Selling powerful bikes to noobs...

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It's an interesting debate.

I have warned him and given notice.

I am unfortunately crazy busy this month with work and some extended family health issues so I decided to just pull the ad for the rest of the month.

I told the guy I will call him before putting bike back up for sale to see if he's still interested. And I told him to go test ride every bike he can in the meantime.
 
I was in the same boat last year
Dealer refused to sell me a bike that I wanted
I was going for BMW s1000rr
So I turned around and found my self getting a second hand Ducati 848
This is my first bike
Some ppl can handle the power and some can't
You did ur part telling him that the bike is a hand full
He will get one no matter what
I know I did
So get ur money while he is still giving it to you
That dealer that refused to sell me that bike was kicking him self after
That bike sat in the show room till January
Don't make the same mistake
 
Interesting thread. I must say I respect the OP for having a conscience. Go with your gut....it never lies.


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I'm amazed at the stories about a dealer that would refuse to sell a bike since they (salesman) deemed it too powerful. Really?
Is that what its come to?
 
OP, you didn't search him out to sell your bike. He came to you. You gave him the chat already.

He's an adult, he can legally vote, drink and drive. At the end of the day, he's the one twisting that throttle.

Let people decide on their own ride, their own limit and their own gear selection.

I do commend you on thinking about the safety of the potential buyer. But where do you draw the line?
What are chainsaw merchants or knife manufacturers gonna do? stop selling their products because someone may cut themselves, lose a limb or worse? Enough with the bubble protection. People need to start taking responsibilities on their own actions, and in this case OP, the responsibility lies with the buyer.
 
crankcall said:
I'm amazed at the stories about a dealer that would refuse to sell a bike since they (salesman) deemed it too powerful. Really?
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crankcall said:
Is that what its come to?
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^^ I had heard of stories like this years ago. I can recall when the R1 came out in 1998 that I personally knew two people who were told "sorry you'll have to shop elsewhere I can't sell you that bike" because at that time they were 19, just getting a lic and wanting to jump on a liter bike. I can also tell you that both of those people still ride today and as far as I knew a year ago still dealt with the same shop.
 
EC2010 said:
What are chainsaw merchants or knife manufacturers gonna do? stop selling their products because someone may cut themselves, lose a limb or worse?
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Exactly! What next!? Gun-merchants can't sell guns unless the customer is fully licensed, etc.. :o
 
fastar1 said:
I'm a big supporter of sport bikes not being for beginners, but you can't make people do the smart thing. As long as you warned him, and he acknowledged that he knows the risks and wants to go ahead anyways, then AFAIC you're in the clear to sell him the bike.
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^ this.

What if you sold the kid a ninja 250 and he STILL killed himself on it?.... wait wait, are you more concerned with ruining the bike, or ruining the guy's life? LOLOLOL What if you sold it to an experienced rider and he trashed it - what's the difference?
 
infernobuster said:
Your job has what to do about it ? zero.

If you sold the guy a fast car, would you still be concerned? Nope.

YOu cant babysit stupid in this world, you should know that by now.
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Doesn't paramedics take some sort of oath to preserve life?
If he did I would understand

koma said:
I'd say trust your gut.
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I'd say this is my opinion


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I usually worry less and sleep better at night, when I have more money in the bank at the end of the day.
 
REDBALLS said:
I usually worry less and sleep better at night, when I have more money in the bank at the end of the day.
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You know you'll sleep so much better if u rob a bank

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Julz said:
I myself have big respect to dealers who stray the noobs away from big bikes, then again who's to say he can't handle it. If your conscience can handle selling the bike to a kid then go ahead.
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i didnt read the whole thread but.............they wont let them test ride them, they will however sell them. go figure ?
 
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crankcall said:
I'm amazed at the stories about a dealer that would refuse to sell a bike since they (salesman) deemed it too powerful. Really?
Is that what its come to?
Click to expand...

Did you stop to think just maybe some of them ride and realize the gravity of the situation?
You were not there, so maybe the buyer was not giving them good vibes.
That salesperson clearly cares more than making a quick $.
They also want to sleep easy at night.

I applaud them.
btw I hope I never see you complain about your insurance rates being high either.
 
carboncat said:
i didnt read the whole thread but.............they wont let them test ride them, they will however sell them. go figure ?
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Well there have been dealers who have refused to sell as well from this thread. Sometimes it's not about the money.
 
Bagman said:
Exactly! What next!? Gun-merchants can't sell guns unless the customer is fully licensed, etc.. :o
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Duh! Yeah, you can't get a gun unless you're licensed.

But that's another bag of potatoes... OP, go with your gut.
 
Good for you SFer for being a human being and actually caring.

As others have said, go with your gut and your instincts on this one. Maybe by the time you repost the ad he'll have taken a course or gotten some riding under his belt.

I had a similar experience when I was selling my 1986 VFR750. one of the guys was very interested in it and really really wanted to buy it but all he kept talking about was doing endos, and wheelies etc.
It wasn't a hard decision to not sell him the bike....but someone else came along. They usually do.
 
I sympathize with the OP.

I'm all for adults being responsible for their own decisions. The problem in this case is that the young buyer thinks he is making an informed decision, when he is not. This is less about trying to teach a kid a lesson, and more about potentially extending the life of someone who has not yet learned HOW to make responsible decisions. If the kid bought the bike, then buys the farm the next day, the seller isn't responsible for the kid's death - but the kid made a bad decision. Earlier in this thread, regarding the dealer that would not sell an S1000RR to a new rider? Merely trying to buy one has demonstrated that you have no idea of what you are buying. The mindset where you ignore other people because they have no right to tell you how you live your life, is EXACTLY the problem.

Phrased another way - there are a whole lot of young people who have died on motorcycles because they didn't understand them. As humans, we have the power to learn from other people's mistakes. Is it not reasonable to question the judgement of who someone who is blatantly ignoring those mistakes?

Then again, how young is this person? You might be able to sell it to him guilt-free, because like many a young person he has probably failed to investigate insurance first, and the bike will end up getting stored or sold. Some kids can afford to get over the massive insurance roadblock, but since he's in the market for a used Ducati...
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