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[wavelet]

https://www.zeromotorcycles.com/custom/cash-for-carbon

IIUC, for people trading in an ICE bike when buying a new SR/S or SR/F, Zero will throw in an extra $1500 in addition to whatever the dealer offers as trade-in value for the ICE bike.
The offer is for the US only, until August 15.

I see the logic -- the assumption (which seems to hold for this forum, incidentally) is that most potential Zero purchasers already have at least one if not several ICE bikes, and therefore want to sell one on buying the Zero.
Many dealers don't like the overhead of selling used bikes, esp. of brand they don't otherwise sell or service, so tend to offer pretty low trade-in value; this makes trade-ins more attractive to the dealer and so helps the end customer.

I'm curious how many more sales this might generate.

[DonTom]

IIUC, for people trading in an ICE bike when buying a new SR/S or SR/F, Zero will throw in an extra $1500 in addition to whatever the dealer offers as trade-in value for the ICE bike.
The offer is for the US only, until August 15.

I see the logic -- the assumption (which seems to hold for this forum, incidentally) is that most potential Zero purchasers already have at least one if not several ICE bikes, and therefore want to sell one on buying the Zero.
Many dealers don't like the overhead of selling used bikes, esp. of brand they don't otherwise sell or service, so tend to offer pretty low trade-in value; this makes trade-ins more attractive to the dealer and so helps the end customer.

I'm curious how many more sales this might generate.

That  could cause me to trade in one of my ICE bikes on a Zero SR/S Premium.

And it's all your fault!

-Don-  Reno, NV

[TheRan]

I wonder if there will be a minimum time period that you must have owned the ICE bike for, otherwise you could go and buy a shitter for a couple hundred to trade in. We had something similar here in the UK years ago but with cars, trade in your old beater for a new one (don't remember if it was just electrics) and get a couple grand. I'm pretty sure at the beginning there were no conditions other than it had to be road legal and used car prices went up, then they introduced an age limit so it had to be a car you'd owned and used for some time and not bought just to trade it in.

[wavelet]

I wonder if there will be a minimum time period that you must have owned the ICE bike for, otherwise you could go and buy a shitter for a couple hundred to trade in. We had something similar here in the UK years ago but with cars, trade in your old beater for a new one (don't remember if it was just electrics) and get a couple grand. I'm pretty sure at the beginning there were no conditions other than it had to be road legal and used car prices went up, then they introduced an age limit so it had to be a car you'd owned and used for some time and not bought just to trade it in.

I'm not in the US, so am not going to research this; however,  recall that this isn't a government mandate, but an incentive by a private company for its dealers (and the reason they did this rather than lower the new-bike price is that most buyers would want to sell an existing bike they have).  I interpret the phrasing

The gas motorcycle trade-in requirements are determined by your local authorized Zero Motorcycles dealership

to mean that whether a used bike qualifies is basically up to the dealership.

They're not going to accept a bike in trade that isn't fully running, and highly doubtful it's worth a dealer's time or showroom space to place any bike worth <$4-5K or so.

This place claims to be California's largest used-bike dealer; the cheapest bike in their stock is near $6K .

[shayan]

IIUC, for people trading in an ICE bike when buying a new SR/S or SR/F, Zero will throw in an extra $1500 in addition to whatever the dealer offers as trade-in value for the ICE bike.
The offer is for the US only, until August 15.

I see the logic -- the assumption (which seems to hold for this forum, incidentally) is that most potential Zero purchasers already have at least one if not several ICE bikes, and therefore want to sell one on buying the Zero.
Many dealers don't like the overhead of selling used bikes, esp. of brand they don't otherwise sell or service, so tend to offer pretty low trade-in value; this makes trade-ins more attractive to the dealer and so helps the end customer.

I'm curious how many more sales this might generate.

That  could cause me to trade in one of my ICE bikes on a Zero SR/S Premium.

And it's all your fault!

-Don-  Reno, NV

You could then do a pros and cons of all your electric bikes and what you use them foe! That would probably be useful information for all

[DonTom]

Many dealers don't like the overhead of selling used bikes, esp. of brand they don't otherwise sell or service, so tend to offer pretty low trade-in value; this makes trade-ins more attractive to the dealer and so helps the end customer.

Used bikes is where motorcycle dealers make their largest profits, so that's why the low trade in value. Many say they really make their money on the buy.

But sales are always that way. It is usually very expensive to sell things fast. You get your best deals when you have time to waste and don't mind the hassles, selling elsewhere. Dealers make it go very easy to sell them (or trade in) your bike.

But as always, you get what you pay for.

Usually, I am willing to pay a lot for such convenience. I don't like hassles.

-Don-  Reno, NV

[valnar]

I wouldn't be surprised if Zero comes out with a caveat soon, or lets it be "dealer discretion".  No one is going to let a 125cc dirt bike be used, unless that happens to be the bread & butter of that particular dealer.

It think it would have to be a bike they would normally take in.

[af1 racing]

only thing is it has to be a 17 digit VIN trade-in.   Yes, you can trade in any condition, working or not POS gas burner.   Go buy a $300 beater and trade it in....you are still way ahead even if the dealer only gives you $1 for it. 

You just got a $1501 trade credit.   We don't have to resell every trade in -- there is also auctions, part outs, scrap yards, recycling, and for total junkers, there is team building target practice.

[wavelet]

only thing is it has to be a 17 digit VIN trade-in.   Yes, you can trade in any condition, working or not POS gas burner.   Go buy a $300 beater and trade it in....you are still way ahead even if the dealer only gives you $1 for it. 

You just got a $1501 trade credit.   We don't have to resell every trade in -- there is also auctions, part outs, scrap yards, recycling,

Interesting to hear a dealer's perspective, thanks!
So do you think this might be a significant sales driver?

and for total junkers, there is team building target practice.

I like the way you think   

[DonTom]

only thing is it has to be a 17 digit VIN trade-in. 

Which means they will not want my 1971 BMW R75/5. Its VIN is only seven digits. I guess they don't care for antique motorcycles.

Even my 1983 and a half (really!) Yamaha Venture is a 17 digit VIN.

It is a 1984 Model built in 1983, so it is called the "1983 and a half" Venture. It is a 1984 model for parts (many 1983 parts will NOT fit it) but by law had to be registered as a 1983 to avoid a new tax in 1984.  That 1984 tax  was so it would help bail out Harley in 1984 for larger bikes (above 1000 CC)  built after Jan 1, 1984.

-Don-  Cold Springs Valley, NV

[vinceherman]

I am not trying to bash Zero or any dealers with this train of thought.
But I think that a promotion like this is going to be misleading.
I really think that the dealer is going to lowball the offer for tradeins (more than their business practices usually do) during this promotion.
Maybe not for the full $1500, but a substantial percentage.

I do not think that the buyer is going to get a 1500 value out of this promotion.

[Curt]

I really think that the dealer is going to lowball the offer for tradeins (more than their business practices usually do) during this promotion.
Maybe not for the full $1500, but a substantial percentage.

The deal seems well-designed and appropriately incented. The $1500 comes from Zero and does not go to the dealer. The dealer gets a trade-in for whatever they'd normally offer for a trade-in.

A buyer might cave in and accept less for a trade-in because they're getting $1500. That possibility would appeal to dealers. However, it's completely up to the customer to decide if they're happy with the deal, and thus perfectly fair. There is no conflict of interest, just a win-win.