Thread revival....
My bike is up for sale as you all may know...I've had a few guys interested on FB Marketplace and one guy is meeting me at a Tim Horton's this Saturday...he hasn't tried to low ball me and says he as cash in hand...he's bringing a trailer to take it with him if he likes it...he knows that a test ride is not going to take place, and he's ok with that...he even suggested we meet at a police station if that made me more comfortable...I checked out his FB page and he also has another social media account which I scoped out...he's 27 and his pics show lots of bikes, sleds, cars, etc...I'm horrible at 'spidey senses' and hubby trusts most people (thinks I'm paranoid as I'm worried about counterfeit money)...
Would the fact that he has the cash in hand already put you guys off or be a warning signal?
As Evoex put it, it's a business deal. Why do people get their shorts in a knot over potentially offending someone with a realistic request?
He was such a nice person and I didn't want to offend him. THEN HE SCAMMED ME.
Good con artists don't look like smarmy TV type con artists because that would keep them from being good at conning people.
The bullet proof way of getting the money is to meet at a bank. He withdraws the money and in front of the teller slides it to you. You slide it back to the teller and ask for a draft or money order. Total isolation and you're not walking around with a ton of cash.
Getting your name off the paperwork is part 2. When I sell something I never want my name attached to the item again. If something goes wrong lawyers have a duty to their clients to get money. They will drag in anyone that could be part of a settlement.
When I sold my last bike I delivered it to Windsor. If the guy didn't like it it was a nice ride home.
It also pointed out that the bike was up to road trips.
He drove me to his bank and got me a draft. Then to MOT for the transfer. Then to the train station for my ride home. He even paid the fare.
Why I don't like test pilots.
1) Liabilities. If something goes wrong it falls on the owner. If it's serious enough the insurer will try to find an excuse to deny a claim and your house is part of the settlement. All because you want to be nice and don't like saying no.
2) In most cases the buyer will not be familiar with the bike and at the same time be distracted listening and trying to feel for imperfections instead of watching for road distractions.
3) The buyer will be tempted to push it to the limit to see if it breaks. Refer to #2 above. HTA 172 means impound of your property.
4) The "What if I don't like it" excuse doesn't wash. Steak houses don't give free samples. The buyer becomes a better rider if they do proper research. Feel free to sit on the bike, taking care not to rip the seat getting on or off. Feel the heft of it and ask yourself if you could pick it up. Bring a qualified mechanic if it makes you happy.