Is it worth considering purchasing from a private party and shipping cross country? How would you inspect the bike to be reasonably sure it was in the stated condition? Do you put the money in escrow until the bike arrives and is inspected on the receiving end? Any experiences or insights appreciated. Again, this is private party, not from a dealer.
I've bought & sold several long distance bikes over the years. Shipping is easy because there are so many respected companies offering the service, plus USHIP. Cross country is about $650. -$750.
I know there are inspection companies for cars, because I've used them & cost about $350. Not sure about bikes. But this might be easier an a lot cheaper: Ask the Forum if someone lives near the seller & if they will inspect the bike for you. Smart Phones have videos so you can see & hear the bike in real time. 98% of the sellers are honest. Just my suggestion, Rocket
Face time or Skipe are good ways to view the bike. Google private party inspection places in their area as well. You are always going to take a chance. You can google the person to check for any red flags.
I've bought several bikes long distance and used shippers. No escrow, just lots of talks with the seller to get a good feel for their sincerity and honesty, and always ask for more and closer photos than they have available. You can get a good feel by how they accommodate you with regard to photos and talking to you on the phone. Listen to your inner feelings. If something doesn't seem right, err on the side of caution and move on to something else.
I agree, google them and also try to find some posts they make on a forum. You just may find posts about a bike you're considering buying where the seller mentions problems.
Thanks, all. These are really helpful comments. It's going to be a big leap in faith for me. I'm the kind of person who always thinks about what can go wrong.
Tell us what you are looking at. (We're not going to jump in front of you!)
What makes it so special that cross country is worth it?
Unless it's the 2014 Deluxe in New England. Then I understand.
I'd be curious to know what others think a 2014 Deluxe might be worth.
Perhaps I've been fortunate, but I've bought and sold bikes from across the country several times, sight unseen, without issue, consequence, or regret. I do agree a character test is important. I always use HaulBikes to ship bikes and strongly recommend them. They are currently offering a $575 deal, anywhere to anywhere in the U.S., no crating or palletizing required, no need to drain fluids, no need to remove the battery.
http://haulbikes.com/
(10-04-2015, 05:37 AM)CB360T_imp Wrote: [ -> ]Is it worth considering purchasing from a private party and shipping cross country? How would you inspect the bike to be reasonably sure it was in the stated condition? Do you put the money in escrow until the bike arrives and is inspected on the receiving end? Any experiences or insights appreciated. Again, this is private party, not from a dealer.
I have bought 3 shipped bikes. Two where fine and in described shape by the owner. The 3rd looked great in photo's but was a dog. I looked up the owner who was the CEO of a medical group in Kentucky. Stand up guy who had recently bought the bike a few years back. Can't really blame the guy who knew nothing about motorcycles. He did reimburse me the shipping fee after a long list of problems.The moral of this story is some people can be honest but just don't understand bikes.
I you give us the location of the bike, maybe a member is close by and can take a look at the bike.
It's a 2013 CB1100 listed on Craigslist in Erie, PA for $6300 with under 700 miles. Why would a person take a hit and sell a bike after only a few hundred miles? I guess each person's story is different.
The pics seem to show an ABS ring on the rear wheel, but on pics showing the front wheel, I don't clearly see the ABS ring. Looks to be a decent price if this is an ABS standard model from 2013. The listing does not say ABS, so maybe I am wrong on what I think I might be seeing in the photos.
It seems dealers in other parts of the country will sell a 2013 non-ABS standard for $7500 + tax/license. Dealers in the Seattle area don't seem to be as hungry. That's what makes these low mileage Craigslist listings interesting to me. Plus, If I really want an ABS model, I believe used is about the only option left.
I looked at the pic's and it's not an abs, still a great price......