What do you do about test rides when you are selling a bike?

[DaBigfella]

Hi guys, any help would be appreciated, i'm selling my 9 and i've only just thought about this, as i've never actually sold a bike before, what do you do about letting people test ride? Is it just a matter of signing paperwork or do you ask for some kind of deposit? photocopy of licence?? Whats the best way to do it?

[aardvark]

When I sold my bike, I held onto their licence whilst they rode it. Whilst they were gone I took a digital photo of the licence and made a note in a notebook re: date/time of the ride.

I told them on the phone they'd need to bring a licence if they wanted to ride it. When they got there, I asked for other proof of ID as well. No other proof of ID to back up the licence = no ride.

Make sure the person riding the bike is the person in the photo!

Also make note of the rego number of any vehicle they roll up in.

[ttc]

Personally when I sold one of my bikes, I told the guy he wasn't riding it, and he was fine with that. My insurance doesn't cover other riders, and there's been a few bikes up here pinched on test rides.

[shinya56]

when i sold my zx10r a few months back,i told them before they came out that i double the buyer first
and if they like to buy it i will hold a bank chq or cash and hold their licence but only they buy it same thing happen to me when i brought my ht monaro(sold now).same deal when i sold my 636 last year.good luck on the sale.

[ducati_paul]

I guess I'm lucky in that I have a couple of bikes, (I'm going through the process of selling one now myself) I take their license and put it in my pocket and I take my DRZ while they ride the KTM, if they want to try to outrun me on a strange bike while I ride a familiar bike good luck to them! my only trouble would be if they went bush, (my bike is a motard so road tyres) so I don't go near any

[robracer]

I make sure I am holding the full purchase price in cash from the potential buyer before any test rides.
It also helps to have a mate there to help out should the transaction go pear shaped, I have had a friend of a friend rolled once the keys were displayed before a test ride

[macca]

I have had a friend of a friend rolled once the keys were displayed before a test ride

Thats really horrible! We've also heard of people accepting bank cheques for payment, then the cheques getting cancelled....

I probably dont have the best system - but Ive always just gone on gut feeling (along with checking that their licenced) ... when I sold my lil' ZZR 250 I let the girl take it out for a decent ride with me just checking her licence (eh.. she was nice ) When I sold my M109 I didnt like the guy so I went along with him on another bike ( he ended up buying a Harley so my feelings were right on there!!). I let a couple of people ride the ZZR1200 with no issues and I guess I was lucky

[matt1414]

I held their license and followed them on another bike, main reason is to stop them thrashing the shit out of it when out of sight more than stealing it IMO.

[Nelso]

I held their license and followed them on another bike, main reason is to stop them thrashing the shit out of it when out of sight more than stealing it IMO.

I can't imagine any bikes getting thrashed on a test ride any more than it would by it's owner unless the owner can't ride hard.

All my experiences have been to leave your licence/wallet with the person while you take it for a short ride and both parties agree before the test ride that if you bin it you buy it at the full asking price. That being said, I wouldn't offer some shady character the same freedom. In your job you would get an idea of the people you can trust and those that you wouldn't so use that to determine if you let them ride it themselves or if you take them for a double.

[dilligaf]

Might want to check your insurance. Some don't cover test rides.

[smek]

I do a combination of the following depending on the vibe I get from them.
-hold or copy license
-get their vehicle keys
-get them to bring proof of rego of the vehicle they are arriving in
-Get them to sign a test ride agreement
-Meet them somewhere other than home
-Get a land line number for them when they ring and call them back on it
-Ask for enough to cover excess up front - $2000-$4000

I also Google their name and phone number - I'm sure crooks also have facebook and linkedin accounts but it can be reassuring to get some confirmation of their story.

If insurance didn't cover them there'd be no chance of a test ride.

[Glen]

In the past I've done pretty well all of what smek said, other then the agrement and the payment and then either borrowed a mates bike and followed them or got a mate to follow them. I think it usually weeds the thieves out. Getting a land line and insisting on calling them back on the number usually works pretty well, although doesn't help if they stack your bike.

I'm not sure what the go with insurance is though

[Phil]

Or just get Wattie to follow them on the test ride.






























If they are not back in 10 mins just head to the nearest KFC

[blackryder]

good question...
i've often thought of this, but have only sold bikes to bike shops..(yeh not very lucritive..."rip offs").
I cant give any advice, but theres been some good ones here...good one guys....(oh yeh, sorry tan...& girls).

[Blurr]

I wouldn't buy a bike without test riding it.

Recently a seller tried to refuse me in which I handed over cash to settle the nerves.

Alittle advice though. If you do throw down some obstacles be nice about it, it goes along way . If it wasnt for the fact I travelled so far I would have told the dickhead to jam it when he said NO abrutly like I was going to steal the thing. They are your customer afterall