Do you let people test ride

[EAGLEPI]

I have sold several bikes in my years and I use to let someone who was interested take it for a ride but then one year a guy wrecked my 2001 VMAX and of course didn't buy it........lol nor could I do anything about it.

From that point on I said I would never let anyone ride it until they buy it and I have sold a few more that way.

What do you guys do??? what is your feeling about letting someone ( some kid who wants a joy ride ) test ride it saying they are interested in buying it.

If any of you remember me I bought my 2007 in May of 2009 and then my father in-law had a stroke so between being with my wife and her parents to move the mother in-law to a senior home and then get their home ready for a auction, I was tied up all summer.

I had Sean customize my seat, chrome my scoops, hand grab, carb cover, and side covers and in Sept I installed everything and never rode it again because up here in Minnesota it gets cold early......lol

Well I did ride if about 6 miles to the storage.

I bought a new set of Marks 4 into 2 stainless exhaust and installed them, after all these upgrades I didn't put more 50 miles on the bike.

I put in heated storage with a Battery Tender Jr.

During the winter I got ill and now looks like I will end up selling it this spring, It makes me sick that I am even thinking about selling it but I know it will just sit all summer and that isn't right either.

Keep an eye out for it in the Buy and Sell section soon...

Ron

 

[1967vmax]

Id go with your first impression of the person, age, did they want to talk about the bike first or just jump on it and go for a ride. I can usually tell if someone is going to buy it or if they are just bullshiting. I had a kid want to buy 1 of my atvs , he wanted to test ride it , I said show me the cash and you can ride it , needless to say he got in his car and left. JIM

 

[COP RUNNER]

I hope you going to be "ok" !

 

[spursmech]

Hey Ron, sorry to hear about you and your father-in-law. I never let anyone ride a bike for sale and it has always been that way in Arizona since the early 70's when I sold my first one. Hope all works out for you. I'll say a few prayers for you, Spur

 

[EAGLEPI]

Thanks all..... I'll be OK but won't be riding anymore

 

[dannymax]

Real sorry to hear this Ron. Hope things work out as best they can.

My riding policy is simple...You want to ride it, just give me the asking price in cash, I'll hold it while you go for a 5 minute ride.

No exceptions....it'd be too easy for some shitweed to drive 2 miles away to a waiting pick-up truck and.....bye, bye max!

 

[Rollie]

I'll start it up for 'em , I'll ride it up the block & back for 'em. If they want to try it , they buy it .

 

[mr.maxx]

in the past i have let people test ride.....but only the ones i could tell would prolly buy the bike. i can usually tell. but if yu are not comfortable with that then dont. some folks wont buy a bike unles they can ride it 1st.....i am one of them. but anyhooo take care and i hope yure health issues improve for ya!!

 

[sdt354]

Keep the faith and get well Ron. I'm with Dan-0 on the ride policy-money talks. This past winter a gang of crooks on the Cape were all arested for stealing and chopping up bikes taken around Masssachusetts. They'd use craigs list to find them, come check them out and return and steal them. Carefull everybody.
Steve-o

 

[RaWarrior]

+1 to "show you the cash". Bullshitters just looking to go for a joyride are effectively stopped. Also, I've asked to see a motorcycle license.

Just this past week I had an older gentleman come look at my Magna I'm trying to sell. He was probably in his late 60's, early 70's. Seemed physically "with it", but he then rattled on about how he hasn't been on a bike since his '79 Honda 500. He didn't know you needed a motorcycle endorsement to ride(legally), and didn't have a helmet. He seemed interested but insisted that I allow him to ride it---said he wanted to make sure all the gears work. I put it on the centerstand and ran it through all 6 gears, the motor ran smoothly, all the lights worked, ect. He still wasn't satisfied and was getting kinda irate that I wouldn't let him ride it. Then I said if he left the cash with me, he could test ride it. Oh...I didn't bring any money. I'll have to get back to you.

 

[ghostntheshell]

I wouldn't let anyone test ride.

You also might want to sell the Marks exhaust and re-install a stocker.

The reason I suggest this is because most people don't pay "extra" for mods, unless they obviously extreme.

You can likely make an extra 500-600 bucks this way.

 

[95spfldmax]

Didn't someone post on here somewhat recently that someone came up with a car and talked to them at length and seemed fine. Then never came back with the bike and the car turned out be stolen?? Sounds like my kind of luck.

 

[dannymax]

Also, you could simply remove the plate, tell the prospective buyer it isn't licensed, if you're not comfortable requesting cash in hand.

Good idea Ghost had on the Mark's pipes too, they're brand new, would sell right here on the forum, I would think.

 

[[email protected]]

I'd have three requirements.

1. Cash in hand.
2. Motorcycle license or at least a permit.
3. A signature saying they are responsible for any damages. You break, you buy it!

 

[Thevmaxrider]

No way, no how! If I ever should decide to sell Toxic, probably have to be on my death bed or damn close, it would be with a strict "NO JOY RIDES!" policy. Too risky to allow a stranger, no matter what they look like, take out a bike that they are unfamiliar with for a test ride. Heck I barely would let my friends take Toxic out for a rip, let alone a total stranger. Besides if a gent wanted to hand me a HUGE wad of cash I would suspect it to be counterfeit LOL. Oh yeah, and my motto when it comes to selling is "In God we trust, all others pay cash!".

 

[RaWarrior]

I'm actually in this very dilemma now. I've got an older guy interested in buying my Magna. We've talked a couple times on the phone and he seems pretty serious. Of course he wants to come look at it/test drive it.

I told him that I wasn't really comfortable with him driving it without some sort of cash in hand and a "you break it you buy it" signature. He then went on about he's been riding for years, owned like 8 bikes in his life, yadda yadda yadda. Then he also said he hasn't been on a bike in like 15 years, and told me he used to own a '79 Magna(which isn't possible), so I'm even more leery. His first ride in 15 years, on my pristine Magna?

He was acting like if he couldn't ride it, that was a deal-breaker.....he seemed totally baffled...."well, of course I can't buy anything without a test drive". He said that otherwise how did he know I wasn't hiding anything about the bike, to which I said how did I know he wouldn't damage it.

Think I'm going to tell him to have the cash in hand, which I will hold on to when he takes it for a ride. He will also sign a statement saying if the bike is damaged in any way, he agrees to purchase it.

 

[2fear]

Think I'm going to tell him to have the cash in hand, which I will hold on to when he takes it for a ride. He will also sign a statement saying if the bike is damaged in any way, he agrees to purchase it.

At a minimum a signed statement saying if he breaks it , he pays to fix it or buys it. I just typed one up today, I'm about to sell my Ninja ZX10R. Talk about a nail biter!:eusa_pray: Good luck...... Let us know what happens man.

 

[Bill Seward]

I have let a few friends ride the Max over the last 25 years.
I never plan on selling it, so letting a potential buyer test ride it is nothing I think too much about. However, If I were selling my Roadstar, anyone wanting to buy it would have to be content with a ride on the back - unless they had CASH in MY hand, and a signed note stating "you break it, you buy it!"

 

[Buster Hymen]

I'm actually in this very dilemma now. I've got an older guy interested in buying my Magna. We've talked a couple times on the phone and he seems pretty serious. Of course he wants to come look at it/test drive it.

I told him that I wasn't really comfortable with him driving it without some sort of cash in hand and a "you break it you buy it" signature. He then went on about he's been riding for years, owned like 8 bikes in his life, yadda yadda yadda. Then he also said he hasn't been on a bike in like 15 years, and told me he used to own a '79 Magna(which isn't possible), so I'm even more leery. His first ride in 15 years, on my pristine Magna?

He was acting like if he couldn't ride it, that was a deal-breaker.....he seemed totally baffled...."well, of course I can't buy anything without a test drive". He said that otherwise how did he know I wasn't hiding anything about the bike, to which I said how did I know he wouldn't damage it.

Think I'm going to tell him to have the cash in hand, which I will hold on to when he takes it for a ride. He will also sign a statement saying if the bike is damaged in any way, he agrees to purchase it.

If the is really interested in it, tell him he can ride bitch, as your passenger. That will show him that the bike is working properly. Then, if he wants it, he pays you in full for it, then he goes out on his own test ride. If he doesn't like it (and didn't smash it up), you give him back his cash and you get your bike back.

 

[dannymax]

Think I'm going to tell him to have the cash in hand, which I will hold on to when he takes it for a ride. He will also sign a statement saying if the bike is damaged in any way, he agrees to purchase it.

At a minimum a signed statement saying if he breaks it , he pays to fix it or buys it. I just typed one up today, I'm about to sell my Ninja ZX10R. Talk about a nail biter!:eusa_pray: Good luck...... Let us know what happens man.

Best get the cash 2fear....a signed statement isn't worth the paper it's written on! You would prolly still have to file a lawsuit, get a lawyer and go to court to get your bike fixed....and maybe still lose!