Sending bikes to auction

[outskirtscustoms]

Has anyone here put a bike through an auction? I am supposed to be bringing two bikes into the auction Monday to be photographed and listed for next Friday's auction. I am setting reserve bids on both so I don't get totally ripped off but I was wondering what your opinions are. Also he said they take 30% commission. Is that a fair deal?

The two in question are my 3 wheel tandem The auction staff estimated it should bring $300

And one of the JC Higgins ladies bikes. (Built between the two)

I think both will draw a lot of attention and interest. I took the tandem down to the auction house today and I had a crowd of people looking at it auction staff and people on the street. And I was only there for like 10 minutes. I'm hoping for a bidding war!

 

[mikesbikes36]

ive seen some nice bikes sell super cheap at auctions ....most places wont let ya set a reserve ...good luck!!! let us know how it turns out !!!

 

[Xcruiser]

I dread auctions but have spotters out there to pick them up for me and they sell for next to nothing around here but they arent to spectacular either.Id be leary and make sure theres a bike enthusiast population around.30% sounds dreadful to me but I dont know what the norm is.
Heres what a friend snagged me last week at auciton for 30.00
This is one of the cleanest muscle bikes i have come across ,it destroys the condition that the pics show it to be in.The paint gleams,no rust except sissy bar,seat shines like new.Granted its just a girls 24" spyder 500 with rear atom type hub but 30.00 is cheap to me.

 

[outskirtscustoms]

ive seen some nice bikes sell super cheap at auctions ....most places wont let ya set a reserve ...good luck!!! let us know how it turns out !!!

Will do, I think since they are so unusual they will be hits. I don't have much in them anyway. The tandem I already broke even on the other bike I got with it in a trade and the Higgins I have $10 in BOTH so I can't loose money on them. I am going to set a reserve of $200 on the trike tandem and $50 on the Higgins. Really need to drum up some cash.

 

[outskirtscustoms]

Well I changed my mind on the Higgins, I had a lady offer me $100 soon as she gets paid so I'm going to hold it for her. The Tandem trike will still be going though. Really getting excited about the possibilities. Was going to use it as my build off bike but I think I might go with my aluminum Del Sol instead.

 

[Xcruiser]

wow 100.00 ,good sale!

 

[yoothgeye]

I'm ain't sayin' nothin'.

 

[outskirtscustoms]

The Tandem trike goes through the auction tomorrow. Wish me luck!

 

[jerrykr]

wishing you Great Luck!

Set your reserve to a limit (+ commission) you can live with, and don't worry about it, you can't lose, except your time hauling it back and forth.

Hope you have fun watching the bidding.

 

[outskirtscustoms]

wishing you Great Luck!

Set your reserve to a limit (+ commission) you can live with, and don't worry about it, you can't lose, except your time hauling it back and forth.

Hope you have fun watching the bidding.

Yeah I did, I set my reserve on it at what I think it is worth and was told it is very reasonable and it should exceed the reserve. I have already broken even on the other bike so it's all profit but as I told the auctioneer if I don't take home $200+ I'll keep it myself. The auctioneer is all jacked up on it, he said it's been creating a buzz and drawing a crowd since I dropped it off on Monday so it should be interesting. I'm hoping for an all out bidding frenzy. Plus being the first auction of the month a lot of the regular's just got their checks and should have deep pockets. Let's hope they are in a buying mood.

 

[yoothgeye]

So what happened?

 

[outskirtscustoms]

So what happened?

It didn't meet the $300 reserve at the auction so I started to ride it home and got about a block and a guy stopped me and offered me $200 cash. Turns out he is a rat rodder too just not on the site yet, He showed me his Schwinn Typhoon with a panther 2 tank, and all mis-matched parts (It was awesome). I told him about the site and will probably do some more bike selling and swapping with him.