Increase in Used Slingshot Sales, Why

You pretty much hit it on the nail head. MOST people buy them for weekend entertainment or warm Sunday rides. Like most bikes they are usually not daily rides. We picked up Nuc ‘em with about 4K back in May, pushing 11k now.

I think we will see a number of very lightly used Slings in the future. My last three bikes all had less than 6k on them when I picked them up. And they were all about five years old. Cool.

I've bought lots of barely used toys in my life. Some folks must have toys they don't need or can't afford. I appreciate other people taking the hit, their bad money management is someone else's gain. New and shiny doesn't last long for some people.

Quote from Red

I've bought lots of barely used toys in my life. Some folks must have toys they don't need or can't afford. I appreciate other people taking the hit, their bad money management is someone else's gain. New and shiny doesn't last long for some people.

I agree with Red. Motorcycles, quads, RVs, camp trailers, snowmobiles, and now Slingshots are all subject to impulse buys. Because these are discretionary items, manufacturers typically provide attractive financing options to attract the 'monthly payment' buyers. Status probably plays into this as well but it's pretty easy to walk into a showroom, see something that looks like fun, and determine that 'I can have that for $X a month? I can afford that. I'd really like to ride/camp/travel/play with that.' Then it sits in the garage or driveway because you actually have to get up and go to use it and it's not part of their lifestyle. Once the payments are done, it gets sold. Sometimes sooner.

I had a neighbor who bought a new camp trailer, used it twice in 5 years then sold it to buy another new trailer that they never took out once before it was sold. Same guy bought a new quad, took it out for two vacations in two years then sold it to me for less than half price. A couple years later he bought two new quads that left the garage one time in 5 years. Go figure. I bought a used camper that was valued at $9,500 for $4,000 because the dentist who bought it didn't like to load it and wanted to buy a pull trailer for a camping trip planned for the next week.

The Slingshot is probably more susceptible to impulse buying than most items because of it's uniqueness and visual impact. Then it takes up an entire spot in your garage and if you're not riding it, it is in the way. I bet if you took a poll, many of the low mileage Slingshots for sale are owned by people who do not have a motorcycle riding background. I believe that many of the bike riders are buying these to extend the riding career that they have loved (I'm in this category) and are highly satisfied with their usage. Others find out that it's windy, loud, exposed to the weather,the radio sucks and your hair gets mussed up, with or without a helmet. If you are not a rider, or don't become one, it's no deal.

Quote from Red

I've bought lots of barely used toys in my life. Some folks must have toys they don't need or can't afford. I appreciate other people taking the hit, their bad money management is someone else's gain. New and shiny doesn't last long for some people.

I keep mine for a long time and try to wear them out --- and keep them shinny for aa long time.

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In the last year or so many states dropped the MC license requirement and more "car" reviews where pushed to the consumer so the number of uninformed and impulse buys jumped dramatically.

New unit sales where in the toilet in FL but spiked just after the license requirement change. It's not like a MC that takes up a relatively small area in the back of the garage if not ridden that often so now the used market is flooded depressing new sales even further than before. Good to reduce inventory, bad for the future.

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I’ve had many motorcycle since 1972....time to ride is the biggest reason to sell....

If you have a full time job...ride time is limited. If you don’t live in a southern state with lots of nice weather your ride time is limited.

Seems like for me anyway, all the good riding time weather wise occurred while I was at work. Soon as I get out it rains...or it’s chilly. People buy motorcycles because they want fun...bad riding weather isn’t fun. This year was pretty crappy for riding because of all the rain we had.....if I had a full time job my rides would have been very limited....but I was able to ride either before or after the rain so I was able to ride at least 5 days a week. I did miss many good nights to ride because of work. Seemed like on the best weather nights I had to work.

The other big factor I think, is the way you have to ride the SS. You can’t double up in a lane like on two wheel bikes. And there aren’t that many people to ride with. Solo riding which is 99.999999999 % of my riding is fun but not as much fun as it could be with others....to ride with. My girl friend isn’t all that into my SS. Still makes for a solo ride.

I would say lack of riding time is the biggest reason for so many used SS. It’s not boredom. It’s not from lack of attention.

As it has already been mentioned many SlingShots are purchased by impulse buyers. Unfortunately, there is usually very little research put into an impulse buy where many of these folks believe that are purchasing a "sports car. " We have seen it on the forum(s) from the very beginning that the folks that bellyache the loudest about the SlingShot are the ones that are comparing it to a "car." Consequently, after owning their SlingShot for a short period, they quickly become aware of their "mistake" and back on the market it goes.

Bill

I bought mine used from a guy who had it for 3 months.Guess it was an impulse buy.Said he had to many toys.Saved $5000 his loss my gain.

I agree with most of the posts here. I suspect that many people buy the Slingshot as a toy, and when the toy ends up sitting they sell it and move on to a new toy.

I highly suspect that I am one of the very few people who actually bought their slingshot to be the primary mode of transportation. not many people live in a place where the slingshot or a motorcycle can make a good daily driver

Quote from edwardaneal

I agree with most of the posts here. I suspect that many people buy the Slingshot as a toy, and when the toy ends up sitting they sell it and move on to a new toy.

I highly suspect that I am one of the very few people who actually bought their slingshot to be the primary mode of transportation. not many people live in a place where the slingshot or a motorcycle can make a good daily driver

That makes two of us, that is why I have 75,000 miles on mine

Quote from FunCycle

That makes two of us, that is why I have 75,000 miles on mine

FunCycle you got ahead of me. I'm a little over 73,000 miles ….

Quote from EjFord

FunCycle you got ahead of me. I'm a little over 73,000 miles ….

Those 6 trips to the hills this summer helped out, told you I would catch back up to you

Quote from FunCycle

Those 6 trips to the hills this summer helped out, told you I would catch back up to you

Next summer hopefully will keep Georgia out of the hospital.... and more riding.

with that kind of driving I think you 2 should take a ride out west and visit

Quote from edwardaneal

with that kind of driving I think you 2 should take a ride out west and visit

I have always wanted to do just that, I did spend a year in San Diego thanks to Uncle Sam's canoe club. If I could find a riding partner I would even try to do it now.

You guys also forgot to mention that many slingshot are purchased by people with multiple toys and also by people with very busy lives that might not allow them(us) to ride often, not everyone who owns a slingshot is a retired person with nothing else to do or lives in a part of the country that permits them to drive often.

For example I love my slingshot but due to MN weather and work I was getting very little riding time since I am spending a lot of time in NYC for work....... my solution to the problem was to buy another slingshot which i keep in NYC but many reasons also prevent me from riding when there, so that sling also doesn't get as many miles as i would like.

So when the day comes that I decide to sell one or both they will have very low miles not because I didn't want/like to ride them but because of a busy life schedule.

Quote from Neosolidus

You guys also forgot to mention that many slingshot are purchased by people with multiple toys and also by people with very busy lives that might not allow them(us) to ride often, not everyone who owns a slingshot is a retired people with nothing else to do or lives in a part of the country that permits them to drive often.

For example I love my slingshot but due to MN weather and work I was getting very little riding time since I am spending a lot of time in NYC for work....... my solution to the problem was to buy another slingshot which i keep in NYC but many reason also prevent me from riding when there traffic that also doesn't get as many miles as i would like.

So when the day comes that I decide to see one or both they will have very low miles not because I didn't to ride them but because of a busy life schedule.

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So what are you? Let me guess... a Marvel comic book super hero? I mean I would really hate for my life to take up all my life, if I did that I wouldn't have time to come here and have fun. Ya know what I mean?

I think the issue of the Slingshot not being enough like a car for some people is a good and valid statement, but I'll expand the thought a little more.

We as a culture are addicted to comfort and ease of living. Everything has a gadget or widget to make it more comfortable, or easier to accomplish.

The Slingshot can only be made just so comfortable. You're gonna get hot. You're gonna get cold, or wet, or dirty....and I think a lot of people aren't up for that kind of fun anymore.