test ride
Cruiser
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 145
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From:
RE: test ride
Some years ago guy down the street from me, when he was much younger, let a guy take his bike for a tet ride. He didn't see it again for many months, after the police recovered it. It was not until the guy left for his test ride that my neighbor noticed the guy who wanted to purchase his bike didn't come in any kind of vehicle. He readily acknowledged he was not paying much attention. The real moron of the story was the theif. He got stopped by the police for diriving the bike with expired tags. The owner's tags expired and he didn't notice, but the police did.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,374
Likes: 1
From: Central Florida
RE: test ride
A lot would depend on what kind of vehicle the person showed up in. A beat up 1990 Yugo worth $300, no way. Show up in a 2003 Caddy, yea maybe. Come over with a 2007 Benz SL55, yea no problem, take her for a spin.
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,380
Likes: 3
From: NC
RE: test ride
Uh...
Not just no but hell no.
Just the thought is to me frightening... Nope, you wanna ride it, I'll need that check verified at the bank. Then you can ride till the cows come home.
Sit on it.. yeah sure
Listen to it idle.. sure
Follow me on a ride to verify it's sure enough road-worthy.. Sure, why not.
But ride it prior to purchase... eh eh! Nope! Nadda! Wouldn't be prudent at this juncture.
Bought my first bike (old beater '90 Heritage) without a test-ride... It rode and handled better than my 04, in my opinion.. I threw that thing around in the curves like a silly rice-rocket compared to my new bike.
If you know where to look on the bike, what to look for, and the questions to ask, you can assess a bikes condition and road-worthiness pretty well to have a reasonably confident buying purchase.. and that's the buyers responsibility to know what the heck he's buying, but the seller has no obligation other than offer it up for sale, and I guess disclosure where necessary by law.
Now I would go with the buyer, on the bike, to a dealer of my choosing for a check-over and their okay that the bike is A-Okay... and even the service guy (at the H-D dealer) could ride it, but not a buyer that I wasn't already pretty good pals with and pretty confident with.
Not just no but hell no.
Just the thought is to me frightening... Nope, you wanna ride it, I'll need that check verified at the bank. Then you can ride till the cows come home.
Sit on it.. yeah sure
Listen to it idle.. sure
Follow me on a ride to verify it's sure enough road-worthy.. Sure, why not.
But ride it prior to purchase... eh eh! Nope! Nadda! Wouldn't be prudent at this juncture.
Bought my first bike (old beater '90 Heritage) without a test-ride... It rode and handled better than my 04, in my opinion.. I threw that thing around in the curves like a silly rice-rocket compared to my new bike.
If you know where to look on the bike, what to look for, and the questions to ask, you can assess a bikes condition and road-worthiness pretty well to have a reasonably confident buying purchase.. and that's the buyers responsibility to know what the heck he's buying, but the seller has no obligation other than offer it up for sale, and I guess disclosure where necessary by law.
Now I would go with the buyer, on the bike, to a dealer of my choosing for a check-over and their okay that the bike is A-Okay... and even the service guy (at the H-D dealer) could ride it, but not a buyer that I wasn't already pretty good pals with and pretty confident with.
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 77
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From:
RE: test ride
A family friend of ours was selling his heritage, and some guy came to look at it. He took it out for a test ride, and seemed to be gone a little longer than expected, however he did return. The guy pulled right back into the garage with the right side of the bike close to the wall, and got off pretty quick and kinda just said, "Ehhh not really what I'm lookin for, thanks though" and left.
Our friend didn't think anything of it, he just thought the guy was weird for not wanting it. Later that night he was thinkin about it again, and went out to just look the bike over. Apparently the guy dumped it while he was out, and scratched the hell out of the pipes and pegs on the right side, but he didn't notice by the way the guy pulled it right in and up against the wall.
...pretty much got shafted. I dunno if I'd be crazy about letting someone ride either.
Our friend didn't think anything of it, he just thought the guy was weird for not wanting it. Later that night he was thinkin about it again, and went out to just look the bike over. Apparently the guy dumped it while he was out, and scratched the hell out of the pipes and pegs on the right side, but he didn't notice by the way the guy pulled it right in and up against the wall.
...pretty much got shafted. I dunno if I'd be crazy about letting someone ride either.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,380
Likes: 3
From: NC
RE: test ride
Exactly my point... There's NO way some schmo is taking my scoot out for a joy-ride unless I've got the cash, and he's got the title and insurance. Because there's a lot of great people out there, but there's also some real pieces of work like that guy mentioned above.