Used Bike Test Ride Etiquette & Protocol

[Gone in 60]

Having been an insurance claims adjuster, I’ll make the comment that as a private party seller, it’s important to fully understand your policy before you let a stranger test ride your bike.

In most cases, insurance follows the vehicle, not the driver. So a buyer who says “don’t worry, I’m insured” is probably irrelevant in the case of an accident. Also, there are “named driver only” policies that would render the bike uninsured if someone other than the owner is riding.

[LongRanger_imp]

Meanwhile, when I demo a new bike at a dealership, they require my proof of insurance, which implies my carrier will be providing the coverage.

[KiowaEagle_imp]

From what I understand for the most part Collision insurance stays with the bike, Liability with the insured rider. So if you go down with the dealers or sellers bike their insurance covers any damages to the bike but your insurance covers that car you hit or injuries sustained.

[LongRanger_imp]

MTC, what say you?

[Gone in 60]

All depends on how the policy is written, and where. In California, comprehensive/collision and liability follow the vehicle. If you wreck a dealer’s bike, their insurance would most likely be primary, since they own the bikes, but their carrier would subrogate, meaning they’d seek compensation from your carrier for the damages they paid for after the fact.

Same basic deal with rental cars, or at least has been in the case of the rentals I’ve either covered or had the misfortune of damaging.

My point is, as a seller, make sure you know what your coverage is. The saddest claim I ever investigated was a lady who didn’t realize she was the only named driver on her own policy. She let a friend borrow her new car, and her friend wrecked it. There was no coverage in that case and the lady was stuck with it. She cried that her agent never told her she was the only person covered to drive her own car, but a quick glance at the policy declaration page spelled it out. Likely that her agent didn’t explain it clearly enough to her.

[Stichill_imp]

There's no free lunch, eh? You might get a lower premium for your coverage but strings will be attached.

I know a guy who went to look at a used bike. The owner said he would not allow test rides but that he would demonstrate the bike on the road with the buyer following. The owner then proceeded to grab a handful of front brake during the demo ride and dropped the bike hard at an intersection, trashing the bike and hurting himself. The buyer helped him out but of course said no thanks to the bike.

[KiowaEagle_imp]

There's no free lunch, eh? You might get a lower premium for your coverage but strings will be attached.

I know a guy who went to look at a used bike. The owner said he would not allow test rides but that he would demonstrate the bike on the road with the buyer following. The owner then proceeded to grab a handful of front brake during the demo ride and dropped the bike hard at an intersection, trashing the bike and hurting himself. The buyer helped him out but of course said no thanks to the bike.

OUCH!!!

[Stichill_imp]

There's no free lunch, eh? You might get a lower premium for your coverage but strings will be attached.

I know a guy who went to look at a used bike. The owner said he would not allow test rides but that he would demonstrate the bike on the road with the buyer following. The owner then proceeded to grab a handful of front brake during the demo ride and dropped the bike hard at an intersection, trashing the bike and hurting himself. The buyer helped him out but of course said no thanks to the bike.

OUCH!!!

The moral of the story for me: it's bad if the owner crashes on the demo ride, but it would be way worse (for all involved) if the buyer did so.

[Charlie Bravo_imp]

Buying/selling tales: I was very interested in an immaculate late-model green Triumph Trophy 1200. I looked at it, took a short test ride, and told the seller I'd buy it. Trying to get myself over to his house proved futile in the next several days. He said No problem, I'll deliver it to your house on a trailer. I said Great. He arrived, towing a trailer with the bike on it. He released all the tie-downs, started the bike, and began to walk it backwards off the trailer. Off the ramp and on the street, he stopped, teetered for a second, then dropped it over sideways. Not much damage, just some scratches on the lower fairing, but the engine had stopped and would not restart. We agreed that he would take the bike home, sort it out, and we would renegotiate the price. Several days later, he called me to say he couldn't get it restarted. We went back and forth, but he wouldn't take the low-ball price I offered. Too bad, I liked that bike, but later bought a BMW R1100RT, which I still have. It and the CB keep each other company in the garage.

[LongRanger_imp]

Yikes! What a story!

I once sold a bike to a guy who showed up with a pickup truck. We agreed to the sale, he handed over the cash and I handed over the title. He then proceeded to load the bike into the back of his pickup. Engine on, bike in gear, and up the loading ramp it went. When the front wheel made contact with the truck bed, the rear wheel spit out the ramp and the bike crashed down onto the tailgate, landing on its low-slung exhausts and crushing them. Bummer for him.