Test Ride?

Krubs said:

It looks like I am probably going to have to sell my Wing. This is my question: How do I handle someone who comes over to look at my bike and wants to test ride it but doesn't look like he/she could handle the bike?

What do you guys do in this case? Do you just make a judgement call and let them ride it with sufficient "collateral" left behind, or just have a strict "No test ride" policy?

Help!

Thanks,

Larry

Click to expand...

If they dont have a cashiers check or cash in hand offer to take them for a ride or they can watch you drive it down the street. Just tell them they are not covered by your insurance. I bought a v-star 1100 one time only by site without a test drive.
Kurt

That's a tough question. I don't know if I could let just anyone off the street ride mine. I wouldn't have any fears of a fellow GW owner trying it out. Between a rock and a hard place, if the potential buyer wanted to ride it around the block, and you said no, would he just walk away and you loose the sale. Putting up collateral might scare serious buyers off also. Maybe you could offer to ride them in the passenger seat to feel the ride of the GW.

My suggestion is let them know that you will give them a 2 hour money back guarantee and do the deal up front without a test ride. If they bring the bike back within that time without any dents, etc, they can get their money back. However, if they bring it back damaged or not in the condition they left with it, they own it. You may have to draw up a contract and have it notarized. Check with an attorney to make sure your document is legal

Jammer said:

My suggestion is let them know that you will give them a 2 hour money back guarantee and do the deal up front without a test ride. If they bring the bike back within that time without any dents, etc, they can get their money back. However, if they bring it back damaged or not in the condition they left with it, they own it. You may have to draw up a contract and have it notarized. Check with an attorney to make sure your document is legal

Click to expand...

What Jammer said! That's the best way to do it. No way would I let a stranger ride my bike.

I like Jammers idea, but it is a tough question.

Selling something can always bring in the wierdos.

I let a pretty girl test drive my 65 T-bird once. She took a bunch of loosers for a joy ride and used up a tank of gas. I was broke at the time and felt like an idiot.

I just walked out my front door and low and behold there was a lawyer with a contract in his hand. He wanted me to sign it so it would be legal for me to walk out my front door. Get a life guys. If Jim would not have let me ride the wing before I bought it I would have walked and I don't need some stinking lawyer to tell me it's OK to blow my nose. Just check and see if the rider has m/c insurance, if he don't check with your insurance to see if they will cover.

I would always tell them the bike is yours if you drop it, crash it or anything. Most understand that. I guess I have been lucky since I never had a problem and I have sold around 8 bikes. I like Jammer's way. Go ahead and do the deal and give them a couple of hours to try the bike. At least then it's a binding deal.

My two cents, your bike is under factory warranty and should not need a test ride. If it were mine there would be no test rides and no tire kickers. If they don't understand, let em walk....

Sorry to hear you have to sell

Most new bikes are sold without test rides, why should you be any different? I won't even let close friends ride my Wing unless they have owned a comparable bike.

i sold my susuki 1100 katana(a few years back) exactly that way. Interested party gave me the cash, showed me his motorcycle license and then i let him have the keys. I told him if he damaged the bike in any way... he bought it. If he didn't like it for any or for no reason i would give him his money back.

Good luck,

Bill
02 Pearl Orange Abs

I bought my 03 in 07 without a test ride. I also had a member of GWRRA check the bike out for me and it was amazing that the guy i called knew the guy that was selling the bike and knew a bit of history so i bought it on his say so and drove it 600 miles home with 600 smiles

Also make sure they have a Motorcycle License

I would let him ride on the back as you take him for a test ride! No need to let him ride alone unless you know him or he rode up on another GoldWing! Thus, no chance of a dumped bike and no lawyers involved!

agrre here with the no test ride policy, its a darn goldwing, a rolls royce on 2 wheels, if they are serious they will buy it after a look and listen.
give them 1 hour to return it if they are not happy, but who wouldnt be happy to own one?

sorry you have to let her go

First I make sure there is nothing wrong with the bike. Then when I have the money in hand they can ride it, after all they own it now. If they find something wrong I'll fix it or return the money. There has to be trust involved but I can't trust that someone can ride just because they say so. There is also the factor that no matter how much experience you have getting on a strange bike is a little awkward. It is easy to drop it in the first few hours. I've sold I think eight this way and never had a problem. When I buy a bike I've never asked for a test ride either, take my chances and so far not a problem.

kmassey said:

If they dont have a cashiers check or cash in hand offer to take them for a ride or they can watch you drive it down the street. Just tell them they are not covered by your insurance. I bought a v-star 1100 one time only by site without a test drive.
Kurt

Click to expand...

+1 :coffee1:

Use your best judgement.
A few years back I had my VFR for sale. I got a call from a guy not too far away who said he'd take it. I got there and he had a couple harleys in the driveway, was about 65yrs old and wanted somthing sporty. I got off the bike and he started to gear up. I said "money first please" he said "I'm not buying w/o trying"
I let him take it, he loved it and bought it. '
Happy ending your results may vary.
Had it been a twenty something kid I likely would answer no.
Also the wing is much heavier (I almost broke my foot first time I rode one) and worth alot more than my $6500 VFR.

Steve

zg1286 said:

Also make sure they have a Motorcycle License

Click to expand...

Most of what has been said above,but I think the most important thing is a valid MC license.

Ride Safe
Dick