Advice on test rides for prospective buyers

[Hoosier Valk]

I'm getting ready to sell my 99 Valk standard. Could you offer advice on precautions to take before letting prospective purchasers test ride the bike? Thank you.

[Chrisj CMA]

I have taken buyers as passengers but never handed over the keys. Maybe if they had cash in hand and let me hold it while they ride

[Jess from VA]

My default is no one gets to ride my bike without paying for it.

Exceptions are:

He must have an MC endorsement on his drivers license.  You will be liable to him and any other person or property damage if he wrecks it and you let him go with no endorsement.  This is even true if he buys it (I made one guy come back with a trailer).  Besides personal liability (which is likely not covered by your insurance since it is intentional misconduct), it may even be a state crime to let someone ride with no endorsement.

He has to convince me he is experienced enough to ride it safely.

He has to convince me he is trustworthy enough to come back with it (leave his wallet and keys to his car, and/or a significant surety cash against damage, up to the whole value) (or you follow him in HIS car, fair is fair, and if you wreck my bike, I'm wrecking your car).

It's a big plus if he shows up on his own bike (not a Vespa).

There are a couple workarounds (I've used both):

I ride my bike in demonstration for him (if he wants, he can follow me in his car for a longer demonstration), or I take him on back as my passenger (but not over 200lbs).

Also, you really should never let the bike go (after selling) with your plate on it.  Again, it is a trust issue.  I've done it and got it back the next day, but it's a risk.  On the other hand, I would leave my insurance in effect for several days after a sale, but I don't tell him this.

I sold my SS 396 Chevelle to another kid (I was a kid too) and let him keep the plate (bring it back when you can).  Three days later a cop came to my house to arrest me for plowing down a row of mail boxes.  My dad was standing there.  I told the cop I didn't do it, but would go with him to where the car was.  Dad liked that idea.  We got into the kids driveway, and he arrested the kid in cuffs, and I pulled my plate off the car.  He took me home.  The kid gave me the evil eye the whole time, and I gave him the finger.  (What kind of idiot takes a nice Chevelle and mows down mailboxes????)   

 

[scooperhsd]

The above is, of course, when you are doing a private sale. I bought my '98 STandard from a dealer, they knew me as a rider (I frequently rode my PC800 there), and I got to take it for a "reasonable test ride" (which I did not abuse) down the access road and the highway backup to them. They had made a copy of my driver's license with my Motorcycle endorsement, and I had to sign some routine paperwork for the dealer tag.

For a private sale - they show me a driver's license with MC endorsement, and we go on a not busy section of road for their ride. The other suggestions sound reasonable to me .

[da prez]

Ditto on the driver's license.  I also want cash in hand for the full sale price. If you don't have cash , you did not want the bike. NO. FREE rides. We will negotiate the price when done with the ride which I follow. No exceptions.


             da prez

[GRR]

Easy -

I have a prepared bill of sale that sells it to the buyer with a one-hour buy-back clause.

First, they buy it based on mutually-agreed-upon and documented terms (cash, check, MO, Paypal, handshake, etc) and receive my receipt for the sale. The receipt is time- and date-recorded, so we agree on when exactly they assume all responsibility for the bike.

The agreement contains a clause that says that they have a one-hour (you can adjust as you wish) period during which they may return the bike, and if in same condition, they will receive a full-refund of the purchase price.

If, OTOH, they had problems, like police, accident, injury, etc, there is no question as to who assumes liability - the buyer.

[cookiedough]

smart to take a picture of their drivers license making sure they have the MC endorsement as well.

Ask him/her what bike they ride and how long, etc.  normal questions.  I have rode a few cycles with no cash in hand and have not bought them for one reason or another.  I know a lot on here say will never let someone ride your cycle either without cash in hand or just be a passenger only, but to me,  that would be a defnite NO on buying the cycle if not able to ride it first.  You have to make a judgment call on the person's ability and honesty by talking to him/her first before handing over the keys for a joy ride.

My neighbor finally sold his HD ultra classic after a few years but a few years ago when first selling, he let a fat, older lady drive it not in very good shape her saying she was a safe rider.  Well,  that was a bad judgment call since apparently she tipped it over scratching it to heck and oil leaked out of the engine and had major damage/work/repaint to the tune of 4 grand in repairs.  Somehow he was not smart enough to notice the damage since I saw her take off ASAP not hanging around afterwards.  He noticed the damage soon after and tried contacting her but after repairs were made, she finally confessed and paid his 500 dollar deductible to get repairs done.  

[Hoosier Valk]

Thanks to all! I appreciate it. Thanks again.

[Chrisj CMA]

The show stopper for me is if the person asks what the shift pattern is like is it one down and four up. I just say lol. I’ll give you a ride

[Davemn]

If you got insurance what are you worried about?

[Hoosier Valk]

I do have insurance and it is for liability only. Also, I believe it only covers me if I am the rider.

[Chrisj CMA]

If you got insurance what are you worried about?

You must be blessed to never have had to deal with insurance to get a bike fixed. It’s not fun nor is it easy and you can easily lose your bike to it being totaled

Dealers have insurance we can’t afford. If I know you and trust your skills I let you ride it before the sale. If I don’t know you, you can ride on the passenger seat or just buy it.

I would also reverse the sale  at the buyers request if the bike was in the exact condition as when sold within the first few days

[cookiedough]

yah,  more often than not the insurance companies give you what the BOOK says our Valks are worth which is probably 2-4K less than what we could probably sell it for outright.   they probably go by KBB or NADA guides is all which to me is too low always on most cycles/ATV's , etc.  vs. what we could sell them for. 

If I do not trust the person taking my cycle for a spin,  I would at least follow him on one of my other cycles to make sure he knows what he is doing.   

Pretty sure most insurance companies, if you give permission for someone else to ride your cycle,  you will be covered for everything.   

[Valkorado]

If I do not trust the person taking my cycle for a spin,  I would at least follow him on one of my other cycles to make sure he knows what he is doing.   

   Don't follow him too closely,  just in case he doesn't!

[Jess from VA]

The risk to the bike is small potatoes. (esp at today's prices)

While the risk may be somewhat remote, the big liability is if he maims himself or others.

He better have a MC endorsement, but that is not a complete shield against a claim of negligent entrustment.   (like if his only other bike was a Honda 150 dream)

And then the shyster lawyers go to work.  (worse, and more of them than fleas on the dog)

[Hoosier Valk]

You guys are scaring me, maybe I should try to sell it to a dealer. Thanks again.

[Jess from VA]

A dealer will never pay fair market value.  They expect you to contribute to their anticipated sale profit.  And for a dealer to sell for you on consignment, they typically want 15-20% of sale price.  

While I have never done this, it is a simple matter to go on-line and find a simple release and waiver of liability form (preferably one created for your state, though that is not absolutely necessary), download it and do a small amount of customization of the form for a motorcycle sale test ride, and get your prospective buyer to sign it before any test ride (IF you have decided this individual qualifies under your standards to even get a test ride).  One page.  

If the form you choose includes payment of consideration (money) in exchange for signing the release, you must make him pay it to make the agreement enforceable as a contract.  You can promise to return it if he doesn't buy it, but don't put that in the form.  Make it at least $20 (not $1), and apply it to the cost of the bike if he buys (put that in the form).  

There are a lot of forms already available for selling a motor vehicle.

Understand that such forms are not an absolute protection shield against a subsequent liability suit (like if you let him ride a bike with no brakes), but they go a long way toward instilling in the buyer's mind that he has forfeited his right sue (which is the whole idea).

As most all standard legal forms are created to give maximum protection to the creator of the form, these forms generally never give the buyer an out for a circumstance (like the no-brakes case) where some hidden defect that you have knowledge of directly results in his damage or injury.  An astute buyer might balk at the form because of this, but I would not add a sentence saying he is not waiving liability for hidden defects (unless he actually insisted on it).

This is just one example.  
https://legaltemplates.net/form/release-of-liability-waiver/#Automobile%20Accident

The first time I went to a tire shop to get a car tire on my bike rim, the owner refused for the liability issue.  I offered to write him a complete release of liability form on the spot.  I got halfway done with it, with him watching over my shoulder, and he said screw it, we'll mount the tire.  After that I found a reliable place where they don't worry about it.

Indiana:  https://www.findforms.com/search.php?q=release%20of%20liability&state=Indiana  

[Binkie]

One question.....would you buy your bike without riding it? You don’t need a long test ride to determine if the bike is ok or not especially one that is in good shape.

[The emperor has no clothes]

One question.....would you buy your bike without riding it? You don’t need a long test ride to determine if the bike is ok or not especially one that is in good shape.

exactly. No way I would.

[Ramie]

When I was selling my standard and the guy that eventually bought it left his good looking girl friend behind while he test rode it.

[Hoosier Valk]

When I was selling my standard and the guy that eventually bought it left his good looking girl friend behind while he test rode it.

If she is still there could you ask her if she has any interest in an old, slow, fat white guy that used to ride motorcycles?

[vanavyman]

I've bought 5 Valkyrie's and 3 Goldwing's over the last 6 years all from private owners.  Would never buy a bike without a test ride.  I always show up with cash and have given a deposit before a ride but never pay for it first.  I've sold 5 of them over the same 6 years.  Bought 4 of them off  eBay and did give a deposit but if they were not as described I would not give them the rest of the cash and would file a claim with PayPal to get me deposit back.  There is some risk to letting someone test ride the bike.  Due to the age of the bikes I've sold expecting them to buy without a test ride is not really realistic in my mind.  I'm also not even giving my address to someone I've not had longer discussion with about their riding experience.  If someone wrecked the bike I'd claim it and be pissed for awhile.  
Dan

[Davemn]

Having someone wreck it may be the only way to get rid of one around here. There are at least 30 Valkyries for sale on Craigslist’s right now in the Minneapolis area. It’s been like that all summer. ......same 30 bikes. Maybe true for all motorcycles I don’t know. I thought about selling mine but I’m not giving it away.

[Hoosier Valk]

Thanks to all! I ended up selling it to Rumbleon.

[Jess from VA]

Did they want a test ride?   

[Hoosier Valk]

 

Did they want a test ride?