HOW TO BUY
I want to bid… What do I do?
To register to bid, please click here. You will have to verify your identity and follow a few simple steps. Once confirmed, you’re all set to go. Make sure you check your spam folder for your verification emails if they do not turn up immediately.
Need financing? Harley-Davidson Financial Services has the best motorcycle loan rates
Why do I need to login to bid?
We want to make sure that you can track which auctions you are bidding on and we can track who is bidding on our Bartes Preowned motorcycles. This keeps everything above-board so we can ensure the best experience for all our buyers and sellers.
Why do I need to enter payment information into my account to bid?
In order to make every auction fair and functional, we ensure that every bid placed is both real and reliable. This ensures that each bidder has the valid ability to back their bid and that they are committed to the bid.
How does the bidding process work?
Enter the amount you would like to offer for the motorcycle. The auction will automatically jump to your offer (not in small increments like other sites).
if your proxy bid meets or exceeds the reserve price, bidding will jump up to meet that price and you will see “Reserve price has been met” under the price.
As a reminder, Bartels Harley-Davidson uses as little of a bidder’s maximum/proxy bid as is required to make him or her the high bidder.
Let’s use an example: say the reserve is $10,000 and the high bid on a bike is $7,500.
If the next bid is $9,999, bidding will go up to $7,600 (the minimum required to make them the lead as we have a $100 minimum bid increment).
If the next bid is $10,000, bidding will go up to $10,000 to meet the reserve.
If the next bid is $15,000, bidding will go up to $10,000 to meet the reserve and will only increase if another bidder tries to beat that number.
The minimum increase is $100 over the prior bid amount. The amount you enter is the amount YOU WILL BE RESPONSIBLE TO PAY if you win the auction. Bear in mind, we do not charge any buyers fees like a typical auction, but you may be responsible for paying additional “out the door” fees such as, but not limited to, shipping, registration or taxes in your state. California auction winners, we will be required to collect state sales tax (the sales tax amount from the city you live in or plan to register your motorcycle in), as well as California DMV Registration fees
My bid is higher than the current bid. Why isn’t it enough?
The minimum increase is $100 over the prior bid amount. The amount you enter is the amount YOU WILL BE RESPONSIBLE TO PAY if you win the auction. Bear in mind, this amount does not include shipping, registration or taxes in your state.
How will I know if someone outbid me?
You will receive notification by email if someone has outbid you. You can also check on the auctions you are bidding on in the Auctions tab of your account dashboard.
How will I know if I win an auction?
You will receive notification by email if someone has outbid you. If you have not received an email and you think that you won an auction, be sure to check your spam folder for the notification. You can also check on the auctions you bid on in the Auctions tab of your account dashboard.
I want to keep an eye on an auction. How can I receive updates?
Just click the FAVORITE button on any auction that you would like to see updates on. Click it again to UNFAVORITE. You can then view your Watched auctions from the Favorites tab in your account.
If you bid on an auction, you will receive notification by email if someone has outbid you. If you have not received an email and you think that you won an auction, be sure to check your spam folder for the notification. You can also check on the auctions you bid on in the Auctions tab of your account dashboard.
I’m interested in an auction, but want more information.
We do our best to not only gather all the relevant information but sort through the details from the previous owner/s. We confirm that submitted information looks correct to the best of our knowledge but we further understand you may have other questions. If so, please ask away in the comment section of the auction you are interested in and a Bartels Harley-Davidson staff member will quickly reply as time permits.
I won the auction…now what?
A Bartels Harley-Davidson sales representative will contact you to go over how you would like to make your final payment, or help you with financing your auction win, as well as any shipping requirements, optional warranties packages, state sales tax, and registration fees.
Can you store bikes?
Absolutely! We offer storage at our location in Marina Del Rey, California for $150/month. If you buy a bike from us, we’ll give you up to 15 days of free storage to give you plenty of time to pick up or arrange shipping.
Can Bartels Harley-Davidson arrange shipping?
Absolutely! We’ve partnered with Haul Bikes, and a variety of other domestic and international shippers. Haul Bikes will ship anything bought through our auction platform in the continental US for $750 (transit time is typically 5-6 weeks). We can also source some private shippers who will get bikes delivered quicker for a higher cost.
Need to ship internationally? We can help you to choose a freight forwarder and we will deliver the bike to the docks for you for no charge
If motorcycle needs to be crated there will be a crating charge that may run approximately $1500
Credit Card details
We accept all major credit cards but they must be yours! We encourage bidding from around the world but a credit card will always be required.
How do you protect against sniper bids or last second offers?
In the final stages of the auction, last minute bids will continue to extend the bidding for 2 minutes. That way everyone has a chance at making the right decision and not losing out on their dream bike! It further allows the Seller to lower the reserve in the last minutes of the auction.
How do I cancel my bid?
We do not allow cancellations for any reason, so please make 100% sure your offer is correct and you will not change your mind.
The motorcycle didn’t make reserve, but I have to have it… now what?
If an auction does not meet the (reserve), we will reach out to the highest bidder and see if they want to work out a deal with us. We will do our best to find a price and deal that helps the motorcycle find a new home.
Can I avoid bidding and just Buy It Now?
Yes, a “Buy It Now” option will be in place even as the auction is running live. Can I speak directly to the Seller?
With Bartels Harley-Davidson used bike auctions you are dealing directly with the seller, that’s us! Unlike some other auction sites where the vehicle may be located somewhere else, and consigned to the online auction, and listed on their website with photos, the motorcycles may not always be “in house”. At Bartels Harley-Davidson all of our sales inventory goes through a rigorous 110 point safety inspection and in most cases the motorcycles are serviced as required before put on the showroom for sale. We only sell motorcycles that are deemed “Show-Room Ready” machines that are ready to ride. Our goal is to promote open communication – as such we ask that you reach out to us in the comments of a given listing. If you need private communication for a specific reason, reach out to concierge@bartelsharley.com and we’ll do our best to connect with you right away.
May I inspect the motorcycle before I bid?
Yes, absolutely, all of our auction motorcycles are on our showroom floor and available for inspection during our business hours Tuesday-Saturday from 9am-6pm.
Bartels Harley-Davidson is a 40 year old family owned and operated brick and mortar business. There are three generations of Bartels family members ages 30-80 in the store daily, and here to help you.
Does the motorcycle I’m bidding on come with a warranty?
In some cases, yes. The specifics of each motorcycle on the auction platform will be disclosed in the details section. Some models may include an existing transferable factory warranty. Some models may be Harley-Davidson Certified Pre-Owned Units (CPO), which come with a limited warranty. In most cases you may also have the option to purchase at extra cost an extended warranty, Tire & Wheel coverage, theft protection as well as other products. If the motorcycle being auctioned is a vintage classic motorcycle or a motorycle that is older than 15years with more than 50,000 miles then there will be no warranty included nor any extended warranty options available for purchase.