I have a late model large motorcycle I'm thinking of selling due to it not being used much and extortionate ACC levies (it's an 860). What to do about letting potential buyers ride it (bike is not insured) ?. Let them go and hope they return ?. It's all very well gathering details but what if they just ride off into the sunset or wrap it around a car.
budgel,
Apr 17, 1:50pm
Maybe a cash deposit in your hand before a test ride could be an idea.
gunhand,
Apr 17, 2:47pm
Heres what you do, if they turn up in anything of value, get the keys and hold on to them till they return. If they did crash though in this mad land you would be done for theft probably. Ask for a deposit? Hmmmm, I wouldn't pay one and walk away myself. Follow them in your own car as well if you can. Bikes are always a bit tricky. Or you could get them sign a pre purchase agreement saying if I wreck this bike on a test ride it's considered mine. I personally wouldn't buy anything with a test ride or if elsewhere in the country get someone I trust to test ride, which ive done with success. And remember, they may also get hit and be at no fault as well.
tamarillo,
Apr 17, 4:29pm
Gun hand idea good. I've let viewers ride but only if we've talked a while and I have their contact details and vehicle is left behind. I just say 'you break it you fix it'. Could do that and record conversation on your phone.
tigertim20,
Apr 17, 4:54pm
the problem with the 'give me your keys' is that if something bad occurs, its a 'he said, she said' and ultimately, you cn be forced to relinquish their keys / property back to them if all all goes pear shaped.
a Cash deposit works, though not everyone wants to carry that cash around. The best way, really, is to talk to your insurance company, make sure you can get a temporary cover for the period you are selling, and to cover licences riders. ask for a cash deposit equivalent to the excess, and be clear about why. this way, if it gets stolen, you are covered, and you get paid anyway. if it gets wrecked, they have covered your excess, and you get paid anyway. win win.
I would be hesiatant to buy a bike that someone says no, you cant test ride it.
urbanrefugee54,
Apr 18, 10:24am
check their license to make sure they have full motorcycle & make sure your insurance could cover them if you have taken all reasonable steps.
urbanrefugee54,
Apr 18, 10:25am
watch out taking the keys of another car, it could be stolen.
tamarillo,
Apr 18, 11:19am
Op said it hasn't got insurance.
tamarillo,
Apr 18, 11:21am
860cc? Ok I give in what is it? Only 860 that comes to mind was the old Ducati 860.
moby,
Apr 19, 7:43am
Bonnie
tamarillo,
Apr 19, 7:53am
Bugger! Of course.
kazbanz,
Apr 19, 7:54am
moby--a bike of that nature I would be being very carefull. I assume you mean original 850 bonnie. I'd be doing the whole deal with NO test ride so they can look, listen sit etc and make an offer to buy subject to a satisfactory test ride. You then take payment IN FULL for the bike and issue a receipt for the money stating -received XXX as payment in full for triumph XXXX Sale is conditional to a test ride of 20 minutes duration. Should the bike be damaged during the ride then the sale becomes unconditional. I also wouldn't be keen to show where the bike is kept at night etc so have it parked out front of your place or in the driveway with garage closed up
howie69,
Apr 19, 7:58am
Kaz you amaze me. You always have good advice and nail it right. Couldnt have put it better myself.
tamarillo,
Apr 19, 9:01am
Don't agree but let's make sure we're talking about same thing. This is the current bonnie not the original or classic. Agreed? I rather think you're thinking its a 60's classic. It can't be.
Therefore market is conservative born again bikers. Respectable middle aged guys like phil goff. This is the market I'd most trust, I ride with lots of them!
My only caution would be to ask that they have ridden lately.
trogedon,
Apr 19, 9:10am
No matter what dunga cars I've sold I've always had them insured when selling them. Even if only a month of cover. Generally I can tell if someone is an experienced biker and not going to thrash my bikes before I let them ride them. You could always go to a good piece of road with them and then say they can ride to X point and back.
sr2,
Apr 19, 9:17am
Great advice there Kaz as usual but the biggest classic Bonnie they made was the 750? I suspect the OP is selling one of the modern replica's. (Lovely bikes but not the real deal).
tamarillo,
Apr 19, 9:46am
You're right, it is a modern one, but I don't right off the new ones as replicas, they're just not. They're a modern version, as if the line had not stopped and they had actually modernised. Anyway mute point really.
Insurance. Op good advice here, get cover then just cancel again when sold.
richynuts,
Apr 19, 11:18am
If someone views your bonnie and asks for at test ride say no. simple. A genuine buyer will respect this and 9/10 will still go through will a sale. You can offer a test ride but wait to get a feel if they are genuine, if they start talking about totally different bikes that they are looking at as well just right them off as a time waster and joy rider, I have found it easier to sell a bike to a non test rider than a test rider (tyre kicker). I myself very rarely take a bike for a test ride maybe only if the seller offers even then I will often decline.
sr2,
Apr 19, 11:25am
I'm by no means writing off the new Triumphs, I've spent quite a bit of time on a Sprint and would rate it amongst one of the better sports/touring bikes I've ridden. Having owned a few original Triumphs in the past (my 1st road bike 42 years ago was a 58 T100) I would argue that the the modern bikes are similar in name only.
moby,
Apr 19, 11:56am
Yup, it's the new(ish) 2010 version, radially different from the '50s speed twin I started off on over 4 decades ago. Everything just works and no oil leaks. Just never got to love it enough to stop gritting my teeth at the ridiculous ACC levies.
kazbanz,
Apr 19, 12:31pm
For some reason I thought there was a big bore 850 version of the old version.Showing my age I think. Anyway Moby the advice applies
unideck,
Apr 19, 7:45pm
My 2c I have never in over 40 years of owning bikes EVER asked to test ride a bike. 9.9 out of 10 bikers are a trusting group. Bikes are far better maintained than 99% of cars given the vulnerability of the machine riders look after there bikes generally, fastidiously ???
trogedon,
Apr 19, 8:00pm
When a friend was looking at buying a sports bike last years (he got a Triumph 675) everybody offered him test rides - and he took them. He was surprised too.
trogedon,
Apr 19, 8:01pm
If someone has done their research, sat on the bike for fit etc I doubt the lack of a test ride is going to put them off.
gunhand,
Apr 19, 8:15pm
Hi guys, while on this subject, I just got another bike, paid 10k for it, nice looking bike to, seller was real good to deal with seemed honest enough. No test ride though, he said I couldn't for various logical reasons. Now I paid him up with cash did the whole change of ownership on line then and rode off into the sunset, well kinda. Bike ran like shit, the clutch slipped like hell when I gave it a wee bit of throttle. So I went back and said, hey this bike isn't so good matey. He said, F&%k off, your prob now me lad. Spose I have to go through the whole court crap now etc etc, geez who needs this. Now, if i'd only test rode it.
Look at all the shit given to people who don't test drive, buy sight unseen or get mechanical checks and so on on here, yet we are suppose too believe not test riding a bike a good idea? REALLY.
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