When to Buy a Motorcycle

There are several things to consider when determining when to buy a motorcycle. Time of the year is the most obvious thing to consider. But you should also consider what’s best for yourself and your finances.

For example, if you are not able to afford buying a motorcycle, then it’s probably best to wait until you save a little bit more money. A motorcycle is a big purchase, and the last thing you want to do it regret your purchase.

Time of Year to Buy a Motorcycle

What time of year you purchase your motorcycle can have a large impact on the price you pay and the selection of inventory you have to choose from. Some times of year are more competitive than others. Others have more or less demand. A lot depends on the specifics of your geographic region, especially the weather.

When to Buy a Motorcycle in Winter

If you’re looking for the best price, winter is the best time of the year. Demand is at its lowest, because it’s an off-peak time for riding. Many parts of the country no longer have friendly weather to go out and ride. Snow and ice make many roads dangerous. Even if it’s not actively snowing, residual road salt will remain and can damage motorcycles by causing corrosion.

This can be to you advantage if you live in a warmer area. Or if you are willing to buy your next motorcycle and keep in the garage for a few months until the weather has improved.

When to Buy a Motorcycle in Spring

One of the best reasons to buy in spring is that, depending on where you live, riding season has begun or will begin very soon. If it’s still too cold to ride in your area, you may be able to snag a pretty good deal still too. If it’s already warm enough to ride, at least you’ll be able to ride in comfort as soon as you close the deal on your motorcycle purchase.

When to Buy a Motorcycle in Summer

Summer is primetime for riding a motorcycle in many areas. And this can make it a perfect answer when deciding when to buy a motorcycle. Plenty of biker rides and events occur in the summer, and you’ll have no shortage of like-minded people who are also riding.

The only pitfall of buying in the summer is that demand is high. This means that it’s a lot less likely you’re going to snag a killer deal on a low-mileage bike. But that’s the price you pay for buying in the height of riding season.

When to Buy a Motorcycle in Fall

Like spring, demand and pricing will vary depending on the climate where you live. Areas with winter-like autumns will have more deals as some bikers decide to sell their motorcycle before the end of riding season. Places with milder weather will still have summertime prices and potentially limited supply.

As a buyer you also need to consider how much riding you can get in before the weather in your area becomes too harsh for riding. If the answer is that you don’t have many days left to ride, you may want to wait until winter. Then you’ll have several months to shop around and find a killer deal before the next riding season begins.

Other Times to Buy a Motorcycle

When determinign when to buy a motorcycle, don’t only think about the time of year or the season. There are plenty of other unique times to consider making your next motorcycle purchase.

The End of a Month, Quarter, or Year

When to buy can depend on where you plan to buy your motorcycle too. Are you looking for the best deal from a motorcycle dealership? It’s a well know tip to wait until the end of the month when salespeople are looking to reach their goal or quota.

The sales manager always seem more eagier to give you that deal on a new motorcycle when the dealership needs to reach some volume of sales before the end of the quarter or year, and they only have a day or two left to accomplish it. Use this to your advantage, but also remember if the deal isn’t right there is always next month too.

Before or During a Holiday or Special Occasion

What could be better as a gift for a loved one or yourself than a brand new motorcycle? If it’s your birthday it can be a great time to treat yourself to a new motorcycle. Or if you and your significant other ride togeather, maybe your anniversary would be a great time to both get new rides.

Holidays can be great times to buy new motorcycles as well. It could be an amazing Christmas gift. If you’re buying from a dealership, keep your eyes peeled for sales during holidays. Many often have deals for the 4th of July, Labor Day, and other popular holidays.

When a New Model Year of Motorcycles Arrives

When your manufactuer of choice releases their new lineup of motorcycles can be a great time to buy. If you’re looking to buy a new motorcycle, you have two great options. You can buy the new model year and get the latest and greatest as soon as it’s available. Or you can buy a still new motorcycle  but from the previous model year. The dealership will be forced to accept a lower price on these older new bikes, because the new new bikes are now available.

These lower priced new motorcylces can even temperarily lower the price of other late model used bikes too. So it’s a great time to buy regardless of what your shopping criteria is for a motorcycle.

This is When to Buy a Motorcycle

Ultimately, the very best time to buy a motorcycle is when you’re ready. Whether you are buying your first motorcycle or your next motorcycle, it is always wise to be fully prepared. The last thing you want to do is sell your current motorcycle and buy a new one on a whim, and then regret not hanging onto your previous bike for a few more years.

Can you think of any other important information when deciding when to buy a motorcycle? Have an interesting story about a weird time of the year you bought a motorocycle? Let us know in the comments.

Decided that now is your time to buy a motorcycle? Search our selection of thousands of motorcycles for sale.