Wanted - Tips for Selling my Bike - Motorcycle-Journal Forums

Big AL · 03-31-2005, 02:29 PM

Hi All,

I'm just about to sell my first bike and wanted to know if anyone has some good tips.
I'm going to sell privately if possible. My main worry is how to make sure someone doesn't take it out for a test ride and never return with it.
I want to appear like I've sold lots of bikes so that I don't get ripped off.

Cheers All

AL

**Louis** · 03-31-2005, 02:46 PM

I personnally would not let the person try the bike. WHat if they wreck it, you'd be stuck with the bike. You don't know how they ride, their experience on a bike, ...

If they want to see it running, you can ride it for them and have them follow you or something.

LayinLo · 03-31-2005, 02:53 PM

Or take them as a passenger.

oldgeezer · 03-31-2005, 03:20 PM

Don't take a personal check. Cash or bank cashiers check only.

If they say, "there's no problem, the money is in my account", tell them that's fine, trot down to the bank and get the cash or a cashiers check.

**Clint** · 03-31-2005, 04:32 PM

I would offer to ride the bike ahead of them as a demonstration, and I would never consider letting anyone without a license endorsement test ride it.

themeatmanlandry · 04-01-2005, 11:03 AM

I don't like the idea of test rides at all. There has to be a reason that the dealerships (at least around here) won't allow it.

With all the crap I see folks doing to their own bikes , I just don't feel confident in letting someone else take a bike for a spin.

Like someone said earlier . . . if dudes stuffs it, not only are you possibly liable, you're definitely in possession of a @#$%-canned bike.

Another thing to think about is a simple sales contract. I have an example somewhere that I can probably find, if need be. Let me know.Sales contracts usually say things like:

1) What is sold (make, model, model year, mileage, color)
2) Who is selling and who is buying
3) Sales price
4) Date of sale
5) "Being sold as is, free of any warranty"
6) A slot for each of you to sign
7) An area for public notarization (find a notary and use them!)

There's some other stuff, but without having it in front of me, I can't remember them all.

I usually write up two bills of sale. On the first one, I write down the actual sales price. On the second one, I write down a ridiculously low, but one that may be believable. This saves the other guy a little cash on his sales tax.

Nexus242 · 04-01-2005, 08:23 PM

ah never accept their first offer.

Big AL · 04-03-2005, 08:37 AM

Hi All,

Thanks for all your tips - it's been really helpful.

Speak again soon

AL

LayinLo · 04-04-2005, 10:46 PM

Are you the Mascot for the University of Alabama?

03-31-2005, 02:29 PM	#1 (permalink)
Big AL Newbie Joined: Jan 2004 Location: UK Posts: 10	Wanted - Tips for Selling my Bike Hi All, I'm just about to sell my first bike and wanted to know if anyone has some good tips. I'm going to sell privately if possible. My main worry is how to make sure someone doesn't take it out for a test ride and never return with it. I want to appear like I've sold lots of bikes so that I don't get ripped off. Cheers All AL

03-31-2005, 02:46 PM	#2 (permalink)
Louis Administrator Joined: Sep 2003 Bike: SV650S '05 (Blue) Location: Gatineau, QC, Canada Posts: 10,658	I personnally would not let the person try the bike. WHat if they wreck it, you'd be stuck with the bike. You don't know how they ride, their experience on a bike, ... If they want to see it running, you can ride it for them and have them follow you or something. __________________ Louis

03-31-2005, 03:20 PM	#4 (permalink)
oldgeezer Handlebar Consultant Joined: Aug 2004 Location: Texas Posts: 646	Don't take a personal check. Cash or bank cashiers check only. If they say, "there's no problem, the money is in my account", tell them that's fine, trot down to the bank and get the cash or a cashiers check. __________________ Oh, he's very popular Ed. The sportos, the motorheads, geeks, sluts, bloods, wastoids, dweebies, d!ckheads--they all adore him. They think he's a righteous dude.

04-01-2005, 11:03 AM	#6 (permalink)
themeatmanlandry Happy-ass Lunatic Joined: Dec 2003 Bike: 2002 Bandit 600S (Black); 2006 GSXR750 (Black) Location: Memphis Posts: 11,423	I don't like the idea of test rides at all. There has to be a reason that the dealerships (at least around here) won't allow it. With all the crap I see folks doing to their own bikes , I just don't feel confident in letting someone else take a bike for a spin. Like someone said earlier . . . if dudes stuffs it, not only are you possibly liable, you're definitely in possession of a @#$%-canned bike. Another thing to think about is a simple sales contract. I have an example somewhere that I can probably find, if need be. Let me know.Sales contracts usually say things like: 1) What is sold (make, model, model year, mileage, color) 2) Who is selling and who is buying 3) Sales price 4) Date of sale 5) "Being sold as is, free of any warranty" 6) A slot for each of you to sign 7) An area for public notarization (find a notary and use them!) There's some other stuff, but without having it in front of me, I can't remember them all. I usually write up two bills of sale. On the first one, I write down the actual sales price. On the second one, I write down a ridiculously low, but one that may be believable. This saves the other guy a little cash on his sales tax. __________________ Go to hell

04-01-2005, 08:23 PM	#7 (permalink)
Nexus242 Can Ride And Chew Gum Joined: Aug 2004 Bike: yellow and black Location: Wide awake in dreamland... Posts: 1,935	ah never accept their first offer. __________________ The killer in me is the killer in you My love I send this smile over to you...Smashing Pumpkins

03-31-2005, 02:53 PM	#3 (permalink)
LayinLo Flipper ( Don't Ask ) Joined: Jul 2004 Bike: Crunchy 02 GSX-R 750 Location: Alabama Posts: 3,936	Or take them as a passenger.

04-03-2005, 08:37 AM	#8 (permalink)
Big AL Newbie Joined: Jan 2004 Location: UK Posts: 10	Hi All, Thanks for all your tips - it's been really helpful. Speak again soon AL

04-04-2005, 10:46 PM	#9 (permalink)
LayinLo Flipper ( Don't Ask ) Joined: Jul 2004 Bike: Crunchy 02 GSX-R 750 Location: Alabama Posts: 3,936	Are you the Mascot for the University of Alabama?

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