Bike Brokers
I just sold my motorcycle to what appeared to be someone not far from here in Florida. The buyer’s profile showed that he lived about 200 miles away. This was great, I thought. I might see my bike at Bike Week in Daytona Beach or somewhere on the roads as I ride. Then, I got a phone call from the buyer and he turned out to be in Ohio. Well, that was alright. Afterall, I just wanted it to have a good home. I love the bike and I’ve put a lot of care into it.
In the conversation I learned the buyer is part of a group that purchases under that login name. The purchase of my Yamaha Roadstar wasn’t for him. He was a broker for foreign purchases. In seconds I learned my bike was destined to someone in the Czech Republic! WOW! I never imagined that one, but it seems there is a blossoming business for people in America to purchase motorcycles locally and then ship them to buyers they represent in foreign countries. This circumvents American sellers that list their motorcycles for sale only to the US or Canada. It also creates a medium for buyers to get those bikes that require local pick up and/or buyers to arrange for shipping.
One can’t help but wonder what fees are associated with conducting such a transaction. Shipping the motorcycle alone must raise the final price more than $1,500. I would imagine a good commission rate would be about 10% or a flat rate of between $500 and $2,000.
Imagination and the creation of new markets never ceases to amaze me. Someone saw a concept in a void that could be filled with a simple service. Now, they’re making money as bike brokers, buying motorcycles in America for buyers in other countries.