Selling a bike privately?

[Conquiztador]

-My cars or bikes are never registered to my home.
-Bikes over $1K are not shown to prospective buyers at home.
-License to be seen before test ride. I will hold on to money. Bikes over $1K I always have mate with me.

But when I buy bikes I dont think I have had a test ride yet? Start the motor, check that things work. (If it is a bike that is supposed to run) If I am happy I pay and I am off.

[bsasuper]

After selling a few bikes, you get to know who is serious and who are just tyre kickers.A lot of buyers have already made up their minds to buy your bike before they have even seen it in the flesh.
My rules for test riding are I keep your licence, If I think you are dodgy I ask for the CASH.You are letting a complete stranger take your pride and joy for a ride, if you get the feeling something is not right, dont be afraid to ask for the cash first, like I said a lot of buyers have made up their minds to buy it, so bringing the cash with them is easy.

[MarkH]

As a recent buyer I was turned-off by any ad that said 'No Test Pilots!'.... So I'm not allowed to come try your bike with the intention that IF I like it I might buy it? Well then screw ya.

So the seller not wanting tossers to turn up to go for a blat on the bike with no intention of buying it put you off? I would never let that statement put me off - if I was seriously going to buy the bike subject to a test ride then I would just explain that to the seller. Maybe I'd even have the cash on hand and let him hold it while I went for a ride.

My rules for test riding are I keep your licence

Do you offer to pay their fine if they are pulled over & ticketed for riding without having their license on them? Surely if the license is genuine then noting the license number and full name is enough for the police to track them down?

[breakaway]

As a recent buyer I was turned-off by any ad that said 'No Test Pilots!'.... So I'm not allowed to come try your bike with the intention that IF I like it I might buy it? Well then screw ya.

Your loss

You'll have to excuse me if I won't let some random off the street ride my bike valued at $8000 without any security. And no, your car doesn't count as security because it could be stolen, and neither does leaving your dodgy looking friend.

That's one of the nice things about dealers... they want you to ride all their bikes.

Ah okay, nevermind that you pay many thousands more buying from stealerships, and not to mention their bikes are insured so if you prang it, you will have to pay. Privately insured bikes are only insured for the person who's name is on the contract.

After evaluating all the facts, can you really still be bitter that you were denied a test ride without cash?

[Her_C4]

I get the seller to prove he/she has the funds to pay and sign a form stating they are taking it for a ride and will pay up in the event of an incident.

If a vehicle is left, it is in sight, not allowed to leave etc (people have pitched up then "shot up the road", no car, no bike). If I really had my doubts, I have previously met the guy at a neutral place in the city, with a mate in a car in tow. Bikes aren't registered to my house either.

Upon sale, I also get them to sign a short form saying they have purchased the bike and paid for it in full, this is to cover me in the event they don't complete the transfer of ownership forms in a timely manner.

As a recent buyer I was turned-off by any ad that said 'No Test Pilots!'.... So I'm not allowed to come try your bike with the intention that IF I like it I might buy it? Well then screw ya.

Just the thought that the seller would be only grudgingly letting me ride his bike is some unwanted pressure/hassle that's not worth dealing with.

That's one of the nice things about dealers... they want you to ride all their bikes.

Interesting perspectives... the first bike I sold myself I made it clear on the phone that if he came around he would need to sign a waiver and handover his licence. He laughed and said that was fine - came around and gave me his wallet (with his licence in it), and when he came back he pulled his police ID out of his back pocket and commended me on my approach. Then he came back and bought the bike!

The second one was the 1098 and a number of you will recall that I was flamed on here for stating 'no test rides'. I had it for sale for 4 weeks and a guy flew up from the South Island to ride it back after putting the money in my account the week before - sight unseen.

I have no problem with either scenario above as a buyer or a seller.

[BMWST?]

What's the 20 minutes for? Is it to discover potential mechanical faults, or to know whether you like how it rides?

get a bit used to it,let it warm up properly,ride it in variuos situations(a bit of urban a bit of openroad) try out brakes ,in short a TEST ride

[Marmoot]

get a bit used to it,let it warm up properly,ride it in variuos situations(a bit of urban a bit of openroad) try out brakes ,in short a TEST ride

OK, so you're a Test Pilot.

[NZM0NK3Y]

Hi,
Sorry I know this is in the wrong forum page but don't know how to move it into Buying/Selling without it being an ad ??

Anyway - am thinking about selling my bike, 2013 KTM Duke 390 - 6,600kms ish, good condition, full KTM service history, larger screen and 10ltr KTM pillion seat bag

Just wanted to get some tips on selling second hand and allowing test rides etc. A lot of ads state "no test rides without proof of funds / licence / insurance" etc

Do people generally follow the bike etc when out on a test ride ? Hold back a credit card etc ?

Thanks for any advice about best way to proceed and if someone could move this to the right section then thanks very much !

Cheers

[NZM0NK3Y]

Thanks to whoever moved this !

[haydes55]

Hold their license if you allow a test ride. Talk to your insurer about what they will cover. Clean the bike. Polish it, take good photos. Don't expect to get as much money as a new one would cost.

[nodrog:Me]

its now standard practice to go out on the back when somebody test rides your bike.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTsL7tAzbDI

[Big Dog]

Instinct. If you have none get someone else to size up the buyer.
Vet the buyer as a bike shop would.
Can they buy the bike if they like it?
Do they need someone else's approval? If so can they come and look first? Or better still wait with you while the bike is ridden?
What was their timeline on buying something? they will probably lie here but you will get a sense pretty quick. Some will say they want to buy immediately because they want a ride, some will say in 2-3 weeks so they don't seem to eager. It will usually be pretty obvious which way round. Some will tell the truth when they provide one answer or the other. They should be obvious who they are.
If they like the bike on the ride what other impediments are there to a sale?
Do they have a valid license?
Does your / their insurance cover this activity?
Is your bike legal? Reg? Wof?

If you feel confident and are happy to wear the loss I you are wrong go for it.

Regarding security:
If they are keen to leave a vehicle as security make sure they own it clear. Else repo men will turn up, or possibly the police if the rider does not return.
People are usually good security but they also cannot be detained by you and can wander off.
Credit cards are not security. Nor are phones.
Always sight the drivers license and check it is real and it matches. If possible get a photocopy. If not possible note down numbers and details.
Cash is king.

Red flags. How many you accept is up to you:
Lies.
Talking up their riding ability.
Talking about crashes.
Talking about wheelies etc.
Skater shoes and shorts on a test ride? Really?
Wanting to borrow your gear.
Appearance does not reflect the kind of financial freedom needed to buy what you are selling.


The final word is yours. You cock it up there is no insurance and good luck getting it back.
Don't be bullied into letting them go. If it feels wrong to probably is.



Stupid phone / Tapatalk, apologies in advance.

[n3Xro]

Hold their license if you allow a test ride. Talk to your insurer about what they will cover. Clean the bike. Polish it, take good photos. Don't expect to get as much money as a new one would cost.

All of the above, sold my 250 about a month ago, be realistic about price if you want to sell any time soon, I set my by now at the starting price for all the other matching Ninja's on TM at the time, had 3 offers within 5 days.
For test rides I figure at some point you have to trust people but definitely get their ID to hold at the least. I'd be a bit dubious of showing up somewhere with 6k+ in hand for a test ride especially after the Facebook sale recently just out of Hamilton that ended with the guy being robbed at gunpoint.

[Big Dog]

The flip side is no demo likely means no sale.

If you don't have the smarts or stomach to allow a test ride having read my earlier post either trade it in or find a dealer who will buy it or sell it on behalf.
You will get less money but for less risk.


Stupid phone / Tapatalk, apologies in advance.

[Mike.Gayner]

The flip side is no demo likely means no sale.

If you don't have the smarts or stomach to allow a test ride having read my earlier post either trade it in or find a dealer who will buy it or sell it on behalf.
You will get less money but for less risk.


Stupid phone / Tapatalk, apologies in advance.

Just call your insurance - odds are they will cover you for test rides if you take due care. Then you don't have to think about it any more, just sight ID and let them at it.

I wouldn't buy a bike without riding it, nor would I turn up to view with thousands in cash sitting in my pocket. So those who say "cash in hand or no test ride" will never get a sale from me.