[65104]

Ok, so here's my question...

How difficult is it to sell a bike after you've done custom body work to it, i.e. custom paint jobs, etc.? Since I'm considering the Ninja 250, I have been thinking I'd like to get a black one and do some type of custom color on it. Not a lot, as I like the look of the black bike, but maybe some pinstripe detailing or something just to make it a little different. Being a woman, I had been thinking of using a "girly color", ex. a pink or purple, just as a little additive to make it special. I'm sure there are "cooler" colors, but it won't be as hideous as the PowerPuff Girls Ninja I saw on the internet...

I just don't want to end up doing something to the bike that will hurt its resale value down the line. I mean, pinstriping is easy enough to remove if it's an applique and not a paint job, but will I have troubles selling a girly looking bike??

 

[acecycleins]

You're buying a bike worth less than $4000. Do what you want. Some girl out there will buy it when the time is right.

 

[BrowningBAR]

Ace is right, it's not a very expensive bike so your loss will be minimal. And you might want to think about keeping the 250r as a second bike when you get the hankering for another bike.

But, if you really are worried about resale, think of a bike's paint job like you would a house that you are about to put up for sale. You may like the look, but a potential buyer may look at it as an issue. And it is a lot easier throwing on a new coat of paint on the dining room walls than it is on a bike...unless you dig the flat black spraypaint can look.

Just don't do what this idiot did:

 

[sachiwilson]

If you can't tell, the bike in that pic is covered in fake fur.

LFR, a bit of pink or purple won't hurt your bike's resale value. You may have a slightly lower ability to sell it; there are surely some young men who can't be caught dead with anything that remotely says "female." But there will be plenty of women who would want to buy that bike, even if no guy will touch it.

 

[BrowningBAR]

a bit of pink or purple won't hurt your bike's resale value.

You're definately not in marketing.

 

[sachiwilson]

Well, you're one of those men who evidently wouldn't be caught dead with anything remotely "female", dear.

 

[BrowningBAR]

Well, you're one of those men who evidently wouldn't be caught dead with anything remotely "female", dear.

Good lord, stop with the whole male vs. female thing. Fact is adding a bold custom color like purple, green, pink, etc. to any product or house or car will shrink the market that is willing to buy what you are selling...dear.

 

[pushrod]

LFR,

All posts above considered, just remember that the more you make it 'your' bike, the possiblity exists that it'll become less of someone else's bike.

However, the 250 is one of the best beginner bikes, and thus your bike would be more desireable to females anyhow.

The safest course is to use tape to customize the bodywork. Then you have the option of undoing it later.

 

[trenttheuncatchable]

adding a bold custom color like purple, green, pink, etc. to any product or house or car will shrink the market that is willing to buy what you are selling

Very true. The flip side of the coin is that a particular buyer might buy the bike specifically because it has that custom color. I only mention this because my girlfriend's favorite color is purple, and she almost bought a beat-up 2000 Ninja 500 because it was purple; if the used motorcycle dealer had let her take it for a test drive it would probably be in her garage. As it is, she now has a new-looking lime green 2006 Ninja 500 in her garage and it cost her only $450 (15.5%) more than the beat-up purple bike.

 

[newagetwotone]

If you can't tell, the bike in that pic is covered in fake fur.

LFR, a bit of pink or purple won't hurt your bike's resale value. You may have a slightly lower ability to sell it; there are surely some young men who can't be caught dead with anything that remotely says "female." But there will be plenty of women who would want to buy that bike, even if no guy will touch it.

I tell you want, I bought a shirt a while ago that was "blue" a nice light "blue" shirt, put it on, went to work and couldn't figure out why I was getting laughed at.

Yea, it was pink and I'm VERY color blind. I no longer dress myself more than jeans and a T-shirt. It always turns out bad. In fact, I also have a Barney purple shirt that I thought was royal blue. Last time I wore it me and my Fiance went to a drag show (one of her friends is a drag queen) and I sort of CLUNG on to her all night. Not a fun night.

 

[longride]

"How difficult is it to sell a bike after you've done custom body work to it, i.e. custom paint jobs, etc.?"

It is more difficult to sell than a stock one no matter what anyone else says on this board. 'Custom' anything is going to be a hard sell, especially to those that don't like your idea of 'custom'. My advice is to stick with stock.

 

[sachiwilson]

There we go.

 

[pushrod]

Damn, Sachi!

I just ate!

 

[longride]

That plastic seat should be worth at least 2 trips a year to the Gyne doc.

 

[65104]

Haha, that is gross. I'm not considering dousing the whole thing in Pepto Bismol, by any means, but I thought a little feminine touch might be cool. I want a black and pink helmet, so I thought doing a little matchy-matchy might be fun. Thanks for the tips though, I will definitely keep them all in mind.

 

[sarnali2]

it's your bike...

Haha, that is gross. I'm not considering dousing the whole thing in Pepto Bismol, by any means, but I thought a little feminine touch might be cool. I want a black and pink helmet, so I thought doing a little matchy-matchy might be fun. Thanks for the tips though, I will definitely keep them all in mind.

I never worry about resale, do what you want with it. Yes it will be harder to sell than a stock bike but why worry about that? just ride it.

 

[sachiwilson]

Haha, that is gross. I'm not considering dousing the whole thing in Pepto Bismol, by any means, but I thought a little feminine touch might be cool. I want a black and pink helmet, so I thought doing a little matchy-matchy might be fun. Thanks for the tips though, I will definitely keep them all in mind.

That bike was painted that way as a prank on the rider, who took it quite well and went out to show that he was better than anyone else on the racetrack, pink or no!

As the Safety Queen, I should remind you that bike colors can affect your visibility. You see that I have a yellow bike with plenty of red here and there. There's a reason for that! People can see me. If you get a black bike and gear, you'll be more likely to be invisible than if you have brighter colors.

Women riders are precious. I don't want to lose any of 'em.

 

[longride]

"You see that I have a yellow bike with plenty of red here and there. There's a reason for that!"

The reason is when the cops look for the motorcyle that just got ran into the bushes they can hopefully find the bike a bit easier and maybe the body will be near by.

 

[sachiwilson]

Oh pooh. You're such a pessimist.

 

[longride]

People don't see when they aren't looking Sachi. Bright colors never helped some dope that is texting his girlfriend while driving.