Hello everyone, I’m back from a short break. The summer has been very busy for me. Working on this blog and Mopeds is something I do on the side as a hobby. I hope one day it could lead to creating moped content or building full-time. This should be a start for me to get back to builds, blogs, and more moped adventures.
I have gotten a few messages since the start of this blog from readers interested in knowing What is my moped worth? I’ve posted an article in the past called How Much is a Moped trying to break down how much you should pay for a moped. In this post, I’m going to try to answer the question from the perspective of a potential seller. What is my moped value?
What Is My Moped Worth?
You have a lot of variables to consider here. As a person who buys, builds, and sells mopeds, I’ve been on both sides of “moped value”. Here are some things to consider when pricing your moped.
- Variable 1: The buyer
I would say there are a few types of people who would buy a moped.
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- New to mopeds or just a rider: This person is excited about mopeds for whatever reason they have. They may have been wanting or looking for a moped for some time now. They will be happy to buy a moped at almost any reasonable cost. This person could be ideal for you if you want to receive the most money for your sale. But beware, this person could also continue to contact you in the future with moped problems.
- Collector: This person might be more ideal as they probably know what they are getting into. Be prepared to negotiate with this buyer, they know that some mopeds are rarer than others or they have been looking for what you have for a while. If you’re lucky, you have something truly rare and they will pay a reasonable price for it. The keywords in that sentence are TRULY RARE. A lot of people think they have something rare, but in the moped world, chances are it’s not that rare. It might be rare because it is not a sought-after moped model.
- Flipper/Resaler: There is a lot of “hate” around people who flip or resale. You should not shun them away. If you want a quick sale, this is your person. They will shoot you a low offer but be open to negotiations. The Flipper is ready to buy and will most likely not “flake” on the sale. They will offer you a low amount because they know what it’s going to take to get the moped back to a condition that a “New to mopeds” buyer would want. This person is used to selling to that type of person and is aware of the future phone calls and texts they will receive after the resale of the moped.
- Variable 2: The Season
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- The best season to sell a moped to person/buyer #1 is in the spring or early summer. That’s when it’s the best conditions outside for riding mopeds. Buyer 1 might be looking in the winter as well for a holiday gift or in preparation for spring.
- The Collector and Resaler will buy all year long, the season doesn’t matter much to them. Be aware of supply and demand, demand is higher in the spring, so these two will offer less for mopeds in the fall or winter. They might go up on their budget for a moped if buying in the spring or summer, but not always. A moped might be worth $100 to a Resaler any time of the year.
- Variable 3: Body style
There are only a few moped “body” styles.
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- Step-through or Step-threw: This is the MOST COMMON body style. Chances are LOW that your step-through is rare, I’m sorry. Again, if it is a rare or limited edition, it might be because it wasn’t popular for multiple reasons. One main reason is the engine brand. Buyer 1 might only know this style of a moped, so they may pay your asking price. Buyers 2 and 3 know this is a common style and will likely not be worth a lot to them.
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- Top Tank: Good News! You have something that might be worth more than a step-through. Don’t get too excited yet, you may still have a model that isn’t popular because of the engine or something else. Buyer 1 is going to be in love with your top tank moped because it looks like a motorcycle. Top tanks are not as common so you might have something the Collector has been looking for. The Resaler knows this about buyers 1 and 2 and might be willing to pay more depending on how much of a project it will be.
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- Trike: There aren’t many trike models. These are rare but also not sought after as much. The Collector would be the best buyer for this moped. The Resaler is willing to take this off your hands too. Buyer 1 most likely won’t know this is even a moped.
- Variable 4: Condition
This is a major variable that will affect the value of your moped to anyone. Here is a list of factors to consider for conditions when pricing your moped:
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- Is it running (When was the engine last rebuilt?)
- Does everything work (Lights, brakes, horn, switches, and levers)
- How old are the tires? Are they good?
- Is it complete (Does it have all the covers, fairings, and accessories that come with the bike)
- What is the condition of the paint or how much rust does the moped have?
- The gas tank (this is huge) how much if any rust or gunk does the tank have? Are there any gas leaks? Is the gas cap missing?
- Are there any missing, broken, or “modified” parts?
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These are the factors that a Reseller will address before they take on the project and why they might offer you a low amount. If you have something in great running condition then your moped should hold more value.
- Variable 5: Location
Your location isn’t a major factor but is still one to consider. In some parts of the county (US) a moped might be in higher demand and be worth more than other locations. You will need to do some research on your location and the “market” if you’re trying to get top dollar for your moped. Consider shipping a moped if you are trying to get top dollar, as well as, some locations don’t have mopeds for sale and someone would be willing to pay for shipping.
- Variable 6: Model
If your moped has some unique engine that has difficult-to-find parts, then its value isn’t as much as a moped with easy-to-find replacement parts.
- Variable 7: Documentation
Do you have the title for the moped? In some or most states, a moped will need to be registered. If you have the title to the moped in your name, this will increase the buying potential for it. In some states, it can be a great chore to register a moped with no documentation.
What is my Mopeds value?
I want to try and answer this question as simply as possible. A quality scooter starts at around 1k used. This is a scooter that is pretty dependable, easy to start, and goes at least 35 to 40 miles per hour without any modifications. A moped that doesn’t run even if it’s a top tank, will most likely not be worth $1000.
Would you buy a running scooter for $1000 or a moped that isn’t running? If your answer is yes, then you will make some moped sellers happy people.
If you have taken the time to restore the moped and it is a very popular model, then it would fetch something close to or higher than $1000.
What it’s worth? What is its value?
My simple answer to these two questions is this. List your moped for sale at the amount you wish you could get for it. Would you pay that much for it? Then a few things will happen and you have some options.
More than likely a resaler will shoot you an offer that might be low but again this should be a quick and easy sale.
You may get interested people who might be willing to pay closer to your asking price but you will have to deal with making time to show the bike and potential buyers “flaking” on you. This may take more of your time invested in the sale. Then they will likely call you in a few days with more questions about the bike once they buy it. Almost always happens even when selling a project bike to someone who isn’t a Resaler or Collector.
Comment below about what your experience has been with reselling mopeds. Let me know if you have any additional questions that I did not answer.
Can you give us a real example? Like a moped you’ve bought in the past and your thought process for coming up with the price ? Idk if you can reveal real numbers but I think it would be cool to see a real example from your actual experience ! Thanks man
Real Example: Of all my ped purchases the following two best exemplify the points in the article. Both purchases were made around the same time (les than a year apart) for the same make and model (1983 NU50s).
The first was running with a DR kit, aftermarket pipe, and Mikuni carb. It was also freshly painted and came with an almost complete parts bike. At the time I paid $500; at present I would expect this bundle to sell around $1250, perhaps more depending on local supply & season.
Months afterwards I purchased another; this time an Iowa model (speed restricted), non-running, and dirty for $240. I would expect this to be about the same at present. This required approx. $100 in parts to bring to running condition.
Lastly – and for what it’s worth – the latter bike has been an ongoing project, upgraded with leather seats, custom headlight / taillight, and body work, 90cc engine, custom crank, intake, ignition – the works. I’d be hard pressed to sell it, but if I were offered the chance to buy an exact copy of it, six or seven grand wouldn’t be out of the question (for me).
Just bought a warehouse of 4 bikes and parts.
Brands:
Puch Free Spirit
Pinto JC Penney
Honda Trail 110
Facebook Market place is an option for selling mopeds. Like I said in the article, you will have to deal with buyers not committing and waisting your time.
Thanks for all of the information. In February 1982 I bought a 1980 Puch Maxi from a dealer in Toledo Ohio. It was the most amazing sense of freedom to have at 14 years old (the legal age to ride one back then). I moved that moped with me for for years. Finally in 2007 I had everything retuned and prepped to be ridden again after a 20 year break. It was an easy fix as I had always kept the moped in the house in a basement and that helped keep any damage/rust from occurring. Now another 15 years later I live in a part of the country where I can ride year round. After 40 years I am debating parting ways and getting something a bit more comfortable. However to sell it I need to find someone who can help it be as exciting for them now as it was for me in ‘82. Thanks for your blog.
What an interesting moped journey. To still have your original moped all these years and it is in good running condition.
What is a 1984 Jawa Supreme 3 worth