Lessons From Buying a Motorcycle

Lessons From Buying a Motorcycle

A little over a year ago I bought a Motorcycle. That entire process was a lesson in itself. It made me realize that when you purchase a large item, there is often a host of accessories that have to go with it. I suppose I didn't have to buy a helmet, but that would have been rather foolish (please, no comments that buying a motorcycle was foolish).

Selling my motorcycle (after the birth of my daughter) was yet another lesson. It is sometimes more difficult to get rid of stuff you no longer want than you might think. I had the motorcycle on Craigslist on two separate occasions. The first time around I did not get any responses. No surprise there, because I did not post any pictures.

The second time I listed it, I received at least 20 responses, probably more. And yet only two of those people ever came to see the bike in person. Thankfully, the second person did end up buying it. But that was almost two months after originally listing the bike for sale.

What is the point of all this?

Buying Stuff has deeper consequences and longer term ramifications than we often think. This is especially true for large ticket items (Stuff $1,000 or more).

Once you decide you no longer need an item, it may take longer to get rid of than you would like. Also, we almost never get our full "investment" back. In the case of the motorcycle, I thankfully only "lost" $100 when selling it.

However that does not count the extra money I put into it throughout the year I owned it. A new battery, oil change and a few other miscellaneous items. I'm not complaining that I spent that money. Those are the requirements of owning a vehicle, whether a car or motorcycle or anything else with an engine.

Next time you are in the market or considering a large purchase, be sure to evaluate how easy (or hard) it will be to sell that item.