Motorcycle stolen during "test ride"

slowbird

slowbird

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I heard another bike got stolen like this today.

Owner let the potential "buyer" take the bike out for a test ride and the guy just took off.

So remember people. If you're selling you're bike, try and have the keys out of the ignition before you let someone sit on it. if you really need to have someone test ride it get some collateral from them.
 
Are people really this naive?

No test rides.

I "sold" a bike once to a guy and refused to let him test ride it without a $750 deposit, and the keys to his car.

He dropped the bike within a block, then came back demanding his cash back. Nah. He never came back to actually buy the bike, I fixed it for ~$300.

From that point, I do not give test rides. I agree, in writing, to refund the total purchase price in 24 hours if a major problem is discovered and the bike has not been damaged. Take lots of pics of the bike before handing over.

Having a guy show up without a vehicle, a licence or anything and just giving him the keys? He deserved to get the bike stolen, at least we know now it is in much smarter hands.
 
I understand not wanting to allow test rides. When I went to go buy my current VFR the owner wouldn't let me ride it without full payment up front. So I just bought it.

Having said that, I did help a friend purchase a bike a while back.
First bike we go see, and luckily I coaxed the owner into letting me ride the bike and it was HORRRIBLE. The shifting was really bad and the bike rode funny. He claimed that it was normal, it was the same model of bike that I had owned for many years so I knew something was wrong.

Another bike I test rode for my buddy... I pulled out of the driveway, down the street, when I go to stop at a Stopsign I squeeze the brake lever and nothing happened. I went right thru the intersection. :confused2:

The Bike he actually bought was an old CBR. I had to give the owner some ID and leave my keys and my friend behind with the owner as collateral. With all the problems the bike had (that the owner didn't disclose) we were able to get a fair price for it.
 
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CafeRay said:
From that point, I do not give test rides. I agree, in writing, to refund the total purchase price in 24 hours if a major problem is discovered and the bike has not been damaged. Take lots of pics of the bike before handing over.
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Good Method!
 
I wouldn't let anyone test ride my bike even with payment .. last two bikes I sold were purchased from me with no test ride involved. I helped out a buddy with his new to him bike purchase, which was a Kawasaki 650r, when we got to the house, the owner was willing to let me ride it ... when I saw the bike in person, he had sprayed the tires with tire shine ... they were just as shiny and glossy like Mr. Clean's bald head. this should be a red flag to anyone buying a bike that doesn't know what they're looking for .. tire shine on tires is a no go, and could cause you to purchase a bike that you're probably going to end up dumping.
 
slowbird said:
I heard another bike got stolen like this today.

Owner let the potential "buyer" take the bike out for a test ride and the guy just took off.

So remember people. If you're selling you're bike, try and have the keys out of the ignition before you let someone sit on it. if you really need to have someone test ride it get some collateral from them.
Click to expand...

It's a test ride, maybe the bike is not stolen.
The person is just testing the fuel economy as they ride to California.
 
So if somebody did let someone test ride with or without a healthy deposit, and the test rider turned out to be a crook and run with the bike or drop it, would insurance cover the theft or drop damage if needed?
 
I would never let anyone test drive the bike without either 50% deposit, and a DL, or full amount in cash in my hand. If they dont want it after the test drive I will give em their cash back (if the bike comes back the same way it left)
 
My neighbour had his R1 stolen when he was selling it too :(

He was meeting people at the mcdonalds because he didn't want people to know his house/where it was stored. He had a guy from Kijiji come look at his bike, middle of the day. Showed up in a pretty beat up car, he took a pic of the plate just in case. Guy seemed a little fishy about asking to take it for a test ride, etc, so he was careful not to leave the key in it, and guard it when he asked him to start it, etc.

Then two guys got out of the backseat of the car with baseball bats and when he threw the key into the bushes they beat him with the baseball bats while the "buyer" went and found the key and rode off with the bike :(

When he made the police report the cop said this is the new Kijiji scam called "smash and grab" :( The plate that he took the photo of turned out to be stolen.

Be careful out there folks.
 
chunkeager said:
My neighbour had his R1 stolen when he was selling it too :(

He was meeting people at the mcdonalds because he didn't want people to know his house/where it was stored. He had a guy from Kijiji come look at his bike, middle of the day. Showed up in a pretty beat up car, he took a pic of the plate just in case. Guy seemed a little fishy about asking to take it for a test ride, etc, so he was careful not to leave the key in it, and guard it when he asked him to start it, etc.

Then two guys got out of the backseat of the car with baseball bats and when he threw the key into the bushes they beat him with the baseball bats while the "buyer" went and found the key and rode off with the bike :(

When he made the police report the cop said this is the new Kijiji scam called "smash and grab" :( The plate that he took the photo of turned out to be stolen.

Be careful out there folks.
Click to expand...

This is how Tim Bosma was murdered selling his pickup.
Insist that someone coming to look email you a pic of his licence before they show up.
 
chunkeager said:
My neighbour had his R1 stolen when he was selling it too :(

He was meeting people at the mcdonalds because he didn't want people to know his house/where it was stored. He had a guy from Kijiji come look at his bike, middle of the day. Showed up in a pretty beat up car, he took a pic of the plate just in case. Guy seemed a little fishy about asking to take it for a test ride, etc, so he was careful not to leave the key in it, and guard it when he asked him to start it, etc.

Then two guys got out of the backseat of the car with baseball bats and when he threw the key into the bushes they beat him with the baseball bats while the "buyer" went and found the key and rode off with the bike :(

When he made the police report the cop said this is the new Kijiji scam called "smash and grab" :( The plate that he took the photo of turned out to be stolen.

Be careful out there folks.
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That is ******!

I think the best place to sell anything that's mobile is at your local police station. Prevents **** like this from happening...
 
CafeRay said:
This is how Tim Bosma was murdered selling his pickup.
Insist that someone coming to look email you a pic of his licence before they show up.
Click to expand...
The police said that they always have fake ID's in case the seller asks for it, takes a photo of it, etc.

RedDemon said:
That is ******! I think the best place to sell anything that's mobile is at your local police station. Prevents **** like this from happening...
Click to expand...
No doubt :(
 
Take a pic of the buyer. Make sure they know you've taken the pic, tell them you e-mailed the pic to a colleague as security if you're in any doubt.
 
Never sell your bike. Always have a friend with you? Meeting at your local cop shop, is a good idea also.
 
I'd never drop $$$ without a test ride on a used bike. I'd except to give seller collateral, Id, $$ etc. Theres enough bikes out there.
 
I test rode all the bikes my 2 cousins were looking into. Offered to leave a deposit every time and at first, most buyers were hesitant, but maybe my demeanor showed that we were serious buyers and they all agreed to it in the end.

The one time this guy that was adamant against letting me test ride the bike even when leaving a hefty deposit, raised a red flag for me. So I asked him to ride it in front of me so I can see it. Turned out that he didn't know that bikes were meant to be ridden with the choke off. **** like that makes me always want to test ride bikes. If they won't let me test ride a bike when I've made reasonable concessions to ensure that they aren't going to lose their bike, then I take my money elsewhere.
 
I have yet to sell mine but if anyone asked for a test ride it would only be with the cash in my hand. If they decide they don't like it after the ride, and didn't mess it up, then they can have their money back.

Even without that you should at least write down their license information before letting them just ride away on it.
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