Selling Bike - Test Ride?

[BSR6]

Ok so I am getting ready to sell my bike (planning on updgrading but not right away). This is the only bike I have ever owned, and bought it off of a good friend so I am not sure of how this works.

When I put my bike up for sale and people come to look at it will they be expecting to test ride it? Honestly, my take on test rides is hell no. There are just too many things that can happen when you set a random person free with a machine like that. People say they are experienced when they are not and crash, it gets the shit kicked out of it because let's face it, it's a test ride and they don't own it yet. The list of possibilities goes on. So I have no plans on letting anyone ride it. The question I am asking is...Is this out of line? I want to be ready on how to approach anyone who gives me a hard time about it. I will certainly approach things differently if this is not reasonable, but I still don't plan on letting anyone ride it regardless of how unreasonable I am being. I am just too scared of the consequences. I know a few people first hand how have some pretty tragic stories to tell about letting people they know take their bikes for a spin.

I have bought many snowmobiles and a jet ski that I could not test ride. I plan on using that analogy with the bike.

[mojobreakfast]

I personally would never let someone test ride a bike unless they had already forked over the cash and signed a little bill of sale. Maybe just state that they have 15 minutes to return it without damage for a 100% refund. Chances are good that if someone is willing to do this with you, they are going to buy the bike anyways.

Now, I said I would never let someone test ride without paying, but I broke my own rule the first time I sold a bike. The guy showed up and he was a middle aged airline captain wearing his stripes! I even think he called me from the cockpit (on the ground) before he came over. I figured, if the guy can fly a 737 he gets a waiver.

Squidward would not get a waiver like this, though.

[jwm2k3]

Ive owned a shit load of used bikes in my life. I think I test rode one. Whenever I sell them, never a test ride. Its impossible to guage someones ability to keep it upright.

Alternativly, get cash in hand, then allow a test ride.

[TIMMYDUCK]

I have let responsible people take test drives , with me following them on another bike.

[LowSider]

I let a guy take my old bike for a test ride. He seemed responsible, was only down my lane (about 80 yards) and I had full payment in cash in hand.

That's the only scenario I would allow.

[CBR929RE]

test rides with 100% cash in hand. They crash it they bought it. They come back and its in good shape but don't want it they can have the money back. an experienced rider will now the deal and be fine with those terms and understand where you're coming from. A newbie will probably not ask for a ride or bring and experienced rider with them. If someone won't buy the bike without a test ride then they aren't your buyer and its not the right bike for them.

[BSR6]

Thanks for the feedback guys. Sounds to me like I am in the majority and I can be confident in arguing against anyone who has a problem with it. I see your points about letting certain people ride it, but I will cross that bridge when I come to it. I probably would have done the same thing in the Airline Captain scenario.

[ɹǝʍoןandɹǝʍoן]

I test drove a bike yesterday night w/o showing cash and then I bought it.

[SRTie4k]

I guess I don't have a problem letting someone test ride it so long as I see that they have a motorcycle endorsement on their license and I get the feeling that they're competent. It's really situational to me - a stupid or disheveled looking 20 year old kid that pulls up in a piece of shit car is definitely NOT going to test ride my bike, whereas someone that shows up with full riding gear on a well maintained bike or someone that knows what they're talking about as I'm talking to them about the bike is a lot more likely to get the okay from me.

Not only that, but I live in an extremely rural area where there is very little traffic or complex traffic patterns, so it's not as great a concern to me as it would be if, say, I lived in the city.

If something did happen though, I always have insurance to cover the cost.

[gamorg02]

for me its full asking price cash in hand (or amount agreed on beforehand). then you can ride it. any scratches, or anything you bought it. otherwise then we can talk further if there was something you didn't like. i've waived that a couple times, or taken 1/2 the cash in my hand to be sure. seeing motorcycle endorsement is good...

never had a problem, however, has anyone ever made someone sign something that said u will buy it if u broke it with the cash you gave me?

[schleppy]

If someone comes on their own bike and lets me follow them I'm fine with it. With that being said, if they roll up and seem like an absolute tool shed then I won't let them ride it without some cash in hand.

[kbroderick]

My general take would be motorcycle endorsement and cash in hand; I wouldn't expect to be allowed to test-ride a bike in a private party sale otherwise.

With that said, I did let the experienced rider who came with the buyer of my 250 to take it up the road and back before I had cash in my hand...but the bike's already been crashed on both sides (by me), and was a 250 with 37k miles on it to begin with. And when I bought my current ride, I did take it for a test ride before even showing the seller (an ADV inmate) cash...at his request (which I was glad to oblige). I think in both cases, the seller wanted the buyer to be sure of what he/she was getting.

If I were selling a more valuable bike, I'd strongly consider a contract obliging the buyer to either bring the bike back as it left or to buy it at the price agreed before the ride.

However, I'd be disinclined to buy a bike without either test-riding it myself or having an impartial third party test-ride it for me (in the case of a fly-and-ride). I would expect to be responsible for the bike during said test ride and to be expected to buy it if anything unfortunate happened short of a meteor falling out of the sky (rider crashes, deer attacks bike, etc), and I generally wouldn't be inclined to test-ride a bike I wasn't willing to own.

[The Snowman]

Would the test ride go something like this?

YouTube- YAMAHA R1 BIKE - TEST DRIVE - GOOD LAUGHT!

[hqp921]

I think you do it with a case-by-case, given the bike you have. My experiences.

My first bike was a '93 zx6d. When I bought it, I got to test ride... heck, the seller was on the other side of the country, so his dad let me test ride it. Eventually, I sold it to a friend of mine for a song. I let him test ride it, but I knew he had ridden, and further, he was a friend of mine.

The next bike I sold was a 2003 SV650. I bought it from a (car) dealership, and was able to test ride it. When I sold it, it was the rider's first bike, and I talked to them for a good long time. Gave the seller a ride on the back (she was a female, so that ... made it a little easier), up and down the street and around the block to show it was in good working order. After saying my piece about the bike, and letting her sit on it (she was scared to drop it), and she not really being able to touch the ground, I said, "Take it off the side stand. If you can't do at least that much, I can't let you buy it." I rode the bike to her house to deliver.

The last bike I sold was my Honda VFR800. When I bought it, I got to test ride (I also handed over all the cash right afterwards). It was from a member here -- and we met at the mall - I just did a quick loop around the mall while my girlfriend stayed with him, and I left the cash. I figured when it came time to sell, I'd have to be weary since it's not really a beginner's bike. Ended up selling to a person on this board who didn't even ride it, and only saw pics. I drove 90 mins to deliver it, and when I got there, he looked it over casually, gave me the cash, and loaded it up in his trailer. (I guess since I rode it out, he figured it was in good shape.).

When I was shopping last year I test rode an MV Augusta (member on this board), and a Speed Triple (Craigslist). I was going the sporty but comfy bike and ended with the VFR because it made more financial sense to me.

In all the situations though, it has been engage in conversation and see if the person is a total whack job before handing the keys over. I also would ask if they would allow a test ride, and that if anything happened, the bike would be mine and they'd have the money.

I think you just need to go with what's comfortable for you. I've been in situations where people gladly offer a test ride - "Do you want to borrow a helmet?" to where people say they won't allow it.

Like kbroderick, I would want to test ride a bike before buying, especially in a private sale when I can't go back to a dealer and say, "hey, you sold me a lemon."

- HP

[hqp921]

Would the test ride go something like this?

YouTube- YAMAHA R1 BIKE - TEST DRIVE - GOOD LAUGHT!

[01xj]

When I sold my cruiser it was to a guy who'd never ridden before. He didn't have cash with him or anything but was very adament about wanting the bike. I started it up and rode it so he could see it was in good running shape. We agreed it was a little strange that I'm test riding my own bike but I think it gave him piece of mine that it wasn't a piece of junk.

Like others have said, in the future it will be situational. I'm not going to let some lunk head 19 year old take off on my bike.

[csmutty]

Like others have said, in the future it will be situational. I'm not going to let some lunk head 19 year old take off on my bike.

I allow test rides based on the person. I just had someone come and look at the ZRX the other day. He was in full gear and came on a mint 02 R1. We talked for a while and I found out he had taken many advanced riding schools including Keith Code's. I allowed him to take the bike for a test ride with no problem.

[RandyO]

When I put my bike up for sale and people come to look at it will they be expecting to test ride it?.

if you were buying a used bike, would YOU expect a test ride.

I know I would, treat others as you would expect to be treated yourself

no test ride without signing a bill of sale and cash in hand, don't waste my time, put that in your for sale add, let the buyer know your going to be a jerk right up front

[01xj]

I allow test rides based on the person. I just had someone come and look at the ZRX the other day. He was in full gear and came on a mint 02 R1. We talked for a while and I found out he had taken many advanced riding schools including Keith Code's. I allowed him to take the bike for a test ride with no problem.

Ooo... no offense. Not grouping you in there. :blush:

["Dangerous" Dan K]

Ooo... no offense. Not grouping you in there. :blush:

No worries. He's 12, not 19.

[Doc]

Did it once. Won't do it again.

[Garandman]

I show up on a bike, and tell them I want to ride it in a figure-8 somewhere and shift into 2nd gear, just to check operation. If they won't let me do that, they get to keep it.....

If I'm selling a bike and someone wants a test ride, unless I know them it's same deal - they ride there, have an MC license, and we go someplace like a cul-de-sac where they can verify operation.

When I sold my first V-Strom it was the gf of a friend of a friend. She was 5'8 and had just sold her Hayabusa, so I figured it was no problem. It helped that she showed up with a trailer and the asking price in $100's.....

[chowda633]

I made a youtube video of my buddy riding it who has ridden it a lot before and added it in the craigslist add. The guy who bought it said you seem like a great guy from the video and the video was a big deciding factor and he did not even want to test ride it because he saw all he needed in the video I think its still on youtube.

Yep it is.
YouTube- FZR 1998.wmv

[fjrrider RI]

I have let responsible people take test drives , with me following them on another bike.

I agree you can tell by talking and the first two seconds on the bike parked should be enough to tell if they are experienced. Got fooled only once on a very older bike. I test rode every bike before I bought them myself and they let me.

[toocrazy2yoo]

If someone comes on their own bike and lets me follow them I'm fine with it. With that being said, if they roll up and seem like an absolute tool shed then I won't let them ride it without some cash in hand.

Said the guy who was gonna trade bikes with ME for a blast out Gloucester way!

What ever happened with dat, anyway? What, don't wanna use all the power?