With Today’s Tricky Economy, the Used Market Is ...

I’ve at all times been a believer in shopping for used. Almost each bike I’ve owned got here to me pre-loved, and I’ve by no means as soon as regretted it. Take my XSR900, for instance. I purchased it from a great good friend who treats his bikes like household. It had all of the upgrades I might’ve spent months putting in myself, was in immaculate situation, and value me about 25% lower than if I had purchased it new. I’ve since put extra miles on it than on my automobile. That’s not a compromise, that’s worth.

And that’s actually the story of 2025. In a yr when new-unit sales are sputtering, the used market is proving to be the neatest path ahead for riders and sellers alike.

The financial local weather hasn’t been form to new-unit gross sales. Rates of interest stay excessive, inflation has riders considering twice earlier than financing a toy, and stock on the supplier degree continues to be unbalanced from pandemic whiplash. Information exhibits that new powersports sales dropped nearly 8% in April 2025 alone.

However used? That aspect of the market is alive and effectively. Used bike and powersports gross sales ticked up greater than 2% in April, with dual-sports, UTVs, and touring bikes main the cost. For riders, it’s basic math: get extra bang for much less buck, and skip the steepest a part of depreciation. 

For sellers, auctions like National Powersport Auctions (NPA) are the place the motion is. NPA knowledge exhibits precisely the place values are heading, which classes are heating up, and the way sellers are sourcing stock. It’s not simply bikes, however UTVs, ATVs, golf carts, and even small RVs, too. They’re all seeing regular demand by way of the lanes.

However let’s be clear: auctions are only one piece of the puzzle. Riders don’t have to flash a bidder’s badge to get in on the used recreation. Relying on the place you’re from, Fb Market, on-line classifieds, and even knocking on the door of a neighbor with an fascinating toy gathering mud of their storage may land you a candy deal. That is precisely how I obtained my arms on my KTM 390 Duke. The fantastic thing about the used market is its variety, and the truth that there are numerous methods to get in.

My newest acquisition: a Yamaha PG-1 that was used as a supplier show.

Picture by: Enrico Punsalang

It’s not only a powersports story or a bike story, both. On two wheels, dual-sports and touring bikes are shifting briskly, particularly amongst riders who need journey or consolation with out the new-unit premium. On the powersports aspect, UTVs stay king, dust bikes are regular because of youth racing, and even private watercraft and RV crossovers are holding sturdy. Collectively, they present that throughout the fanatic world, used machines are carrying a bulk of the load in 2025.

And right here’s the place it will get fascinating. Chinese language manufacturers have made waves by providing brand-new bikes, ATVs, and side-by-sides at costs that undercut the competitors. In some instances, they promote new for what a used Japanese or European bike would price.

Inexpensive bikes from Chinese language producers look to disrupt the market. 

However for those who ask a whole lot of fans (myself included), many would nonetheless take the used Japanese or European machine each time. Why? As a result of confirmed reliability, group help, and long-term resale worth matter greater than being the primary title on a registration. A “low-cost” new bike with no monitor report could not really feel like worth as soon as the shine wears off.

Now, clearly, these of you who’ve been studying our stuff right here on RideApart know that we’re not right here to promote bikes. Our job is to name issues as they’re and assist riders get probably the most out of their cash. Typically meaning heading to an public sale or a supplier lot, however simply as usually it means shopping for from a good friend, a neighbor, or an area itemizing. The neatest transfer isn’t at all times the flashiest one. It’s the one which will get you driving with out stretching your pockets skinny.

And the timing couldn’t be higher. The used market is quickly evolving. Early electric motorcycles from the likes of Zero and LiveWire are slowly filtering into the pre-owned pool, giving us a glimpse at how EV resale will play out. And extra first-time riders are discovering reasonably priced entry factors within the used market, particularly with smaller bikes and UTVs. And that’s precisely the type of progress the business wants.

My present weapon of alternative is a 2020 Yamaha XSR900 I obtained somewhat over a yr in the past. I’ve since clocked in north of 20,000 kilometers, with dozens of cross-country journeys, monitor days, and weekend blasts in between.

Picture by: Enrico Punsalang

For me, it at all times comes again to the XSR900 sitting in my storage, and the near-dozen different bikes that after sat the place it’s now sitting: I paid much less, obtained extra, and by no means seemed again. And in a worldwide financial system as risky as it’s immediately, that’s not only a private win, it’s the mannequin for a way budget-savvy riders and sellers alike are navigating a tough financial system.

The brand new market could also be struggling a bit, however the used market is prospering. It’s resilient, versatile, and filled with worth if you understand the place to look. And whether or not you’re putting a bid at an public sale, scrolling by way of FB Market, or calling up a buddy with a clear bike within the storage, the reality is similar: the sensible cash is on used.