Selling a bike on eBay?

[Chiefy]

I'm about ready to sell my VTX trike.  Wondering if anyone here has ever sold (or bought) a bike through eBay?  Trying to figure out how to protect my a$$ if I list it there.  I used to sell a lot of small stuff there, so I know how Paypal works, and that Paypal is pretty much only protection for the buyer.

[hubcapsc]

I bought my bike on eBay...

It is probably OK to make them pay $500 (non-refundable) or so up front with paypal, and the rest in
ca$h when they show up to get it.

When I got mine I traveled a long way (SC to Philadelphia) to get it, and I needed some scheme to
get it into my truck. It needed a rear tire, so I got the seller to take it to a local Honda shop, they
put a new tire on and they had to load it  When the time came, I felt good about being at the
Honda shop when I pulled out my bank roll.

Anywho... as a seller, in a situation involving strangers and a large sum of money (not checks), perhaps
making the exchange at some place where such exchanges are commonplace (like down at the Honda Shop)
rather than some more private place (like your house) would be a good idea as well...

-Mike

[Chiefy]

Interesting, but it seems too easy for the buyer to get his deposit back through Paypal.  Maybe I'm too cynical.  When I was selling small stuff on ebay, they threw every trick in the book at me to try and rip me off.............

[waterman]

I bought a bike and sold 4 on ebay. I am of the opinion that when the decision to sell comes and other avenues have been exhausted, ebay is terrific. The size of the market is huge. I had tried to sell my 1st Valkyrie Std locally and did not get it done. I posted on ebay with a satisfactory reserve and sold it in state to a guy 380 miles away. I take $300 on Paypal within 48 hours for a deposit and the rest in 7 days with cash or certified check. Do not release without full payment.
Buyer handles all shipping. I have had buyers ship with one of the companies listed on ebay, come to my house and pay me cash and pickup or drive away. I have had buyers come and look at or send a representative to look at. This is like any transaction for a motorcycle, I do not let them ride it.
I have only been disappointed once on the final price, but I was glad it sold. I have also used Craig's List with mixed results.
The one thing with ebay is the price is dictated by the market and people buy because of the bargain, myself included. I sold a bike I was tired of messing with and it ended up being considered a collectible by people all over the world. Ended up getting way more than I had hoped and sold it to a collector in Iowa. Just shows the power of ebay. Not always the way it works.

Good Luck  

[Brad]

Bought my Bike through E bay.  Deposit through paypal and flew down to Houston with a cashiers check for the balance.  Cashers check must be drawn on a bank with a branch in the sellers area so that it can be cashed and verified before the bike changes hands.

[Tropic traveler]

Have bought & sold a bike on E-bay. Actually it was the same bike.
Bought my 2005 Rocket 3 from a well known used bike dealer in Pompano. My liability was a $200 deposit & a trip to Pompano with the trailer. If the bike was not what it was advertised to be I would have been out at most the $200. It was all good, test rode it before I gave them the bank check. Personally I would not buy a bike without seeing it first so any E-bay bike I may desire will have to be within reasonable driving distance for me.
Sold that very same Rocket 2 years later through E-bay to a fellow in Portugal of all places! He was an Englishman residing in Portugal but he had the bike shipped to England. Now that guy was a trusting soul! The transaction was hassle free, once I understood the ways of international money transfers.  The money was verified in my bank BEFORE I Fed-Exed the title to a transport company in Miami. At one point I had the bike, the title, & the money! About a week after I sent off the title the transport company truck rolled up to my house & away she went. About a month later I got an e-mail from the fellow thanking me for being honest with him. He was very happy with the condition of the bike.
 

Away it goes!

I have a couple of Harleys that I will probably end up putting up for sale on E-bay soon. Not mine mind you but for a friend  Nobody in these parts seems to have any money. 

[T-Bird]

I have bought a couple of bikes on there, but have sold many. I have never had any problems. You have a very large market when listing on ebay, that you wouldn't by any other means. The last bike I sold on there just a couple of weeks ago had over two hundred hits and over 30 watchers of the auction.  Fees are a little high, but in my book worth it. On the last one I sold the total fees from ebay and paypal were $145.00.
Sold these two in just the last month on ebay to buyers from over 100 miles away.

[Jess Tolbirt]

I sold my steel guitar on ebay and used pay pal and here is what got my goat,
650 dollar sale cost me listing fee and final value 50 dollars
pay pal got me for 20 dollars...

so i suggest you request a 200 dollar non refundable depost and the rest in cash when they pick it up...

[MP]

I'm about ready to sell my VTX trike.  Wondering if anyone here has ever sold (or bought) a bike through eBay?  Trying to figure out how to protect my a$$ if I list it there.  I used to sell a lot of small stuff there, so I know how Paypal works, and that Paypal is pretty much only protection for the buyer.

Why would you think paypal is only protection for the buyer?  Paypal guarantees that you get paid, like an escrow account.  Isn't that what a seller is interested in, getting paid?

MP

[Chiefy]

I'm about ready to sell my VTX trike.  Wondering if anyone here has ever sold (or bought) a bike through eBay?  Trying to figure out how to protect my a$$ if I list it there.  I used to sell a lot of small stuff there, so I know how Paypal works, and that Paypal is pretty much only protection for the buyer.

Why would you think paypal is only protection for the buyer?  Paypal guarantees that you get paid, like an escrow account.  Isn't that what a seller is interested in, getting paid?

MP

As I said, I was trying to figure out if Paypal had changed.  In the past Paypal would force a refund from the seller even if the buyer had switched your item with a broken one, and insisted that you sent a broken item.  Sometimes they would ship back a rock, show Paypal the delivery confirmation, and Paypal forced the seller to refund.  Then too, the buyer can always make up a story and just have his credit card reverse the charge, then Paypal used to take the money from the sellers account.  The only recourse the seller had was court.  The buyers gambled that it wasn't worth the sellers while to go that route.

I know most are going to say to clear out your checking account before PP can do that.  But for small amounts, they'll report negatives to the credit agencies if you don't pay up.  And for a large amount they may sue.

[hubcapsc]

I've had two bad experiences with PayPal.

A seller who specified a one week return period kept the saddle and the money once when my wife bought
a saddle from them, and returned it (it didn't fit the horse). PayPal investigated, sided with us, and returned about %15 of the cash.

I'd been using PayPal for about 15 years honestly enough that I have a %100 good eBay feedback rating... then one
day they told me I had "exceeded the sending limit" and would have to "link my bank account to them". That will be
a cold day in heck.

PayPal doesn't give me the warm fuzzies...

-Mike

[Chiefy]

Well anyway, if I go the eBay route (last choice) I'll ask for small Paypal deposit, then get cash, or verified certified funds.

I'm amazed though, that some pay for bikes without seeing them, and ship them across the country.  I wouldn't do that.

[Tropic traveler]

Well anyway, if I go the eBay route (last choice) I'll ask for small Paypal deposit, then get cash, or verified certified funds.

I'm amazed though, that some pay for bikes without seeing them, and ship them across the country.  I wouldn't do that.

Good plan Chiefy.
I too am amazed, I was really amazed at how trusting the English fellow who bought my Rocket was. It was his first E-bay purchase too!
Hated to see it go but what I bought with some of the money made me {AND Kim} feel much better!
Kim's Valkyrie.


And this Ranger for me.


Bought both of them local!!!

[Chiefy]

Well anyway, if I go the eBay route (last choice) I'll ask for small Paypal deposit, then get cash, or verified certified funds.

I'm amazed though, that some pay for bikes without seeing them, and ship them across the country.  I wouldn't do that.

Good plan Chiefy.
I too am amazed, I was really amazed at how trusting the English fellow who bought my Rocket was. It was his first E-bay purchase too!
Hated to see it go but what I bought with some of the money made me {AND Kim} feel much better!
Kim's Valkyrie.

You clearly have impeccable taste in Motorcycle colors.............

[Imohtep]

Just bought Valk from FL. It's now on it's way to Germany and then to Finland by ship
Well, my friend checked it first and transfer money 

[Stormrider65]

I may be off base here, but have you checked out Craigslist???  I went through that site for my Valk, Wall-E.  The good thing about Craigslist is there is another site associated with it called Craigzoom. (www.craigzoom.com)  It simplifies the search process.  It took me a few minutes to figure out how to use the site, but depending on which side of the screen you use,(when you see the page, then you will understand), you can search by state,(on the left side of the screen), or search by national(right side of the screen)  and it will show anything that has to do with whatever you type in.  I think its great.  I've found a lot on there and done really good.  Like any other transaction you make online, like ebay, you have to be careful on the meeting place or scammers.  Try that one out and see what you think.  Let me know how it goes.  stormrider065@yahoo.com 

Walt