When selling do you allow test ride??

[bigborer]

Unless the guy looks sketchy, a test ride while seller holding his drivers license and ID card should be no problem.

I've seen seen quite a number of sellers saying up front "testing only with full cash on hand", even writing that in caps in the add. This has always put me off. If you don't trust me to test ride your bike, why would I trust you to not screw me big time with a junk bike? I've heard so many stories, and "potential buyer running off or crashing and then not paying" is much much much rarer than "seller selling piece of junk that fell apart in 2h", with all kinds of crap done to mask the real condition, such as tin foil wrapped around rod bearings, honey like thick oil, glued metal parts, etc.

For someone to be so extremely scared of crooks, that's definitely a red flag... as the saying goes, it takes one to know one. Or it's just a way of trying to have it ridden as little as possible, to not have the tin foil come apart before making the transaction.

 

[bigborer]

So yesterday I got buyer looking at bike. We agreed on price day before and he showed up with trailer. I went to MOT for "vehicle information package" and prepared 2 simple contracts. First he looked at the bike (in garage) fro all sides. I showed him manual with some service records. Last service done in Sarasota 10 days ago. I started bike. Everything fine. Then we went back into room and he handed me money in closed envelope. Counted, everything there.
At this moment he wouldn't sign contract. He said he needs just short spin to see that it runs properly. I am thinking "Fine, I have money, bike is practically yours so sure, do it". He picked up new helmet that I am giving away with bike and went down a road. I really thought he will just do short circle around industrial complex where we were. However he was away for good 5 min.

I actually got nervous a bit and here he comes back and drives straight back into garage. And then most peculiar thing happened. He got off the bike and says something like:"I will think about it. I actually wanted back with fairing at the bottom ..."and something like that. I ask him is anything is wrong, I rode same bike last week from Sarasota back to Toronto with no issues whatsoever. I tell him that he knew exactly which model of bike he wanted and was expecting to see. But he said like he is undecided. I said, "yesterday evening while we e-amiled to each other you knew exactly what it is and exactly how it looks like".

Anyway, we went back to room and I handed him money. He pulled it out of envelope and counted again and then left. I left kind of stunned with no explanation what just happened. It was almost like he wanted to ride a bike to try it out counting on fact that he will not take it. I can't imagine anything being so wrong with motorcycle that would change his mind. I asked him and he said no, Not really strong no.

Very strange. We went through all normal motions. He went to bank to pickup money, had a bank slip in envelope. What do you think about this? I went back to Kijiji and actually raised a price on bike.

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1- he's got some kind of mental illness (no joke)
2- he got scared, either of power or traffic (heard of this before, to just quit after first ride)
3- he was expecting the bike to be totally different

My main business is selling a niche product and I've had this kind of (schizophrenic) customer a few times before, going through a lot of effort, looking like it was a done deal and then suddenly, for no reason, canceling the deal. After learning more about some of then, through other people, turns out they were actually crazy (as in mentally ill crazy). Got a bit upset and thought I did something, but these days I'm very happy to let go anyone showing a strong indication of crazy. +1% in sales is never worth +30% in trouble, handling some crazy ****er.

Be grateful that you most likely dodged a bullet with that one, with someone like that there was a high chance of calling you 2 days later with who knows what crazy issues about the bike, crazy claims, threatening (or even taking) legal action, etc.

 

[gnyce]

Very strange. We went through all normal motions. He went to bank to pickup money, had a bank slip in envelope. What do you think about this?

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I think you just can't account for some folks. I had fixed up an 83 Nighthawk, and had a guy come by. Upper-40s/lower-50s in age, not what you would consider 'flighty', decent car, dressed business-casual, seemed put-together. Liked the bike, agreed to purchase (we negotiated price a bit), made arrangements to meet at a specific tag/title shop nearby the following day, Saturday (he was to bring truck/trailer), exchanged phone numbers, even shook hands on it.

After he left, about 20 mins later, he txted my cell phone and said he changed his mind. Threw me for a loop, to be sure. My wife joked that, using Craiglist, you sure had to kiss alot of frogs. The bike did end up selling, to a younger kid who had come by a few weeks earlier, passed on it, and then came back. So it'll work out, this guy was not meant to be.

 

[Pujazuba]

^I guess some people may shake on it and then still keep looking despite having made a promise?
I think a person with solid integrity will consider a promise and a shake to be as good as a sale.

I've read that around here e.g. when fishing for real estate, verbal offers are official and tie you to a legal obligation. Can't go around making offers and then picking your favorite while screwing over all the rest!

 

[dako81]

Zack, I have never had a dealer allow a test ride when I have purchased a bike. Some dealers have test ride days that are factory bikes brought into the dealer by the manufacturer. I have never let anyone test ride when I have sold. They want it or they don't. They buy it or thanks for looking.
Hang in there, someone will want to purchase you bike.

 

[mgdaubo]

I bought totally 6 bikes in different countries, all of them let me try riding, and the same when I sell my bikes. Usually in my country we will allow buyer to ride with us sitting on the back, just a short ride less than 5 minutes.

It is difficult just seeing and hearing the sound then estimate the engine condition and so on, so I think it is necessary to do a ride before deciding to sign contract and even before negotiating the price.

Importance is buyer have to show his interest in buying, not just come to see and feel...

 

[Fawlty]

I would not ride pillion with a rider whose skills I did not know very well.

 

[Zack]

1- he's got some kind of mental illness (no joke)
2- he got scared, either of power or traffic (heard of this before, to just quit after first ride)
3- he was expecting the bike to be totally different

My main business is selling a niche product and I've had this kind of (schizophrenic) customer a few times before, going through a lot of effort, looking like it was a done deal and then suddenly, for no reason, canceling the deal. After learning more about some of then, through other people, turns out they were actually crazy (as in mentally ill crazy). Got a bit upset and thought I did something, but these days I'm very happy to let go anyone showing a strong indication of crazy. +1% in sales is never worth +30% in trouble, handling some crazy ****er.

Be grateful that you most likely dodged a bullet with that one, with someone like that there was a high chance of calling you 2 days later with who knows what crazy issues about the bike, crazy claims, threatening (or even taking) legal action, etc.

Very interesting view and experience. I am glad I posted this. Would never learn things like that. And as dako81 said, it wasn't meant to be.

So waiting for April / May 2018. Bike is in nice warm place, battery tender hooked up and everything under control.

 

[gbose]

Raj,

Sell the car and get that FZ9!!

Gautam