What is the Price of a Used Electric Dirt Bike?

The price of a used electric dirt bike depends on various factors. These include the seller’s expectations, e-bike mileage, and condition.

You can spend anywhere from $500 to $1000 for a used electric dirt bike. Between powerful motors and dynamic batteries, new electric dirt bikes are very tempting. However, paying the cost of new electric dirt bikes can be hard to stomach. What does using e-bikes cost?

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The Price of a Used Electric Dirt Bike in California

Prices will fluctuate wildly when buying a used electric dirt bike. Various market conditions will dictate actual prices. These include model, brand, mileage, and of course, condition.

The average price of used electric dirt bikes is $1,000, give or take.

A significant advantage of buying used is the ability to negotiate prices. The electric dirt bike has already been used.

Buying used can teach you a thing or two about where the industry is headed. You can use your experiences as a guiding force to buy a brand-new e-bike.

Price Range Summary for Used Electric Dirt Bikes

It helps to evaluate the price of used e-bikes based on their motor capability. A beefier motor will have a lower depreciation rate than a smaller one.

This is demonstrated by the table below:

Motor Size	Low-end Cost	Mid-range Cost	High-end Cost
250W	$300	$400	$600
500W	$500	$600	$800
1000W	$650	$800	$1000

The depreciation rate for electric dirt bikes follows a predictable downward trajectory. Generally, a new electric dirt bike will lose about 1/5 of its original value.

A major reason for depreciation is the battery pack itself. As you may know, lithium-ion batteries are notorious for losing their charge capacities.

The average number of charge cycles for lithium-ion batteries is 500 cycles. This may seem like a small number. However, if you take good care of it, the battery can last over 5 years.

The battery is the main reason why electric dirt bikes depreciate. Rare battery packs are harder to replace. This can further depreciate their sales value.

Moreover, electric dirt bikes in California lose their value when you buy them. A fair estimate suggests that dirt e-bikes depreciate at 15% per year.

The exact number depends on how the original owner handled the e-bike. A brand new Oxyn RCR eBike costs $6,000.

It will likely have a market value of $3000 after two or three years. No-name brands fare even worse with negative deprecation values.

Finally, DIY kits for e-bikes are at the lower end of the totem pole. Their depreciation rates are some of the worst we’ve seen.

We suggest against buying used DIY kits for e-bikes. The savings you get are not worth the hassle.

A Case Study of Electric Dirt Bike Depreciation

Let’s analyze the case of an electric dirt bike to appreciate the concept of depreciation fully. Our example is the Onyx RCR electric dirt bike.

The MSRP value of this e-bike is $5,800. You can expect to pay over $6,000 after delivery charges. This e-bike can carry you for several miles on a single charge.

You can take this dirt bike on mountain trails and off-roading as well. You also don’t need to carry out much maintenance.

A used Onyx RCR will look worn out with untidy patches of paint. There may be dents here and there, but the motor system performs well.

What price can you expect to pay for the e-bike after three years? A reasonable estimate is that you can expect to pay $2000 for this e-bike.

There will be plenty of prospective buyers for this e-bike. So you might want to buy it before someone else closes the deal.

This is because the Onyx lineup of e-bikes is popular. At the same time, they are known to be pretty expensive.

Minor scratches, loose paint, and denting can be fixed up easily. It would also cost less to get this e-bike in a functional state than to buy brand new.

A major plus point is that the battery of these e-bikes works is designed for longevity. Entry-level electric dirt bikes are bound to fare far worse in the used market.

Let’s take the Aventure dirt bike for example. MSRP value for the Aventure is $3,000 (depending on where you live).

A few years later, you can expect to pay under $1000 for it. This is because buyers know that the Aventon lineup is aimed at the budget market.

The manufacturer may be incentivized to use inferior components likely to kick the bucket.

As a result, buyers will be less willing to pay anywhere near its MSRP value. Most sellers would be happy to secure $500 for the Aventure.

Where Can I Buy Used Electric Dirt Bikes in California?

Some brands sell refurbished e-bikes, but this isn’t commonplace. Some local retailers also sell used e-bikes. They rebrand the used e-bike as ‘pre-loved’. It’s a trendy way of saying that the e-bike has been around the block.

Most people buy used electric dirt bikes from a local seller via online marketplaces. These marketplaces include Craigslist, Facebook, and eBay.

The seller’s prices are usually sky-high. This is because they’re testing the waters on what they can get away with. In practice, they will sell the used e-bike for much less.

You can get a general sense of real-world prices by observing e-bikes throughout the site. Don’t be fooled by e-bikes that are sold for the advertised price.

The e-bike seller has accepted an offer that they are not advertising. What goes on behind the computer screen isn’t available for viewing.

How Much Can I Save When Buying a Used eBike?

The answer is that it depends.

You might find a barely used e-bike at a fraction of the retail price. In this case, you can save several hundred dollars compared to MSRP.

In general, e-bikes with 50 miles or less will result in savings worth $300. In all honesty, there isn’t much data to go around for used e-bike prices.

It will take a little longer to get more data. However, we can extrapolate based on what we know from trends on eBay and Amazon.

You can save up to 40% for a barely-used electric dirt bike. Others will save around 20% as much.

Most electric dirt bike manufacturers are running promo campaigns throughout the year. You might just find a brand new e-bike for a low price. It’s a question of being at the right place and at the right time.

Tips for Buying a Used Electric Dirt Bike

Before you spend your money on a used electric dirt bike, here are a few tips.

Use the Battery as a Bargaining Chip

Improve your odds of securing a lower price by learning about battery usage. As we know, an e-bike’s battery will degrade regardless of how much action it saw.

Temperature changes also accelerate the degradation process, as do multiple charge cycles.

You can ask the seller to provide you with diagnostics about the bike. Ask them how many miles the e-bike traveled.

You can use this figure to arrive at an estimate of the charge cycles left. Comparing this to the original rating will give you an idea of what’s left.

Don’t expect 100% battery life on a used e-bike. Don’t be disappointed if there are only half as many charge cycles left. Most riders won’t rack up this much mileage anyway.

Bonus points if the e-bike manufacturer provides a battery warranty to you. But we wouldn’t expect it.

Determine How Much Range You Need

Electric dirt bikes are evolving at a rapid pace. The latest models are more efficient and add so much more range than previous years.

You should manage your expectations depending on the age of the bike. Try to estimate the range you need depending on your riding habits.

Purchasing a high-end electric dirt bike gives you over 60 miles of range. But you’ll pay a hefty premium for all that range.

Moreover, next year’s model will have even more range. For most riders, 40 miles is more than enough.

While more range is better, they are not necessary. You can save more money by choosing an e-bike that has a shorter range.

Buy Used Electric Dirt Bikes from Mild Climates

It is strongly recommended to buy used e-bikes from mild climates. This is because extreme temperatures can severely reduce the ranges of the e-bike.

Steer clear of e-bikes that have been used in sweltering climates.

Get a Detailed Report on the Maintenance History

Most electric dirt bikes require far less maintenance than gasoline dirt bikes. However, they are still motorized vehicles with wheels and brakes.

Like anything else that touches the tarmac, they will wear out and require repair. So you should ask the previous owner about any maintenance or service history you can see.

Evaluate the Appearance of the eBike

No matter who you buy the e-bike from, always inspect it thoroughly. Take it to an expert for a complete inspection.

Ask the previous owner if you can test-ride the e-bike. Do your inspection in daylight to get a better view of the e-bike.

Look for scratches, rust, and dent around the e-bike’s frame. The paint should be uniform across the frame. If you think a dent was patched, apply a small magnet to it.

The magnet won’t stick to a surface filled with body filler. Rust is a major cause for concern. So you should check for them thoroughly.

You also need to inspect the suspension. Walk around the e-bike to see if it’s at sitting level.

Apply a small amount of force on the bike. If the suspension is in good shape, the e-bike should rebound just once.

It should not bounce back and forth like a worn-out spring. You can also learn a lot about the e-bike from its tires.

If there are tires from different brands on the e-bike, ask why they were replaced. The tread wear on both tires should be uniform.

Before you close the deal, have the e-bike scrutinized by an expert at a repair shop. This person should perform diagnostic work.

The previous owner should not have any problem lending the e-bike to have it inspected. They might ask for some identification before giving the e-bike to you.

A thorough diagnostic should cost around $30 to $50 depending on how complex the e-bike is. Ask the expert to provide you with a report detailing the bike’s condition.

The report should contain any problems they found and the cost to repair them. You can use this report to negotiate with the seller.

You Get What You Pay For

Always remember the adage: you get what you pay for.

If a seller gives extremely low prices; they may be selling a faulty ebike. Perhaps they know that the batteries are nearly dead.

This is very common in climates with fluctuating temperatures. It is recommended to store e-bike batteries at a temperature of about 55°F.

Why should you care so much about the battery? Because it is nearly as expensive as the e-bike itself.

A new battery pack can cost several hundred dollars on the market. Moreover, it would be hard to find a compatible battery for off-brand e-bikes.

Battery replacement may also cost you a fortune depending on the installation technique. What’s the point in getting a used e-bike if you pay $700 for the battery?

The savings cancel out, don’t they? Other items that wear out easily are disc brakes. They can be hard to replace. Check the brakes for signs of damage before buying the bike.

If essential components like the battery need to be replaced, the cost of ownership goes up.

Wrapping Up – What is the Price of a Used Electric Dirt Bike?

The bottom line is: it depends on the seller and their expectations.

The price of a used e-bike from a popular brand is about 50-70% off MSRP. And the price of a used e-bike from a less popular brand is about 30% to 40%.

But the true cost of ownership depends on whether you have to replace the components. Replacing the battery is the equivalent of spending retail prices for the used e-bike.

This is why we recommend a thorough inspection before buying a used electric bike. Have you purchased a used electric dirt bike before? If so, how long did it last you?

Share your experiences with us and we will update this space with more information!