Buying private sale bike | GTAMotorcycle.com

Buying private sale bike

Morrissey

Morrissey

Well-known member
Forum Sponsor
I've got a bad case of "new bike fever" or more accurately "new-to-me bike fever". The problem is, in the 20 years of owning and riding bikes, I've never bought a bike through a private sale, only dealerships. I did sell one privately, but it was a long time ago and I honestly don't remember much.

I'm assuming that the seller will have the used vehicle package already. Since nothing I'm interested in buying is close by (1hr away or less) it's not like I can just pop over to see a bike easily or multiple times to see the bike, pay for it and get the paper work done. If I choose to buy a bike and they have the paper work done, can I simply sign the papers and ride it away (as long as my insurance is in place) or do I have to go to the MTO with the seller to do everything? Do I need a temporary plate or can I slap my plate on it to get it home and then head to the MTO and get everything transferred over? I'm trying to make this as simple as possible. If it's all going to be a huge pain in the butt then I'll just wait until something closer to home comes up for sale.

So, for those of you who have lots of experience with this sort of thing let me know how it all works.
 
The seller is obligated by law to provide the uvip(bill of sale) which both of you will sign,

You need an insurance policy number to get a temp sticker

If the bike you are buying is titled(on the ownership) UNFIT you will need to get a cert before you get a temp sticker

If the bike you are buying is titled FIT(on the ownership you can take that ownership to the mto,with insurance policy number,and UVIP and obtain a temp sticker

You can use your old plate but I have about 5 plates ,why because I'm an idiot and I waste money like that....
 
I have purchased 2 bikes that were 3+ hour drives for me but did not drive either of them away. I had a pickup truck for one and a trailer for the other. Both bikes had the UVIP info prepared for my arrival. One had the safety done, the other did not. I did not have an issue but I'd recommend asking them to do the safety before you make the trip as it could be a pain in the *** to get there and find out the bike needs tires/brakes/indicators/etc. Any motivated seller should do this for you if they really want to make the sale. I had the insurance prepared before taking the bike away in case something happened on the way home.

If the seller refuses to prepare the UVIP, you can take the VIN into a service Ontario branch and get one yourself for $20 or so. It is supposed to be the seller's responsibility but I'd rather have that than find out the bike has a lien placed on it.
 
I'm just going to put it out there, don't expect the seller to have the UVIP. Yes they are supposed to, but a lot don't, especially for older/cheaper bikes.

As stated you can just buy it yourself, they could care less as long as they get their $20.
 
I've bought and sold many bikes in the past few decades. When they introduced the UVIP, I've never once provided one. The buyer always wanted to get it ahead of time themselves or got it on their own after purchase. I'd provide one if they want, but not getting it or the safety done till I have a serious buyer. On the other hand, I've never bought a bike without UVIP being provided that was recent, no older than a week or so. I don't think I've ever bought a bike with a safety either....I get it done myself, but I know what to look for. Selling with a safety has been about half and half. Furthest I've gone to buy a bike was 3 hours away...before the UVIP...so could have been in for a surprise if things weren't ok. Picked it up in a van, so no riding it home. Got burned a bit when I checked out a bike 1.5 hrs away. It wasn't as described, so didn't buy it and lost out on time and gas. Chalked it up to the cost of buying used.
 
Last edited:
johnnnw said:
I'm just going to put it out there, don't expect the seller to have the UVIP. Yes they are supposed to, but a lot don't, especially for older/cheaper bikes.

As stated you can just buy it yourself, they could care less as long as they get their $20.
Click to expand...

Not to be a dick but the uvip used to be a courtesy the seller had the choice of providing.It is now a law that the seller provide the uvip.In my experience no one cares but it could become a liability for the seller if something goes sideways, what that would be I don't know but I do know every bike I sell from now on I will be providing the uvip, just sayin, no disrespect intended
 
IIRC it has always been and still is that the seller is supposed to provide it...NOT a courtesy. BUT the MTO doesn't care who actually gets it. As a buyer I insist on the seller providing it and will do the same when selling(I just never have provided it cause the buyer got it first or didn't bother and got it later on their own).
 
Riceburner said:
IIRC it has always been and still is that the seller is supposed to provide it...NOT a courtesy. BUT the MTO doesn't care who actually gets it. As a buyer I insist on the seller providing it and will do the same when selling(I just never have provided it cause the buyer got it first or didn't bother and got it later on their own).
Click to expand...

You may be correct in that it has always been the law for the seller to provide it and you are absolutely right that the buyer more often than not wants to get it themselves(I always get the uvip myself) The most recent bike I bought from a TPS officer I showed up with the uvip and he had the uvip layed out ,with pen ready to sign, lol.Imma go kick rocks , ahhh ,and it's only Tuesday....
 
Riceburner said:
IIRC it has always been and still is that the seller is supposed to provide it...NOT a courtesy. BUT the MTO doesn't care who actually gets it. As a buyer I insist on the seller providing it and will do the same when selling(I just never have provided it cause the buyer got it first or didn't bother and got it later on their own).
Click to expand...

MTO doesn't care whether you have one at all or not when registering the bike (at least not in cases when I didn't have one from a seller) ... it would help if they start actually enforcing what they are correctly preaching. The seller will get one, if they actually want to sell a bike. If they have somewhat a bike everyone wants in a bidding war, not a chance to enforce it ever. But how often does that happen? ... I guess often in used bike heaven called Ontario. LOL
 
The last time I bought, the seller provided a UVIP which showed that there was still a bank lean on the bike. I got the second one that showed that it had been cleared. He dropped the bike off at Rosie Toes for the safety, and paid for it and the adjustments that needed to be made (leaky front suspension), and I picked it up there the next day. If I was selling, the buyer would be going to the MTO with me to sign over the bike; I had a major issue with a sold car, where the buyer never signed it over, used dealer plates, and they came after me.
 
Baggsy said:
I had a major issue with a sold car, where the buyer never signed it over, used dealer plates, and they came after me.
Click to expand...

Recently sold a bike to a crazy person, and remembering advice from this forum I went to the MTO to turn in the plates and signed a statement that I had sold the bike
 
mxs said:
MTO doesn't care whether you have one at all or not when registering the bike (at least not in cases when I didn't have one from a seller) ... it would help if they start actually enforcing what they are correctly preaching.
Click to expand...

They do care...have seen a lot of people end up being forced to buy one themselves at the wicket while trying to change an ownership because the seller didn't provide one as they're supposed to. Unfortunately for some this is probably the same moment they discover there's a lien on the vehicle they bought as well.

TwistedKestrel said:
Recently sold a bike to a crazy person, and remembering advice from this forum I went to the MTO to turn in the plates and signed a statement that I had sold the bike
Click to expand...

Always a good idea. I recently did this for a horse trailer I sold last year which I had reason to believe was still in my name, and sure enough..it was. What was even more interesting was that I found SEVERAL other vehicles that I sold long ago also still in my name - an old 1970's travel trailer that I sold sometime around 1995, and my original motorcycle, a 1983 Seca 900 that I sold around 1997.
 
PrivatePilot said:
They do care...have seen a lot of people end up being forced to buy one themselves at the wicket while trying to change an ownership because the seller didn't provide one as they're supposed to. Unfortunately for some this is probably the same moment they discover there's a lien on the vehicle they bought as well. Always a good idea. I recently did this for a horse trailer I sold last year which I had reason to believe was still in my name, and sure enough..it was. What was even more interesting was that I found SEVERAL other vehicles that I sold long ago also still in my name - an old 1970's travel trailer that I sold sometime around 1995, and my original motorcycle, a 1983 Seca 900 that I sold around 1997.
Click to expand...
If you were unscrupulous you could check and then report it stolen a couple of months after you sold it.
 
Getting off the UVIP thing, since it's been beaten to death by now. Bring a trailer, $15 from Uhaul, problem solved. If you have an existing insurance policy, you can use that policy number to plate a recent purchase, this is legit and above board. Your policy covers recently purchased vehicles for up to a couple weeks, this is experienced knowledge, not speculation.
 
Morrissey said:
I've got a bad case of "new bike fever" or more accurately "new-to-me bike fever". The problem is, in the 20 years of owning and riding bikes, I've never bought a bike through a private sale, only dealerships. I did sell one privately, but it was a long time ago and I honestly don't remember much.

I'm assuming that the seller will have the used vehicle package already. Since nothing I'm interested in buying is close by (1hr away or less) it's not like I can just pop over to see a bike easily or multiple times to see the bike, pay for it and get the paper work done. If I choose to buy a bike and they have the paper work done, can I simply sign the papers and ride it away (as long as my insurance is in place) or do I have to go to the MTO with the seller to do everything? Do I need a temporary plate or can I slap my plate on it to get it home and then head to the MTO and get everything transferred over? I'm trying to make this as simple as possible. If it's all going to be a huge pain in the butt then I'll just wait until something closer to home comes up for sale.

So, for those of you who have lots of experience with this sort of thing let me know how it all works.
Click to expand...
I didn't get anything when i bought my bike,got a temp sticker and off you go :cool:
 
JTR said:
Getting off the UVIP thing, since it's been beaten to death by now. Bring a trailer, $15 from Uhaul, problem solved. If you have an existing insurance policy, you can use that policy number to plate a recent purchase, this is legit and above board. Your policy covers recently purchased vehicles for up to a couple weeks, this is experienced knowledge, not speculation.
Click to expand...

How recent is this experienced knowledge? It was my understanding that either last year or the year before they changed it. The policy has to be active for the proper VIN and it's all in the system now. I know in the past you've just had to write it down and they basically took your word that it was correct.
 
I bought a private sale bike last year. The seller gives you the UVIP. \

Using the info on the UVIP I got insurance.

Then took the UVIP, and safety to a service Ontario office and got the plates. Got home and found the previous owner had taken the nut bolts for fixing the plate with him when he removed his plate. So, then took the car to HD to buy some bolts.....and then started riding.

I had the previous owner deliver the bike and get it safteid to make it less of a hassle. Living a short driving distance (but different sides of Yonge st :)) definitely helped...
 
blackcamaro said:
Bill of sale and proof of payment holds more weight then an ownership.
Click to expand...

Bill of sale and proof of payment means exactly diddly squat if the vehicle turns out to be stolen - the police will show up and relieve you of it, and you *could* actually face charges for possession of stolen property, as well.

I would never buy anything that I didn't see an ownership for ahead of time....in the sellers name.
Forum Sponsor
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top Bottom