Ethics of selling a motorcycle. | GTAMotorcycle.com

Ethics of selling a motorcycle.

matt365

matt365

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I currently have too many bikes (depending on who you ask...)

I've listed my gsxr600.

Many of the responses I get are as such.:


"hey boss, i’ve got 5200 cash for u but here’s the problem, i can eventually pick it up but i’ve never ridden, have my m1 you think i’ll b good to ride it home or will i end up in a ditch?"

My response:

"Oh boy.

I have a truck, so I'm sure we could figure something out.

The other issue... a 600cc sport bike when you're on an m1...

Check insurance. Most likely its going to be brutal.

The learning curve on a 600: think of it this way. Would you learn to drive in a Toyota Corolla, or a corvette z06?

They're not really starter bikes."


Should I keep warning people?

Or is it buyer beware, when they ride away, its not my problem.


Maybe a mixture of both:
If they keep insisting, after my warning, then its their own personal responsibility.



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It's their money - as you've discovered the problem with most of the Gixxer Squids is that they just don't have a clue. You can't fix that.
If they have cash in hand, deliver it and then march them to the nearest Service Ontario and make them change the ownership.
The last thing you want is an idiot riding dirty on your nickel.
 
It all depends on your personal ethical viewpoints, so no real clear answer.

For me...I would warn the buyer 'probably not the best idea on an M1, and I recommend doing good research, and ensuring you contact your insurance prior to'.

After that...outside of refusing to sell to them...not much you can do.

A buddy sold his motorcycle to another friend that's never ridden before. Buyer had an accident within a month and lost his leg. 20 years later my buddy still doesn't forgive himself for it. It's different with a stranger...but it's a possibility.

Just make sure the bike is de-registered from your name...last thing you need is that thing still registered in your name while the buyer rides dirty.
 
TK4 said:
It's their money - as you've discovered the problem with most of the Gixxer Squids is that they just don't have a clue. You can't fix that.
If they have cash in hand, deliver it and then march them to the nearest Service Ontario and make them change the ownership.
The last thing you want is an idiot riding dirty on your nickel.
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100% agree with this. While I can appreciate your concern for other people, it is simply not you responsibility to do anything beyond what TK4 stated.
 
Wind Shear said:
I have more than a hint of libertarianism in me.
If the state deems them old enough to hold a license, they're old enough to be responsible for their own decisions.
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I was just fbmessaging with this kid... had to explain how to register a vehicle in his name, and what the MTO is...

There's a certain point where it feels like I'm walking a cow into the slaughterhouse.

I'm sure as soon as he gets an insurance quote, that'll be the last I'll hear from him.

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I can and will refuse to sell a bike to someone with poor judgement. Like I don't know what has happened to every rider I've sold a bike to, and I don't spend a lot of time worrying about it either. I am just happier not being a part of a story where it's probably going to go wrong for that person.
 
TwistedKestrel said:
I can and will refuse to sell a bike to someone with poor judgement. Like I don't know what has happened to every rider I've sold a bike to, and I don't spend a lot of time worrying about it either. I am just happier not being a part of a story where it's probably going to go wrong for that person.
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This is more my thinking.

I don't need the money.

I'll happily keep riding it. The bike runs great, and I still enjoy it; but I can't ride 4 at once...

I could use the extra space.

There's the added part about me:

I'm a bike instructor. I tell my students to start small and work their way up. I should practice what I preach.

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It is wild that the gixer familiarus keeps propagating itself decades after its heyday.

If the messages really are that dumb, I would just put in the ad “not selling to new riders” to save yourself the headache.
 
I've seen private ads for supersports actually say they will not sell to new riders, young riders, etc. I saw one ad say "this is not a bike for inexperienced riders, you've been warned but your money your life". Perhaps put that in the ad if you want to weed them out, but they probably won't read that far down anyway.

There is no law saying you have to sell it them, if your conscience weighs on you then don't. They will still buy one somewhere, you can't help that but their blood won't be on your hands.
 
You only have 4!!!
What do you do the other 3 days of the week?
The bottom line is you have to live with your decisions.
It's nice to see there are still people out there with a conscience.
Thumbs up for doing the right thing.
 
Soulcatcher668 said:
You cannot save people from themselves.
You are not responsible for others actions.
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Normally I’d agree with you, but some of these idiots have never swung a leg over a bike, likely don’t even have insurance or a license.
 
I think I'd do 3 things.

I'd respond that the SS is not a new rider bike. I'd ask them to confirm that they have checked insurance cost. I'd tell them that I insist on both of us going to a Service Ontario location to ensure the title is changed.

I suspect that these 3 stipulations would weed out a lot of people.
 
I my opinion, the warning is a good thing, and I think you should continue that way. However, I would not refuse to sell to them if they want to ignore the warning. Best offer takes it.

Edit: If they find out after that the insurance is too high, they can re-sell. If you read on the news that the guy killed himself, well, you warned him. If it wasn't your 600R it would have been someone else's. No guilt necessary.
 
matt365 said:
I currently have too many bikes (depending on who you ask...)

I've listed my gsxr600.

Many of the responses I get are as such.:


"hey boss, i’ve got 5200 cash for u but here’s the problem, i can eventually pick it up but i’ve never ridden, have my m1 you think i’ll b good to ride it home or will i end up in a ditch?"

My response:

"Oh boy.

I have a truck, so I'm sure we could figure something out.

The other issue... a 600cc sport bike when you're on an m1...

Check insurance. Most likely its going to be brutal.

The learning curve on a 600: think of it this way. Would you learn to drive in a Toyota Corolla, or a corvette z06?

They're not really starter bikes."


Should I keep warning people?

Or is it buyer beware, when they ride away, its not my problem.


Maybe a mixture of both:
If they keep insisting, after my warning, then its their own personal responsibility.



Sent from my SM-G960W using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
When I list something on the marketplace or Kijiji that is not straightforward, I try to answer the question in the ad.

If I was selling an SS600, I'd probably say right: "This is a supersport motorcycle designed for experienced riders. This class of motorcycle is also expensive to insure so check insurance prices beforehand."
 
TwistedKestrel said:
I can and will refuse to sell a bike to someone with poor judgement. Like I don't know what has happened to every rider I've sold a bike to, and I don't spend a lot of time worrying about it either. I am just happier not being a part of a story where it's probably going to go wrong for that person.
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I know a couple of guys that are OK as people but both have diminished mental capabilities. One, aged 60, has the intellect of a 14 year old but looks his age. Would you sell to him?

I don't like telling people what to do but will share my life experiences or ask pointed questions. Insurance would be one of them.

On the other hand I, along with hundreds of others, would have told Muggsy Bogues to forget about basketball and take up tiddly winks.

A transfer of ownership theoretically clears you but frivolous law suits are not rare. The mother of the self destructed twit says you should have known better than to sell him the bike. Do you need the year or two of wondering if her lawyer can sway the court?

If there is no pressure to sell the bike just ignore the replies that seem immature. If you still have some lingering feelings / memories of the bike it's a nice feeling if it goes to a good home.
 
If I don’t get a good vibe from a prospective buyer I’m selling to, I don’t engage them. They are not my friend or family. I owe them nothing other than my ability to post the facts of what I’m selling and price it accordingly etc.


Selling a vehicle of any kind, there is more to just an exchange of money for the ownership. I prefer the experience to be positive and avoid any potential issues after the fact.

That being said, I don’t have to like the person or what they plan to do with any vehicle I’ve sold.
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