Who gets a test ride?

[Road kill]

Getting a test ride on my bike won't cost you an arm and a leg. Just an arm...

You win

It's good to see I'm not being unreasonable after all.
After a few comments around here just lately I was starting to get a bit of a complex but I see none of the KBérs that made those comments have responded to this thread anyway.

All good.

[clonak]

All the bikes I have ever gone to look at, they have just let me ride them, except for one. Dweeby little guy didnt want to start the bike because it had an oil leak and had leaked a small amount of oil(didnt have a sight glass). Even with me insisting if it runs, I will buy it, he rathered taking a lower price. His call, didnt bother me either way, came with a parts bike, and he did seem pretty truthfull. Got it home fired her right up and away she went, checked the oil was more then enough. But no ones asked me for security so far. I have always offered my keys, and to show them my license. To be honest, if someone asked me for the money upfront before a test ride, I would probably walk away, unless I really wanted it. Doesnt really leave much room for haggling, he already knows you have how much he wants. If I did damage it on the other hand, I will compinsate them for it, weather I buy it, or repair it would be negotiable. But I do understand how people would want some sort of security. But My therory is if you treat _everyone_ like criminals, _everyone_ will be criminals. And I dont like being treated like a criminal, I left that kind of life behind years ago. So I try to be fair with people, and you can generally tell different types of people.

But end of the day, it all comes down to personal opinions, it is your hard earned possesion, so you have the right to do what you like with it.

[unstuck]

One silly mistake I made was paying for a bike before I got it, When I looked at it the night before it had a nearly new back tire on it, he dropped it off the next day while I was at work and got home wanting to jump on and go for a wee spin, looked at the back tire and it was nearly bald in the middle. Cunt had a hard head too.

[Road kill]

All the bikes I have ever gone to look at, they have just let me ride them, except for one. Dweeby little guy didnt want to start the bike because it had an oil leak and had leaked a small amount of oil(didnt have a sight glass). Even with me insisting if it runs, I will buy it, he rathered taking a lower price. His call, didnt bother me either way, came with a parts bike, and he did seem pretty truthfull. Got it home fired her right up and away she went, checked the oil was more then enough. But no ones asked me for security so far. I have always offered my keys, and to show them my license. To be honest, if someone asked me for the money upfront before a test ride, I would probably walk away, unless I really wanted it. Doesnt really leave much room for haggling, he already knows you have how much he wants. If I did damage it on the other hand, I will compinsate them for it, weather I buy it, or repair it would be negotiable. But I do understand how people would want some sort of security. But My therory is if you treat _everyone_ like criminals, _everyone_ will be criminals. And I dont like being treated like a criminal, I left that kind of life behind years ago. So I try to be fair with people, and you can generally tell different types of people.

But end of the day, it all comes down to personal opinions, it is your hard earned possesion, so you have the right to do what you like with it.

Sort of agree with most of that.
But two points,,one of em' $500 worth of funny.
I don't haggle either way,,,my prices are always fair and I simply ask for their bottom dollar when buying,,,that's the full extent of that for me.
The bike I'm currently buying I asked the guy for his bottom dollar the first time I went to look at it,,he told me $8000.
Today his auction ended and because I'd placed a single bid and had the bike on my watch list I then got see his reserve,,,$7500.
I pick up the money either tomorrow or Thursday,,,you can guess how much I'm paying for it.
Oh yeah,,I don't worry about somebody stealing a bike so much as I do them crashing it and then not having the money to cover it.

[bogan]

On my bikes without cash up front,,,,,,,,nobody.

How about you,,do you let some one you don't know ride your bike without some form of security.

You're too lenient mate.

Who gets a test ride on my bike? nobody!

[ducatilover]

You're too lenient mate.

Who gets a test ride on my bike? nobody!

I even said please, many times.

[imac]

Look at it from the other side, would you buy a bike without riding it? Would you hand over full asking price for the privilege of a test ride?
Somewhere some how if you wanna buy/sell you've gotta meet in the middle

[BMWST?]

no test ride no deal.I would be fine with leaving some form of security,but that would not include the full cash value of the bike.How do i know you gonna be there when i get back.Same "test " that you guys are applying to prospective buyers.

[300weatherby]

No test pilots here either!, got a bike for sale at the mo on TM, among other things l could get some short on experience "mr fasti pants" splatter him and my Busa all over the landscape, as a buyer, unless you are desperate to have it that minute, for a small fee your local bike shop would look it over for you, as a seller am happy to let the bike shop look it over.

Never let someone bugger off into the sunset on your bike unless you have leverage, if he is actually interested and not just joyriding, he will put up with a little inconvenience.

[GrayWolf]

Wow tr ust and love here?
what suddenly happened to the 'brotherhood' of biking?

Buying? Nope you are NOT getting my cash in your hand, but I will leave my car keys with you, or when married I'd leave the wife with you... fair exchange if I buggered off, I think I usually have a bank cheque made out to the minumum I'd expect to pay, and then carry cash for the extra negotiations.

Selling? I'd go for a ride with you, AND make sure there isnt too much fuel in the one for sale! if you dont have any/enough security.

[rossirep]

i had a old friend lose his gsxr750 when someone test rode it and never came back, so id not be lettin anyone test ride my bike, but in sayin that im not ever gonna sell it,
but i paid full cash price for my bike sight unseen from upnorth and had to wait for bike tranz to drop it off a week later before i was totally sure i wasnt being ripped off.

[skippa1]

Sort of agree with most of that.
But two points,,one of em' $500 worth of funny.
I don't haggle either way,,,my prices are always fair and I simply ask for their bottom dollar when buying,,,that's the full extent of that for me.
The bike I'm currently buying I asked the guy for his bottom dollar the first time I went to look at it,,he told me $8000.
Today his auction ended and because I'd placed a single bid and had the bike on my watch list I then got see his reserve,,,$7500.
I pick up the money either tomorrow or Thursday,,,you can guess how much I'm paying for it.
Oh yeah,,I don't worry about somebody stealing a bike so much as I do them crashing it and then not having the money to cover it.

in the early 80s I test rode a XS650 in Kelston. It was customised and had a little chrome rod stopping the centre of the rear brake drum spinning with the wheel. It broke as I got to a roundabout and the hub spun with the rear brake on. It seized up the back wheel tight........you can guess the rest. Had a prick of a job getting the hub free then had to push it back to his house. I brought it anyway.....mainly because he was huge and fucked off by the time I got there....