old Norton, BSA or Triumph because those were its contemporaries. This one, manufactured in 2002, is only very subtly changed from the original model.... This is a beautiful machine made just like it was when it was new."

Since he's selling, it's natural to conclude that a bigger motorcycle might be better, in his view. But, then, he writes:

"This clearly isn't the fastest, most powerful or technologically advanced bike out there. But if you want something with style and retro cool, this is for you. "

Mileage on his motorcycle is 3,600, but Doug advises that that figure is subject to change: he's still riding it.

Or, perhaps it already has sold; the ad has disappeared from CraigsList.

Selling a Royal Enfield motorcycle? Don't even try this guy

He'll consider anything except a Royal Enfield.

Do you want to sell your Royal Enfield motorcycle? Well, don't bother contacting the buyer advertising on CraigsList in Lakewood, Wash.

He is in the market for a "running good bike."

He'll even pay $1,500 for it, "as long as it's NOT a Royal Enfield."

To be fair, he's looking for a motorcycle of 650cc to 800cc and there aren't many "running good" Royal Enfield Interceptors out there in his price range anyway.

The would-be-buyer has a few additional warnings for sellers:

• "I'm an old CraigsLister and I can smell a troll or a spammer from 10 miles away — don't even start."
• "Junk, crap and stuff won't even be looked at."
• "This bike must have a windshield, and saddlebags of some kind."

If you think your non-Royal Enfield motorcycle measures up, and you're willing to take $1,500 for it, by all means, get in touch.

He notes that he'll have the cash for you "around the 1st."

This blog lists Royal Enfields for sale in the United States. I look at a lot of CraigsList ads.

Here's my take: The spammers and tire kickers are going to respond, no matter how you beat them up in your ad. That's the Internet for you. So why bother treating the regular guys who read your ad to a tirade?

There's nothing wrong with being frank. I like this buyer's final sentences a lot, and I wish he had left it to this:

"I'm a serious buyer, I suggest you be a serious seller so we don't waste each other's time. Will reply to emails."

Experts list some simple secrets to help sell your Royal Enfield on CraigsList

The real secret to selling your Royal Enfield motorcycle on CraigsList is just to use common sense. You can use advanced techniques, such as occasional re-posting of the ad, as explained by reader Bob Harvey. But it's more important to do the basic things well.

Here are some tips on how to sell on CraigsList:

1. List a fair asking price. Leaving out the price creates doubt that will eliminate many potential buyers. Too high a price will drive everyone away.

2. It's OK to list the price in the body of the ad instead of in the top box provided by CraigsList. While looking for the price the potential buyer will read your ad and look at the pictures. That's what you want.

3. Write an engaging description of your motorcycle. Every seller will list year, model and mileage. Make your ad special. Name the color, even though the pictures show it. If you're proud enough to list it, it becomes, in effect, a selling point. List accessories, of course. But if your motorcycle is completely stock, say so, just as though that too is a selling point. Some buyers will prefer it.

4. Don't be afraid to list flaws. One of the reasons CraigsList works is the feeling that you are dealing with neighbors right here in town. Honesty is expected and appreciated.

5. Expert seller John emphasizes writing a complete ad. Answer every possible question a buyer would ask. Potential buyers should only have to call you to set up an appointment. Your ad should already have convinced them that this is the motorcycle they want to buy.

6. Good, clear, well-lit pictures of the motorcycle (taken after it has been washed) are essential. Take the motorcycle out of the garage for the photos. Nothing shows it off like early morning or late afternoon sunshine coming from behind you as you shoot the picture. No garbage cans or chain link fences in the background. And, whatever you do, don't park your olive drab Military next to your red pickup truck for the picture. Anything red will distract attention from your motorcycle.

7. John offers a service to embed photos into your CraigsList ad, allowing you to make them larger and place them where you want in the ad. This is an advantage, since your long description of the motorcycle may force the pictures well down on the screen if you use the standard CraigsList photo uploader. If you're handy, you can embed your photos yourself with a free account at PhotoBucket. Natasha Board at eHow explains how to do it step-by-step .

8. Include links that help convince a potential buyer to consider your Royal Enfield. Here are a few you might consider:

Royal Enfield USA for parts and accessories:
www.enfieldmotorcycles.com/

Royal Enfield C5:
www.royalenfields.com/2010/03/royal-enfield-c5-vs-g5-c5-is-better.html

Royal Enfield Bullet Sixty-5
www.royalenfields.com/2009/12/royal-enfield-sixty-5-brought-new.html

Why Buy a Royal Enfield?
www.royalenfields.com/2008/09/emotions-rule-in-decision-to-buy-royal.html

Why I Bought My Royal Enfield
www.royalenfields.com/2008/08/royal-enfield-mystical-motorcycling.html

How to Buy a Used Royal Enfield
www.royalenfields.com/2008/08/how-to-buy-used-royal-enfield.html

You can just copy and paste the www addresses above into your ad, and let your readers copy and paste them into their browser. If you want to make your links clickable, directions are on the CraigsList Help menu. Scroll down to "Links to other pages."

Secrets of selling your Royal Enfieldon CraigsList include re-posting your ad

This blog lists Royal Enfield motorcycles for sale in the U.S. I prowl eBay and CraigsList looking for ads, and list them in the columns at right. It's an enjoyable hobby and lets me see what kind of things people are doing to their Royal Enfield motorcycles.

A camouflaged Military.

I also get to see what techniques, if any, they are using to make their ads more effective. Some ads, particularly on CraigsList, which is free and easy to use, are just touchingly awful. Consider the fellows who photograph their motorcycles inside cluttered garages or, in one case, behind a chicken wire fence!

At least close the drawer.

Others go to considerable extra work. Bob "Banzai Bob" Harvey of Kansas City, Mo. was kind enough to explain his technique of re-posting his CraigsList ad every few days. (Important: if you try this, be sure to delete your old ad, or CraigsList may see you as a spammer and block your ads.)

"The Craigslist software only allows any specific ad to be re-posted every two days," Bob wrote. "That way it is the top post. Many people change their ad slightly to make sure that their ad stays on top. Not only is this annoying to CraigsList watchers, over-posters usually get flagged and cursed. I find that re-posting every two to four days is about right and no one appears to get annoyed with me.

"Some bikes appear to take longer to sell than others. I had a rare 1968 Suzuki trail bike that took almost six months of ads to sell. The other day I sold a Honda CB350 the very day I posted it. People often will call about a bike and say, 'I've seen your ad for a couple of weeks now.' I have an extremely rare Benelli mini that I re-posted for months and months. I finally got tired of doing that and now only post it maybe once a month."

An attractive photograph.

Why is he selling his Royal Enfield 2005 Deluxe?

"As far as the Royal Enfield, I think it is a charming motorcycle. It is perfect for cruising two-lane country roads. It handles surprisingly well for an antiquated design and runs and shifts quite well. I tend to think that if I were to keep it for a very long time, however it may become maintenance intensive. That I believe is the chance you take, however, when you choose to ride what amounts to a two-wheeled curio.

"I realistically probably won't sell the Royal Enfield for a while. In the meantime I'll take it out every couple of day for a jaunt around some of the local two-lanes."

Bob's technique causes me a bit of extra work: I have to update the link to his ad every time he re-posts his motorcycle. I don't mind, and I appreciate him taking the time to fill me in on why he does it.

I've pulled together a bunch of other "Secrets of Selling on CraigsList" from the Internet and will share them with you next time.

Free: Advertise your Royal Enfield for sale

Individuals can advertise their used Royal Enfield motorcycles for sale in the United States right here on Royal Enfield Motorcycles. It's free. Just send me an email attaching a picture of the motorcycle, a 15-word description of the bike, its mileage and price. If you convince me you and your bike are real I will consider your ad for placement with the bikes you see for sale here, in the sidebar column to the right.

The usual tips and cautions apply. You must include a usable picture of the bike and ads that include mileage and price will be much more successful.

NOTE: I will show readers your email address as the way to contact you about the bike. Since I can't depend on you to let me know when the bike sells, I will remove the ad after 15 days (or so -- I am not a robot).

Space on this blog is not a problem so far, but, if it gets to be, I will give preference to ads for motorcycles I find most interesting. I already trawl eBay and CraigsList for Royal Enfield sales so, if you're already listed there you don't need to contact me.

Obviously, I have no connection to your sale but, as a courtesy to my readers, I ask that you do not ask me to list motorcycles that do not belong to you, for which you do not have a title, or that are not in good repair (unless you specify that).

I wouldn't make this offer if I didn't trust you guys, so let's all play fair. For the sake of order, my decisions will be final. Email your photo and information to david@royalenfields.com