Big post sale problem!!
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Road Master
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 848
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From:
Big post sale problem!!
I sold my 1988 Sporty to a guy yesterday. Let me preface this by saying that my sportster has been dead reliable and I have had no problems driving it anywhere. I have gone on 500 mile days many times.. even 2 up. It has 12K total on it and the motor has about 5K. Its a J.E.T. 1200 conversion and was really done well. I sold it for $3500.00 and included a ton of extra parts.
Anyway... the guy buys it and drives it home. He had already test drove it around a little. He gets 25 miles from my house and he calls me to tell me that he blew a head gasket on the highway. He told me tha he was driving along and all of a sudden the motor lost power. He can here a loud air sucking noise coming from the clutch side of the rear jug. No oil leak... just air.
He wants to know what he should do. At this point I am completely shocked and speachless. The Bill of Sale says as is but I am not that kind of guy. I think he could have possibly over revved the bike or missed a shift and blew the head gasket. There is no way to prove it and I don't want to leave the guy hanging.
His dad came with a trailer and they towed it to his house. He told me that he could do the labor himself and has a mechanic friend who can come and take a look at it and if I would cover the cost of the parts. The bike is pretty custom so it won't be the easiest to take apart although it was built correctly. I told him that I would cover the cost of the parts. What would you guys do?
Anyway... the guy buys it and drives it home. He had already test drove it around a little. He gets 25 miles from my house and he calls me to tell me that he blew a head gasket on the highway. He told me tha he was driving along and all of a sudden the motor lost power. He can here a loud air sucking noise coming from the clutch side of the rear jug. No oil leak... just air.
He wants to know what he should do. At this point I am completely shocked and speachless. The Bill of Sale says as is but I am not that kind of guy. I think he could have possibly over revved the bike or missed a shift and blew the head gasket. There is no way to prove it and I don't want to leave the guy hanging.
His dad came with a trailer and they towed it to his house. He told me that he could do the labor himself and has a mechanic friend who can come and take a look at it and if I would cover the cost of the parts. The bike is pretty custom so it won't be the easiest to take apart although it was built correctly. I told him that I would cover the cost of the parts. What would you guys do?
Road Captain
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 563
Likes: 0
From: NE FL
It would be a hard decision considering you have not had a single problem with it and you can not account for what was done to it once it was signed over and no longer your property. If it wont hurt your pocket book, it is a nice thing to do for the guy.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,388
Likes: 2
Hard to say. It would depend on my read of the guy. I am usually a pretty good judge of character after meeting folks. But you never know. If he gave me any reason to think he might be a bit of a slimeball I'd tell him to go pound sand in as nice a way as possible.
Otherwise, hard to say. He may have just over-revved or missed a shift, that would be his fault. I'd have to question him on all this. You say the bike was perfect? When is the last time you ran it on the highway for an hour? Has it been sitting and the gaskets getting hard and brittle? Etc etc etc All these would factor into my decision. How much are the parts? If it a $1000 of parts or $100 worth of parts?
In the end, I'd process all this info and try to do what I thought was fair. Whether that was paying for the parts, splitting the price with him or doing nothing at all. I cannot give an accurate answer from your brief description of the event.
Otherwise, hard to say. He may have just over-revved or missed a shift, that would be his fault. I'd have to question him on all this. You say the bike was perfect? When is the last time you ran it on the highway for an hour? Has it been sitting and the gaskets getting hard and brittle? Etc etc etc All these would factor into my decision. How much are the parts? If it a $1000 of parts or $100 worth of parts?
In the end, I'd process all this info and try to do what I thought was fair. Whether that was paying for the parts, splitting the price with him or doing nothing at all. I cannot give an accurate answer from your brief description of the event.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 4,525
Likes: 8
From: Wheeling, WV
I'm not sure what I'd do in your case.....but there is a complete enginge rebuild gasket kit for an '88 on ebay right now for a buy it now price of $44 with $9.50 for shipping. 
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Road Master
Joined: Aug 2007
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Hard to say. It would depend on my read of the guy. I am usually a pretty good judge of character after meeting folks. But you never know. If he gave me any reason to think he might be a bit of a slimeball I'd tell him to go pound sand in as nice a way as possible.
Otherwise, hard to say. He may have just over-revved or missed a shift, that would be his fault. I'd have to question him on all this. You say the bike was perfect? When is the last time you ran it on the highway for an hour? Has it been sitting and the gaskets getting hard and brittle? Etc etc etc All these would factor into my decision. How much are the parts? If it a $1000 of parts or $100 worth of parts?
In the end, I'd process all this info and try to do what I thought was fair. Whether that was paying for the parts, splitting the price with him or doing nothing at all. I cannot give an accurate answer from your brief description of the event.
Otherwise, hard to say. He may have just over-revved or missed a shift, that would be his fault. I'd have to question him on all this. You say the bike was perfect? When is the last time you ran it on the highway for an hour? Has it been sitting and the gaskets getting hard and brittle? Etc etc etc All these would factor into my decision. How much are the parts? If it a $1000 of parts or $100 worth of parts?
In the end, I'd process all this info and try to do what I thought was fair. Whether that was paying for the parts, splitting the price with him or doing nothing at all. I cannot give an accurate answer from your brief description of the event.
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Road Master
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 976
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From:
Things like that happen.... even on new bikes. You sold as is and its his bike and his problem. The buyer knowing darn well what chances he was taking buying a used bike in an as is condition.
I wouldn't pay for anything as you sold the bike in an as is condition and no warranty (or did you offer a warranty?) I'm sure you wern't able to have exray vision to see any problems coming and was honest in your discription and known condition of the bike. The buyer was satisfied closing the deal at the time and once the deal is done it's his bike to upkeep.
Sorry, that's just how I see it..
I wouldn't pay for anything as you sold the bike in an as is condition and no warranty (or did you offer a warranty?) I'm sure you wern't able to have exray vision to see any problems coming and was honest in your discription and known condition of the bike. The buyer was satisfied closing the deal at the time and once the deal is done it's his bike to upkeep.
Sorry, that's just how I see it..
