[Guest]

Some time back I ask who you would let ride your Goldwing with some interesting replys.
Now I'm asking, what if you had your ride for sale, and some stranger wanted a test ride before buying, what would you do/say/or who would you trust????

Cheers!

 

[Red]

Nope! No stranger rides my bikes. Buy it if you want it. You have 15 minutes to bring it back after it has been paid for if you find something wrong. If you don't like that idea, go elsewhere!

I'll also take them for a ride if they don't weigh 300lbs.

 

[rider1]

I;m with Red on that

 

[Snowwolfe]

Last guy I allowed to test ride a bike I was selling (Kawasaki KLR) wanted to take it for a ride.
I said ok, here is the deal, you write me out a check for the purchase price and take it for a ride. You bring it back unwrecked and you can have your check back if you do not want to buy it.
He wrote me out a check and took it for a ride. Came back and I signed over the title to him after we went to the bank to verify the check.

 

[kevin burton]

test ride on the back unless you pay cash first to ride solo.wreck it you have paid for it.

 

[Analysttom]

used bike

Many years ago a prospective buyer for a Harley I was selling handed me a wad of bills and said "I'll test it out." Since he had the bike covered with the money he gave me I didn't feel bad in letting him go. Since then my policy has always been, pay first ride next. I will normally let a buyer have enough time to get the bike checked out by a shop (1 or 2 business days) to make sure that all is how I said it was. If they find out something is wrong they can have their money back. I did take a bike back once with no mechanical problem, just a spouse problem. I have never had a problem with this policy.

 

[jbsmith78]

I would never let anyone ride my bike before the sale- I haven't ever gotten to ride anything I bought before I paid for it... it's just not the way biz is done in the bike world! :lol: :lol: Unless, I'm just a sucker and didn't know that you could ride a bike before you paid for it... come to think of it I haven't ever even asked to!!! :shock: :shock: :shock:

 

[UPCruiser]

No way, but I will take them for a ride if they want to take a spin. If they pay, they play, otherwise, no dough, no go!

 

[MHampton]

I guess I'm the odd man out here. I have never bought a bike that I didn't get to test ride first. Always had proof of insurance and mc license on hand and they held the keys to my car that I had driven over.

I'm currenly in the process of selling my 1500 to pay for my 1800 and my policy is that test rides are dependant on how comfortable I am with the driver. I've had one so far and I let him ride. Actually, he rode as I led him around the neighborhood on the 1800. I figured if he tried to run I could easily catch him.

 

[Cabernet Red 06]

test rides

I'll tell you an interesting story about letting someone test ride your bike....around here a few years ago, a guy was selling his bike...prospective buyer shows up in a pickup truck with a friend....as soon as the guy takes the bike for a ride, the pickup takes off, so the seller figures his bike is being stolen...the seller then gets in his vehicle to chase the bike and calls police...police tell him (and this is in question right now...tell him to chase but keep your distance OR stop your chase all together) and while chasing this bike, hits and kills a cop trying to get the bike to stop....be careful who you let ride your bike, if you let them ride it at all.....ride safe....

Scott

 

[iwing]

I guess I'm the odd man out here. I have never bought a bike that I didn't get to test ride first. Always had proof of insurance and mc license on hand and they held the keys to my car that I had driven over.

I'm currenly in the process of selling my 1500 to pay for my 1800 and my policy is that test rides are dependant on how comfortable I am with the driver. I've had one so far and I let him ride. Actually, he rode as I led him around the neighborhood on the 1800. I figured if he tried to run I could easily catch him.

I'm with ya. In fact I did just that. I rode my 1800 while the perspective buyer rode my 1500. When I sold my 1200 I just let the guy go for a ride as long as he wanted. I knew he lived less than 10 miles from me, so I wasn't worried. The guy riding my 1500 lived about 100 miles away.

I wouldn't buy a bike unles I rode it.

 

[t-bear]

I have test rode "used" bikes at dealers for friends and family. Being able to do so has been very important since I generally have advised the new rider in these cases that the bike would not work for them for some reason.
If I new the person or how they rode I would definitely let them test ride my bike, if not I would need collateral of some kind.
I was unable to test ride the new bikes that I have purchased, I wish I were able to do so. Lucky I have been lucky and have purchased bike that I liked how they ride. I was most fearful of the Wing, that has been the best bike so far!

 

[Hokie]

The answer to the Question is on your motorcycle insurance policy! Mine states that I'm the only rider allowed (Insured) to operate it.

A private Buyer does not have insurance and if buying a used bike and needs to test ride they should go to a dealer and test ride the model they are interested in.

 

[Buckshot]

I guess I'm the odd man out here. I have never bought a bike that I didn't get to test ride first. Always had proof of insurance and mc license on hand and they held the keys to my car that I had driven over.

I've sold a few bikes and have been as reluctant to let a prospective buyer ride my bike as I would let him ride my wife. I have Progressive Insurance, which individually lists which bikes are insured when I ride them, and specifically does not cover any damages or liability claims if one of these bikes is involved in an accident while being ridden by someone else. Previously, State Farm had similiar restrictions.

I'm not doubting you, but what kind of motorcycle insurance policy would cover property damage and liability claims for someone elses bike? If the premiums were reasonably close to those of Progressive, I would switch immediately. A couple of times I almost lost the sale, because I wouldn't let the buyer ride the bike (and even showed him my insurance policy). Does your policy also cover damages if you let someone ride your bike?

Thanks.

 

[boxmaker]

I had a BMW come back with a hicky on the crash bar.He denied it.The next bike I sold I told him I would take him for a ride or he could write me a check.I took him for a ride and he bought the bike.
A Goldwing is not a good bike for a first timer.

 

[BlueWing]

There is NO WAY in hell I would let some stranger test ride my bike if I was selling. Within 5 minutes do you know how much damage he could do? Wreck it, red line the engine for 5 minutes, just how may red line shifts could you do in 5 minutes without using the clutch? For me it would be like handing some stranger a loaded gun. What if the guy gets into a wreck? Who do you think the first person his lawyer will tell him to sue? You know the old saying "money talks and B.S. walks".

 

[preacher]

ride

I bought my GW from a member of this forum. After many conversations and emails, I went to his home and he let me ride the bike. Now I would have purchased the bike anyway, but the grin on my face sold the SO. I just rode around the neighborhood and it was enough for me.

Relationships mean everything.

 

[Mark Rowell]

I think it would depend on who the person was that was interested in buying the bike. If it was someone I did not know who lived out of town, I would not even entertain the idea of a test ride. If it was someone that could prove they lived in town, I kept the keys to their vehicle, and they proved they could handle the weight by riding it on my property first (2.5 acres), then probably I would. If it were a riding friend, they could ride it for a week with no questions asked.

 

[Tony in AZ]

I don't let folks test ride. As I recall my insurance lists me as the 'only' insured operator on our Goldwing.

A bout 20 yrs ago we had a 1964 Corvette coupe for sale. A fellow brought his girl friend and wanted me to let her drive it... He said:" I want to see if she can handle the manual tranny in it" . I sent them on their way.

:drive1:

 

[jpwpar]

It all depends on your ability to handle liability. If you have assetts and the guy wrecks and is hurt, you have a lot to loose. I had a friend selling his bike let a guy go for a test ride and he cleaned out a ditch. A lawyers dream.