Can I Write Off a Motorcycle Purchase as a Business Marketing Expense?

So if I've been taking photos of it for my business Instagram and using it in promotional content, but also riding it on weekends for fun, how exactly do I calculate that percentage? Do I need to track miles or something?

For calculating the business use percentage, you should keep a detailed mileage log showing total miles and business miles. Record the date, destination, business purpose, and miles for each business trip. You can use a simple logbook or one of many mileage tracking apps. For marketing photos and promotional content creation, you should document these activities separately - date, time spent, description of content created, and how it was used for business purposes. If the bike is stationary during a photoshoot, it's not about miles but rather documenting the business marketing activity.

Does it work for sole proprietors too or just for established businesses? I'm in a similar situation with my custom drift car that I use to promote my automotive vinyl wrap business.

I'm skeptical... how does an AI actually determine what percentage of use is legitimately business? Sounds like they're just giving you the answer you want to hear to get your money.

It absolutely works for sole proprietors - that's actually what I was when I first used it. The system is designed to work with any business structure, from sole props to S-corps and LLCs. They helped me understand how to properly document business use for my Schedule C. As for the skepticism, they don't just give you the answer you want. What they do is analyze your specific situation against actual tax court cases and IRS guidance. They're not determining the percentage for you - they're giving you the documentation framework and guidance based on similar real-world cases that have been successfully defended. The goal is to help you substantiate whatever legitimate business use percentage you have with proper documentation.

How does this even work? The IRS phone system is notoriously impossible to navigate. Are you saying this service somehow bypasses the normal wait times?

Sounds too good to be true. I've literally spent entire days on hold with the IRS and never got through. If this actually works, I'd be shocked.

It doesn't bypass the system - it just waits in it for you. Basically they use automated technology to navigate the IRS phone tree and then hold your place in the queue. When an actual human agent picks up, their system calls your phone and connects you directly to that agent. You still have to wait the same amount of time someone would normally wait, but you don't have to personally sit there on hold for hours. The service definitely works - I was skeptical too until I tried it. I had been trying to get through to the IRS for days about my business vehicle deduction question. With Claimyr, I was connected to an agent in about 45 minutes while I continued working on other things. Made a huge difference in getting clear guidance on my specific situation.

I hadn't actually thought about leasing! I already purchased it outright, but that's definitely something to consider for the future. Would there be any way to sell it to my business and then lease it back somehow? Or is that getting into sketchy territory?

Selling to your own business and leasing back is possible but gets complicated tax-wise. You'd need to establish a fair market value for the sale, and the IRS might scrutinize the transaction more closely since it's between related parties (you and your business). If you've already purchased it personally, the cleaner approach might be to properly document the business use percentage as others suggested and take the appropriate deduction that way. For future vehicles though, leasing through the business from the start can simplify things significantly, especially for vehicles that have mixed business/personal use.

This is super important. I had to get special insurance for my truck that I use for my landscaping company's marketing. Regular personal motorcycle insurance might not cover you if they determine you're using it for business purposes.

This is really solid advice about tracking the business metrics! I've been focused on the tax deduction side but hadn't really thought about documenting the actual business results from using the bike at events. Do you have any suggestions for what specific metrics would be most convincing to the IRS? I'm thinking things like taking photos at each event showing the bike drawing crowds, keeping a log of business conversations that happened because of the bike, and maybe tracking any social media engagement from posts featuring it? Also, you mentioned the customization work being a strong point - would receipts for things like custom paint, logo application, and performance modifications that showcase our fabrication work all count as legitimate business expenses too?

@Freya Pedersen Great questions! For metrics that would satisfy the IRS, I d'focus on quantifiable business outcomes: 1. **Lead tracking**: Keep a simple spreadsheet with event dates, estimated foot traffic to your bike, business cards collected/given out, and follow-up contacts made. Even rough estimates help show business intent. 2. **Revenue attribution**: Track any jobs or sales that came from event contacts, even if it s'just met "John at bike show, he hired us for custom exhaust work 2 weeks later - $800 job. 3." **Social media metrics**: Screenshots of engagement on posts featuring the bike, website traffic spikes after events, new followers gained, etc. For the customization expenses, yes - receipts for custom paint, professional logo application, and modifications that demonstrate your business capabilities should all be deductible as marketing expenses. The key is that they serve a business purpose beyond personal enjoyment. Performance mods are trickier - if they re'showcasing your fabrication skills like (custom intake, exhaust work, etc. and) you can document how they demonstrate your capabilities to potential customers, they re'stronger business expenses than mods that are purely for performance/personal enjoyment. Keep photos showing the progression from stock bike to branded marketing tool - this visual documentation helps establish the business transformation.

This is really helpful advice about treating it as a marketing asset rather than a standard business vehicle! I'm just getting started with proper business documentation, so I'm curious - when you say "marketing asset," does that change how I depreciate it or what forms I need to use? Also, regarding the business insurance point - I hadn't even thought about that potential gap in coverage. Do you know if I need to completely switch to commercial motorcycle insurance, or can I add some kind of business rider to my personal policy? The bike is probably on the road for personal use more often than business events, but I want to make sure I'm covered when I am using it for business purposes. The transition from hobby to business angle is interesting too. Should I be documenting that transition somehow, like keeping records of when I formally established the business versus when I bought the bike?

@Millie Long Great follow-up questions! For the marketing asset classification, you d'still typically use Form 4562 for depreciation, but you might have more flexibility with Section 179 expensing since it s'equipment used directly in your marketing activities. The key difference is in how you document and justify the business purpose - marketing assets often get more favorable treatment for mixed-use situations. For insurance, you ll'likely need to notify your current insurer about the business use and possibly add a commercial rider. Many insurers offer hybrid policies for situations like yours where it s'primarily personal but has business applications. Don t'risk having a claim denied because they discover the business use after the fact. Regarding documenting the hobby-to-business transition - absolutely keep records! Save your business registration paperwork, any licenses obtained, when you opened business banking accounts, etc. This timeline helps establish that the motorcycle purchase aligns with legitimate business development rather than looking like you re'retrofitting a personal purchase for tax benefits. The IRS likes to see a clear business evolution story, so documentation showing you were formalizing the business around the same time as the motorcycle purchase strengthens your case considerably.

This is excellent advice about consistency across all business documentation! I hadn't thought about the importance of listing the motorcycle as a business asset on other filings too. The before/after photo documentation is brilliant - I actually do have some photos from when I first got the bike before any of the custom work, so I can definitely put together that visual timeline showing the business transformation. Regarding the CPA consultation, do you have any suggestions for finding one who specifically understands automotive businesses? I imagine the nuances of vehicle-based marketing expenses might be pretty specialized compared to more traditional business deductions. And you're absolutely right about the ongoing expenses - I've been throwing all my receipts in a shoebox but clearly need a better system for tracking which trips and maintenance are business-related versus personal.