| Author | Message | ||
     Boltrider |
Hey guys, when you sell your bike, do you allow test rides? I'm looking to sell and wasn't planning on allowing test rides but now I'm wondering if that's a mistake. | ||
| Sifo |
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| Tootal |
That depends on who's buying. Older experienced riders I let ride while I hold their car keys. Younger riders can ride bitch while I put it though the paces. | ||
| Boltrider |
Ha! That's what I was thinking Sifo, but my buddy is giving me crap about it, says there's no way he would buy anything used without testing it. | ||
| Aesquire |
I've had a bike dropped on a test ride. Cured me. New points cover later, bike was fine, I was traumatized.  "If you want to know what 100 horsepower in a 400 pound bike with grand prix racer handling feels like, buy one of these. Maybe this one. Otherwise, it will be an eternal mystery." YMMV. | ||
| Pwnzor |
I've always made them let me ride theirs and hold their title while I follow them | ||
| Froggy |
Allow test rides but make sure you have cash in hand before you give them the keys. Tell them that if they bring it back in the same condition they can get their money back. This lets them get a feel for it, and if they crash you keep the cash and sign over the title. | ||
| Greg_e |
I thought the basic rule with honest people is you crash it you buy it. | ||
| Etennuly |
I ride for them. Let them stand along the road and watch me put the bike through it's paces. If they are still wanting to ride we do the complete transaction with a caveat in the receipt for the bike to be what I represented it to be at the time of the sale. | ||
| Big_island_rider |
"Cash in hand or you get to stand" has always been my motto. | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
I only ever sold one bike privately, to a copper so I let him ride it while his mate, also a copper, and I discussed important things like how strong I make coffee. | ||
| 86129squids |
Much depends on your assessment of the potential buyer, plus you're on the hook if he/she crashes your bike into gramma/grampa/kid/ what have you. If they ride up on their own bike, or show up with all the right gear, great. If they can TRULY demonstrate 0% squidliness, then all should be OK. Risk WILL be involved... but "no risk, no reward", right?  | ||
| 86129squids |
I was thinking about that "mayhem" series of commercials the other day... sure hope they keep them coming. Milk it ALL the way, like those dang Chik-Fil-A frickin stupid cows! | ||
| Reepicheep |
I judge the buyer, and I'm usually not selling a bike that isn't pretty used in the first place, so my risks are lower. I do understand and accept the risk. I've not had to refuse a test ride yet. If I did so, it would probably be more because of concerns about the rider and people he might hit then the bike. | ||
| Tootal |
I was at a bar on Halloween and a guy walked in that looked just like the "Mayhem" guy. Stitches on his face and all, and the guy actually looked like him. He lost the competition to a very naughty nurse! Sex truly sells. | ||
| 86129squids |
Hah- not to hijack, but on that note, one Halloween there was a guy, dressed normally, but clean-shaved bald, with a votive candle on his head. Lit, it oozed wax all over his noggin... he won! Really great effect, he just walked around like nothing was going on. Beat a LOT of other good costumes, including 4 big burly guys dolled up like Hooter's girls...  | ||
| Sifo |
I ride for them. Let them stand along the road and watch me put the bike through it's paces. If they are still wanting to ride we do the complete transaction with a caveat in the receipt for the bike to be what I represented it to be at the time of the sale. This is pretty much what I've done. You do have to use your best judgement. I sold my Wide Glide to a guy who had just graduated his MSF course. More than happy to zip it up and down the block while he watched, but there was no way he was going for a test ride. I offered to deliver it to his house, just to make sure he got it home in good condition. He insisted on riding it home himself. It was hard to watch as he came within inches of taking out the mailbox across the street as he left. I had someone follow me on a test ride of a bike they were selling. I'm not clear what benefit there is in that though. | ||
| Teeps |
Boltrider Posted on Monday, October 26, 2015 - Hey guys, when you sell your bike, do you allow test rides? Depends on the bike being sold and the person requesting the test ride. I hit them with; buy the bike and if in 24 hrs you decide it's not what you expected. Return the bike in the same condition you took it and I'll refund your money. Over 35 sales, I've never had a return. | ||
| Azxb9r |
Allow test rides but make sure you have cash in hand before you give them the keys. Tell them that if they bring it back in the same condition they can get their money back. This lets them get a feel for it, and if they crash you keep the cash and sign over the title. Unless you you know (and trust) the person, this is the only way to protect yourself. Their are too many douche bags out their that would damage your bike then leave you holding the bag to risk it. One other option is to arrange to ride it over to a professional mechanic to have it checked out so they can have an unbiased opinion. | ||
| Azxb9r |
I had someone follow me on a test ride of a bike they were selling. I'm not clear what benefit there is in that though. It allows you time to drag them off the bike before they can get it into Mexico  |
