What Modifications Are Worth It?

Modifying your motorcycle is a way you can truly make it your own – and these days there’s no shortage of options available to extensively modify your motorcycle in practically any way you can imagine.

Starting from a strong base, you can tweak your motorcycle to perfectly reflect your style while upgrading its performance and comfort – a genuine custom ride meant just for you.

With the widespread availability of parts, options, and tutorials, modifying one’s motorcycle is as popular as it’s ever been. In fact, for some, it’s as much a part of the experience of motorcycle ownership as riding.

That said, when you modify your motorcycle, you are doing it for you, not the next rider. 

If minimizing depreciation is of prime importance, the fact is you’re unlikely to beat a clean, stock bike. Not that some modifications don’t have the potential to increase your bike’s value to a degree – it’s just extremely unlikely they’ll raise it enough to keep pace with actual initial investment in parts and labor to execute those mods.

But if you do plan to customize your motorcycle and do so in a way that doesn’t devastate its resale value, you can still pick and choose wisely.

Modifications That Generally Increase Resale Value

Matters of Practicality and Safety

Modifications that are nearly universally agreed upon as a sensible upgrade over stock – effectively equivalent to the premium options made available at the time of purchase on a new vehicle – can help give you the edge in terms of value versus untouched examples of the same bike.

Here we’re talking about things like uprated luggage, taller screens, and heated grips for touring bikes, or higher-spec brakes and tires and crash sliders for sportbikes.

Reversible and/or Modular Mods

Alterations that can be easily undone – particularly when you include all of the original stock parts – are a slam dunk upgrade from stock. Slip-on exhaust systems or quick-change body work stand as but two examples.

Modifications That Might Increase Resale Value

Tastefully Done Cosmetic Upgrades

A professionally done paint job – particularly when still in the spirit of the original look – may help your bike stand out. So too could aftermarket seats and other tasteful aesthetic alterations.

However, even when well done, it’s worth noting it’s still likely to slash your potential buyer pool – at least in terms of those willing to pay beyond what they would for a showroom stock used bike. 

 Modifications That Generally Decrease Resale Value

Over the Top

Wild cosmetic changes that radically alter the look of the bike – be it in paint, plastic, or chrome – may make it the perfect bike for you, but it’s liable to radically alter its resale value in a negative way as well.

Sure, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and it only takes one. Good luck finding that one.

Loud and Legally Questionable

Loud pipes that push the limits of legality and race-tuned engines will scare off riders, both due to what the bike is and where it’s been.

Home-Brew

Any modifications completed at less than professional level will cause your bike’s resale value to plummet. So if you’re going to DIY, make sure you can actually do it yourself.

Missing Pieces

Hold onto those original parts. As stated above, buyers will be a lot more forgiving with your alterations if they can be easily undone.

If you haven’t, you can expect to pay for it, as a second-hand buyer will not.

Appreciate vs. Depreciate

Don’t let this scare you off – make your mods and make your bike your own. It’s a wonderful way to get the most out of your motorcycle. 

However, there are ways to do it that will both accomplish that goal without sending used bike shoppers running for the hills. It only makes (dollars and) sense to take that into consideration before you start tinkering.