I recently sold my bike to some dude. It spent so much of its time parked up in the garage I actually moved it into my rumpus room - figured there was no point in holding onto it anymore. I've got an injury that the hunched over position of a sportbike aggravates after a short time of riding.
Anyway, all this was going down during L4 covid19 lockdown. I did a video call / sent videos of the bike so he can get an idea of what it's like. He seemed satisfied with it, which I was a little nervous about as I know a couple of people had been by to see it in months prior and cited a lack of cosmetic perfection as problem for them. Also due to L4 lockdown buyer was unable to get a mechanical inspection. He did get his mechanic to contact me, who was very insistent on coming over right there and then during level 4 but I didn't allow it (I have elderly people at my home). I explained to him to wait until lockdown is lifted so his mechanic mate can get a good look at the bike, but ultimately he decided he didn't want to bother with getting it checked over. I also made it clear in the listing (and during our video calls) that the bike wasn't in "showroom condition" (especially being close to 15 years old, and having spent a few years of its life parked in the elements). Despite all this, he was VERY keen for the bike (out of town buyer), asking that I pull down the listing and he will pay immediately by internet banking to "Secure the bike". Obviously I didn't want to do this because I wanted the guy to be happy with the bike before handed over any cash. He was messaging me all hours of day & night saying how excited he was to pick up the bike which I thought was odd.
So the announcement comes for Level 3 and the guy immediately messages me he'll be over to pick up and pay cash. While all that is happening, he's asking me questions like if the tinted screen (Puig) is a problem for WoF. Kind of setting off alarm bells in my head, I mean who buys a GSXR1000 without knowing these things? But he seemed extremely keen and claimed he had a history with bikes so I looked past it. Tuesday AM rolls around - he arrives, looks at the bike, says he's happy with it. I remember specifically discussing with him how I'd gone out of town for a bike in my youth and it turned out to be a shitter and I had to come back home disappointed so it is important that he is happy with it. He's adamant it's all good so I help him load it onto his trailer (bike had no wof and reg was on hold since I don't really ride it). Didn't even take it for a test ride even though he said he'd wanted to the day before.
The day after he picks up, I start getting the complaints. Complaints like he is unhappy with the condition of the bike and that hes "Cleaned it up". That the key is sticking in the ignition (something I'd definitely have noticed because I took it around the corner to gas it up/check tyre pressures the day before at his request), oil being low (again, dubious because I'd serviced it just recently) and now he's saying the fork seals are leaking - this I'd definitely have picked up on as it is VERY obvious when these are leaking. He also mentions the chain needed tightening.
Obviously, I am not aware of any of these issues with the bike and most of them quite frankly sound like absolute bullshit to me.
What are my obligations here? I do have a signed document that states the VIN/Plate/Odometer/details of the bike and that it was sold without wof and reg (I do this as a matter of policy for all vehicles I sell or buy - to make sure there is a record of the state of things when the bike changed hands).
Bookmarks