Best Way to Sell A Bike?

[Cormanus]

As a general rule, car keys are likely a better security than a partner.

[peterbaron]

First, go and test the key and starting.
I will give you my valid, working and OEM smart key, including electrical diagram but you will not start/fire the car.

[GoldOxide_imp]

As a general rule, car keys are likely a better security than a partner.

"and/or". Sometimes the partner has the keys, AND the money. I think in all my cases the partners were spouses.

[Gone in 60]

How to handle a test ride is always challenging. I insist on asking price in cash in hand if the buyer wants to test ride, but that still isn't a legally binding agreement. And, in California insurance follows the bike, not the rider, so it would be on me if a potential buyer crashed my bike.

I've been lucky and haven't had a bad incident as a buyer or a seller regarding test rides but I'm always nervous. Super lucky selling my last bike, the CB300R. The girl didn't even sit on it, let alone ride it. Gave me full asking price and threw in extra for me to ride it home for her, along with an Uber ride home. Wish they could all be that easy.

Buying my CB1100 was fun - the seller was hesitant to sell, and when I brought it back from a five-minute test ride, he sent me back out on a longer one, hoping I would decide I didn't like it the longer I rode it. "Take it on the freeway. It's terrible on the freeway!"

[GoldOxide_imp]

It is a case-by-case call.

Traditionally for me in the greater Toronto area (Canada), there has not been an issue over the decades requesting test rides and being asked to test ride a machine for sale. That said, you ought to go by your gut instinct if the intention is ill-will and not proceed further in any test request situation.

Call 'em "street smarts" - I don't know how else to phrase it. Maybe my presence is bothering or trustworthy depending who is the seller - dunno.

[The Gecko_imp]

LOL "runs good just needs battery", starts but just needs carbs adjusted".

Reminds me of the time maybe 8 years ago my friend asked me to call the person selling a motorcycle he was interested in. He had spoken with him but just wanted my impression to be sure since it was a 3 1/2 hour drive each way. The seller only had an old phone, the camera in it wasn't working well and the only 2 images he had were taken from a distance in a dark garage. Anyway so I called.
The guy said his DR650 was "immaculate, never down, I bought it new in Texas, rode it a couple years then moved here to Cleveland where I have it stored." I specifically asked are there any scratches, nicks, anything missing, in short how would your bike be different from a brand new one other than mileage? It's just like new, I really take care of everything I have, just the way I am." My friend said he was told essentially the same thing. $3,200 was high at that time unless it was in immaculate condition but that's what my friend had been searching for. So I ride along with him to Cleveland in his Dodge truck that got 11 mpg to pick up a pristine Suzuki DR650.

The address takes to an apartment complex (projects). The guy comes out and walks us over to a large storage building, unlocks the door and backs out a mangled up, filthy dirt bike of some kind, so we can go in to see his bike. Only the bike he backed out WAS the bike! Besides being absolutely filthy it was also in horrible condition; all plastic (that wasn't missing) was scratched and faded, tank dented and scratched up, 2 broken and one missing turn signal, One hand guard missing, headlight and little wind cowling pointing to the left, chain rusted, rust on frame, practically all exposed bolts and screws were rusted, brake fluid looked like molasses, I could go on and on.
I said "what the heck, you completely lied about the condition of this motorcycle, it's been wrecked, why did you lie?" He stuttered around and said "it is in really good shape and I can tell you it's never been down". I thought my friend was going to kill him so I got his arm and said let's just leave and pulled him to his truck.

Lesson learned is to INSIST on very good pictures and lots of them, if they can't furnish good images don't waste your time.

... and while you're asking, insist to be told when these beautiful pictures have been taken (or look into the meta data of the pics yourself, where the dates are shown).

There was an expen$ive and in a pristine condition Suzie 750GT for sale just several streets away from where I live, so I responded to this add.
I only sent one request: take some pics of your bike and show me the places you think are the worst. I pay the price you want.
Never got any answer back.

A very good approach to start with, love it, peterB

As a general rule, car keys are likely a better security than a partner.

Mr.Corm ... what exactly do you mean by this. A public response please AND a PM to me too !!!

[GoldOxide_imp]

LOL "runs good just needs battery", starts but just needs carbs adjusted".

Reminds me of the time maybe 8 years ago my friend asked me to call the person selling a motorcycle he was interested in. He had spoken with him but just wanted my impression to be sure since it was a 3 1/2 hour drive each way. The seller only had an old phone, the camera in it wasn't working well and the only 2 images he had were taken from a distance in a dark garage. Anyway so I called.
The guy said his DR650 was "immaculate, never down, I bought it new in Texas, rode it a couple years then moved here to Cleveland where I have it stored." I specifically asked are there any scratches, nicks, anything missing, in short how would your bike be different from a brand new one other than mileage? It's just like new, I really take care of everything I have, just the way I am." My friend said he was told essentially the same thing. $3,200 was high at that time unless it was in immaculate condition but that's what my friend had been searching for. So I ride along with him to Cleveland in his Dodge truck that got 11 mpg to pick up a pristine Suzuki DR650.

The address takes to an apartment complex (projects). The guy comes out and walks us over to a large storage building, unlocks the door and backs out a mangled up, filthy dirt bike of some kind, so we can go in to see his bike. Only the bike he backed out WAS the bike! Besides being absolutely filthy it was also in horrible condition; all plastic (that wasn't missing) was scratched and faded, tank dented and scratched up, 2 broken and one missing turn signal, One hand guard missing, headlight and little wind cowling pointing to the left, chain rusted, rust on frame, practically all exposed bolts and screws were rusted, brake fluid looked like molasses, I could go on and on.
I said "what the heck, you completely lied about the condition of this motorcycle, it's been wrecked, why did you lie?" He stuttered around and said "it is in really good shape and I can tell you it's never been down". I thought my friend was going to kill him so I got his arm and said let's just leave and pulled him to his truck.

Lesson learned is to INSIST on very good pictures and lots of them, if they can't furnish good images don't waste your time.

... and while you're asking, insist to be told when these beautiful pictures have been taken (or look into the meta data of the pics yourself, where the dates are shown).

There was an expen$ive and in a pristine condition Suzie 750GT for sale just several streets away from where I live, so I responded to this add.
I only sent one request: take some pics of your bike and show me the places you think are the worst. I pay the price you want.
Never got any answer back.

A very good approach to start with, love it, peterB

As a general rule, car keys are likely a better security than a partner.

Mr.Corm ... what exactly do you mean by this. A public response please AND a PM to me too !!!

Mr.Corm ... what exactly do you mean by this. A public response please AND a PM to me too !!!
Anything interesting learned yet?

[Cormanus]

[url=https://postimages.org/]

[GoldOxide_imp]

[url=https://postimages.org/]

[Cormanus]

In the interests of gender equality ...
[url=https://postimages.org/]