Cost to detail Harley?

jimmybuffit

jimmybuffit

That'll buff right out!
I've washed several bikes, but never a complete detail. My shop averages $175 for sedans, and $225 for most SUVs.



I've already done 4 cars for this gentleman. He says the bike is very "chromey". It is a garage queen.



Any help on pricing guidelines? Thanks!



Jim
 
jimamary said:
I've washed several bikes, but never a complete detail. My shop averages $175 for sedans, and $225 for most SUVs.



I've already done 4 cars for this gentleman. He says the bike is very "chromey". It is a garage queen.



Any help on pricing guidelines? Thanks!



Jim
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Jim,



Detailing a Harley is a labor of love.



I have done a few Harleys and I probably over-charge a bit. My prices for an average Harley are about 25% more than most SUV's. Then again, I like to take my time[usually about 5 to 6 hrs], enjoy the work and make certain that the job is done right. And my customers really don't mind the high price either.



Hey, where else can they get someone they can trust to take good care of their Harley.



Have fun...
 
It depends on the condition of the bike. A garage queen in excellent shape, $75-100 depending on how intricate the chrome work is (about 2-3 hours of work...S100 Total Cycle Cleaner really saves a lot of time with the initial cleaning). A bike that needs extensive polishing, deep cleaning, etc you can expect to spend 4-6 hours and should charge accordingly ($125-200).
 
I'm with Scott and Frank. The last custom bike I did took longer than I thought it would, about 5 hours. I charged too little and next time will price them more like cars or a little higher, $150-200.
 
Bret-pretty suprising how much time it can take to detail something the size of a Harley, eh? Harley owners can afford it anyway if they want it done right. Have you priced a new one lately? :eek:
 
Scottwax said:
Bret-pretty suprising how much time it can take to detail something the size of a Harley, eh? Harley owners can afford it anyway if they want it done right. Have you priced a new one lately? :eek:
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I was into Harleys a few years ago and wanted one bad but they were at the height of their popularity with used ones selling for more than new prices so all I could afford was a jacket :D



The Atlanta Journal Constitution had a small article about a local motorcycle detailer a while back. I can't recall if he mentioned pricing (prolly did) but I do recall he said he had all the biz he could handle.
 
Scottwax said:
Bret-pretty suprising how much time it can take to detail something the size of a Harley, eh? Harley owners can afford it anyway if they want it done right. Have you priced a new one lately? :eek:
Click to expand...



Ya know, I really never knew how much time I could spend detailing a Harley until I actually did one. That is when I found out that it is the kind of thing that you can't do in a hurry.



Most of the bikes that I get to do are owned by my current car detailing customers. So they already know how I take my time with their car and it's only natural that I would be the one to take care of their bike.



Since they can see how much time I spend on their bike they are more than willing to pay the high price.



Also, when you can slow down and really take your time it's so enjoyable that you almost get the feeling that you should be paying them. Hey, I wouldn't tell them that.



I get that same feeling when I'm working on those boats at their docks in the middle of summer.



When you have the job priced right you can really sit back and enjoy the view.
 
"When you have the job priced right you can really sit back and enjoy the view."



Agreed! Most Harleys are a rolling work of art!
 
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