Selling a bike privately
Discussion
Planning on selling my VFR shortly and, having never sold a bike privately before, I wondered:
- How do you deal with test rides? I don't fancy letting someone ride off into the sunset on my bike but, equally, I'm not keen on jumping on as a pillion with a complete stranger.
- What's the best way of taking payment whilst minimising the risk of getting scammed?
- Any other top selling tips?
Sold my bike a few weeks ago.
We have a small, private road and I did offer a test ride if they put the cash in my hand first and knew if they dropped it, they had bought it. I also put that in the advert.
They didn't care and decided after hearing the bike running they'd happily buy without a test ride.
We have a small, private road and I did offer a test ride if they put the cash in my hand first and knew if they dropped it, they had bought it. I also put that in the advert.
They didn't care and decided after hearing the bike running they'd happily buy without a test ride.
VFR is likely to appeal to the more sensible punter do you’ll be fine.
No private buyer is going to expect a test ride. It’s much easier to find faults on a bike than a car. You can go through the gears on a centre or rear stand etc.
Be as honest as you can in the ad without putting off buyers unnecessarily and you’ll be fine.
No private buyer is going to expect a test ride. It’s much easier to find faults on a bike than a car. You can go through the gears on a centre or rear stand etc.
Be as honest as you can in the ad without putting off buyers unnecessarily and you’ll be fine.
I love the difference over here, went to view my Stelvio, guy had told me to bring my lid and licence, he got on his other bike and led me around a 1.5 hour loop near Lyon on all sorts of roads to ensure I liked it. Same with the Kawasaki before that, threw me the keys and sent me off for a play.
Pothole said:
trickywoo said:
No private buyer is going to expect a test ride.
I would, but then a sweeping generalisation is always fun, eh?I wouldn't consider buying a bike without a test ride - it could have fuelling issues, overheat, jump out of gear etc
Rushjob said:
I wonder how many of the posters on here going down the "No test rides ever" would accept the word of a complete stranger that the bike that they were about to buy for several thousand pounds, is faultless and hand over the cash without riding it first?
Probably none as most bike riders are pretty switched on and can spot a pup without even starting it.There have been a number of threads on this previously and they all attract the same comments. It's worth doing a search to see what has been said before.
I understand the enthusiasm for a full deposit before a test ride but likewise, the buyer doesn't know the seller from Adam and is being asked to hand over a large wad of cash for a bike that might be a complete dog. A return to the sellers place may just get the reaction of "it was fine before you rode it. You must have done something to it. You've bought it now"!
I find it strange how people seem to expect someone to freely hand over a large wad of cash that is very easy to make "disappear" to a complete stranger before they'll hand over a bike that has a frame number, engine number, probably some other unique marking and is very difficult to hide.
I understand the enthusiasm for a full deposit before a test ride but likewise, the buyer doesn't know the seller from Adam and is being asked to hand over a large wad of cash for a bike that might be a complete dog. A return to the sellers place may just get the reaction of "it was fine before you rode it. You must have done something to it. You've bought it now"!
I find it strange how people seem to expect someone to freely hand over a large wad of cash that is very easy to make "disappear" to a complete stranger before they'll hand over a bike that has a frame number, engine number, probably some other unique marking and is very difficult to hide.
trickywoo said:
Probably none as most bike riders are pretty switched on and can spot a pup without even starting it.
Hmmmm, why does pretty much every bike dealer that you want to part ex into demand a test ride? Or are those who work in the trade every day lesser mortals than these mythical switched on experts of whom you speak. No just hypocritical, which for many on PH is pretty much a default setting. I mean, me, ridden since I was 17, so a LOOONG time, worked in the trade too, but still would want a test ride, but obviously I'm not "switched on" like you are.Rushjob said:
Hmmmm, why does pretty much every bike dealer that you want to part ex into demand a test ride? Or are those who work in the trade every day lesser mortals than these mythical switched on experts of whom you speak. No just hypocritical, which for many on PH is pretty much a default setting. I mean, me, ridden since I was 17, so a LOOONG time, worked in the trade too, but still would want a test ride, but obviously I'm not "switched on" like you are.
Once I have had a dealer check the ABS light goes off, ridden for a total of 15 yards. I have sold over 20 bikes, mainly to dealers and that was the only time a bike has been ridden.jjones said:
Once I have had a dealer check the ABS light goes off, ridden for a total of 15 yards. I have sold over 20 bikes, mainly to dealers and that was the only time a bike has been ridden.
Cool story, I worked in a dealership and EVERYTHING had to be ridden and not just for the length of the car park. Even so, the number of bikes that ended up costing sales a fortune because numerous faults had been hidden or bodged was substantial..... It's like every line penned on PH, one says black, another says white and reality is somewhat grey.
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