High overseas demand for secondhand UK motorcycles

Mainland Europeans seek cheap secondhand machines at UK auctions

Posted: 18 February 2009
by Visordown News

EVER DECREASING values of secondhand bikes in the UK are attracting a huge number of overseas buyers, says BCA Car and Motorcycle Auctions (BCA).

The company auctions around 200 motorcycles each month at their Peterborough centre. Their most recent sale attracted substantial export interest from European-based buyers.

BCA says the used motorcycle market is currently enjoying a significant rise in demand, partly from overseas buyers, as well as UK bidders looking for a cheap form of everyday transport.

BCA Peterborough Manager, Andrew McDonald: “Our most recent specialist motorbike sale at Peterborough on 30th January attracted around 300 buyers. Mainland European buyers represented nearly 10% of the crowd. With the strength of the Euro against the Pound, these buyers were looking at export opportunities, particularly with the higher value sports bikes, tourers and performance machines."

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Discuss this story

Speedy.

Here we go, motorcycle theft will go up substantially.

Posted: 18/02/2009 at 09:12

FatBoyTim

my friend sold a bike to a guy from Denmark, who makes a trip every month and buys up 2nd hand uk bikes fills a big van then takes them back to sell over there

stolen bikes and cars have been making their way to europe for years

Posted: 18/02/2009 at 09:17

IIIrd

there's a good exchange rate if have euros at the moment

Posted: 18/02/2009 at 11:43

iBurty

T509Speedy wrote (see)

Here we go, motorcycle theft will go up substantially.

It's not going to make a difference to theft. Demand has risen because the Euro is strong against the £. Not because the Europeans want more bikes, just that UK bikes are cheap to buy at the moment. Costs to nick them probably won't be affected a great deal.

Posted: 18/02/2009 at 11:55

FJSRiDER.

Nothing new here.

10 years ago we were getting offered lots of new 'grey' bikes from Europe from shysters masquerading as dealers - made some economic sense when the £ was stronger.

@20 years ago we were 'flooded' (relatively) with used Harleys in what I suspect was a bid to build up demand in the market for Harley to ramp up new imports - and I've often wondered were all our used Sportsters go. I suspect they have been going to eastern Europe (until recently) for much the same reason.

Old British classics were appearing from the US recently which may have gone some way to offset those that were disappearing off to Japan in the late 80's.

And so on.

Posted: 18/02/2009 at 13:25