Currently have my 2012 SG for sale on Craigslist and here. I am getting the usual spam BS on CL. Had a guy on here seem like he is pretty interested. Thing is he lives a good distance away. What strikes me odd is he seems interested in buying it without seeing it. Other than the pics and description I posted. No mention of the usual money transfer, paypal, courier services or any of the other tell-tale signs of fraud on CL but still. Had mentioned flying out and riding home but said he would probably want to have it shipped because of flight costs and unknown weather factors.

So saying this guy is legit and is serious about buying it what is the best, safest and most secure procedure for handling a sale like this. My SG current has a lien on it through my Credit Union so the loan would have to be paid off before the title released of course.

Any advice from those that have sold or bought big ticket items from a good distance away???

 

Only do wire transfer directly to your credit union, lots of bogus cashier checks out there.
Let him arrange the transportation. Google him and his address. Check with your insurance agent on any loss if it should happen. If its to good to be true.....

 

I sold my F350 Super Duty 4x4 Diesel to a guy from over 1500 miles away. He saw the pics I posted on line and read my detailed description. He emailed me and said he would take it for my full asking price. I was skeptical. He gave me the name of his credit union. I googled them and called the number I found. I verified they cut him a cashiers check for the correct amount.They provided me the check number. I gave them the VIN number off the truck. I picked the guy up at the airport in the truck, asked him if he wanted to drive the truck back to my office. He said no. He didn't ask any questions during the ride. When we got to my office he handed me the cashiers check, it all matched what the CU told me on the phone. I handed him the title and he jumped in the drivers seat, stalled the truck 2 times trying to leave the parking lot (6 speed manual) and he drove away.

Seemed crazy but it all worked out perfectly. Good luck with your sale.

 

Post up some info on here about members in the area. Bought my badBoy off CL and a member here that lived by the seller checked it out and test rode it for me I'm in Ga. bike was in AZ. Maybe not 100% safe but wire transfer and a little back ground check like 03psd did and might have a smooth transaction.

 

I have advice to give. I have bought in the last ten years a Harley and a Mastercraft. Paid cash. Both times I was packing. Both times I have had the seller ask me if I was nervous with that much cash. Both times I replied no. The advice I can give you is to remember that everything is suspect. Think of this as a trap or robbery and be prepared. I accept only cash and I pay only cash. The title must be clean and original. The signatures match a photographic ID. The bill of sale is handwritten with the information that makes it a contract. We both count the money. I count it twice. They count it at least once with me watching. Deal done.

 

I bought a bike from New Mexico and sold the same bike to a guy in California via eBay a few years later. Everything was by phone and photo, so im not shocked by that. Mine involved a 1938 knucklehead. Just remember that both a cashiers check or personal check can be forged so don't let the bike and title go until it clears, usually about 2 weeks. Other option is to pay through PayPal accounts so the funding source is verified.

 

I sold a boat for 185k to a guy 3000 miles away on the east coast. I had him transfer 50k to my account to hold the boat. He sent a local person to inspect the boat, and when he was happy with the deal he wired the remaining amount into my account before the boat left my house. I set-up transport and he paid for it. When the boat was delivered the transporter called me an let me know. I cancelled insurance and the deal was done. I would see if you could get someone local to look at the bike, and if not I would jump on a plane and go look at it yourself.

 

Did you speak with him on the phone? Did he have a Nigerian accent? lol

There has to be a certain level of trust by each of you. I've bought a couple of vehicles from the States (I live in Canada) including an HD. Since there's a lien on the bike the buyer has as much to lose as the seller here. He should fly down in person and go to your bank with you with two checks - one made out to the bank to pay off the loan and the other for the balance to you. You sign over the title and he takes the bike.
You should check with your bank though as there might be a waiting period from when they take payment to when the lien is issued.

 

I've done a bunch of long distance deals and no issues. Because the bike has a lien against it he's the one taking the risk. The credit union will want something equivalent to cash before they release their lien, or they will hold paper (and you hold the bike) until funds clear on a cashiers check or whatever he pays with. Bottom line, the bike stays put until funds have cleared. As such, he needs to pony up $$ on faith that you are legit. If I were him I would want to talk to you, the credit union, and a local HD dealer where you would take it to be inspected at his expense. Once all of that is solid he may wish to proceed. In all cases, when I bought, I flew or drove (which is preferable because I trailer the bike back - weather doesn't matter then) to inspect the bike and accompany the seller to the lien holder. That way I knew I was really getting the bike (and knew it's condition as well) before I handed over the cash. I have sold the other way around. Basically as I said - buyer takes the risk that you are legit and sends a wad of cash in some form. I waited till funds cleared, and then had the shipper (paid by him) pick up at my house.

Bottom line - if this guy is for real, he will talk your ear off for days on end before finalizing. He'll want to know every nuance of what you have done to the bike. Anything short of that is a tire kicker or scammer.

PS - someone mentioned Paypal. I have taken $1000 deposit to hold it. But the balance has to be in another form because of the high cost of using Paypal to the seller. If he does it that way it's anoter indicator he's for real because now he's out real cash.

 

There is no cost to the seller if the buyer designates the money as a "gift".

The buyer pays the fees. I bought Bertha and my son's bike that way.