Be more careful with test rides!

[Mokoro]

"1992 KAWASAKI ZXR 250C" (reference: *******)

The following reason was given by the seller:
bike has been withdrawn from sale due to a test rider dropping and
damaging

This is the second accident I've heard of from Trademe, in which a tester has crashed the sellers bike, or at least dropped it...
Stuff that! I feel sorry for the seller :(

My policy would always be "you test ride? you drop, you buy"

[_intense_]

My policy would always be "you test ride? you drop, you buy"

Yeah man, for sure this is the way to go, but unless there something in writing, are there any legal grounds for accountability? I know when i bought my cbr600 via trade me i wasnt expecting to get a ride and as a seller i would have been cool with that, but the owner after sussing me out i guess, said "you wana go for a squirt mate?" and jumped on his R1 to escort me around on a half hour test ride.

Be very careful as to EXACTLY what your insurance covers you for to.

[McJim]

Yeah, a friend of mine bought his first bike off trade me - he got me to turn up too to look at bits for a second opinion - we are both on Learner licences so we had no intention of taking the bike for a spin. We looked at the bike, sat on the bike, turned the engine over, looked at the brake discs, listened to the engine, looked at the state of the chain and then asked the guy to take the bike to Holeshot to get it evaluated.

The bike got bought without getting ridden or dropped and my friend is one happy customer.

But Trademe should supply an appropriate form online for the tester to sign holding them responsible for any damage done while testing.

[Crisis management]

I must admit I have bought bikes without test riding them but that is the exception rather than the rule. There are to many things you can determine about the bike by riding it that it seems foolish not to test ride.
This assumes you have the competency to ride the bike obviously, but in the case of a slightly dodgy punter that can be got around by making the sale conditional on a test ride ie. the seller gets the money before the test ride.
I know that trademe seems to drag out all sorts of test pilots and complete morons but in the interests of fair trading a buyer must be able to sample the goods before deciding.

[TerminalAddict]

I have no comment on this matter <_<

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=17064

[davereid]

Its great to get a bargin, and sometimes trademe is the place. But trademe is an auction. So you have no rights whatsoever under fairtrading law, consumer rights law, etc etc. I watch as people buy chinese scooters on trademe. The seller says "get parts anywhere". Of course thats rubbish. These guys survive because if you complain they just blacklist you. They keep good trademe ratings by selling 100 $10 bangles and 2 dodgy scooters and keeping 98% good feedback. Trademe offer "address verified" but its crap as they will never release it even if you have been ripped off.
I started www.tradertracker.co.nz to keep an eye on it, but I must admit, its had f all interest. But I still think TM allows rip off traders to hide behind their tm identity.

Dave

[Korea]

My policy on test riding involves 2 questions:
a) Do you have the money? (Show me~!)
b) If you test ride the bike and it all seems in order are you 100% sure you will buy the bike?

If the answer to both questions is 'yes', then sure you can take it for a test ride (leave your wallet, phone, girlfriend :blip: with me while you're gone)

I think this is fairly reasonable if you're selling privately and will let you know how serious the buyer is.

Another approach I've heard of is: No test pilots but if you buy it and decide it's not right you get your money back.

(Both assume that you believe the bike is all in good order - otherwise how much is wrong with it will affect the agreed price and a test ride is a necessity)

[marty]

it's simple - a refundable deposit equalling either the insurance excess (if they fit your insurance co's profile - over 25 & licensed) or a refundable deposit equalling the value of the bike if it doesn't.

try getting a test ride at a bike shop without either.

[davereid]

Thats great for the seller. And actually i think most sellers are genuine. But there are lots of "privte sellers" that are actually dealers, with dodgy st!t they dump on the auctions. So, if you cant take it for a ride how do you really know ? I confess my interest - I sell scooters... but you can always ride em, and always come back for repairs... I admit it p!sses me big time to have a 17 year old student come in wanting spares for a scooter off trademe and they cant get the parts ! They thought they bought cheap transport but when the ECM Fs out and the seller cant be contacted cos they are blacklisted its gutting.

[Toast]

I was helping a mate sell his GPX250 and the dude came back to the end of the street. All sweet we thought...

My mate said to the test-rider's mate who was standing with us 'phew, good thing he didn't crash it...'

To which I said, jokingly, 'hoho, nah bro, you want him to crash it so he's gotta buy it, eh...'

Naturally, no more than 2 seconds later as he's coming to a halt, he loses his balance and splashes yellow plastic all over the tarmac...:o felt a bit guilty did I :p

Good bastard though, bought the bike at the agreed price, no funny shit.

[davereid]

hehe I'll cheerfully take biker advise on www.tradertracker.co.nz ... let me know why its such a dog and I'll try and fix it... be caring... I'm almost a pensioner....

[pixc]

I purchased my bike off trademe. I dont know anything about bikes...nothing at all. No one wanted to help me. I didnt know anyone that could. I saw it ...it was sooo pretty. Its got a shiney blue tank and it was clean. That was it. I didnt start it..i didnt know how really. If I did...what the hell was I meant to look for or listen for. I have no idea..and still dont. I basically handed over the cash..and the person I brought it off helped me wheel it into the back of the van. She got top dollar for the bike, but im still happy with my purchase.

Myself, my own opinion, I wouldnt bother looking without the cash in hand for starters, and if I crashed, dropped or scratched it, its mine. If it wasnt as advertised..then Id pay for the damage to be fixed. I admit and pay for my muckups period. Pisses me of though when others dont.

[igor]

it's simple - a refundable deposit equalling either the insurance excess (if they fit your insurance co's profile - over 25 & licensed) or a refundable deposit equalling the value of the bike if it doesn't.

try getting a test ride at a bike shop without either.


when can i take the BUSAbusa for a testy. can u take the numberplate off. out the backa CB towards wharepapa sth. up 2 TA and find bevan GIBBS and a quick trip bak 2 ya abode

[davereid]

yeah I was the same - my first bike was a 50cc suzuki a50.. it was a great bike everthing the seller claimed. I just looked at it... and had to own it. And I guess that is why 10... er 15... er 20.. err a few years later I still love bikes !

[davereid]

ok u lot I just checked the log for www.tradertracker.co.nz but no sign ups. Its free, I think its great ... wot i do rong ?

[crazybigal]

"show me the bling$$$, put it in my hand and go for a test ride mate!"
you havnt a shit show of getting any money out of someone who drops your bike if they dont want to pay for it.
If you wana ride my vfr, go ride one in the shop!!! then come see me if you like it.

[Ixion]

ok u lot I just checked the log for www.tradertracker.co.nz but no sign ups. Its free, I think its great ... wot i do rong ?

Y didnnae tell folks. Y'all got one signup now, I've got nothing to hide.

[davereid]

good on ya I told both my friends and my mum and my wife have joined up too ! [grin]

[marty]

when can i take the BUSAbusa for a testy. can u take the numberplate off. out the backa CB towards wharepapa sth. up 2 TA and find bevan GIBBS and a quick trip bak 2 ya abode

don't you be dissing my mate gibbsy.

you take the busa - you'll have to follow me on the beemer.

[Dadpole]

Another signup for Tradertracker here.

[igor]

don't you be dissing my mate gibbsy.

you take the busa - you'll have to follow me on the beemer.

Ill neva KEEP UP. FOR SET OF ROAD WORKS AND U WILL BE GONE INTO THE HORIZON

[quickbuck]

Yep, just signed up for trade tracker myself.

As for test pilots, I always go by break it you buy. That even goes for letting my mates have a spin.

[Buster]

If you want a test ride on one of my bikes then thats fine but it should be to check for mechanical faults only. If you been looking at it and are keen as to buy it then bring the agreed ammount and take it for a spin on the condition that Ill hand the coin back if theres an issue. If ya drop it, dont bother coming back.

[Korea]

Ill hand the coin back if theres an issue. If ya drop it, dont bother coming back.

Exactly~! :yes:

[inlinefour]

I must admit I have bought bikes without test riding them.

Ive gone and done it a few times now. First time I never saw the bike in person as it was in the South Island. I was lucky and it was a mint bike. A few others I have gone and checked it out the bike and heard it running. Fortunately after just that I've been pretty confident that they have been good and as time would tell they turned out to be. I have reciently parted with a few bikes from my collection and I was farked if I was letting anyone ride the bike before passing over the cash. Couple of other times I have gone for a test pilot on a bike in the understanding that if I break it I have brought it. However in this day and age there are too many fucktards out there to be confident that this would actually occur. Apart from the fact that I do not like parting with my toys, this is why I really dislike selling any of my bikes. Not everyone likes my point of view, but then again I don't care and show them the door... :done:

[jonbuoy]

What about getting them to get temporary insurance cover-note? Can this be done? You can check pretty much everything on a bike without actually riding it anyway- as long as you've got a jack and a couple of helping hands. Execept motor horsepower might be tricky.

If they don't know anything about bikes at all I'd be worried about letting someone take it down the road. I'd rather take it to a bike shop for an independant inspection than let someone loose on it. Personally I would be a bit wary about taking a bike out that I didn't own and wasn't insured on.

[quickbuck]

[QUOTE=jonbuoy;724124] Execept motor horsepower might be tricky.
QUOTE]

LOL, just turn up with your mobile Dyno ;)

[quickbuck]

Dam, why didn't the quote thingy work?

Ah well, I'm off on the turps, catch you all later.

[Ghost Lemur]

I bought my bike sight unseen. As I know nothing it just wasn't worth me walking around it looking like I knew something.

So instead I got Phil @ DAS to do a prepurchase on it. He took it for a test ride during that. And on his all clear, I handed over the cash.

Although she's still just sitting the garage waiting patiently for October. I couldn't be happier.

While it'd be nice to be able to test ride lots of different machines. I think I'm more than a couple of years off feeling comfortable on anyone elses machine.

[cowboyz]

I have only ever test rode one bike that i didn't buy. It was a GPZ900 and they guy insisted that I ride it before talking about what he wanted for it. We were several thousand dollars out in the valuation of the bike. Apart from that I have purchased all the bikes I have ridden. Maybe I am just lazy and don't like looking/riding all the bikes in New Zealand before settling on one. I have never had a lemon though.. Touch wood. All my bikes have been solid and good.

I think you can tell more about the bike from the attitude of the guy selling it sometimes.

[igor]

don't you be dissing my mate gibbsy.

you take the busa - you'll have to follow me on the beemer.

hey marty

thanks for lettig me take the Busa for a ride and the vid camera was a good idea. Fortunately I did not get stopped on the southern motorway this mornin. i had a good excuse. i was off to a Tango in NGA

http://www.linienmc.dk/mcuheld/sep01/Demon_Haya.mov

[cowboyz]

are you sure that was a Busa? Dash looked suspiciously like a SJ50 scooter I was looking at on the weekend.