I know that some here have had experience with both. I can't find the write up that PDXJim left some time back on his BaT auction.
Can anyone comment with the ins and outs of one versus the other? I've read the fees etc.
I sense that the only way to find a buyer for my RD200 is to get a wide audience.
Thanks in advance.
Safe travels home from the Gap.
Been there, done them both.
BaT progress on getting the ad finished and the listing posted is glacial, possibly because motorcycles are not their bread and butter. They want a kazillion (well, maybe 40 or 50) pictures, and the feature pics have to have 'artistic' merit, or they push you to sign up to have one of their photographers do a pay-for-play picture session. They are insistent the seller submit a video of the running vehicle. Also, they don't bother with the text/description the owner submits so much, and water down details that they replace with things like "spoked wheels" and "disk brakes" which are obvious; I got the impression that the 'Advisors' they assign to you knows very little about motorcycles. But... unless you have something unique, race, or obscure, BaT has a much more generic audience who may be interested in mid-value and well known stock/collector classic machinery. Lots of rules as far as personal advertising, they 'insist' you list where your non-BaT ads have been posted and kill all other active ones.
Iconic is more down-to-earth to deal with and they know the motorcycle market, and post more knowledgably. Their audience is not as vast as BaT, but very focused, without so many tire kickers and nit-pickers in the comments section. They also have a good client/buyer base, and know a good bike when they see one; I sold a TZ750 that didn't meet reserve through an Iconic auction (BaT declined my submitted TZ ad because the pictures were not "recent" enough), and Iconic very actively persued a 'post auction' sale - it took a couple months of QandA and back and forth communicating, but found me a buyer, got my reserve price, and followed through quite painlessly. They definitely cater to the race/sport bike market with very little micromanagement beyond what is pertinent and necessary.
Looking at comps on both sites, BaT has a solid track record for RD200's; Iconic does not. The RD350 Cafe I have in the listing above yours will likely end up on BaT first (with reserve), and if it does not sell will go on Iconic; if it does not sell at auction at Iconic, I know they will continue to push for a sale - kind of like an open ended ad.
Here is the Iconic TZ listing:
Iconic TZ750 Sale (https://iconicmotorbikeauctions.com/sold/?_sft_pa_motorbike-make=yamaha&_sft_pa_motorbike-model=tz750)
Warren
Thanks for the insight Warren. Regarding the TZ, sweet baby Jesus.
AAAltered, I really hated to sell the 750, but all good things must come to pass...
Because of the more mainstream audience for the RD350, I submitted a listing to BaT 2 days ago with 60 clear and detailed pictures, the video, a comprehensive description, and a modest Reserve to protect my investment. I finally received this reply:
""Warren,
Thank you for the submission, and neat Yamaha. Are you open to listing in a No Reserve auction? Around this price level we do find that the best strategy to get a strong result is simply to get more bidders "in the room," and we find that no reserve auctions tend to see more traffic and bidder engagement. If that will work for you we'd be happy to proceed here.
Chris C.
Bring a Trailer Auctions""
This is a similar response to ones received for previous submission attempts, which fell through for other reasons which I covered in this submission.
Last BaT attempt was for the TZ which failed, which was accepted and sold for my reserve at Iconic; looks like the RD may be going the same way if BaT refuses the RD. I'll keep you posted.
Warren
Quote from: Yamanatic on May 09, 2025, 03:30:36 PMBeen there, done them both.
BaT progress on getting the ad finished and the listing posted is glacial, possibly because motorcycles are not their bread and butter. They want a kazillion (well, maybe 40 or 50) pictures, and the feature pics have to have 'artistic' merit, or they push you to sign up to have one of their photographers do a pay-for-play picture session. They are insistent the seller submit a video of the running vehicle. Also, they don't bother with the text/description the owner submits so much, and water down details that they replace with things like "spoked wheels" and "disk brakes" which are obvious; I got the impression that the 'Advisors' they assign to you knows very little about motorcycles. But... unless you have something unique, race, or obscure, BaT has a much more generic audience who may be interested in mid-value and well known stock/collector classic machinery. Lots of rules as far as personal advertising, they 'insist' you list where your non-BaT ads have been posted and kill all other active ones.
Iconic is more down-to-earth to deal with and they know the motorcycle market, and post more knowledgably. Their audience is not as vast as BaT, but very focused, without so many tire kickers and nit-pickers in the comments section. They also have a good client/buyer base, and know a good bike when they see one; I sold a TZ750 that didn't meet reserve through an Iconic auction (BaT declined my submitted TZ ad because the pictures were not "recent" enough), and Iconic very actively persued a 'post auction' sale - it took a couple months of QandA and back and forth communicating, but found me a buyer, got my reserve price, and followed through quite painlessly. They definitely cater to the race/sport bike market with very little micromanagement beyond what is pertinent and necessary.
Looking at comps on both sites, BaT has a solid track record for RD200's; Iconic does not. The RD350 Cafe I have in the listing above yours will likely end up on BaT first (with reserve), and if it does not sell will go on Iconic; if it does not sell at auction at Iconic, I know they will continue to push for a sale - kind of like an open ended ad.
Here is the Iconic TZ listing:
Iconic TZ750 Sale (https://iconicmotorbikeauctions.com/sold/?_sft_pa_motorbike-make=yamaha&_sft_pa_motorbike-model=tz750)
Warren
Not my experience at all.
I found BAT extremely easy to work with. I am a photography enthusiast, so I had no problem providing them 100+ photos to work with. This included build photos and as bought photos and everything in between. I was happy to provide a cold start video and riding video. I mean, this is what sells the bike... You'd be foolish not to include these and framing it as a hassle is totally the wrong way to look at it. You're trying to make someone want what you have for sale. Make it as appealing as possible, let them hear the engine running, etc.
BAT was also super quick getting my bike to auction after I submitted all the info. It was a no reserve auction and was up and running within a week of them having all my pics and info in hand. They also gave me the sweet spot with a Sunday afternoon clothes, which is exactly what you want.
Really no complaints about BAT at all.
I have no experience with Iconic other than repeatedly hearing their reputation for selling junk bikes inaccurately described as much better than they really are.
Thanks for the input guys. I'm leaving on vaca to but really need to get on this when I get back. The bike is fully serviced and spit polished. I have a lot of photos but know I need some more. I'm going to review all my pictures while on vaca. Cold start and Riding for me is no problem.
My opinion on both... although I've never listed anything, I have purchased several bikes and I carefully watch both sites on a daily basis.
BaT will reach a larger audience. If it doesn't sell you're done, unless you want to list again.
Iconic has a "Classifieds" (Buy It Now) section whare a bike can continue to be listed at your reserve or a fixed price if it doesn't sell on auction.
On either I'd recommend as many photos as you can, including all sides and close-ups. Like with all photos, be sure to consider the background and don't shoot photos into the sun. And "Cold Start" and "Short Ride" videos are extremely beneficial.
BaT seems to use AI to create their descriptions and it's often incorrect and tends to pull old, unique info from a past listing or the Internet which may not apply to the bike in question. I've corrected them quite a few times for errors in specs, or things that are obvious in the photos yet the description says something else. On either site, be sure to carefully proofread the listing before it gets posted.
My 2 cents: I sold my 1996 Suzuki RGV250SP on BaT last year. It went well in the end but they talked me into a "no reserve" auction which caused some sleepless nights as the action only got going on the last day of the auction. The lead-time on getting the pics done and the verbiage was a factor, and also they didn't tell me when the listing went live so make sure you'll be around for the duration! Important to respond factually and without emotion to the comments. Some of them can be unhelpful.
Another option: If I sell another one of the fleet I would seriously consider a private listing on RSBFS (Rare Sportbikes For Sale). They don't do auction style sales so you'd need to set your price and consider offers. I listed an Aprilia RS50 with RSBFS a couple of years back and it sold same day it went live. I may have set the price too low!
Summary of Yamaha RD sales on BaT. They seem to do real well.
https://bringatrailer.com/yamaha/rd/
Hope these live updates are not considered a Hijack; day 6 after submission update - BaT finally gave me the go-ahead on the RD listing, but included a little more 'reserve' spanking:
"Ok, Warren, let's give it a shot at $XXXX. This will likely do worse in an auction with a reserve than it would in a no reserve auction, but let's see where it lands.
C. C."
Interesting take on the AI generated verbiage - now that you mention it...
Hey PDXJim (my brother lives in The Dalles, and I spent a winter in Zigzag!), glad you had good luck with BaT; it's obvious they have many happy customers judging by the numbers of vehicles sold and prices realized - just wish my previous attempts would have been better. Guess it's just the notorious "Warner luck" getting in the way. Maybe this time.
I fully agree with all the suggestions for a successful auction, and usually post riding videos on Youtube for both ad-type, and auction sales when possible. I'm going to do more close-up pics, and a riding video. There are a few 'public' previous ones on my Channel - the 1964 YD3 video sold the bike!
@Cyclewack -YouTube
It has gotten really tough to sell bikes or cars privately lately, especially vehicles from the last century. eBay was the last 'non-moderated' auction site to swirl-the-bowl; I remember back in the early 2000's, there was no need for a reserve and anything with wheels sold for good prices. I sold a few bikes on Yahoo Auctions for solid prices when they were still USA too. I have done quite well in the past using the likes of Bonhams, Mecum, Mid-America (worked there until Mecum bought them out), eBay, Iconic, (almost) BaT, and even had my own M/C specific auction-only website (Cyclewack). All I can say is it's becoming really tough to trust anyone, from the seller/buyer to the auction company. It's tedious dealing with all the crooks and scammers.
I've heard the same feedback about Iconic Motorbikes, but I go by experiences mostly. For the largest part, true motorcycle enthusiasts are quite honest; it is those trying to cash-in that make dealing tough. Today, most everyone is in it for the money and you as an enthusiast are on your own.
Warren
Quote from: Yamanatic on May 20, 2025, 12:45:03 PMHope these live updates are not considered a Hijack; day 6 after submission update - BaT finally gave me the go-ahead on the RD listing, but included a little more 'reserve' spanking:
"Ok, Warren, let's give it a shot at $XXXX. This will likely do worse in an auction with a reserve than it would in a no reserve auction, but let's see where it lands.
C. C."
Interesting take on the AI generated verbiage - now that you mention it...
Hey PDXJim (my brother lives in The Dalles, and I spent a winter in Zigzag!), glad you had good luck with BaT; it's obvious they have many happy customers judging by the numbers of vehicles sold and prices realized - just wish my previous attempts would have been better. Guess it's just the notorious "Warner luck" getting in the way. Maybe this time.
I fully agree with all the suggestions for a successful auction, and usually post riding videos on Youtube for both ad-type, and auction sales when possible. I'm going to do more close-up pics, and a riding video. There are a few 'public' previous ones on my Channel - the 1964 YD3 video sold the bike!
@Cyclewack -YouTube
It has gotten really tough to sell bikes or cars privately lately, especially vehicles from the last century. eBay was the last 'non-moderated' auction site to swirl-the-bowl; I remember back in the early 2000's, there was no need for a reserve and anything with wheels sold for good prices. I sold a few bikes on Yahoo Auctions for solid prices when they were still USA too. I have done quite well in the past using the likes of Bonhams, Mecum, Mid-America (worked there until Mecum bought them out), eBay, Iconic, (almost) BaT, and even had my own M/C specific auction-only website (Cyclewack). All I can say is it's becoming really tough to trust anyone, from the seller/buyer to the auction company. It's tedious dealing with all the crooks and scammers.
I've heard the same feedback about Iconic Motorbikes, but I go by experiences mostly. For the largest part, true motorcycle enthusiasts are quite honest; it is those trying to cash-in that make dealing tough. Today, most everyone is in it for the money and you as an enthusiast are on your own.
Warren
I appreciate the 'heads up' on selling bikes Warren. thx,Bill
Why so hung up on setting a reserve? You're not exact selling a million dollar collector car here. I didn't give a second thought.
A well prepared and presented vehicle will do well, and the market will decide.
The responsibility is on you to pimp the auction on all social media platforms, and every 2T and motorcycle page you can think of. Every bit of exposure helps.
Hello all,
I think a reserve is prudent considering today's market downturn - the current economy unrest and general malaise has made the current collector/classic market precarious at best.
Many of the more active collectors and dealers I know have backed off selling and buying until things smooth out; many are concentrating on restorations and trades.
About 1/2 (now more) of the bikes I've auctioned have been Reserved, and it has always worked well for me. If you watch the live and online auctions, 'reserves' don't necessarily hamper bidding, with few if any spiking when the reserve is met or reduced. I know when I go to auctions, I, have a set bid amount, and I bid that max (no more, ever) if there is a reserve or not, or if the bike sells or not.
I'm not sure if blanket adverts on every target sight available is a wise move. Again, been there, done that. Considering my wife counted the bikes I've bought, sold, and gave away over the years, and her giving up when I passed 1000 around Y2K, I am well set in my ways and knows what works for me. I've learned that by blanket-posting I get caught in the spam/phishing loop, getting many waste-of-time messages, and my eMail addy has wound up on the Dark Web as a Spam target - had to abandon an eMail account a few years ago, and fear my current 'commercial' addy has been compromised too. It has only happened to my 'buy/sell' account(s), and never my general correspondence accounts.
Another issue is postings on forums and newsletters that can't be deleted; I still get inquiries about bikes that I sold 10 years ago because I couldn't edit or delete them, or forgot I posted there in the first place.
It all seems to boil down to a few sites that have been proven to be productive, so I go with them and avoid the GenPop sites like Facebook (as an example). In the community, word-of-mouth is very reliable, and not so much just getting word out, but getting word out to the right people; it takes time and patience, but seems to work out best in the end. If either the buyer, seller, or both are not happy, it is a bad deal and no deal is better.
I did do a Cold Start and Ride Video yesterday and got smoked off by a Golf Cart. Oh the humiliation:
RD350 Cold Start and Ride (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmMnAHYX-R8)
Warren
Timeline update on the BaT submission process...
Day 9 - after dealing with the Curation Team to get the ad accepted and paying the $99 fee, a Production Specialist has been assigned:
"Good morning Warren, my name is Sloane and I'll be your Production Specialist. I'll be responsible for crafting your listing and collaborating with you on various details throughout the auction process. I have looked over your previous correspondence and photos to familiarize myself with your vehicle. During the process, I may need to reach out to you for additional information or clarification."
Warren
Latest BaT update:
Yesterday (day 13) I received the final draft for approval after 1 minor change - the addition of a couple pictures; I accepted and gave the OK to start the auction. This morning this notice was received:
"Hi Warren,
Your 1973 Yamaha RD350 has been scheduled on BaT.
Start date: Wednesday, May 28 at 9:55am Pacific
End date: Wednesday, June 4 at 11:14am Pacific
You will receive another email when the listing goes live with a link to your auction page."
And so it begins - 14 days total listing time:
1973 RD350 Bring-a-Trailer (https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1973-yamaha-rd350-6/)
Warren
Good luck Warren! :thumbs:
So far it sure has attracted a lot of people who have no idea what they're looking at or what they're talking about.
It took a little while for them, but I think it has finally sunk in, it's a RD350 :umm:
Hey SoCal, and anyone else contributing in the 'Comments' section there - thanks for the clarifications; a little home schooling never hurts in the RD world. I think a few of the same tire-kickers have responded to the CL ad - similar comments about the 'Cosmetic' brake upgrade too.
If I just break even on the sale I'll be happy; appreciate the well-wishes :thumbs:
Warren
Warren,
Regarding the paint colors listed, what what the source used? Those are incorrect for a '73. Stormy Red and Silky White were not used until the mid-80s, and I believe some versions of the 350LC got them so maybe that's where the confusion came from.
The correct color for the US '73 RD350 is Brandy Red (00A2). I've not seen the white color specified in any official documents from Yamaha but I'm fairly certain that it was Clean White (0036) as that color was used on other models in the timeframe. Yamaha seemed to interchange Clean White with Pearl White (0046) back in the day in official paint documents I have so I think those colors are relatively the same.
It's a great looking bike with some awesome mods. It should do well.
I agree with your assessment, but if you turn the lights off and squint really hard they are right I guess. The color combination was put in by the 'Listing Advisor;' I put down Red in the Fill-in-the-Blank part of the submission. They must have somewhere they pull 'facts' from, or the AI does it on it's own.
There are many parts of the description they excluded or added, but from experience, trying to correct or add to the verbiage turns into a very time consuming back-and-forth that usually ends in their favor anyway. I approved the listing to save time, and figured I'd add the points I felt important to the Comments section as the auction progresses.
It's kind of a 'When in Rome' deal with BaT...
Understood. :thumbs:
AI strikes again! :dawg:
Good luck with the 350 Warren. I submitted the 200 last night, let's see where it goes...
I'll be watching for the 200, and spread the word around my little world when it starts - good to see vintage Yamaha 2T's are showing up on BaT; strength in numbers!
WW
The Auction has ended.
Since I had a reserve that was not met, BaT gives the option to submit an offer to the highest bidder, which is what I did since the auction ended close to what I wanted. The seller has 24 hours to submit an offer, and the buyer has 24 hours to accept or counter-offer. You can only do the offer thing with the high bidder.
Also if you do have a reserve, the option to lower the amount goes away towards the end - I looked at 15 minutes before the auction ended, and the option was gone.
Have not heard from the high bidder, so we'll see if the RD hangs around a while longer. It's great eye-candy and really dresses up the shop!
WW