Used bike purchase - Poll

[canuguzzi]

Seemed like an interesting topic since it comes up often in ads as well.

Note, this is about what you did, not what you might do, trying to see real experiences for the result.

[charlie b]

Mine is not one of those choices.  I bought mine sight unseen from a guy across the country.  Paid up front.  First time I saw it was when it was unloaded off the truck in my driveway.  Found ad on MGNOC classifieds.  Talked to guy on phone.

When I sold my Honda it was the same thing.  I put ad up on Honda forum.  Guy called and wanted bike.  He paid for it.  I sent him title.  He flew out and rode it home.

[canuguzzi]

Mine is not one of those choices.  I bought mine sight unseen from a guy across the country.  Paid up front.  First time I saw it was when it was unloaded off the truck in my driveway.  Found ad on MGNOC classifieds.  Talked to guy on phone.

When I sold my Honda it was the same thing.  I put ad up on Honda forum.  Guy called and wanted bike.  He paid for it.  I sent him title.  He flew out and rode it home.

The last choice, bought it anyway.

Changed it to / bought sight unseen etc. 

Thanks.

[unclepete]

Several bikes bought lately have been rescues , not running , test ride not possible .
The runners , the seller has offered for me to test ride every time ; have never been asked to sign anything or leave a deposit beforehand .
When I sell I play it by ear . By the time we talk about a test ride enough conversation has taken place to know how to proceed .
The bike is licensed and insured , and only twice have I been uncertain enough to offer a ride as passenger rather than letting them go off by themselves .
I see a lot of this paranoia in CL ads , same as " scammers need not apply " ; just afraid I guess . Maybe got lawyered ?
 

[Cool Runnings]

Many dealers here have no test bike to ride, zero.....

[toma nova]

Mine is not one of those choices.  I bought mine sight unseen from a guy across the country.  Paid up front.  First time I saw it was when it was unloaded off the truck in my driveway.  Found ad on MGNOC classifieds.  Talked to guy on phone.

When I sold my Honda it was the same thing.  I put ad up on Honda forum.  Guy called and wanted bike.  He paid for it.  I sent him title.  He flew out and rode it home.

Bought the 1200 Sport this way (Detroit to Houston) and sold it this way (Houston to NC).  Full asking price (it was fair both times), personal check, mail the title after it clears, couple of phone calls to iron out the details.  Honest, mature sellers and buyers all around, never an issue.  Couple of other experiences like this also (NGC) but in person - personal check, test rides by swapping bikes, etc.

Tom

[Guzzistajohn]

The Triumph dealer I bought my Tiger from would let you ride ANY bike in the shop for as long as you wanted to. That was a HUGE selling point for Eldorado Cycle and Triumph motorcycles. Too bad the owner is no longer with us Harper's let me ride BOTH of the Guzzi's I bought form them, no questions asked. Thanks again Mike!

[RinkRat II]

 Did my research, due diligence, found one on ebay, struck a deal over the phone with massive amount of detailed pictures, PayPal'd it. 12 days later truck showed up with it to my front door and there were no surprises. Pleasant transaction all around, as was said, adult honest individual seller. Both parties happy.


   Paul B.

[rodekyll]

WAIT A MINute . . .  bikes RUN when you buy them?  When did THAT happen?   

I suppose you buy them all in one piece, too.

[RayB]

Yeah they sometimes do run. I bought one that did-my EV

[charlie b]

WAIT A MINute . . .  bikes RUN when you buy them?  When did THAT happen?   

I suppose you buy them all in one piece, too.

ROFLMAO

Good one RK.

FWIW, dealers out here almost beg you to take test rides, on any bike they have to sell.  I was wandering around a showroom waiting on the service manager and a salesman tried to get me to test ride the bike I was standing next to (happened to be a VFR1200).  When I said no, he suggest 2 or 3 others that were similar (new and used ST1300's).

[rodekyll]

My $450 EV looked like this when I bought it:







It ran.     

Here's what it looked like in its final evolution:

[Doppelgaenger]

I bought mine without riding it because I didn't have a valid motorcycle license at the time. However it was def not sight unseen.

[Arizona Wayne]

My $450 EV looked like this when I bought it:







It ran.     




Here's what it looked like in its final evolution:

Did you buy it from a salvage yard or divorcee?

[rodekyll]

Salvage yard, obviously.  If it was a from divorcee the tires would have been flat and it wouldn't have run.   

The story was that a guy in the outside lane made a left as this guzzi was coming along in the inside lane.  He hooked the bike with his bumper and dragged it and the rider a block or so claiming he didn't know he'd hit anything.  You can see how folded up and ground down the crash bar and head pipe are in the first pic.  The screw heads were ground off of everything along that side.  All I know about the rider is that he survived.