Selling bike -- How does the private party "ride before buy" work?

[LuckyTalisman]

So after almost two years I will be selling my beloved GS500. However, I'm not sure how sellers of motorcycles typically handle people wanting to test ride the bike before they purchase it. If anybody can offer me some advice it would be greatly appreciated.

On a side note, anybody interested in an '04 GS500f with approximately 6,000 miles in Los Angeles.

[RVertigo]

It's up to you to decide that...  Most people don't let test riders take it out...

If you decide to let people test ride it, then make sure they have a Motorcycle endorsement and a Cashier's Check for the agreed amount...

Then they can ride off...  If they crash, then you deposit the check...  If they don't crash and decide they don't want the bike, then you inspect the bike and make sure nothing happened...  And give the Cashier's Check back.

[Adam R]

You have two things to worry about - a potential buyer crashing the bike and a 'potential' buyer stealing the bike. 

It's your judgement call, but asking to see a valid license and holding a sizeable cash deposit are common ways to allow a test ride and reduce your risk.

I've only been denied a test ride once (but I bought the bike anyway). 

[l3uddha]

how about you never sell your GS... EVER!!!!



j/k; back to reality.

I've seen this come up in different forums A LOT; there's a ton of risk involved. Mostly it's the "some kid crashed my bike on the test-ride & decided he didnt want it" sort of thing. Did I mention there's a TON of risk?

I wouldnt let anyone test ride my bike without a motorcycle LICENSE (or MSF certificate & permit). Definitly NOT just the permit alone; it doesnt mean sh*t and anyone can get one without ever actually getting onto a bike.

I would also require some sort of a DEPOSIT before he or she gets to ride ur bike. This could be a CASH amount that you're comftorable with; which you would return if they decide they dont want it, would be deducted from the selling price if they DO want it, and which you would most DEFINITLY keep if they drop the bike and they decide not to buy. If they drop it, dont want to purchase it, and the damage is only slight; it's your call. Keep the whole deposit or only the cost of repairs.

This is just me, but to be even more safe I would get the Deposit agreement in writing and me & the test-rider would both sign it and get a copy BEFORE the test ride is done. This really just covers your tracts and gives you some ammo if the person drops ur bike & tries to bail, or actually WRECKS it. Hopefully everything will go smoothly and you wont ever need to use the contract. Just be sure it's easy to understand and you explain the terms to the buyer. Some might think this is a little excessive, but one thing I've learned in life is some things you NEED to get in writing.

oh and good luck!

[Noltz]

First post  !

  When I sold both my SVS's, I made sure to tell people over the phone "If you wish to test ride it, bring cash to buy.  I will hold the cash, and you will hold the bike and ownership.  You drop it, you bought it.. your call."

  One was perfectly happy with that, and showed up with $5000 in cash for my '99.  The second bought my '02 for more, and he was a little apprenhensive about it, but I said "right now, it's mine, and my rules.  If you don't like it, this isn't the right bike for you."  His dad produced the cash, and he bought the bike after the ride.

  Good luck!

[scratch]

Welcome, Noltz!

[pantablo]

I'm with Nolts (welcome!). they buy it to ride it. if the bike returns undamaged their cash gets returned. dont accept anything but actual cash, no cash equivalents (checks, money orders, etc). cash is king.

[porsche4786]

I would not accept a check of any kind these days, too many fakes or bad ones out there. Cash only would be my rule, especially on something this 'cheap'.

I'm with Nolts (welcome!). they buy it to ride it. if the bike returns undamaged their cash gets returned. dont accept anything but actual cash, no cash equivalents (checks, money orders, etc). cash is king.

[My Name Is Dave]

One thing to be leery of is something that seems to happen a fair amount up here in OR: The guys come to take a test ride, and they produce the cash, ride, come back and say they don't really care for the bike. You come out either the next morning or the next week, and your bike is gone. Sometimes even without the test ride, they'll come and "look at the bike", AKA case your joint for an easy way to steal the bike.

Not to induce paranoia, but be careful. Even if you keep your bike in your garage, they may find a way to get it.

Dave 

[porsche4786]

This is true...my friend was going to sell his 77 toyota celica. A guy comes to look at it, doesn't really want to pay that much, leaves. A month later his car is stolen. The police found it later that day I think or the next day not too far away. He posted on craigslist about his car being stolen (while it was gone) and some lady replied saying she saw it and the guy was driving all over the road then picked up some lady (prostitute?) on the side of the road. Anyway, the description of man driving fit the guy who looked at the car. The funny thing is...who the hell steals a 1977 toyota celica with 200,000 miles on it?!

One thing to be leery of is something that seems to happen a fair amount up here in OR: The guys come to take a test ride, and they produce the cash, ride, come back and say they don't really care for the bike. You come out either the next morning or the next week, and your bike is gone. Sometimes even without the test ride, they'll come and "look at the bike", AKA case your joint for an easy way to steal the bike.

Not to induce paranoia, but be careful. Even if you keep your bike in your garage, they may find a way to get it.

Dave 

[vtlion]

This may not work with the GS due to the low value, but if you have good insurance, you could crank it all the way up... low deductible, full coverage.  if it gets wrecked or stolen, you get most of the value of the bike back.  In most states insurance companies have to provide a pro-rated refund of the premium, so if you sell your bike quickly you wouldn't be out much in premiums.

aside from that strategy, i'm in with the "cash in hand" people.

[Chris861]

The guy I bought my bike from wouldn't let my brother test ride it first (I didn't have my license at the time and wasn't experienced), but I did look at a Yamaha SecaII and he did let him test ride it, which I'm glad because it was in pretty rough shape.  But I personally wouldn't let anyone test ride it unless I knew them and could trust them.

[My Name Is Dave]

I honestly think the best way would be to meet them somewhere, like a vacant parking lot. Not vacant like somewhere drug deals happen in the movies, but like a church or somewhere that isn't in use at 6 pm on a Thursday evening. That way, they don't know where you live, so the theft thing isn't an issue.

And once there, you will be able to let them sit on it, feel the ergos and controls, and if they want to see it run, you can ride it around the parking lot so they can see and hear it in motion. Then let it idle next to them (and be prepared to explain that the top-end knock is standard on the GS  ). I really don't see a reason that they will need to ride it themself at that point.

This coming from a guy who's never bought or sold a used bike, but it seems like a good way to handle it.

Dave 

[chrisalberts]

I guess the other point of view is "how can you expect someone to buy a vehicle they can't test drive/ride?"

I wouldn't buy a car I couldn't test drive.  I'm new to motorcycles (can't you tell) and it seems dealers mostly don't give test rides either.

I just bought a GS500E from a private party.  I had only just taken my MSF and didn't feel comfortable test riding, so I didn't ask to.  Another interested buyer was there and he wanted to ride.  The (previous) owner asked him how long he'd been riding, quizzed him a little to check he was genuine, and then let him ride around the block.  On a fairly low powered bike that's probably ok.  It would be a little different with a sport bike.

I think the seller was too trusting and should have made sure the guy had the cash in hand.  I would probably go with my gut instinct as to the seller and his motives.  Increasing your insurance to full coverage temporarily is a great idea, though.

C. (first post)

99 GS500E - bought Monday, big smile since then

[rangerbrown]

i quized thoes that want to test mine as well. the ones that had never been on one, i told them i would rather not but if they liked i could give them a ride on the back.  hell 12000 miles on mine and in ruff shape i got 3700 for it.

[My Name Is Dave]

I understand your point about not buying it without testing it, but cars and motorcycles are too different to compare in that aspect.

As for what you said about nothing happening on a ride around the block because it is a small bike, I'm gonna have to disagree completely. Size has little to do with it. You could take a bicycle around the block and slip on some gravel or have a car pull out in front of you. So even with only 500 cc's and an experienced rider, shaZam! happens. That's a risk that I'm not sure I'd be willing to take.

Oh, and welcome!

Dave

[chrisalberts]

I understand your point about not buying it without testing it, but cars and motorcycles are too different to compare in that respect.

So how does a person find out whether they want to buy a particular make/model of motorcycle?  Guesswork, reading reviews, buy what your buddy has?  Just as much bad stuff can happen on a test drive of a car as a bike, but car dealers have to offer test drives to be able to stay in business.  Why do bike dealers get off so easy?

C. <-- once went to buy a used car I'd test driven at a dealer, and found that it had been totalled that morning on a test drive.  Ouch!

[TragicImage]

actually.. car dealerships are not required to let you test drive.


they do it as a courtesy.





And, I'd never let some one test ride my bike, without cash in hand.

[My Name Is Dave]

I understand your point about not buying it without testing it, but cars and motorcycles are too different to compare in that respect.

So how does a person find out whether they want to buy a particular make/model of motorcycle?  Guesswork, reading reviews, buy what your buddy has?  Just as much bad stuff can happen on a test drive of a car as a bike, but car dealers have to offer test drives to be able to stay in business.  Why do bike dealers get off so easy?

A motorcycle can be totalled with one drop. It takes a lot more for a car to be considered a total loss. If a guy is test driving a car and gets into an accident, the dealer has to deal with a wrecked car. If the same thing happens on a bike, the dealer has to deal with a wrecked bike AND a wrecked human. I'd say a lot of this has to do with the insurance companies, too.

And yeah, I think a lot of decision making is done via reading reviews and talking to people. Bikes pretty much range from fast to faster, so you talk to people about how comfortable they are, how hard to maintain it is, and so on. The final decision comes when you sit on it and see how your body fits on the bike.

I'm not saying you're wrong or I'm right, I'm just thinking about it from the viewpoint of the seller, who has a large financial stake in the transaction.

Dave

[chrisalberts]

I'm just thinking about it from the viewpoint of the seller, who has a large financial stake in the transaction.

Fair enough.  I guess if people will buy a bike without riding it, then there's not much incentive to give test rides and take on the risk.

C.