Buying a motorcycle.

[blkgixxer]

Hopefully someone can agree with me on this. Shopping for a used motorcycle can be frustrating and time consuming along with costly (gas, time off work etc.). This being said, why is it that 5 out of 6 people claim their bike is in "perfect", "mint", "immaculate", "showroom", "flawless" etc. condition when there are VERY apparent drop damages/cracks/scrapes etc. I asked every seller so far if the bikes have ANY cosmetic damage....yet all seem to say "NOTHING" with complete confidence, I drive 30-45mins to see the bike only to discover that somehow the bike was dropped or damaged in between our last message and my drive to see it.

Please people, just tell the truth instead of wasting time.

[Green Meenie]

I sold a bike earlier this year that had cosmetic damage to both side fairings. I got a price on fixing (including painting) the fairings then priced the bike accordingly for sale. Made sure to mention the damage in the ad I placed and sent pics. of the damage to interested parties. Bike sold within one day so - like you suggest; pays to be honest and up front.

[VicRR]

Yea I agree. When I was looking I came across plenty of B.S like this in private sales, a lot of ****** bags, one ******-bag was selling a bike that was actually in good condition but he wanted more than what it was going for new LOL!

[tigster]

My rule of thumb: If the ad even mentions the word "mint" - I stay away

[DemonPig]

Personally, I list all the things needing repairs and/or cosmetic damage, including pictures when I sell my vehicles. When a potential buyer feels that the seller's honest, it's so much easier to conclude the deal.
From the buyer's perspective, it's been 50/50 for me. Some crooks, selling crap in the candy wrapper and some honest people.

[TwistedKestrel]

Buying a bike, new or used, is time-consuming unless it's from a friend. No way around it. On the plus side, catching them in a lie is a bargaining chip.

[unL33T]

Same thing happens with cars. When I was shopping for my last one 90% of the ads that said the car was in "perfect" condition I would get there and it would be in **** condition. I had one guy that claimed the bodywork was "flawless" with "no rust". I got there and a whole panel was practically falling off the vehicle. I point to it and say, "What's up with that?" and he goes "Oh yeah, that needs to be replaced. Those panels are cheap though.", Me: "So much for no rust, eh?"

Another good one was "drives awesome" or "really smooth ride" and I get it and the power steering isn't working, brake pedal goes to the floor without doing anything, steering shakes while driving. What kind of **** cars do people drive that they think something like this drives great?

[CanadianBiker]

It's a two-way street. I've always been very forthright about the condition of anything I've sold, just to make sure expectations are properly set. Even then, I've had buyers try to whine and weasel before even seeing the item. I don't mind a bit of haggling but trying to offer 50 per cent of the asking price sight unseen because it shows normal wear and tear just pisses me off.
I especially like the emails that have only "I give you $XX.XX. " No salutation, nothing. Those emails just get junked. I know these type of clowns are going to turn around and try to sell it to someone else for even more than I'm asking, so **** 'em.
I also try to be as fair as possible to everyone. I'll hold an item for 48 hours with a fully refundable deposit but otherwise it's first with cash wins. And if I accept an offer from someone and get a better one five minutes later, that's my loss, unless the first guy fails to show.

[funrider]

Same thing happens with cars. When I was shopping for my last one 90% of the ads that said the car was in "perfect" condition I would get there and it would be in **** condition. I had one guy that claimed the bodywork was "flawless" with "no rust". I got there and a whole panel was practically falling off the vehicle. I point to it and say, "What's up with that?" and he goes "Oh yeah, that needs to be replaced. Those panels are cheap though.", Me: "So much for no rust, eh?"

Another good one was "drives awesome" or "really smooth ride" and I get it and the power steering isn't working, brake pedal goes to the floor without doing anything, steering shakes while driving. What kind of **** cars do people drive that they think something like this drives great?

Last two cars I sold I took pictures of the rust (very minor) and sent to those that showed interest. Unless you have a mechanic to look the car over on a hoist, looking at non-safetied cars are a huge risk. You may spend more money on bringing it to scratch than the original sale price. Cars with excessive rust and panels about to fall off won't get a safety cert. Ask for that first and the drive clean pass (less than one year old). No safety or recent drive clean is a red flag. Loose wheel bearings (excessive play) and tie rods and brake life for example can't be checked while driving it.

I know that this thread is about buying a bike, but selling a vehicle is a PITA too - esp. when you hve no shows that you're accommodating.

As Cdn Biker says ^^above^^ - no deposits. First with full agreed to amount gets it. I've been screwed around with a deposit too. Held the bike, tolds others it's conditionally sold and the guy then backed out. Make the deposit non-refundable and you'll see how serious the buyer then is.

[funrider]

I sold a bike earlier this year that had cosmetic damage to both side fairings. I got a price on fixing (including painting) the fairings then priced the bike accordingly for sale. Made sure to mention the damage in the ad I placed and sent pics. of the damage to interested parties. Bike sold within one day so - like you suggest; pays to be honest and up front.

+1 As have I when having sold 1 bike and 2 cars in the past 2 years but my beef is taking time off work to meet and show and the person never shows...wasting my time as the seller.

[fsilva_mcl]

Hopefully someone can agree with me on this. Shopping for a used motorcycle can be frustrating and time consuming along with costly (gas, time off work etc.). This being said, why is it that 5 out of 6 people claim their bike is in "perfect", "mint", "immaculate", "showroom", "flawless" etc. condition when there are VERY apparent drop damages/cracks/scrapes etc. I asked every seller so far if the bikes have ANY cosmetic damage....yet all seem to say "NOTHING" with complete confidence, I drive 30-45mins to see the bike only to discover that somehow the bike was dropped or damaged in between our last message and my drive to see it.

Please people, just tell the truth instead of wasting time.

I usually negotiate the price before hand with the assumption that the thing is mint unless other wise stated. I usually show up with cash with the intent of buying the bike. If there is a discrepancy between what was told to me and what is there I just start subtracting money and tell the seller why, or I get the seller to fix the problem. This has been the case for both my street bikes, and it worked both times.