Selling a motorcycle

[shooter64]

When I recently bought my 99 tourer the seller could see I had traveled 40 miles to get there, and had a trailer with me. After checking it over, we agreed on a price and I showed him I had green cash in my pocket. I said I will take it if all is well on a short test drive.
When you guys sell a motorcycle how do you work the test drive? That is a scary part. especially if you only have liability insurance. Not every Joe that might come to look can handle a 700lb motorcycle. "Hey, thats cool, can I test drive it?" Do you make the person show the money before the test drive or how do you work it?

[R J]

1st thing I would do is ask to see the color of his green stuff.

2nd thing, is show me your motorcycle endorsement.

They don't have both, they no ride the bad boy.

[Clark]

here is what i did with horses.. oughta work w motorcycles too.. after seein the endorsement.. write up a deal with a bill of sale.. take his payment whatever way  it is.. give him a bill of sale..done deal.. but on the bill of sale say that after he rides it for 15 minutes
if he decides he doesnt want it you will refund his dough.. THAT WAY if he crashes its his bike ..NOT YOURS

[alph]

what RJ said!!  

when i bought my bike, i paid the guy, then took it for a ride.  the guy i bought it from did offer me a test ride, but i didn't  want to do it 'cause he lived on a gravel road!!  it was a fun ride home, winder then heck, bike was leaning sideways against the wind!!  

if i were to sell the fat girl, there's NO WAY in HELL that i'd let her go without checking out the guys liecense and cash!! then have him sign a form saying "you crash it, you bought it".

[Fudd]

1st thing I would do is ask to see the color of his green stuff.

2nd thing, is show me your motorcycle endorsement.

They don't have both, they no ride the bad boy.

+1 on what RJ said.

Now here is a delemia.  I was selling a Suzuki Volusia a couple of years ago.  A gentleman stopped by that met the above 2 qualifications.  Only problem was, he was partially paralyzed on one side.  He drug his left leg had only limited control of his arm.  He insisted he could ride, but I wouldn't go for it unless he rode up on another bike of the same or larger size.  He never returned.  I was happy to see him a month or so later at Hooter's on a CanAm trike.

For the most part, I feel like I'm shooting a "Mayhem" commercial every time someone rides off on a test ride.

[BamaDrifter64]

Easy solution...

NEVER SELL YOUR VALK!!!!!!   

Dave

[F6BANGER]

Many years ago I had a room mate selling his vt1100. I came home from work and he was outside. I asked him what he was doing. He said some guy just took his bike for a test ride. I asked if he had gotten the guys info (drivers license). He didnt. He says "The guys car is in the street". The guy never came back. I told Mike to get the plate number off the guys car. He didnt. A couple hours later the car was gone too. Oh well, live and learn.

[john]

"you " take the buyer for a ride ....     
anybody with a brain in their head would never ask to take someones valkyrie for a ride                         
HELL NO                  

[Skinhead]

When I bought my first valk, I rode my '87 goldwing GL1200 up to the dudes house to look at the VALK.  He let me ride it, I gave him a deposit and the next day I met him at the credit union so he could pay off his lien and give me the title.

When I was gearing up for the test ride, I heard his GF ask, "Are you going to let him ride that?"  He said, "He rode up on a bike, he's ok."

If I go to sell a bike, get the cash first, if he don't like the bike, I'll refund his money as long as the bike is in the same condition it was in when he left.

[tonyfan70]

A good friend of mine, Steve (rip bro), was selling his cherry wing. Guy came by and was really interested in it and wanted a test ride before purchasing it. Steve said "No problem". Fellow took off, went about 1/4 mile down the road, apparently missed the sign for the 90 degree turn to the right and rode right into the f*cking ditch and farther. Came back walking.

Luckily for Steve the next thing the guy did was take out his cash and paid Steve the full asking price for the bike.

...or should I say luckily for the buyer that's what he did...I'd a kicked his ass if he hadn't. And then beat my own ass for letting it happen.

And boy I'll tell you what. He REALLY tore that Wing up. Thousands of dollars of damage we found out later.

[Michvalk]

I didn't test ride mine until the money and title had changed hands. The bike only had 8600 miles on it, but had been over in a parking lot. My test ride was on the way home! If I were to sell, the title would be held by the buyer, and the cash held by me. After the test ride, the signatures would be added

[cookiedough]

agree, the price of say 7-8 grand is a chunk of change to loose out on if the potential buyer crashes it.  When I sold my honda magna back in 1997 though I let the guy who he came up with who rode bikes ride it while the potential buyer and me talked.  Luckily nothing happened and he came back 5 minutes later and said it was a good bike, dah.  He tried to talk me down of my very fair asking price of 1500 bucks since it needed a new rear tire.  I told him no way, it is worth more than 1500 bucks even if it does need a new tire.  They didn't even want to ride it home telling me it wasn't safe to ride.  I told him I'll ride it to your house then one last time and then you give me a ride back after signing off on title once arrived at your house if you are so concerned over riding it. 1500 bucks vs. 7 grand is a lot more money to take my chances on so NO WAY especially in today's round of idiots driving now you never know what will happen.  Cash first and if you break it, you have bought it period.