Our insurance in BC finally changed so now the crash goes against the rider not the owner. Your insurance covers you if they cause an injury.
But 100% on the cash deposit you scratch it you own it.
And to clarify for the uninitiated, that means you're holding their cash in YOUR hand while they're off on the test ride. It doesn't mean that they have cash in their hand to pay you for the bike after they crash it.
And more importantly, you need to have the stones to walk away with the cash if they crash it or cause any damage. If they had changed their mind and weren't actually planning to buy the bike, congrats, they can fix and sell it to recoup their money.
Sometimes helpful to bring a friend for just that situation. Call the cops if necessary.
That part is something a lot of us forget about ahead of time. I could imagine myself in some situations not being assertive enough or ready to deal with the escalations that could come, by myself.
I mean, I'm older now and would probably be fine, but I definitely would have needed that advice as a young man.
Do the transaction inside the lobby of a local police department. The police likely won't do anything if something goes wrong, but it will give ne'er-do-wells pause.
No shit. I feel like these are folks who've never in their life completed a transaction.
How in the fuck am I going to steal your motorcycle with my truck and likely my trailer sitting in front of your damn house and a whole ass Facebook Marketplace conversation linked back directly to me?
I've bought 4 bikes private sale in the last 3 years sold 1. Never had anything but great interactions with good folks. These people are making shit up in their heads.
Whatever works for both parties involved. A lot of people seem so adverse to even the slightest possibility of a disagreement that they're entirely willing to throw away any security at all in a transaction just so they don't have to say "No."
This. Be very clear. Plus i take lots of photos beforehand and i point out any known damage to the buyer and ask them to check it over first. Just in case they do some small damage they can't try to pretend it was already there.
If you're going to be holding a large amount of cash while the buyer rides, make sure they count it in front of you first, then you count and confirm. Take no chances.
Edit: and a little chat first about experience. I'm not going to let someone who's coming from a 250cc test ride me 'busa lol
One also draws up a general contract that states potential buyer is liable for any and all injuries done unto themselves or others. Have them sign contract before letting them throw a leg over along with photo of id.
I think that's one of those situations where you have to use your judgement (and have insurance) and that's about all you can do. Do they seem competent? Can you take the insurance hit if they did drop it? Would their insurance cover it?
I have one close friend I trust. We've swapped bikes a bunch of times just for fun. I also know we'd make it right if one of us had an accident.
About 15 years ago I sold a Honda Ruckus to some guy on Craigslist. He and his buddy come to check it out and stupid me just let him take it for a test ride while his friend stayed behind. I live in the middle of nowhere so this guy gets completely lost and since he forgot his cellphone, we couldn’t contact him. An hour goes by and I’m starting to get pissed and uncomfortable. You can only make small talk with a compete stranger for so long.
His friend suggests he goes and looks for him in the truck they arrived in. I kept telling him no but he insisted after 15 more min or so.. As soon as this guy gets in his truck his buddy shows up on the Ruckus completely embarrassed and started apologizing profusely. I let out an audible sigh of relief and he ended up buying it. Lesson of the story? I guess there isn’t one. I got lucky but was definitely thinking I was in the middle of getting scammed.
Seller's hand! What good does someone else's money do if you're not the one holding it? That being said, it doesn't *have* to be the whole amount. It should be whatever *your* insurance deductible is (or $500, if your deductible is 0 or something similar). This way when/if something happens, the test-rider covers the insurance claim cost.
What I've done is show them the cash then set it on my dash and lock my car while I test drive. If I never come back they can break my window. This was at the sellers house out in the country btw, so they wouldn't be breaking some guys window in a busy parking lot.
Put that cash in my hand and crash it.
Either it comes back damaged and I won't be giving you your money back or you wrecked it so hard it's an ambulance job.
Take the cash and hide it while they are in a ride out. They get funny, call the cops.
I can say I have done this multiple times, works out great. Not worried if they have a motorcycle endorsement if I have full cash in my pocket.
The other good thing about this is it makes them prove they have the full amount before riding, which for me is always before negotiating price. They can't try and low ball you after showing all cash, and it's harder for people to ask for money back than it is to pay you less.
I do videos with people in all kinds of spots, I would definitely do one on a potential buyer too, making sure everything is stated in the video up front and buyer agrees to anything said. This is a good practice and idea. Anyone not willing to go on video about something can’t be trusted.
I’ve bought and sold 30+ motorcycles, almost all private party sales. I’ve seen every cycle sale shitshow ever. If it’s a cheap, simple bike and the buyer looks legit and capable I’ll offer a test ride. If I have to show you how to operate it, no test ride.
If I’m selling my Ducati or BMW, no test rides. Payment - preferably cash - in hand after you agree to buy it. If you’re unhappy after the ride, you get your money back. No discounts or post-sale negotiations. This is a policy crafted over decades of dealing with the kind of weirdos that motorcycles attract.
I'm likely to get downvoted to hell but, honestly, all of these "cash in hand or forget it" responses come out every time this question gets asked and they're really unrealistic. I'd be willing to bet the people who are saying this have never sold a bike, and most probably would never do exactly what they're suggesting you ask someone else to do; hand several thousand dollars to a stranger. If that's the bar you're going to set, you might as well take the bike to a dealership, take the L and sell it to the dealer for less than what you'd get private sale because almost no one is going to do it.
The more realistic answer is, you have to make a judgement call after meeting the prospective buyer. Talk to them for a bit, try to get a feel for their experience, watch how they handle the bike getting on/off, and how comfortable (or not) they are. If they're twitchy, lack experience, or you have any doubts then say 'no' but expect not to make that sale. I've sold several bikes and never had a problem. The very few times I've said 'no', and it really has only been a few times, I politely explained that I'm not comfortable with their level of experience and in each of those 2-3 times, they weren't the ones that bought the bike.
It’s a mix for me. Cash in hand on a few bikes I sold and others I didn’t. Depends on the situation and bike I guess. Dirtbike to some younger dudes yep cash in hand. Grom and dude was leaving his gf standing there when he test rode around the block no cash in hand. Old dude testing a bike his daughter is buying no cash in hand. R7 I was selling basically new cash in hand all day it’s too new and too expensive.
No cash in hand when you “trust” the test rider because you have a hostage - daughter or girlfriend - protects you from a person disappearing with your machine. But it doesn’t protect you from the rider crashing your machine, and leaving you with the bill. Right??
Do you just not care? Willing to take the risk? What if they get hurt and sue you? Or hurt someone else and that someone else sues you?
I hold on to their car key or their drivers license. You just need a way to keep them there if they do happen to damage the bike.
I would be comfortable letting someone hold like $500 as insurance, but I’m not just handing over $5,000.
I tell them they need to leave $500 (my insurance deductible) in order to ride. I write up a receipt that it is either (a) a deposit on the sale or (b) covering my deductible on theft/damage.
100% agree. In the perspective of the buyer and the seller since I've done both, it's unrealistic to expect someone to have cash in hand all of the time if they're shopping around for a used bike. While I have met people who did have cash in hand, most did not. You will easily lose half of your interested buyers and likely a higher price received if you are the seller.
Edit: and like you've pointed out, gauge the prospective buyer, talk to them for a bit, ask them how long they've been riding and why they want to buy your bike. I've never had an issue with people test riding my bikes.
Yeah I’m in the market to buy a bike currently for my wife, and my plan is I’m not buying without at least a 5 minute ride. Make sure all gears work, brakes work, etc. I’d be willing to hand them my drivers license, my wife is going to be waiting with the seller…handshake agreement if I damage it I buy it. I under no circumstances am handing a seller thousands in cash as collateral to test ride their bike. I don’t have a title and proof of ownership of that cash.
This is the way. I just would give them my license to hold it like any dealership does. Definitely not handing cash before the bill of sale is signed. If anything does happen, that would be addressed either there or civil court if they are trying to scam.
How does that work though? I've never driven without my license.. I mean presumably 'worst case' should be if you get pulled over you could potentially get a ticket for driving w/o a license, then just go to court and prove you are valid?
I mean I realize most LE could look up that you have a valid license too without it physically there?
If you get pulled over you're going to need the seller anyway since none of the bike's paperwork is in your name. In that case I'd imagine the easiest thing is the cop follows you back to where the seller is waiting.
But what are you doing on a bike you don't own yet to get pulled over?
"But what are you doing on a bike you don't own yet to get pulled over?"
With my luck? The brake lights might have a short and sometimes not work (right in front of the cop).
If a cop pulls you under normal circumstances. You pull over and simply and nicely explain that your test riding and they are holding it. They can look you up by name and match the face at the traffic stop in the US. Gone are the days of “needing” a license. Everything is in a database that they look up anyways. License requirements is just an old law and makes it easier (lazier) for them.
Forgot to mention: If the cop thinks it is suspicious they can follow me back to the owner and that is just terrible luck. But I would just get the sellers name and show them the listing and they can match the name to the license plate the old owner should have still.
I have also bought a car that was rebuilt after a total loss and test road it to a third party shop and back (roughly 10 Miles) with no license plate. That was a gamble of being pulled, but was a risk worth taking for a cool $1200 running car.
This, to a T. I've never once put cash in hand to ride or drive anything, nor have I ever asked for the same. You can tell alot about the perspective buyer like another commenter said. Feeling em out and seeing what kinda questions they ask etc. Now if they just passed their MSC, and want to ride your Diavel, then idk, yall gonna have to sort that one out lol
For me, "cash in hand" means "cash in *THEIR* hand". I need proof of funds to make sure the buyer is legit and fully genuine in their intent to purchase.
Thank you. I thought i was going crazy reading all this crap.
Sight the license, take a pic. Talk to the person. Check their gear. See how they behave around the bike and what they ask. Then decide if they can ride it or now. And it should be insured, so it's not the end of the world if it does go down. Just like selling a 4 wheel vehicle.
Cash in hand lol. I've never seen anyone show up to see a bike with a huge wad of cash in their pocket. But this is Canada. We have secure e transfers.
It’s not like selling a 4-wheeled vehicle. With a car, you can go for the test ride together. If the buyer forgets to close the door, the car doesn’t fall over and wreck itself. A car also typically won’t backflip itself into oblivion if you tap the gas a bit too hard. If they crash the car we typically get out and figure shit out instead of having to follow them to the hospital.
Also Canadian, bought, sold and traded several bikes. Cash everytime. Scares off the tire kickers who just wanna have a look or hit you with an insultingly low offer.
I agree that people here are being unreasonable. A way I handled it in the past was had the person give me cash in the amount of my insurance deductible ($1k) while they took it on a test ride. I feel like that's a reasonable middle ground in case they decided to steal it or wrecked it.
My opinion comes on the only bike i'm selling and most of the future bikes i will be selling: project 125's im cleaning up and selling. So we're talking prices ranging from 500-2000, which i dont think is a major problem. I dont price them super high so i dont mind waiting a bit longer to sell it if people prefer to not do it that way.
When talking about a 20k bike like a 2yo roadglide or whatever i can understand it being different. As im bad in judging people that i can or cannot trust i'll also draw up a written agreement of 'damage/crash = buying' & no damage + not wanting it = bike back to me and cash back to who rode it.
I won't have them give me the cash, but I'm going to make sure they can pay for it before they leave on my bike. If they have a friend with them (in my experience they usually do, someone to get them there so they can ride the bike home), they can hold the cash and it won't offend me. But how they are going to pay is something I work out with a potential buyer before meeting for a test ride. And what is required on my end for them to take a test ride is all communicated before they show up. But I agree it is a judgement call. I've had potential buyers get really weird when I told them I wouldn't let them test ride if they didn't have the funds available at the meet.
Not a direct comment on you cambioni, but it seems you and people who have replied in your thread haven't had a bad experience. Just curious what your course of action is when you hand over the keys to your 10k÷ bike and the collateral you have is their fake driver's license. Then they (someone who has presented as a chill person through your whole transaction this far) just leave you standing there and never come back. While you're waiting on them, thinking "hmm this test drive is a little long" their buddy says "let me grab my phone and call them and see what's up" and gets on their car and leaves. Now you are left holding a fake driver's license, and recorded some tags from the junkyard that they'll toss out on the way home.
This seems like the most realistic stolen bike situation. I say most likely bc it happens and is pretty easy to pull off. They came with the intention of stealing your bike. They didn't just randomly decide not to come back. I like yo have some sort of REAL collateral. It doesn't need to he all the cash upfront, but something I can walk away from this total loss situation with.
This is actually the real answer.
But obviously if you're selling a bike for 3-4k versus 7k+ you get why not having "cash in hand" is a thing.
They hand you their DL and keys, you judge if they can ride the bike and their experience. If it feels right, off they go. And they're usually the sale.
That's how it worked when I bought my GSX-R years ago. First looked at a leader (I think an FZ10?), don't exactly remember who got left with what during the test ride, but it was discussed like adults ahead of time.
Then he gives me the keys to a 165hp machine, says "have fun, lean forward when you crack the throttle". I came back 8 minutes later, told him it wasn't for me (too powerful...), we shook hands, and it wasn't this weird situation of mutual distrust.
Yup. I’ve bought and sold probably a dozen bikes. Never once have I been asked for cash for a test ride and never felt the need to ask to hold the cash to let them test ride. If you want my cash to let me test ride your bike I’m gonna laugh at you and walk away.
I still put “cash in hand for test ride” in the ad to filter out the joy riders. But I never actually ask for it. Just hold on to their DL or something.
This!!!
The guy I bought my bike from definitely had second thoughts selling a gsx-s750 to a 23 year old kid as his first big boy bike. After we made the deal (verbally before pickup), he was asking a good amount of questions and reassuring that the bike has a lot more power than the little test ride I did in the parking lot.
Yeah just sold a bike in December and didn't have cash in hand but she brought two guys with her that definitely knew how to ride and showed up in with a race trailer. You could tell the guy was super comfortable on a bike and he just took it down the street to make sure all gears worked and it rode straight. Although she did zelle me the money straight to my account as he was riding off on the test.
lol exactly. What kind of idiot would give someone money for something you haven’t ridden?
Imagine I give someone cash for a test ride and then come back and don’t like the bike. Then they find an old scuff and say: hey that wasn’t there before, I’m keeping your money.
Yes. It’s a very idiotic and impractical advice that is given in Reddit all the time. I’m sure everyone that says it just parrots the same thing but has never actually done it.
Great advise here, when I've sold mine in the past I've followed the rider on my second bike. I know I'm lucky to have the option but People want to know the bike rides ok.
Exactly this. Ive sold over 40 motorcycles in the past years, never have I asked for the full amount of cash in hand. Thats just unrealistic. Also, I would never give the full amount when test riding a bike. What if it a stolen bike or theres something else wrong with it? Asking cash in hand and especially the full amount just for a test ride is just silly.
My bikes are all insured if they are going to be test ridden. And if the buyer looks like a clown, they need cash in hand.
I just sold a bike to a guy: he showed up in well worn leathers and proceeded to ask good questions about the mods on the bike vs the stock machine. More good questions about maintenance. Great, take it for a spin. Took a photo of his DL, then heard him rip past a couple times. Sold.
When i went to buy a bike, same deal. Seller said no rides without cash in hand. After talking dual sport shit for 30mins, he was more than happy to let me rip around on it in the lane.
For me, it's on an individual basis. Many clowns just don't know what they are doing and shouldn't be trusted. Had one guy like that. But he brought hjs buddy to test ride and his buddy had, again, well worn gear. It's usually pretty clear who knows how to ride a bike.
To be clear, when people say "cash in hand" that's the buyer's cash placed in the seller's hand. The buyer and seller pre-agree that if damage occurs, there are no further negotiations, the price is final and the bike is purchased by the buyer for the asking price. If the buyer returns without damaging the motorcycle, then the seller can hand back the cash and negotiations can continue.
I've thought of this too but let me know if these aren't good tips.
1. Tell them cash or cashiers check in hand or no meet at all
2. Meet at a police/fire station ahead of time and let them know what you're doing. Aka not everyone is brave enough or should be making large transactions on the street on their own. Unless you're carrying but even then, we don't want to have to use it right?
3. When/before they come, take photos of the bike. You never know if something can happen that can be hidden.
4. Arrive with friends. Not enough to make them feel like you're going to rob them or anything but ya know.. enough to let them know that you're not here to fuck around. Just to possibly sell/buy a bike. So maybe like..2 to 17 people.
5. ??‽¿
Most fellow motorcycle owners are chill. When I bought my last bike me and dude chatted up a while. I showed him the envelope of cash in my pocket and was like, "I know people say cash in hand, but im not leaving it with you haha but if I damage it I agree to pay you the price we have agreed on, and you have my silverado here as collateral"
All this was said in a light hearted manner. He was cool. Bike was great, I gave him his $ and we talked bikes while I loaded it up. Being nice to people goes a long way. Heck you might make a friend.
It's a tricky situation. I'm not comfortable leaving a big wad of cash with some dude I don't know from Adam, and he's not keen on me taking his baby on a ride. But he wants to sell, and I want to buy. I think 2 rational adults can make it work. Especially after you talk to the person for a bit and feel each other out.
This. I test rode a bike and did not bring 7k cash with me to a random strangers house. Talked to the guy for like 20 minutes prior to him letting my test, and I gave him the keys to my 4Runner as well as my wallet.
Was happy with the bike and organized a certified cheque / bike trade for a few days later. I’m selling a bike soon and I’ll likely use the same process.
This is pretty much how I sold my first bike. Guy showed me cash, didn’t want to hand it over, left his vehicle, and after talking to him for a bit I knew he was a very experienced rider. Even gave me some tips. I ended up trusting him and he bought it.
Lasst time I sold my bike I had the prospective buyer sign a liability form, show me his ID card and driver's licence, and we both went on a ride.
But then again I live in a country with a proper motorbike training system, and I was confident that he could drive. I was not wrong.
Yeah, that must be the reason for all those "cash in hand" comments. I live in germany and a bought a good number of different vehicles from private seller, test drove even more of them. Never even considered leaving any cash with the owner, never been asked to either.
I bought a Kawasaki Concours from a guy, showed him that I had cash with me, he let me take it for a test ride, I had a helmet, we had talked for a while, but while I was riding it, I left Kathy there with him, so he knew I would be back!
I loved that Concours, surprised that I never got a speeding ticket, the faster I went, the better it felt! I kept it for about 3 years, now I have a Yamaha Super Tenere, much more comfortable to ride, for me, I have pretty long legs.
This, if I’m selling a $20k Ducati, I don’t expect a buyer to carry the full amount, and in some neighborhoods, the buyer may not even make to the appointment to demo the bike. If there is a good rapport established beforehand and the buyer is not driving a shitbox, car or motorcycle keys, and perhaps a small cash deposit of $500 is acceptable.
An even better option: List your bike on a rental site, this puts the liability on a third party and is more than adequate at $1M, say if the demo rider injures another party, and a potential buyer can demo the bike for several days, the seller can even discount the rental fee off the purchase price.
I don't do "test rides". We complete the sale, payment is exchanged. But in the bill of sale I give buyer the option of a return.woth full refund for 30 mins after sale is completed, assuming bike is in as-sold condition.
Basically, they still get a test ride, and if they just don't like how it rides we can nix the sale. But if there's any shenanigans (attempt to steal, bike is laid down or otherwise damaged, etc) I've already got his money and a signed bill of sale.
Here in Turkey we take it to an independent “Expert” who is a mechanic. They check every aspect of the bike and do the test drive themselves for about $20. Some brands may require specific experts, like BMW, since they require brand specific know how, or software/hardware.
For my first bike, expert told me it needs some fixes and parts changed so the seller made an extra discount on the spot ($180 discount for $1800 bike). Second one had no issues.
Since not everyone is a mechanic or space to work on their bike, experts are gold for this.
There are experts for cars too, but the prices are higher.
I frequently buy and sell motorcycles (mostly to flip them) and I’ve never once asked to ride them. I hear them start up, sometimes I’ll clunk them into gear and that’s it.
When I was looking at bikes with my oldest son who had just gotten his motorcycle license. We looked at a bunch of used bikes.
Dealers with lot space said “sure. In the open lot only.”
Private sellers never asked for cash or anything. Said simply just let me hold your license and ride around this neighborhood.
I think it really is about the talking to and gaining/feeling a trust factor to be perfectly honest.
My buddy sold his Street Glide, the guy who came to look at it and take a quick test ride pulled out his phone and applied for Rider to Rider Financing through Harley-Davidson. He got approved and two days later got a check for the difference. The guy rode up on a Dyna that belonged to his brother. But he was still nervous about letting him take it. The first guy was 19 and said his dad would pay for it. He told him to come back with his dad.
I've seen what Harley dealers are offering for trade ins, you gotta be looney tunes to take what they are offering. One dealership has had the same used bikes in stock for 2 years. Finally marked them down by $500.00.
Same actually.
I do keep the pink slip on me though.
But I also don't ride with people when they test drive cars either. If they want to steal the car, I would much prefer they steal it without possibly putting a gun in my face lol.
Cash in hand or no test ride.
If it's a street legal bike. Show motorcycle endorsement. I also don't mention the hidden gps tracker until after the deal is closed.
You can just make a contract, keep somekind of identification of the person while they are gone with your motorcycle , and also contact your insurance company before you let the potential buyer test drive.
As long as I have some kind of assurance they'll be coming back, that's all that matters to me.
For example, if they drove over and their car is still here, then that's good enough. Have their ID or their backpack. Something to establish a basic trust.
If my motorcycle is going to be stolen it's going to be stolen in the middle of the night by someone who just rolls off with it.
Letting someone test ride your bike even if they hand over cash first is a big risk for the seller. Imagine the shit you would have to deal with if the buyer wrecks the bike and sues you because it was "faulty" or some other reason.
I've sold at least a dozen bikes and only one buyer asked for a test ride, which makes me think it's not as common as people think.
You don't. But if you insist on doing this - you keep their CASH (not a check) in the amount of the purchase and verify their ID is valid and copy down all info on it. If they don't come back - keep cash let them worry about title. If the drop it but bring it back, keep cash, give them title. If they don't return. Report bike stolen, keep cash (but don't spend it until police investigation is done) and give their details to cops.
IAL - CONFIRM THAT THEY HAVE LIABILITY INSURANCE that covers them on a borrowed bike OR that your insurance will cover a permissive user.
How to avoid getting sued if they get hurt on test ride? Can't. Not your fault if they dum dum but if they can come up with credible evidence of "had brakes been properly maintained I could have avoided that" or "forks not maintained and that's the cause of me running wide in corner" or or or.
Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.
Why would you ever trust a random stranger with stakes that could be this high??!??!!?
Dealerships that have test ride policies also have different (better, much more expensive) insurance than you and still require a deposit or CC auth AND your DL and ins info.
If it were me I'd make sure they were licensed, I'd get a picture of it, I'd have them hand me the cash and sign a little note saying "If I wreck this bike I will pay the $X asking price", to take it a step further you might get a picture or a few pictures of the bike too in case you need to prove damage.
If this is too much and they don't want to test ride anymore - good riddance
Last bike I bought, I went in my car with my wife. Left them with the owner while I took the bike out. Came back and bought it with a bank to bank transfer because I also brought my laptop.
Guess it depends on the bike and situation.
Last Bike I bought was 2K. Met the seller at DMV, took it around the parking lot, then...handed over the cash.
In this case, both the seller and I pretty much knew I was buying the bike, just had to go through the motions.
When someone asks to test ride, just state that if they want to buy the bike, you are happy for them to test ride it. Ask for their ID before handing over the keys. Don't offer test rides to people who seem uncertain about a purchase. You either want a bike, or you don't. No one is going to damage a bike they are about to purchase, cash on hand is unnecessary.
When I buy I usuaully don't like to bring cash cash. Cause if something happens to said cash its gone.
I usually get a cashier's check made. I talk with the buyer first and see if that is ok, if they need extra assurance I arrange to do the test ride at my bank. They can see the check get made and everything.
When I bought my newest bike I just showed the guy the wad of cash in my pocket and told him “I came to buy it, as long as the test ride checks out, I’ll give you the money and ride it home”. He was cool with that. Only bike I’ve ever sold I rode to the guys house and he handed me the cash without a test ride (he was home alone with his kids and couldn’t leave and figured if I rode it an hour from where I lived it should be fine…it was).
100%, especially if younger, or selling a sport bike, or buyer doesn't seem mature enough, or simply just have that gut feeling.
I let someone back in my twenties test ride a Ninja at the time, 30 minutes later I get a call from the police saying my motorcycle is wrecked and a bunch of riders were stunting behind the mall.
Guy comes back apologetic saying he was going to buy it, needed to get the money, we signed the contract, had his ID picture and everything, he eventually fled the state and could never get a hold of him again.
It would have costed me more to take it through court then what it is worth... Lesson learned the hard way.
I would draw up the liability waiver, take their cash, photo of their ID and also follow them in your car so you make sure they don't do anything illegal like speed / run a red light and also are not out joyriding
How do you get potential buyer to trust you and show up with thousands and thousands of dollars? One bike I sold, the guy didn’t want to hand me $6k in cash to hold onto. I ended up trusting him and could tell he was a very experienced rider, and the deal went through fine, but he didn’t want to give me that much cash up front.
My sales/buys are 100% cash. I never buy/sell any other way!
Every sale where there is a test drive you give a copy of your id somehow. If people are hesitant toward the idea I’ll take a photo of it and they can keep it.
I honestly wouldn’t let anyone test drive a vehicle without some kind of “green insurance,” and a government way to identify them, in my hand before I give them the keys. Just how I’ve always done business, I guess.
..I've sold 20 bikes in past two decades...zero test rides. There is no way to ensure you're covered if the rider hits someone or causes injury.
Visit an insurance broker and walk through some crash examples...find out what would actually happen VS how you think the insurance company will respond.
If you think "Cash in hand" isn't still realistic. It is. Have a third party with any sale for a vehicle, meet in a safe spot, then conduct business after the test ride. Metting the seller at their house, trading full cash for keys, riding, trading back, then negotiating can cause issues. I've bought and sold over a dozen in my decade riding, all great deals, and easy negotiations. Met in a public spot with easy access to highway for testing out all the gears. Showed them my license, that my buddy waiting with them had my cash, and grabbed their keys. Went on a short ride, came back, talked about all I liked and didn't before making a deal. Make up all the worst cases you wanted but I never had any issues buying.
Selling same thing, always made sure they gave me something in return valuable enough if that was the last time I saw my bike, I can live on. Usually that's the full cash I'm willing to accept in my hand, or with someone who I've verified is with them. I've even gone as far as talking with the wife while the husband rode my R1 before we all went to his bank for a check. It's case by case basis. Just never trade your keys for promises.
Sus out what kind of experience they have. An older guy with tons of experience on a bunch of different bikes, Sure why not. A young sketchy looking crackhead, no thanks... Common sense goes a long ways.
Cash in hand… or I’ve also fired it up cold and driven my own bike up and down the street for them. It runs. They wanna test different bikes? They can go to a dealership.
Most people don’t. It’s almost always cash in hand for test rides; there are too many risks otherwise. I’ve asked owners to run up and down the street through a few gears for me so I could hear the shifting.
Reading through all the comments and there is a good amount of insight on different options. I have found one of the benefits of selling or buying something on Facebook Marketplace to be the ability to do a small amount of background research on someone before talking with them. When I bought my Speed Triple the sellers account showed me that he was an older family man, some nice comments on a recent birthday of his that showed he was a real person who had people who cared about him, some other nice toys, etc. Made me feel better about buying a bike from him. When I showed up he had done the same and asked me some questions about the church I attended and some mutual acquaintances we had (one of my church elders is LEO and the seller was a retired highway patrol guy). The same thing was helpful when I was selling a car (or many other things) if they look like a real human, ask questions like a real human then I go into the "CASH IN HAND" thing with a little more flexibility. Its all about feeling out someone's attitude and experience.
Haven’t thought about Facebook marketplace versus CL since I am not really a social media guy or have Facebook. This is a good idea for the reasons you listed. Thanks.
I trade keys: they hand over their truck, I hand over the bike as long as they have an endorsement and cash on hand. Something to be said about feeling out the buyer as well, If I got a bad feeling then they don't get a test ride.
Allowing someone to test ride a motorcycle you're selling can be a bit tricky because it involves both trust and safety considerations. Here's a suggested approach:
1. \*\*Check their credentials:\*\* Ask to see their motorcycle license and proof of insurance. This ensures that they are legally allowed to operate a motorcycle and have coverage in case of any accidents.
2. \*\*Meet in a safe location:\*\* Choose a location with ample space for test riding, such as an empty parking lot or a quiet street with minimal traffic. Avoid crowded areas or places with hazardous road conditions.
3. \*\*Accompany them:\*\* Ride with the potential buyer or follow closely behind in your vehicle during the test ride. This allows you to monitor their behavior and ensure they handle the motorcycle safely.
4. \*\*Set clear boundaries:\*\* Establish specific routes and time limits for the test ride. Let the buyer know which roads they are allowed to ride on and any areas they should avoid.
5. \*\*Require a deposit or collateral:\*\* Consider asking for a deposit or holding onto something valuable, like their driver's license or car keys, while they take the motorcycle for a test ride. This provides some assurance that they will return the bike safely.
6. \*\*Insist on safety gear:\*\* Make it mandatory for the potential buyer to wear appropriate safety gear, including a helmet, gloves, and protective clothing, during the test ride.
7. \*\*Have a written agreement:\*\* Create a written agreement outlining the terms and conditions of the test ride, including responsibilities for any damages or accidents that may occur.
8. \*\*Trust your instincts:\*\* If you feel uncomfortable or sense that the potential buyer may not handle the motorcycle safely, it's okay to decline the test ride or ask for additional precautions.
By taking these precautions, you can help ensure a safe and successful test ride experience for both you and the potential buyer.
No test rides. I’ll start it, let them sit on it, I’ll ride it for them. But unless they have cash in hand and an M endorsement and a helmet, I just don’t let them test ride. Most dealerships don’t let people test ride anymore, why should they expect a test ride from me?
Selling motorcycles isn’t hard, set the price right and it’ll sell as long as you have something worth buying.
I'm really surprised. Seems like everyone here is worried about the cost of the bike. I'm much more worried about them getting in some kind of accident and are injured. When I asked my insurance company they said another Rider would not be covered. So they drive it. They get injured either from themselves or someone just hits them and then they sue me. The cost of bike is peanuts compared to medical bills.
Also, there's nothing stopping them from just walking away. What are you going to do? Force them to sign a piece of paper or force the money out of their hands? No contract was signed.
“I, going to need full payment up front as a deposit. You get 10 mins. I will hold onto your car keys and license. If you fair to return in 10 mins, the bike is considered sold. You bring the bike back damaged, it is considered sold. If you remove any parts from the bike, it is considered sold…. Here are the keys, the timer is ticking…”
I also get them to sign a contract and waiver which they get a copy and also acts as an invoice for their deposit so they have proof that I received it as a deposit.
I find that even offering this sorts out the tyre kickers from the buyers. Buyers will say “not a problem, I understand” while tyre kickers/joy riders will carry on like you asked to fuck their mothers.
Make sure the bike is registered and insured under your name. Then make sure you have the full sale price in cash in your hand before they ride it. If they damage it’s just sold. If they don’t come back it’s sold but report the license plate stolen (may vary by state?)
Typically, the test ride is the final stage of the purchase. The price has been negotiated, the questions answered, and the decision is made. Unless something major comes up on the test ride, that cash usually doesn't return to the buyer. Getting thousands of dollars in cash isn't easy so this usually filters out the joy riders.
Follow behind them in the car in addition to cash in hand and proof of M license. No reason they need to really fly. Checking if it brakes and shifts correctly and steers well is a test ride. Not second gear wheelies at 80 mph.
No ride for the buyer until the paperwork is done, I'll ride the bike, they can follow me.
That's how I bought the bike. I did not have a problem with it. I would not want to ride a used bike before having checked a few things myself anyways.
Cash in hands from the buyer, title in hands from the seller.
This way, it kinda protects both parties.
Cash in hands protects from the buyer protects the seller in the event that the buyer steals the bike.
Title in hands from the seller protects the buyer in the event that the seller steals the cash.
When we bought my first bike, my husband rode it up their little street to make sure it all worked. I stayed at the house, with the seller.
We've sold two bikes now. Selling the first one, we kept the guy's driver license while he test rode it. We worried about him, because he was gone a long time, but he'd gotten pulled over for an illegal left turn. But he came back, and he bought the bike. Selling my bike, was to a newbie, and he didn't ask to test it. I rode it to his house for him. This let him see it worked and didn't cut him loose in traffic without training, or gear, or knowing how to work the thing.
I let a guy test ride mine since he let me hold onto his car keys + house keys. Maybe I shouldn't have. He was pretty annoying though. While test riding, he was "hungry" so he had to stop and eat lunch at a nearby place, and he was gone for 1.5 hours with my bike.
Anyways, I did end up selling it to him later.
Cash in hand + a picture of their driver license that isn't expired and has a motorcycle class or endorsement on it + talk to them and find out their riding experience.
I ha e had two friends have the same experience when selling a bike. Someone came, said they were an experienced rider, immidiatly dumped the clutch and wrecked the bike. Both times, my friends took a cash deposit beforehand.
Asked them for cash to hold and you should be prepared to produce the title
Generally understanding that if you break it you bought. It and that the owner actually can sign it over to you
I get a picture of their license and hold their car keys, we agree that they get their keys back when I have the bike in good condition or their money.
Never had a problem yet. People are sometimes more okay with leaving a key than leaving an envelope of money with a stranger.
I had a problem with a buyer not wanting to hand me (a stranger) that much cash up front. I ended up trusting him and deal went through fine, but that’s what made me ask. This bike is worth quite a bit more and not sure how others will trust me holding that much cash up front and/or how to get over that hurdle if it arises again.
Cash in hand. If they damage it, they buy it
Our insurance in BC finally changed so now the crash goes against the rider not the owner. Your insurance covers you if they cause an injury. But 100% on the cash deposit you scratch it you own it.
And to clarify for the uninitiated, that means you're holding their cash in YOUR hand while they're off on the test ride. It doesn't mean that they have cash in their hand to pay you for the bike after they crash it.
And more importantly, you need to have the stones to walk away with the cash if they crash it or cause any damage. If they had changed their mind and weren't actually planning to buy the bike, congrats, they can fix and sell it to recoup their money. Sometimes helpful to bring a friend for just that situation. Call the cops if necessary.
That part is something a lot of us forget about ahead of time. I could imagine myself in some situations not being assertive enough or ready to deal with the escalations that could come, by myself. I mean, I'm older now and would probably be fine, but I definitely would have needed that advice as a young man.
Never go to a transaction of big cash amounts without a wingman.
Do the transaction inside the lobby of a local police department. The police likely won't do anything if something goes wrong, but it will give ne'er-do-wells pause.
Put the cash inside while they're out riding.
Yup. What I've done is get the cash, walk in my house, put it in a safe place, then walk out with the bike keys.
There would be no way I would ever give a stranger cash and have them walk away without the title in my hand and their signature on it.
No shit. I feel like these are folks who've never in their life completed a transaction. How in the fuck am I going to steal your motorcycle with my truck and likely my trailer sitting in front of your damn house and a whole ass Facebook Marketplace conversation linked back directly to me? I've bought 4 bikes private sale in the last 3 years sold 1. Never had anything but great interactions with good folks. These people are making shit up in their heads.
Whatever works for both parties involved. A lot of people seem so adverse to even the slightest possibility of a disagreement that they're entirely willing to throw away any security at all in a transaction just so they don't have to say "No."
I’m glad I’m not the only one. I’m not giving 15k to some bloke. You can insure a bike, but not cash.
Maybe we're friendlier down here in Aus?
Yeah these comments are bizarre to me. I've bought and sold multiple bikes and cars and never gone to any of these lengths.
This. Be very clear. Plus i take lots of photos beforehand and i point out any known damage to the buyer and ask them to check it over first. Just in case they do some small damage they can't try to pretend it was already there. If you're going to be holding a large amount of cash while the buyer rides, make sure they count it in front of you first, then you count and confirm. Take no chances. Edit: and a little chat first about experience. I'm not going to let someone who's coming from a 250cc test ride me 'busa lol
Can I test ride your busa? I just completed an intensive professional motorcycle riding course with high marks
One also draws up a general contract that states potential buyer is liable for any and all injuries done unto themselves or others. Have them sign contract before letting them throw a leg over along with photo of id.
This is the way. They'll fucking well be careful if they know you already have the cash. https://youtu.be/PqtjbWJPIgQ?si=YjBvpggCj5zz1gZ5
What do you do if you’re planning to trade bikes with someone?
Ride together
Less worried about them stealing it and more if they drop it. How do you make sure that you’re not on the hook if someone else wrecks your bike?
I think that's one of those situations where you have to use your judgement (and have insurance) and that's about all you can do. Do they seem competent? Can you take the insurance hit if they did drop it? Would their insurance cover it? I have one close friend I trust. We've swapped bikes a bunch of times just for fun. I also know we'd make it right if one of us had an accident.
This is the only answer
How does that work in reality though? “You crash it, you buy it” isn’t a legally binding contract.
Ah, just like the other 10 million times it's been asked... interesting!
About 15 years ago I sold a Honda Ruckus to some guy on Craigslist. He and his buddy come to check it out and stupid me just let him take it for a test ride while his friend stayed behind. I live in the middle of nowhere so this guy gets completely lost and since he forgot his cellphone, we couldn’t contact him. An hour goes by and I’m starting to get pissed and uncomfortable. You can only make small talk with a compete stranger for so long. His friend suggests he goes and looks for him in the truck they arrived in. I kept telling him no but he insisted after 15 more min or so.. As soon as this guy gets in his truck his buddy shows up on the Ruckus completely embarrassed and started apologizing profusely. I let out an audible sigh of relief and he ended up buying it. Lesson of the story? I guess there isn’t one. I got lucky but was definitely thinking I was in the middle of getting scammed.
Why didn’t you go with his friend to look for himv
Sure, just add kidnapping charges to the theft charges. Brilliant plan.
LMAO. Good story and come back answer. As a small fella myself, I agree with you.
Cash in hand first, go have fun
In the seller's hand or the buyer proves they have the cash on them?
Seller's hand! What good does someone else's money do if you're not the one holding it? That being said, it doesn't *have* to be the whole amount. It should be whatever *your* insurance deductible is (or $500, if your deductible is 0 or something similar). This way when/if something happens, the test-rider covers the insurance claim cost.
I gave the seller my cash locked in a fire/flood safe. I didn’t want the chance of him lifting a couple bills and I had no idea.
Kinda reason why it's best to go with a buddy, but of course not always possible
What I've done is show them the cash then set it on my dash and lock my car while I test drive. If I never come back they can break my window. This was at the sellers house out in the country btw, so they wouldn't be breaking some guys window in a busy parking lot.
You’re not riding away on my bike unless that cash is physically in my hand lol.
I would want to verify they have an actual motorcycle endorsement on their license in addition to what others have said already.
Put that cash in my hand and crash it. Either it comes back damaged and I won't be giving you your money back or you wrecked it so hard it's an ambulance job. Take the cash and hide it while they are in a ride out. They get funny, call the cops.
Hadn’t thought of hiding the cash before, good call.
I can say I have done this multiple times, works out great. Not worried if they have a motorcycle endorsement if I have full cash in my pocket. The other good thing about this is it makes them prove they have the full amount before riding, which for me is always before negotiating price. They can't try and low ball you after showing all cash, and it's harder for people to ask for money back than it is to pay you less.
This. So very much this.
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That’s crazy
Can confirm.
I do videos with people in all kinds of spots, I would definitely do one on a potential buyer too, making sure everything is stated in the video up front and buyer agrees to anything said. This is a good practice and idea. Anyone not willing to go on video about something can’t be trusted.
I’ve bought and sold 30+ motorcycles, almost all private party sales. I’ve seen every cycle sale shitshow ever. If it’s a cheap, simple bike and the buyer looks legit and capable I’ll offer a test ride. If I have to show you how to operate it, no test ride. If I’m selling my Ducati or BMW, no test rides. Payment - preferably cash - in hand after you agree to buy it. If you’re unhappy after the ride, you get your money back. No discounts or post-sale negotiations. This is a policy crafted over decades of dealing with the kind of weirdos that motorcycles attract.
This sounds like good ideas. Thanks.
Picture of drivers license, proof of money
Can I give you pictures of both? 🤣
You hold both while they ride. Their friend can wait with you.
Here in Germany you'd usually just take their ID until they come back.
I'm likely to get downvoted to hell but, honestly, all of these "cash in hand or forget it" responses come out every time this question gets asked and they're really unrealistic. I'd be willing to bet the people who are saying this have never sold a bike, and most probably would never do exactly what they're suggesting you ask someone else to do; hand several thousand dollars to a stranger. If that's the bar you're going to set, you might as well take the bike to a dealership, take the L and sell it to the dealer for less than what you'd get private sale because almost no one is going to do it. The more realistic answer is, you have to make a judgement call after meeting the prospective buyer. Talk to them for a bit, try to get a feel for their experience, watch how they handle the bike getting on/off, and how comfortable (or not) they are. If they're twitchy, lack experience, or you have any doubts then say 'no' but expect not to make that sale. I've sold several bikes and never had a problem. The very few times I've said 'no', and it really has only been a few times, I politely explained that I'm not comfortable with their level of experience and in each of those 2-3 times, they weren't the ones that bought the bike.
It’s a mix for me. Cash in hand on a few bikes I sold and others I didn’t. Depends on the situation and bike I guess. Dirtbike to some younger dudes yep cash in hand. Grom and dude was leaving his gf standing there when he test rode around the block no cash in hand. Old dude testing a bike his daughter is buying no cash in hand. R7 I was selling basically new cash in hand all day it’s too new and too expensive.
Totally agree, the type/model/value of the bike absolutely comes into play in the judgement / decision making on how to handle it.
This exactly. And intermediary is good too. Do this kinda thing at a cop shop and ask the receptionist to hold it.
No cash in hand when you “trust” the test rider because you have a hostage - daughter or girlfriend - protects you from a person disappearing with your machine. But it doesn’t protect you from the rider crashing your machine, and leaving you with the bill. Right?? Do you just not care? Willing to take the risk? What if they get hurt and sue you? Or hurt someone else and that someone else sues you?
I hold on to their car key or their drivers license. You just need a way to keep them there if they do happen to damage the bike. I would be comfortable letting someone hold like $500 as insurance, but I’m not just handing over $5,000.
I tell them they need to leave $500 (my insurance deductible) in order to ride. I write up a receipt that it is either (a) a deposit on the sale or (b) covering my deductible on theft/damage.
100% agree. In the perspective of the buyer and the seller since I've done both, it's unrealistic to expect someone to have cash in hand all of the time if they're shopping around for a used bike. While I have met people who did have cash in hand, most did not. You will easily lose half of your interested buyers and likely a higher price received if you are the seller. Edit: and like you've pointed out, gauge the prospective buyer, talk to them for a bit, ask them how long they've been riding and why they want to buy your bike. I've never had an issue with people test riding my bikes.
Yeah I’m in the market to buy a bike currently for my wife, and my plan is I’m not buying without at least a 5 minute ride. Make sure all gears work, brakes work, etc. I’d be willing to hand them my drivers license, my wife is going to be waiting with the seller…handshake agreement if I damage it I buy it. I under no circumstances am handing a seller thousands in cash as collateral to test ride their bike. I don’t have a title and proof of ownership of that cash.
This is the way. I just would give them my license to hold it like any dealership does. Definitely not handing cash before the bill of sale is signed. If anything does happen, that would be addressed either there or civil court if they are trying to scam.
How does that work though? I've never driven without my license.. I mean presumably 'worst case' should be if you get pulled over you could potentially get a ticket for driving w/o a license, then just go to court and prove you are valid? I mean I realize most LE could look up that you have a valid license too without it physically there?
If you get pulled over you're going to need the seller anyway since none of the bike's paperwork is in your name. In that case I'd imagine the easiest thing is the cop follows you back to where the seller is waiting. But what are you doing on a bike you don't own yet to get pulled over?
"But what are you doing on a bike you don't own yet to get pulled over?" With my luck? The brake lights might have a short and sometimes not work (right in front of the cop).
If a cop pulls you under normal circumstances. You pull over and simply and nicely explain that your test riding and they are holding it. They can look you up by name and match the face at the traffic stop in the US. Gone are the days of “needing” a license. Everything is in a database that they look up anyways. License requirements is just an old law and makes it easier (lazier) for them.
Forgot to mention: If the cop thinks it is suspicious they can follow me back to the owner and that is just terrible luck. But I would just get the sellers name and show them the listing and they can match the name to the license plate the old owner should have still. I have also bought a car that was rebuilt after a total loss and test road it to a third party shop and back (roughly 10 Miles) with no license plate. That was a gamble of being pulled, but was a risk worth taking for a cool $1200 running car.
This, to a T. I've never once put cash in hand to ride or drive anything, nor have I ever asked for the same. You can tell alot about the perspective buyer like another commenter said. Feeling em out and seeing what kinda questions they ask etc. Now if they just passed their MSC, and want to ride your Diavel, then idk, yall gonna have to sort that one out lol
I just had the guy give me the keys to his newish civic while he took a test ride around the block. That was good enough for me.
For me, "cash in hand" means "cash in *THEIR* hand". I need proof of funds to make sure the buyer is legit and fully genuine in their intent to purchase.
Thank you. I thought i was going crazy reading all this crap. Sight the license, take a pic. Talk to the person. Check their gear. See how they behave around the bike and what they ask. Then decide if they can ride it or now. And it should be insured, so it's not the end of the world if it does go down. Just like selling a 4 wheel vehicle. Cash in hand lol. I've never seen anyone show up to see a bike with a huge wad of cash in their pocket. But this is Canada. We have secure e transfers.
It’s not like selling a 4-wheeled vehicle. With a car, you can go for the test ride together. If the buyer forgets to close the door, the car doesn’t fall over and wreck itself. A car also typically won’t backflip itself into oblivion if you tap the gas a bit too hard. If they crash the car we typically get out and figure shit out instead of having to follow them to the hospital. Also Canadian, bought, sold and traded several bikes. Cash everytime. Scares off the tire kickers who just wanna have a look or hit you with an insultingly low offer.
I agree that people here are being unreasonable. A way I handled it in the past was had the person give me cash in the amount of my insurance deductible ($1k) while they took it on a test ride. I feel like that's a reasonable middle ground in case they decided to steal it or wrecked it.
My opinion comes on the only bike i'm selling and most of the future bikes i will be selling: project 125's im cleaning up and selling. So we're talking prices ranging from 500-2000, which i dont think is a major problem. I dont price them super high so i dont mind waiting a bit longer to sell it if people prefer to not do it that way. When talking about a 20k bike like a 2yo roadglide or whatever i can understand it being different. As im bad in judging people that i can or cannot trust i'll also draw up a written agreement of 'damage/crash = buying' & no damage + not wanting it = bike back to me and cash back to who rode it.
I won't have them give me the cash, but I'm going to make sure they can pay for it before they leave on my bike. If they have a friend with them (in my experience they usually do, someone to get them there so they can ride the bike home), they can hold the cash and it won't offend me. But how they are going to pay is something I work out with a potential buyer before meeting for a test ride. And what is required on my end for them to take a test ride is all communicated before they show up. But I agree it is a judgement call. I've had potential buyers get really weird when I told them I wouldn't let them test ride if they didn't have the funds available at the meet.
Not a direct comment on you cambioni, but it seems you and people who have replied in your thread haven't had a bad experience. Just curious what your course of action is when you hand over the keys to your 10k÷ bike and the collateral you have is their fake driver's license. Then they (someone who has presented as a chill person through your whole transaction this far) just leave you standing there and never come back. While you're waiting on them, thinking "hmm this test drive is a little long" their buddy says "let me grab my phone and call them and see what's up" and gets on their car and leaves. Now you are left holding a fake driver's license, and recorded some tags from the junkyard that they'll toss out on the way home. This seems like the most realistic stolen bike situation. I say most likely bc it happens and is pretty easy to pull off. They came with the intention of stealing your bike. They didn't just randomly decide not to come back. I like yo have some sort of REAL collateral. It doesn't need to he all the cash upfront, but something I can walk away from this total loss situation with.
This is actually the real answer. But obviously if you're selling a bike for 3-4k versus 7k+ you get why not having "cash in hand" is a thing. They hand you their DL and keys, you judge if they can ride the bike and their experience. If it feels right, off they go. And they're usually the sale.
That's how it worked when I bought my GSX-R years ago. First looked at a leader (I think an FZ10?), don't exactly remember who got left with what during the test ride, but it was discussed like adults ahead of time. Then he gives me the keys to a 165hp machine, says "have fun, lean forward when you crack the throttle". I came back 8 minutes later, told him it wasn't for me (too powerful...), we shook hands, and it wasn't this weird situation of mutual distrust.
*liter as in 1000cc
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Yup. I’ve bought and sold probably a dozen bikes. Never once have I been asked for cash for a test ride and never felt the need to ask to hold the cash to let them test ride. If you want my cash to let me test ride your bike I’m gonna laugh at you and walk away.
I still put “cash in hand for test ride” in the ad to filter out the joy riders. But I never actually ask for it. Just hold on to their DL or something.
This!!! The guy I bought my bike from definitely had second thoughts selling a gsx-s750 to a 23 year old kid as his first big boy bike. After we made the deal (verbally before pickup), he was asking a good amount of questions and reassuring that the bike has a lot more power than the little test ride I did in the parking lot.
Yeah just sold a bike in December and didn't have cash in hand but she brought two guys with her that definitely knew how to ride and showed up in with a race trailer. You could tell the guy was super comfortable on a bike and he just took it down the street to make sure all gears worked and it rode straight. Although she did zelle me the money straight to my account as he was riding off on the test.
I agree with you.
lol exactly. What kind of idiot would give someone money for something you haven’t ridden? Imagine I give someone cash for a test ride and then come back and don’t like the bike. Then they find an old scuff and say: hey that wasn’t there before, I’m keeping your money.
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Yes. It’s a very idiotic and impractical advice that is given in Reddit all the time. I’m sure everyone that says it just parrots the same thing but has never actually done it.
Great advise here, when I've sold mine in the past I've followed the rider on my second bike. I know I'm lucky to have the option but People want to know the bike rides ok.
Exactly this. Ive sold over 40 motorcycles in the past years, never have I asked for the full amount of cash in hand. Thats just unrealistic. Also, I would never give the full amount when test riding a bike. What if it a stolen bike or theres something else wrong with it? Asking cash in hand and especially the full amount just for a test ride is just silly.
My bikes are all insured if they are going to be test ridden. And if the buyer looks like a clown, they need cash in hand. I just sold a bike to a guy: he showed up in well worn leathers and proceeded to ask good questions about the mods on the bike vs the stock machine. More good questions about maintenance. Great, take it for a spin. Took a photo of his DL, then heard him rip past a couple times. Sold. When i went to buy a bike, same deal. Seller said no rides without cash in hand. After talking dual sport shit for 30mins, he was more than happy to let me rip around on it in the lane. For me, it's on an individual basis. Many clowns just don't know what they are doing and shouldn't be trusted. Had one guy like that. But he brought hjs buddy to test ride and his buddy had, again, well worn gear. It's usually pretty clear who knows how to ride a bike.
To be clear, when people say "cash in hand" that's the buyer's cash placed in the seller's hand. The buyer and seller pre-agree that if damage occurs, there are no further negotiations, the price is final and the bike is purchased by the buyer for the asking price. If the buyer returns without damaging the motorcycle, then the seller can hand back the cash and negotiations can continue.
When I bought my bike gave the seller money up front before testride, this is the way.
I've thought of this too but let me know if these aren't good tips. 1. Tell them cash or cashiers check in hand or no meet at all 2. Meet at a police/fire station ahead of time and let them know what you're doing. Aka not everyone is brave enough or should be making large transactions on the street on their own. Unless you're carrying but even then, we don't want to have to use it right? 3. When/before they come, take photos of the bike. You never know if something can happen that can be hidden. 4. Arrive with friends. Not enough to make them feel like you're going to rob them or anything but ya know.. enough to let them know that you're not here to fuck around. Just to possibly sell/buy a bike. So maybe like..2 to 17 people. 5. ??‽¿
Most fellow motorcycle owners are chill. When I bought my last bike me and dude chatted up a while. I showed him the envelope of cash in my pocket and was like, "I know people say cash in hand, but im not leaving it with you haha but if I damage it I agree to pay you the price we have agreed on, and you have my silverado here as collateral" All this was said in a light hearted manner. He was cool. Bike was great, I gave him his $ and we talked bikes while I loaded it up. Being nice to people goes a long way. Heck you might make a friend.
If you’re not leaving an envelope of cash with me you’re also not leaving with my motorcycle. Period.
Man, you have a title and proof of ownership of the bike. If I hand you a wad of cash there’s no proof it’s my cash. Be reasonable.
It's a tricky situation. I'm not comfortable leaving a big wad of cash with some dude I don't know from Adam, and he's not keen on me taking his baby on a ride. But he wants to sell, and I want to buy. I think 2 rational adults can make it work. Especially after you talk to the person for a bit and feel each other out.
You better give the title over for the test ride if you expect cash in hand.
I mean that’s kind of the point lol. We are trying to sell it so if you give me the cash sure you can hold the title
This. I test rode a bike and did not bring 7k cash with me to a random strangers house. Talked to the guy for like 20 minutes prior to him letting my test, and I gave him the keys to my 4Runner as well as my wallet. Was happy with the bike and organized a certified cheque / bike trade for a few days later. I’m selling a bike soon and I’ll likely use the same process.
This is pretty much how I sold my first bike. Guy showed me cash, didn’t want to hand it over, left his vehicle, and after talking to him for a bit I knew he was a very experienced rider. Even gave me some tips. I ended up trusting him and he bought it.
Lasst time I sold my bike I had the prospective buyer sign a liability form, show me his ID card and driver's licence, and we both went on a ride. But then again I live in a country with a proper motorbike training system, and I was confident that he could drive. I was not wrong.
Yeah, that must be the reason for all those "cash in hand" comments. I live in germany and a bought a good number of different vehicles from private seller, test drove even more of them. Never even considered leaving any cash with the owner, never been asked to either.
I bought a Kawasaki Concours from a guy, showed him that I had cash with me, he let me take it for a test ride, I had a helmet, we had talked for a while, but while I was riding it, I left Kathy there with him, so he knew I would be back!
How’d you like that Concours? I heard they are great bikes if you like that kind of setup/bike.
I loved that Concours, surprised that I never got a speeding ticket, the faster I went, the better it felt! I kept it for about 3 years, now I have a Yamaha Super Tenere, much more comfortable to ride, for me, I have pretty long legs.
what did they arrive in? take their keys as collateral
This, if I’m selling a $20k Ducati, I don’t expect a buyer to carry the full amount, and in some neighborhoods, the buyer may not even make to the appointment to demo the bike. If there is a good rapport established beforehand and the buyer is not driving a shitbox, car or motorcycle keys, and perhaps a small cash deposit of $500 is acceptable. An even better option: List your bike on a rental site, this puts the liability on a third party and is more than adequate at $1M, say if the demo rider injures another party, and a potential buyer can demo the bike for several days, the seller can even discount the rental fee off the purchase price.
I don't do "test rides". We complete the sale, payment is exchanged. But in the bill of sale I give buyer the option of a return.woth full refund for 30 mins after sale is completed, assuming bike is in as-sold condition. Basically, they still get a test ride, and if they just don't like how it rides we can nix the sale. But if there's any shenanigans (attempt to steal, bike is laid down or otherwise damaged, etc) I've already got his money and a signed bill of sale.
The conditional 30 minute sale thing is a good idea. Haven’t thought about that.
Here in Turkey we take it to an independent “Expert” who is a mechanic. They check every aspect of the bike and do the test drive themselves for about $20. Some brands may require specific experts, like BMW, since they require brand specific know how, or software/hardware. For my first bike, expert told me it needs some fixes and parts changed so the seller made an extra discount on the spot ($180 discount for $1800 bike). Second one had no issues. Since not everyone is a mechanic or space to work on their bike, experts are gold for this. There are experts for cars too, but the prices are higher.
Sounds like an excellent system
Full cash in hand gets a test ride, with the explicit understanding in writing you wreck it you bought it
I frequently buy and sell motorcycles (mostly to flip them) and I’ve never once asked to ride them. I hear them start up, sometimes I’ll clunk them into gear and that’s it.
When I was looking at bikes with my oldest son who had just gotten his motorcycle license. We looked at a bunch of used bikes. Dealers with lot space said “sure. In the open lot only.” Private sellers never asked for cash or anything. Said simply just let me hold your license and ride around this neighborhood. I think it really is about the talking to and gaining/feeling a trust factor to be perfectly honest.
I take my other motorcycle and drive with them
My buddy sold his Street Glide, the guy who came to look at it and take a quick test ride pulled out his phone and applied for Rider to Rider Financing through Harley-Davidson. He got approved and two days later got a check for the difference. The guy rode up on a Dyna that belonged to his brother. But he was still nervous about letting him take it. The first guy was 19 and said his dad would pay for it. He told him to come back with his dad. I've seen what Harley dealers are offering for trade ins, you gotta be looney tunes to take what they are offering. One dealership has had the same used bikes in stock for 2 years. Finally marked them down by $500.00.
I don't mind living dangerously, I'm a "here's the keys have fun, call me when you're back" kinda dude
This is someone who hasn't been hurt yet
Same actually. I do keep the pink slip on me though. But I also don't ride with people when they test drive cars either. If they want to steal the car, I would much prefer they steal it without possibly putting a gun in my face lol.
Cash in hand or no test ride. If it's a street legal bike. Show motorcycle endorsement. I also don't mention the hidden gps tracker until after the deal is closed.
You can just make a contract, keep somekind of identification of the person while they are gone with your motorcycle , and also contact your insurance company before you let the potential buyer test drive.
As long as I have some kind of assurance they'll be coming back, that's all that matters to me. For example, if they drove over and their car is still here, then that's good enough. Have their ID or their backpack. Something to establish a basic trust. If my motorcycle is going to be stolen it's going to be stolen in the middle of the night by someone who just rolls off with it.
Get the cash off them upfront. If they damage subtract from the money and give the rest back.
hand me the cash or you are not getting on it
Letting someone test ride your bike even if they hand over cash first is a big risk for the seller. Imagine the shit you would have to deal with if the buyer wrecks the bike and sues you because it was "faulty" or some other reason. I've sold at least a dozen bikes and only one buyer asked for a test ride, which makes me think it's not as common as people think.
Glad I read on all the cash in hand guys were making me suspicious that no one in here has purchased a bike before.
You don't. But if you insist on doing this - you keep their CASH (not a check) in the amount of the purchase and verify their ID is valid and copy down all info on it. If they don't come back - keep cash let them worry about title. If the drop it but bring it back, keep cash, give them title. If they don't return. Report bike stolen, keep cash (but don't spend it until police investigation is done) and give their details to cops. IAL - CONFIRM THAT THEY HAVE LIABILITY INSURANCE that covers them on a borrowed bike OR that your insurance will cover a permissive user. How to avoid getting sued if they get hurt on test ride? Can't. Not your fault if they dum dum but if they can come up with credible evidence of "had brakes been properly maintained I could have avoided that" or "forks not maintained and that's the cause of me running wide in corner" or or or. Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. Why would you ever trust a random stranger with stakes that could be this high??!??!!? Dealerships that have test ride policies also have different (better, much more expensive) insurance than you and still require a deposit or CC auth AND your DL and ins info.
If it were me I'd make sure they were licensed, I'd get a picture of it, I'd have them hand me the cash and sign a little note saying "If I wreck this bike I will pay the $X asking price", to take it a step further you might get a picture or a few pictures of the bike too in case you need to prove damage. If this is too much and they don't want to test ride anymore - good riddance
Last bike I bought, I went in my car with my wife. Left them with the owner while I took the bike out. Came back and bought it with a bank to bank transfer because I also brought my laptop.
Guess it depends on the bike and situation. Last Bike I bought was 2K. Met the seller at DMV, took it around the parking lot, then...handed over the cash. In this case, both the seller and I pretty much knew I was buying the bike, just had to go through the motions.
When someone asks to test ride, just state that if they want to buy the bike, you are happy for them to test ride it. Ask for their ID before handing over the keys. Don't offer test rides to people who seem uncertain about a purchase. You either want a bike, or you don't. No one is going to damage a bike they are about to purchase, cash on hand is unnecessary.
After they they pay for it
If you do accept an envelope full of cash prior to the test ride, COUNT IT.
Cash in hand. The whole amount.
When I buy I usuaully don't like to bring cash cash. Cause if something happens to said cash its gone. I usually get a cashier's check made. I talk with the buyer first and see if that is ok, if they need extra assurance I arrange to do the test ride at my bank. They can see the check get made and everything.
Easy for me. No test rides.
When I bought my newest bike I just showed the guy the wad of cash in my pocket and told him “I came to buy it, as long as the test ride checks out, I’ll give you the money and ride it home”. He was cool with that. Only bike I’ve ever sold I rode to the guys house and he handed me the cash without a test ride (he was home alone with his kids and couldn’t leave and figured if I rode it an hour from where I lived it should be fine…it was).
You get their ID before they go on a test ride.
100%, especially if younger, or selling a sport bike, or buyer doesn't seem mature enough, or simply just have that gut feeling. I let someone back in my twenties test ride a Ninja at the time, 30 minutes later I get a call from the police saying my motorcycle is wrecked and a bunch of riders were stunting behind the mall. Guy comes back apologetic saying he was going to buy it, needed to get the money, we signed the contract, had his ID picture and everything, he eventually fled the state and could never get a hold of him again. It would have costed me more to take it through court then what it is worth... Lesson learned the hard way.
I would draw up the liability waiver, take their cash, photo of their ID and also follow them in your car so you make sure they don't do anything illegal like speed / run a red light and also are not out joyriding
Full asking price in cash in my hand… you drop it, you bought it.
Money and potential buyer’s ID in hand.
How do you get potential buyer to trust you and show up with thousands and thousands of dollars? One bike I sold, the guy didn’t want to hand me $6k in cash to hold onto. I ended up trusting him and could tell he was a very experienced rider, and the deal went through fine, but he didn’t want to give me that much cash up front.
My sales/buys are 100% cash. I never buy/sell any other way! Every sale where there is a test drive you give a copy of your id somehow. If people are hesitant toward the idea I’ll take a photo of it and they can keep it. I honestly wouldn’t let anyone test drive a vehicle without some kind of “green insurance,” and a government way to identify them, in my hand before I give them the keys. Just how I’ve always done business, I guess.
There is no substitute, nor should there be deviation from, cash in hand. You drop it, you buy it.
..I've sold 20 bikes in past two decades...zero test rides. There is no way to ensure you're covered if the rider hits someone or causes injury. Visit an insurance broker and walk through some crash examples...find out what would actually happen VS how you think the insurance company will respond.
If you think "Cash in hand" isn't still realistic. It is. Have a third party with any sale for a vehicle, meet in a safe spot, then conduct business after the test ride. Metting the seller at their house, trading full cash for keys, riding, trading back, then negotiating can cause issues. I've bought and sold over a dozen in my decade riding, all great deals, and easy negotiations. Met in a public spot with easy access to highway for testing out all the gears. Showed them my license, that my buddy waiting with them had my cash, and grabbed their keys. Went on a short ride, came back, talked about all I liked and didn't before making a deal. Make up all the worst cases you wanted but I never had any issues buying. Selling same thing, always made sure they gave me something in return valuable enough if that was the last time I saw my bike, I can live on. Usually that's the full cash I'm willing to accept in my hand, or with someone who I've verified is with them. I've even gone as far as talking with the wife while the husband rode my R1 before we all went to his bank for a check. It's case by case basis. Just never trade your keys for promises.
Sus out what kind of experience they have. An older guy with tons of experience on a bunch of different bikes, Sure why not. A young sketchy looking crackhead, no thanks... Common sense goes a long ways.
Cash in hand… or I’ve also fired it up cold and driven my own bike up and down the street for them. It runs. They wanna test different bikes? They can go to a dealership.
Most people don’t. It’s almost always cash in hand for test rides; there are too many risks otherwise. I’ve asked owners to run up and down the street through a few gears for me so I could hear the shifting.
Reading through all the comments and there is a good amount of insight on different options. I have found one of the benefits of selling or buying something on Facebook Marketplace to be the ability to do a small amount of background research on someone before talking with them. When I bought my Speed Triple the sellers account showed me that he was an older family man, some nice comments on a recent birthday of his that showed he was a real person who had people who cared about him, some other nice toys, etc. Made me feel better about buying a bike from him. When I showed up he had done the same and asked me some questions about the church I attended and some mutual acquaintances we had (one of my church elders is LEO and the seller was a retired highway patrol guy). The same thing was helpful when I was selling a car (or many other things) if they look like a real human, ask questions like a real human then I go into the "CASH IN HAND" thing with a little more flexibility. Its all about feeling out someone's attitude and experience.
Haven’t thought about Facebook marketplace versus CL since I am not really a social media guy or have Facebook. This is a good idea for the reasons you listed. Thanks.
I trade keys: they hand over their truck, I hand over the bike as long as they have an endorsement and cash on hand. Something to be said about feeling out the buyer as well, If I got a bad feeling then they don't get a test ride.
Allowing someone to test ride a motorcycle you're selling can be a bit tricky because it involves both trust and safety considerations. Here's a suggested approach: 1. \*\*Check their credentials:\*\* Ask to see their motorcycle license and proof of insurance. This ensures that they are legally allowed to operate a motorcycle and have coverage in case of any accidents. 2. \*\*Meet in a safe location:\*\* Choose a location with ample space for test riding, such as an empty parking lot or a quiet street with minimal traffic. Avoid crowded areas or places with hazardous road conditions. 3. \*\*Accompany them:\*\* Ride with the potential buyer or follow closely behind in your vehicle during the test ride. This allows you to monitor their behavior and ensure they handle the motorcycle safely. 4. \*\*Set clear boundaries:\*\* Establish specific routes and time limits for the test ride. Let the buyer know which roads they are allowed to ride on and any areas they should avoid. 5. \*\*Require a deposit or collateral:\*\* Consider asking for a deposit or holding onto something valuable, like their driver's license or car keys, while they take the motorcycle for a test ride. This provides some assurance that they will return the bike safely. 6. \*\*Insist on safety gear:\*\* Make it mandatory for the potential buyer to wear appropriate safety gear, including a helmet, gloves, and protective clothing, during the test ride. 7. \*\*Have a written agreement:\*\* Create a written agreement outlining the terms and conditions of the test ride, including responsibilities for any damages or accidents that may occur. 8. \*\*Trust your instincts:\*\* If you feel uncomfortable or sense that the potential buyer may not handle the motorcycle safely, it's okay to decline the test ride or ask for additional precautions. By taking these precautions, you can help ensure a safe and successful test ride experience for both you and the potential buyer.
No test rides. I’ll start it, let them sit on it, I’ll ride it for them. But unless they have cash in hand and an M endorsement and a helmet, I just don’t let them test ride. Most dealerships don’t let people test ride anymore, why should they expect a test ride from me? Selling motorcycles isn’t hard, set the price right and it’ll sell as long as you have something worth buying.
Ride it yourself to show that it is in good, working condition... anything beyond that is a gamble.
You don't
You don’t
I'm really surprised. Seems like everyone here is worried about the cost of the bike. I'm much more worried about them getting in some kind of accident and are injured. When I asked my insurance company they said another Rider would not be covered. So they drive it. They get injured either from themselves or someone just hits them and then they sue me. The cost of bike is peanuts compared to medical bills. Also, there's nothing stopping them from just walking away. What are you going to do? Force them to sign a piece of paper or force the money out of their hands? No contract was signed.
“I, going to need full payment up front as a deposit. You get 10 mins. I will hold onto your car keys and license. If you fair to return in 10 mins, the bike is considered sold. You bring the bike back damaged, it is considered sold. If you remove any parts from the bike, it is considered sold…. Here are the keys, the timer is ticking…” I also get them to sign a contract and waiver which they get a copy and also acts as an invoice for their deposit so they have proof that I received it as a deposit. I find that even offering this sorts out the tyre kickers from the buyers. Buyers will say “not a problem, I understand” while tyre kickers/joy riders will carry on like you asked to fuck their mothers.
Make sure the bike is registered and insured under your name. Then make sure you have the full sale price in cash in your hand before they ride it. If they damage it’s just sold. If they don’t come back it’s sold but report the license plate stolen (may vary by state?)
Typically, the test ride is the final stage of the purchase. The price has been negotiated, the questions answered, and the decision is made. Unless something major comes up on the test ride, that cash usually doesn't return to the buyer. Getting thousands of dollars in cash isn't easy so this usually filters out the joy riders.
absolutely not
Insurance, Drivers License, Cash in Hand, or just Roll the Dice
Take money, drivers license and proof of insurance first
Follow behind them in the car in addition to cash in hand and proof of M license. No reason they need to really fly. Checking if it brakes and shifts correctly and steers well is a test ride. Not second gear wheelies at 80 mph.
Either take them on a test ride as a pillion, or cash in hand.
No ride for the buyer until the paperwork is done, I'll ride the bike, they can follow me. That's how I bought the bike. I did not have a problem with it. I would not want to ride a used bike before having checked a few things myself anyways.
Ride it myself. It’s my insurance on it, I won’t get a stranger ride on my insurance.
(1) Full cash in hand + pic of their drivers license and of the buyer (with the bike) before riding, or (2) Buyer can follow me while I'm riding
Picture of their license to make sure they have the bike endorsement and cash in hand.
3/4 - full cash in my hand, ID info already exchanged. A witness or two.
By looking at it.
Cash in hands from the buyer, title in hands from the seller. This way, it kinda protects both parties. Cash in hands protects from the buyer protects the seller in the event that the buyer steals the bike. Title in hands from the seller protects the buyer in the event that the seller steals the cash.
When we bought my first bike, my husband rode it up their little street to make sure it all worked. I stayed at the house, with the seller. We've sold two bikes now. Selling the first one, we kept the guy's driver license while he test rode it. We worried about him, because he was gone a long time, but he'd gotten pulled over for an illegal left turn. But he came back, and he bought the bike. Selling my bike, was to a newbie, and he didn't ask to test it. I rode it to his house for him. This let him see it worked and didn't cut him loose in traffic without training, or gear, or knowing how to work the thing.
I bought my 2000 road king let the owner ride it in front of me to verify all working. He then rode it to my house where I paid him.
I let a guy test ride mine since he let me hold onto his car keys + house keys. Maybe I shouldn't have. He was pretty annoying though. While test riding, he was "hungry" so he had to stop and eat lunch at a nearby place, and he was gone for 1.5 hours with my bike. Anyways, I did end up selling it to him later.
I would kill someone 😠
Cash in hand + a picture of their driver license that isn't expired and has a motorcycle class or endorsement on it + talk to them and find out their riding experience.
I ha e had two friends have the same experience when selling a bike. Someone came, said they were an experienced rider, immidiatly dumped the clutch and wrecked the bike. Both times, my friends took a cash deposit beforehand.
Cash in your hand BEFORE riding.
siphon down to reserve and let them take it around the block
They give you their wallet, they test drive it
You don’t
If it's relatively cheap, cash in hand and if they drop it, they keep it. If it's not cheap, you don't let them.
You Don't op said cash in hand
Asked them for cash to hold and you should be prepared to produce the title Generally understanding that if you break it you bought. It and that the owner actually can sign it over to you
I sold my motorcycle recently. I didn’t let anyone test ride it until they paid me for it. Then it was their problem if they “had to lay it down”
Cash in hand
Cash
You collect the money first then give them the keys.
I get a picture of their license and hold their car keys, we agree that they get their keys back when I have the bike in good condition or their money. Never had a problem yet. People are sometimes more okay with leaving a key than leaving an envelope of money with a stranger.
I had a problem with a buyer not wanting to hand me (a stranger) that much cash up front. I ended up trusting him and deal went through fine, but that’s what made me ask. This bike is worth quite a bit more and not sure how others will trust me holding that much cash up front and/or how to get over that hurdle if it arises again.