Selling a bike privately?

[ukusa]

It's just about time for me to sell, & I will be selling privately (upgrading soon). I haven't sold a bike for a number of years (about 15) and have a few questions that some "experienced" sellers may have some ideas on.
1. What is the best way to eliminate most joy riders (do they exist in great numbers?) Is a simple "no joyriders" in the listing enough, or is that not really going to mean anything.
2. How do you know who's serious and who's not?
3. Is charging a nominal fully refundable sum to all test riders a possible option? (this could possibly rule out those clowns with no money & no intention of ever buying, where as a serious buyer should have a little cash).
4. No photo, no ride. Is this an effective safety measure against theft? Also holding onto/photographing their licence before test riding?
5. what is a reasonable time limit for a test ride?
Finally, #6. is it best to list everywhere (eg. here, local paper, buy/sell mag/tardeme), or just one or two?
cheers

[jim.cox]

No "Joy Rides'

At all

Ever

Go the American way : They can buy the bike "subject to satisfactory test ride'

That is they can ride the bike AFTER they have paid you for it

and if they dont like it you give the money back

[crazyhorse]

We've sold a number of bikes through Trade me. Everyone I have delt with have beeen genuine - and I have not come accross any who are tyre kickers. Once sold a FXR150 to a group of 17 year olds - that was abit nervy, but they handed over the foldings, so all good.

Plus they always come in a vehicle - so you then have possession of their car or whatever, and sometimes there are 2 of them - so you can stay and chat to the other person. Not sure about insurance issues, but no one rarely takes a bike for a huge test ride - unless it is done through a bike shop.

Best thing to do is check out how serious they are before giving them your details.

Good luck

[ukusa]

Plus they always come in a vehicle - so you then have possession of their car or whatever

Hoping the vehicle they arrive in ain't nicked!

Not sure about insurance issues, but no one rarely takes a bike for a huge test ride - unless it is done through a bike shop.

I think my insurance covers un-named riders with an additional $300 excess

[vgcspares]

if your bike's insured then check their license (assuming you want to claim if they drop it) and get a photocopy 1st if you want some protection against them knicking it

if it isn't then no joy rides would be the way to go

[Maha]

1. What is the best way to eliminate most joy riders (do they exist in great numbers?) Is a simple "no joyriders" in the listing enough, or is that not really going to mean anything.
2. How do you know who's serious and who's not?
3. Is charging a nominal fully refundable sum to all test riders a possible option? (this could possibly rule out those clowns with no money & no intention of ever buying, where as a serious buyer should have a little cash).
4. No photo, no ride. Is this an effective safety measure against theft? Also holding onto/photographing their licence before test riding?
5. what is a reasonable time limit for a test ride?
Finally, #6. is it best to list everywhere (eg. here, local paper, buy/sell mag/tardeme), or just one or two?
cheers

The only people who test rode my last two sells ended up buying the bikes.
You know who is serious when they turn up for a test ride with the money.
My last sale, I met the guy half way, about an hour twenty from here, he rode the about the same distance. He took the bike for about 6 mins, came back, haggled over the price for about two mins, and he came and got it the very next weekend.
Sometimes, its all to easy if you have a good example to sell.
I advertised on here and trademe, someone on here said I was asking to much for one of the bikes, wanted $7.5K...ended up getting $8K on trademe.

[Beemer]

The only people who test rode my last two sells ended up buying the bikes.

I traded in my first bike when I bought my BMW F650CS then I sold the CS through Trade Me. First person to test ride it was a woman we knew through a bike club. She only had a learner's licence so her husband rode the bike with her on the back - but I found out later they swapped down the road, which really pissed me off as I wouldn't have been covered if she'd binned it. She reckoned I wanted too much for it and said she wasn't interested at that price. Sold it a few weeks later to a guy who came to look at it. He left me his car and two of his kids (who were real hard cases) while he took it for a ride and when he came back he said he'd take it - no haggling over the price at all. He paid half into my bank account that night and the other half a few days later, then he came with his wife and family to collect it that weekend. A totally hassle free sale.

I've got the Goose on Trade Me now - no hurry to sell it, but it's not being used. Here's hoping I have as much luck selling it as I did with the BMW.

[Maha]

I traded in my first bike when I bought my BMW F650CS then I sold the CS through Trade Me. First person to test ride it was a woman we knew through a bike club. She only had a learner's licence so her husband rode the bike with her on the back - but I found out later they swapped down the road, which really pissed me off as I wouldn't have been covered if she'd binned it. She reckoned I wanted too much for it and said she wasn't interested at that price. Sold it a few weeks later to a guy who came to look at it. He left me his car and two of his kids (who were real hard cases) while he took it for a ride and when he came back he said he'd take it - no haggling over the price at all. He paid half into my bank account that night and the other half a few days later, then he came with his wife and family to collect it that weekend. A totally hassle free sale.

I've got the Goose on Trade Me now - no hurry to sell it, but it's not being used. Here's hoping I have as much luck selling it as I did with the BMW.

The first situation?....yeah that would have pissed me off.
The second, damn you could have ended up owning the car and two kids...
When I sold my Yamaha, the guy offered me $7K when he first saw it, without even riding it. Then he offered $7.5K about 1/2 hour later, I wanted the auction to finish....he said $8K right now...the highest bidder on trademe in the end was $6.9K I think...he said he didnt care, $8K was what he wanted to pay, so I took it up to him, everyone happy.

[avgas]

Keys and wallet usually do the trick.
Not a lot of people think you will take their wallet - it also stops them being dicks in your vehicle as if they get pulled over and dont have license.....

[ukusa]

Keys and wallet usually do the trick.
Not a lot of people think you will take their wallet - it also stops them being dicks in your vehicle as if they get pulled over and dont have license.....

I spose just the license woud do rather than who whole wallet. I still think a quick photo on the ole digicam would be benificial as well, as some license photos can be very old

[MDR2]

Keys and wallet usually do the trick.
Not a lot of people think you will take their wallet - it also stops them being dicks in your vehicle as if they get pulled over and dont have license.....

my method also

[YellowDog]

I have never had a problem with selling a bike. You can usually tell they are genuine by the kind of questions they ask.

Jim's solution is the best one. They buy the bike subject to a test ride. If they have not ridden one before then they should go to a dealer for a free ride and then let you know if they want to buy yours subject to your riding similarly to the dealers bike.

[tigertim20]

It's just about time for me to sell, & I will be selling privately (upgrading soon). I haven't sold a bike for a number of years (about 15) and have a few questions that some "experienced" sellers may have some ideas on.
1. What is the best way to eliminate most joy riders (do they exist in great numbers?) Is a simple "no joyriders" in the listing enough, or is that not really going to mean anything.
2. How do you know who's serious and who's not?
3. Is charging a nominal fully refundable sum to all test riders a possible option? (this could possibly rule out those clowns with no money & no intention of ever buying, where as a serious buyer should have a little cash).
4. No photo, no ride. Is this an effective safety measure against theft? Also holding onto/photographing their licence before test riding?
5. what is a reasonable time limit for a test ride?
Finally, #6. is it best to list everywhere (eg. here, local paper, buy/sell mag/tardeme), or just one or two?
cheers

I would put in the ad the following
"test rides are available to serious enquiries, provided you turn up with a full set of your own riding gear, and your licence"

If they have thier own gear they are less likely to be a moron. (note "less likely")
Stating that you want to sight a licence pre-test will mean people need to be prepared to supply photo ID.

A simple you break it, you buy it clause. I have a habbit of asking for the keys to the vehicle they turned up in while they are testing. if they are sketchy on your requirements, tell them to fuck off.Also, write down the number plate of anyone who comes to view it, Just in case it gets stolen aye.

[scracha]

If the bike's worth a few bucks then meet them somewhere neutral (garage, a mates house, whatever) & check their license & piccy before heading back with them to get the bike. If something smells fishy, walk away.

[popelli]

golden rule

never meet at your place - they can suss out security

re test rides, no problem, they give you a cash deposit equal to the asking price of the bike and they can ride it as far as they like, if they drop it its theirs no problem

going on the back as a pillion when they test ride is also a no no - I made that mistake and the idiot dropped the bike - fortunately there was minimal damage and he bought the bike