Ethical question
Tourer
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 284
Likes: 5
From: Pa
Not a bad day at all, it just seems over the top **** to think about calling a previous owner for such trivial and useless information.
If he needs to know that bad, he should ask the dealer to call the guy, after all, the dealer is the one who bought the bike from the guy.
How far does this go, is it ok for some goofball to start calling the previous 10 owners of a bike to ask questions...after all, that would be the only way to find out what oil was used in a 10 owner bike.
Yes, I do think it is unethical to call the original owner, because the original owner did not sell the bike to the op.
If he needs to know that bad, he should ask the dealer to call the guy, after all, the dealer is the one who bought the bike from the guy.
How far does this go, is it ok for some goofball to start calling the previous 10 owners of a bike to ask questions...after all, that would be the only way to find out what oil was used in a 10 owner bike.
Yes, I do think it is unethical to call the original owner, because the original owner did not sell the bike to the op.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 6,532
Likes: 132
From: SoCal
Gotta say , Dan has it right. Just put whatever you want in it. Leave the po alone, if he would have wanted to deal with people he could have sold it himself and gotten more money for the bike but he traded it in to avoid dealing with strangers, GET IT?
Tourer
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 284
Likes: 5
From: Pa
I love it when I have something for sale & state CLEARLY $7500 CASH NO TRADES and some jack wad will contact me W/"Will you take XXXXX amount of $5500 CASH" My reply is 'Oh as to the opposed $7500 Whom-pom I was asking for!!" I HATE selling stuff outright to the general public!!!!!!!
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 6,175
Likes: 1,966
From: Great State of Canada
So I bought a one owner bike used from a dealer. He did not live near the dealer so they do not have the service records. I am interested to find out what type of oil he used in the bike. He had a 103 kit put in at a shop near him and I have the name of the shop. I also have the previous owner's name from the title.
Question is: Do you think it is ok for me to try and look him up in phone book and call and ask about the oil, or call the shop and hope that he had all his service done there?
Question is: Do you think it is ok for me to try and look him up in phone book and call and ask about the oil, or call the shop and hope that he had all his service done there?
On the face of it, there is of course, no problem making a call to the PO. He can speak to you or not at his pleasure. Trouble is, you don't know the circumstances you're calling into. Maybe he and the OL are splitting up and thats why he sold / traded out of town,, to hide the deal. I suppose if a woman answers, you could always cover by pretending to be a male hooker.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 6,532
Likes: 132
From: SoCal
Novice
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
From: Newport News va.
I would first call the shop where the work was done.
As for why would you ask?Maybe others don't understand and thats ok.
it is preferred to run the same type oil as before.I"m not a engineer and maybe that's why i think your question is valid
As for why would you ask?Maybe others don't understand and thats ok.
it is preferred to run the same type oil as before.I"m not a engineer and maybe that's why i think your question is valid
Tourer
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 284
Likes: 5
From: Pa
Calling the shop may make them uneasy. IMHO they shouldn't discuss one customer's business with another under any pretense whatever. Bill collectors and skip tracers pull all sorts of deceptive **** over the phone and business's should normally be wary of 3rd party callers.
On the face of it, there is of course, no problem making a call to the PO. He can speak to you or not at his pleasure. Trouble is, you don't know the circumstances you're calling into. Maybe he and the OL are splitting up and thats why he sold / traded out of town,, to hide the deal. I suppose if a woman answers, you could always cover by pretending to be a male hooker.
On the face of it, there is of course, no problem making a call to the PO. He can speak to you or not at his pleasure. Trouble is, you don't know the circumstances you're calling into. Maybe he and the OL are splitting up and thats why he sold / traded out of town,, to hide the deal. I suppose if a woman answers, you could always cover by pretending to be a male hooker.
i.e. "Bill collectors and skip tracers pull all sorts of deceptive ****" Yamma Hamma Mamma
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 6,532
Likes: 132
From: SoCal
What if the po ran really crappy oil, is it still preferred to run the same oil?
HD Forum Stories
The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Verdad Gallardo
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In
Verdad Gallardo
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Verdad Gallardo
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept
Verdad Gallardo
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Verdad Gallardo
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy
Joe Kucinski
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026
Verdad Gallardo
Tourer
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 284
Likes: 5
From: Pa
In Pa. you come in to dealer with $7500 CASH on bike purchase YOU pay TOTAL bike sales tax. But you trade-in a bike for said $ 7500 you do NOT pay sales tax on that $7500. Because the $7500 value has been recouped by the state some where .sometime in their eyes. That's how it works here. I don't make the laws just try to live within them.I have skirted them ahem a time or 2 for a buyer maybe!?!?!?!
Last edited by KSJ08; Feb 15, 2015 at 05:05 PM.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 2,007
Likes: 353
From: Ohio
In Ohio the sales tax charged is based on the sales price less trade-in credit. So a $20,000 bike with a $10,000 trade-in will have the tax (7%) reduced from $1,400 to $700.
Not all states operate that way though.