Selling bikes privately - Test rides?

[Four Litre]

I need some advise!

I've sold lots of cars over the years privately and have always taken potential buyers out for a ride which hasn't been a problem. However being new to the biking world, what do you do with bikes!!! Not really happy to watch somebody cruise off into the sunset, but I personally wouldn't buy a bike without a test ride.

Any tips on how to get around this with minimal risk.

[catso]

Full asking price in cash in your hand, if they then take it or crash it, it's theirs. If for whatever reason they don't buy it, you refund them.

Simple and the only way IMO.

[black-k1]

Confirm legal regarding driving license and insurance, confirm they are happy to pay for any damage and get them to leave either full amount or a member of their family as security.

As a buyer, I'm not handing over a wad of money to a total stranger who could then claim that I agreed to buy the bike, not just test ride it. I have done test rides before when buying a bike and leaving my wife at the sellers has been acceptable assurance that I will return.

[ccr32]

Depends on your perspective - Catso's answer is what I would do if selling, but K1's is what I would want to do if buying..!

There's your starting point anyway so it's then up to you to negotiate with the buyer/seller what they're comfortable with doing.

[TheInternet]

Pillion ride? Then you get to know both the seller and the bike, perhaps more than you really want.

[Gixer968CS]

Sold a couple of bikes privately (both over £9k in value) and in neither case was a test ride asked for or offered/given. I wouldn't let a stranger off on my bike even if they were insured. I suppose I'd assume that if you're coming to buy the bike you've already decided its the bike you want and so a test ride isn't required.

[SAS Tom]

Why would you want them to leave a member of their family as security? Would you keep them hostage if they don’t come back?

[Pent]

I wouldn’t be buying any bike without a test ride.
How can you tell it’s not fked without riding it.
Wouldn’t do that for a car

[black-k1]

Gixer968CS said:

Sold a couple of bikes privately (both over £9k in value) and in neither case was a test ride asked for or offered/given. I wouldn't let a stranger off on my bike even if they were insured. I suppose I'd assume that if you're coming to buy the bike you've already decided its the bike you want and so a test ride isn't required.

I don't test ride a private sale bike to find out if I like it but to assure myself that it works. There is no warranty with private sales. It's "caveat emptor" and proving a fault was there before the purchase after a wad of cash has changed hands would be a potential legal nightmare.

[black-k1]

SAS Tom said:

Why would you want them to leave a member of their family as security? Would you keep them hostage if they don’t come back?

I think it's more about giving assurance that the bike will be returned. While it may be tempting to a few (not me - honest Mrs K1!!!!) to look at it as an opportunity to trade the wife for a nice new shiny bike, most potential buyers are genuine, honest, "normal" people and having a member of the family stay with the seller gives such reassurance.

[anonymous-user]

Wow. I've been given the keys, and I've given the keys to people to test ride. No money changing hands, no insurance documents checked, no family members cuffed to radiators. Attitude tests passed I guess.

[8IKERDAVE]

catso said:

Full asking price in cash in your hand, if they then take it or crash it, it's theirs. If for whatever reason they don't buy it, you refund them.

Simple and the only way IMO.

Possibly in the days of old, but it's rare these days for people to buy a vehicle with pound notes. IME it's always a bank transfer so you would have to have the money transferred and send it back if they didn't buy which I doubt most people would be happy with.

[croyde]

Last bike I sold, the buyer asked for a pillion ride.

He was a bloody good pillion and he wanted me to really go for it. It was a brilliant ride out and almost made me want to keep the bike

[catso]

black-k1 said:

As a buyer, I'm not handing over a wad of money to a total stranger who could then claim that I agreed to buy the bike, not just test ride it. I have done test rides before when buying a bike and leaving my wife at the sellers has been acceptable assurance that I will return.

Test ride on your Wife in return...?

[Harji]

I've comtemplated this, and came to the conclusion that if the seller is honest and has documented evidence then i'll buy without a test ride if the seller has concerns such as the ones mentioned, any doubt as a buyer then no. After all, I just bought a used bike (albeit 800 miles old) after speaking to the dealer at the other end of the country, I did test ride one with a local dealer day a few months earlier (but couldn't give a delivery date) so was familiar with the bike.

[Four Litre]

SAS Tom said:

Why would you want them to leave a member of their family as security? Would you keep them hostage if they don’t come back?

I did wonder what you would do with them, zip tie them up in the basement?

[Four Litre]

catso said:

Full asking price in cash in your hand, if they then take it or crash it, it's theirs. If for whatever reason they don't buy it, you refund them.

Simple and the only way IMO.

Seem to be the best and only way. I have a rule of trusting nobody when selling anything. Years back I had a young guy come to view my car who looked like he had just left choir practice. He tried to drive off in it!!

[Dog Star]

SAS Tom said:

Why would you want them to leave a member of their family as security? Would you keep them hostage if they don’t come back?

How are you going to restrain said family member or stop them from leaving after the test drive taker has done a runner? If they call the police you’ll get charged with something, I have no doubt. And as to your bike tgat you willingly handed over to a thief: that’s a civil matter, sir.

No test rides from me.

[black-k1]

Dog Star said:

SAS Tom said:

Why would you want them to leave a member of their family as security? Would you keep them hostage if they don’t come back?

How are you going to restrain said family member or stop them from leaving after the test drive taker has done a runner? If they call the police you’ll get charged with something, I have no doubt. And as to your bike tgat you willingly handed over to a thief: that’s a civil matter, sir.
...

I'm not suggesting that the family member is "held hostage" only that they stay with the seller (completely voluntarily) to provide assurance that the bike will return.

As the seller, you should put yourself in the buyers position. Some of the suggestions on here basically say "As the seller I don't trust you, the buyer, an inch, but I want you to hand me a big bunch of cash trusting that the bike I'm selling is not a non-functioning dog!". Would you buy in such situations? If you wouldn't, then why should a buyer do so when buying a bike from you?

As for checking license and insurance, I think you would be legally complicit if there was an accident and it transpired that you handed over the keys without making a reasonable effort to confirm the rider was licensed and insured. Whether anything would come of that may be unlikely but it's pretty easy to play it safe and is also a good way of helping to assess if the buyer is genuine.

[SAS Tom]

It’s no test rides from me. Too much hassle.

I’ve never taken a private sale for a test ride, no need to. Easy enough to have a good look over the bike and you usually get a good or bad feeling about the seller.

No kidnap required either.