Admissions from a parts hoarder...

[Motofun]

OK, I admit that 40 years of modifying and repairing various bikes has caused me a bit of a problem.  I have probably 9 or 10 spare wheels, a few engines, half a dozen fork assemblies, gas tanks, and 3 industrial shelves full of misc stuff.  The Corona blues has me thinking it's time to clear out the mess.
It's been many years since I've been on e-bay but I went there just to see what the parts environment looks like.  To my amazement there must be 40 FJ wheels, just as many fork assemblies and maybe a dozen gas tanks for sale.  Not to mention side panels, fairings etc. I'm thinking the best option is just load this stuff up and off to the junk yard.  Not even sure if it's worth it to strip and separate the steel from the aluminum....

[fj1289]

I think you'd come out much better just offering up the parts at reasonable prices.   The reason there are so many parts available on eBay is due to the high prices - it appears they base their list prices on a percentage of the list price for new parts vice showing any awareness at all of what parts are really going for.   Scrap yard prices are way down compared to a few years

[red]

Motofun,

I agree, most eBay stuff is overpriced, compared to world realities.  Selling your stuff can make the buyers happy, compared to a downer trip for you to the landfill/recycle places.  See what the eBay sellers usually want for your stuff, undercut them, and maybe offer half-price shipping to bring the buyers flocking.  (Nobody offers half-price shipping!     ) 

Most sellers are no fun at all - you would not talk to them over coffee.  Be the great guy who wants to help out the bike-restoring clan, and you should do well enough.  'Way better than having stuff collecting dust on shelves, anyway.

PM incoming.
.

[FJ1200W]

eBay auctions are always fun. Start them low and pray they blow-up!

Just be careful on the shipping, make sure the weights and package sizes are pretty darn accurate.

That being said - if there are already a bunch of "whatever" it is listed, and they are not selling, scrap it or save it.

And never base anything off a listed price, always check sold items for valuations.

Anything I can do, ask. I have decades of eBay experience, literally shipped over ten thousand items myself, globally, all with 100% positive feedback.

"The real deal" when it comes to eBay.

As are countless others, but hey, I have my microsecond of fame in my own little brain......

[Pat Conlon]

Over the years I've noticed highs and lows on fleaBay FJ parts.
Yes, some prices are stupid.
Jack, don't get overwhelmed thinking that you have to move everything at once.
Start with the easy stuff first. The stuff that's easy to ship. Keep prices reasonable.
With fuel tanks, a styrofoam ice chest makes a good shipping container.
With forks, remove the caps, springs and oil and ship them collapsed.

Start a UPS account. Print your labels off your printer. Scrounge for boxes. Buy good quality packing material.
I offer buyers the option of shipping insurance which I strongly recommend on certain parts. I have been fortunate in this regard. My policy is...If the shipping box is damaged, the insurance covers it...if the box is undamaged and the product inside is damaged, it's because I packed it wrong, I give the buyer a full refund.

Trust your instincts. I don't deal with assholes. Guys that submit a bid, then want a discount or submit a bid then go off line for 2 weeks...

Still it's kinda fun...

Cheers

[Waiex191]

An FJ front end would transform my GN400. And at 60 MPG an FJ tank would give me a lot of range. 

I'm not that nuts. I did offer a stock Lead Wing seat on eBay once for $5 plus shipping. It bid up to $120.  I'm firmly in the camp of using a low price to start a bidding frenzy, and not being disappointed if it goes for a low price with the shipping covered.

[Motofun]

My impression is that e-bay auctions appear to be a thing of the past.  Almost everything now seems to be buy it now.  I guess it's been that long since I did this.  I remember back 20 years ago I used to scour e-bay nearly every week looking for parts on the cheap....One time I bought a box of shop manuals at a local auction, 25 cents if I remember.  Of course none of them were of any use to me, some from the 30's and 40's.  Anyways I auctioned off a 1935 Mack truck book, thought I'd get the minimum, $5 as I remember.  The stupid thing went for almost $200!  Those were the days...

[Millietant]

Why not list what you've got on here, Product, condition, colour, maybe a photo if its bodywork - and if you're thinking of taking them to the tip, why not just offer them for free + shipping, or $5 + shipping, whatever the part is. Owners clubs are the place guys with stuff they don't want/need, can help out those have a want/need 

Then, there's also Facebook Marketplace and the various Facebook bike forums.

I've had some really good deals from FB Marketplace (free stuff and very cheap stuff) and also picked up plenty of bits for our various bikes from FB owners groups. It doesn't always have to be eBay. 

[Bill_Rockoff]

Jack, what are the engines from?

I don't look in on eBay much any more, but my wife has found NextDoor. (Sometimes called "What Kind of Snake is This?") She found someone nearby selling a set of Alpinestars for like $165 that fit me; the seller wore them once or twice. I was tempted to get the Dainese Ducati-branded jacket too, but at $230 I decided I didn't need it that much.

So yeah, FB marketplace and NextDoor.

[krusty]

What do you look at when you say stuff is overpriced? Do you look at what's on offer? I usually click on "Completed Items". Here you can see what sold and what didn't.
I've been buying and selling on Ebay since 2000 and yes, in the early days, bargains were to be had. When I search for items I sort my results in Lowest price plus shipping order. It's an eye opener when you see the price of similar items with shipping added. Being halfway across the planet shipping is an important cost consideration. It's not uncommon to see some sellers charging as much as 400% more than others for the same item.
The biggest determination, for me, in selling on ebay, is time. Time to sort items, weigh them, clean them to make presentable and buyers can see what they're getting. Listing takes time, getting descriptions accurate, getting clear photos etc.
I'm in a similar situation as I have shelves and shelves of stuff in my garage, and in my shed, and in my son's garage, including a lot of NOS (Honda and Yamaha). I look at it and think I should get rid of all this but it then becomes overwhelming and too much to think about - procrastination sets in.
If you have the time to devote, as you say you do, then do it! Get it on Ebay - now. You may make a cash strapped restorer very happy and get another project back on the road.

[Motofun]

Most of my stuff ended up on the shelf because there was something wrong with it.  I never parted out bikes, rather bought things thinking I might have a use for it someday or it was a swap for something better.  I have a CB400F engine that is complete except for a cam shaft....previous owner must have needed that.  I was restoring a CB400F and thought it might come in handy.  I didn't need it and now it's a 200 lb paper weight.  Way too heavy to ship, OH what to do??  That's typical of most of my stuff.

[red]

Most of my stuff ended up on the shelf because there was something wrong with it.  I have a CB400F engine that is complete except for a cam shaft.... now it's a 200 lb paper weight.  Way too heavy to ship, OH what to do??  That's typical of most of my stuff.

Motofun,

Check out terminal-to-terminal truck shipping.  You take the deal (crated) to the local truck terminal, and the buyer picks it up at their end from a similar local truck terminal.  Shipping prices will vary wildly, from one carrier to the next, and maybe even week-to-week, so it is definitely worth shopping around for the service.  They hate to send out half-empty trucks, but the public seldom even calls them; people call a package delivery service for door-to-door service instead.  Big and heavy stuff (which UPS would want a king's ransom to ship) may go T2T for a hundred bux or less, with the lesser-known truckers.

I needed to ship something big once.  The first carrier wanted US$390, T2T.  The next one wanted US$220.  The winner did the job for US$135 insured, all in the same week, from terminals within five miles of each other.  Get a new quote, whenever you are needing to ship in the heavy-duty range.  It's not like you need to ship big stuff very often, right?
     
.

[fj1289]

List it for sale but state buyer has to pay AND ARRANGE for shipping.  Let them know you are willing to crate or box it - and list the weight and size.  Also require the buyer to specify a lift gate for pickup. 

I've used https://www.freightquote.com/ a couple times with good result. 

[Cat Cracker]

OK, I admit that 40 years of modifying and repairing various bikes has caused me a bit of a problem.  I have probably 9 or 10 spare wheels, a few engines, half a dozen fork assemblies, gas tanks, and 3 industrial shelves full of misc stuff.  The Corona blues has me thinking it's time to clear out the mess.
It's been many years since I've been on e-bay but I went there just to see what the parts environment looks like.  To my amazement there must be 40 FJ wheels, just as many fork assemblies and maybe a dozen gas tanks for sale.  Not to mention side panels, fairings etc. I'm thinking the best option is just load this stuff up and off to the junk yard.  Not even sure if it's worth it to strip and separate the steel from the aluminum....

Hi Motofun,
I am a newbie & just bought an FJ a few months ago.
As someone who has been searching for fresher parts for my '85 FJ 1100, I know what the reality is.
I'd be happy to help you inventory your parts & photograph stuff too. Even help you list & share with the guys on this group or  sell if you want.
I'm probably not too far from you if your in NE Pennsylvania. I'm in Central NJ.

BTW, I ran a built Yoshimura CB400/four at the Tourist Trophy in 1981.

[Motofun]

Thanks for the offer, my problem is I'm plain lazy.  I go look at the stuff then look over and see my bikes sitting there and go...f*ck it, I'll just go riding instead.  Speaking of which I hear my RZ350 calling me from the barn.....