Has anybody here sold/bought a bike on ebay? Any issues/pitfalls I should be aware of? What types of payment would you take?

I am experienced selling smaller things on ebay with a lot of good feedback, and I'm experienced selling cars from my home, but have not tried to combine these two.

I know ebay and PayPal each take their cut. It seems like this might be offset by the wider audience and maybe fewer craigslist fools trying to trade me livestock for it.

 

Don"t !!!!! their "Cut" is too much. Check and you will change your mind.

 

I bought an '84 Honda CR250 dirtbike and an '85 Virago on ebay, but those were both around 2000 to 2003. It was pretty smooth when I did, I won the auctions and then set up a pick up time and just paid cash when I went and got them. I ended up parting out the dirtbike on ebay after I blew it up a couple years later.

I think the fees have gotten out of hand anymore. I haven't sold on ebay in at least 5 or 6 years.

I do go there every once in a while to look at bikes and cars even when I'm not in the market for them, just to get an idea what things are selling for there.

 

I bought two bikes on eBay. Both HUGE deals. Much bigger than the ones I could find with the "local" searches.
Do your own homework, by asking the seller with all the information necessary (title status, liens, defects, etc...) and make sure you ask all those question via email (or better, eBay messaging).
This way all the seller statements are on file.
eBay also has the buyer purchase protection, which covers for up to $50K the buyer.
Never sold a bike there, sorry. Only bought.

 

I sold one of my BMW's on ebay. There were no problems at all. I got over 250 bids on the bike, and it eventually sold for more than I expected.

I took a lot of really good photos of the bike and all it's accessories, and put them in the ad. I think that is key to getting the highest price for the bike. I really detailed the crap out of it before the photos.

The seller was coming here from Arizona to pick up the bike. He sent a check three weeks before he was going to come and pick up the bike so it would absolutely clear my bank and his before he arrived.

He paid me to pick him up at the airport, which I did.

As far as showing the bike to prospective buyers, I don't keep the bike at home when I'm selling one, I keep it in a friend's garage a mile away, so that if someone wants to look at the bike, I go get it and meet them at my house, and they don't know where the bike is kept.

Regarding test rides, I do NOT EVER let someone just ride my bike. I will take them on the back for a test ride, and if they want to pay the local dealer to inspect it, I will deliver it there for that purpose.

Cash of course is good, and I have sold bikes that way. Checks are fine if you advise the buyer it will take three weeks to insure that it clears. So are money orders and cashier's checks under the same parameters.

You do not have to use paypal to conclude an ebay sale.

As an aside, I have sold hundreds of items on e-bay over the years, never got ripped off, and in many cases, sold used items for more than the person could have bought them new on amazon or whatever. Again, really good photos and a true, honest description of condition and even minor dings, scratches etc makes the sale go smooth and for a good dollar.

Hope that helps!


-Ray

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I bought two bikes via ebay. Both were local so pick up was easy. On one, I won the auction and paid $1K thru ebay and the rest cash. The guy said it took a month to get the $1K... The 2nd bike had a reserve higher than I'd pay and I was the top bidder. Seller contacted me and we took it from there. Ebay wasn't involved in the deal.

 

I bought my bike on ebay last August. Seller was about 45 miles away. Paid the guy in cash before the auction expired so I couldn't lose to a higher bidder.

 

I sold my '86 Yamaha Radian on Ebay about 10 years ago. Fees back then were not too bad, but I didn't take Paypal, I was paid with a cashiers check. The buyer came over with a trailer from a couple states away.

Worked out well for both of us, I had the bike in front of my house with a for sale sign for a couple weeks before I listed it but no takers. Once it was on Ebay we did a little back and forth messaging, he then made an offer and I added a "buy it now" price that matched it.

 

Fee's for bikes and auto's are fixed price, and the listing is free.
Low volume sellers will pay $125 if the end price is above $2000.
So, if the bike doesn't sell, you are out nothing.
Just don't use paypal for full payment, just for the deposit, limiting
how much they can take on the deal.
I've sold about 10 cars on Ebay over the years, and every one of them
was sold after the auction ended, but it was a good cheap way to find buyers!
http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/motorfees.html

 

I sold an Ultra Classic on ebay a couple of years ago. I listed it and put my phone number. He called me from Wyoming and I live in Florida. He flew in. I let him ride it and we went to the bank and he got a cashiers check right in front of me. He bought me lunch and dropped me off at my house. He set up a transport company to pick it up. Easy as pie.