Test ride a bike for sale
#12
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Port St Lucie Florida
Posts: 11,396
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#13
If I am the seller I'd be reluctant to let anyone just ride off with it. Maybe I'd do like the dealership does and ride beside them or something? However, If I'm the buyer you better believe I'm riding before buying.
#14
no I let the last guy test ride my old bike then he bought it....the guy I bought that bike from, let me test ride it when I bought it...if not I would have owned a different bike...just like one the last posters..trust is a two way street..you don't trust me to ride it and now I don't trust you that your telling me everything thats up with the bike...like I said I had a guy trying to pawn a bike off as 10 years newer and the tranny was junk....
#16
#17
I don't see any issue asking the potential buyer for a valid endorsement and at least a large cash deposit (to cover deductibles and inconveniences) as a prerequisite for a test ride. As a note I would state these requirements in the ad at least the potential buyer (if they read the ad as opposed to looking at pictures) would know what to expect when they show up.
#19
When I sold bikes I did not allow test rides. I told the potential buyer he could follow me while I rode it. I would consider the endorsement and cash in hand option. Many years ago I was selling a Suzuki RM465 (bad@ss moto crosser). I had it at my brother's house. He lived on a busy road so a lot of people could see it. Someone came to him and was interested in purchasing it. My brother allowed him to test ride it. Thank the lord the guy was honest. He did run it out of fuel and walked it back to my brother's house. He didn't buy it, just took it for a joy ride. He could of easily just stole the dirt bike. My brother caught an earful from me.
#20
When I bought my first Harley (not my first bike by any means) a 1999 Ultra Classic, the owner let me test ride it. However, he was an old high school friend of my fathers and I had known him for years myself also. They graduated from high school in 1940 something and I bought the bike from him in 2013. If I was selling my current bike, 2014 Limited, I would require 100% cash in my hand before they got on it to test ride it. Like others have said, a car or truck is a lot different from a motorcycle.