Sellers unwilling to sell their bikes certified.. frustrating

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Every bike I have bought or sold has had a safety certificate.

As a seller it makes you bike stand out over the rest of the market, so it might sell more quickly. As a buyer it not only gives you some peace of mind, but also makes the ownership transfer much quicker because you don't have the delay of trying to get the bike to a shop before going to the MTO.

Ever since the UVIP came into effect, I have always provided one or demanded one before completing a private sale.

If either of these documents is not, or cannot be provided, I would walk away from the sale.
 
If selling a vehicle I’ll sell it safetied because people are lazy and dumb and it means more $ for me.

If buying a vehicle I’m ok with buying it without a safety because people are lazy and dumb and it means less $ for me.
 
caboose56 said:
If selling a vehicle I’ll sell it safetied because people are lazy and dumb and it means more $ for me.

If buying a vehicle I’m ok with buying it without a safety because people are lazy and dumb and it means less $ for me.
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+1 ^^^^ this


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JavaFan said:
it's because most buyers don't need a ****ing nanny
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I have a lot of really great riding friends who are not mechanically inclined and would struggle to do a DIY inspection because they wouldn't know what's good vs bad/broken, aside from simple things like lights, etc.

On the original topic, for those who ARE well versed enough to do a DIY pre-inspection, buying uncertified presents a good opportunity to just save some money by negotiating the price downwards because of such.

From the sellers perspective, I wouldn't certify a bike before a negotiated purchase WITH a non refundable deposit in hand AND a plan as to who is going to cover the cost of any required repairs, and up to what limit.
 
It really all depends on the bike also. My previous bike I purchased was 2 years old and only had 3500kms. The seller didn't have a safety, but the bike was pretty much stock and didnt have a scratch on it, chain was clean and lubed, lights all worked, brake pads were hardly worn etc. On the other hand, my current bike is a 10 year old SS with 20,000kms. This is something I'd want safetied before purchase. I noticed the tires were pretty warn down it had an aftermarket HID kit, fender delete, and some other nice mods. Seller wanted $5500. He said he would sell it to me for $4800 as is, or $5000 safetied and delivered. Seller called me when he was getting it safetied and said it failed cause it needed new tires. He ended up throwing on Mich Pilate Powers out of his own pocket and delivered the bike to me after the work needed was done. Glad I got the bike safetied becuase it eneded up being a better deal for me and the bike was ready to hit the road.
One big no no that my friends always advise...Ask the seller to make sure the bike is cold before you take a look at it. If the seller warmed the bike up before inspection, he may be hiding some things. Cold starts can throw out some pretty funky noises in comparison to a warm start...Valve ticking, engine slighly knocking, how long it takes for the bike to turn etc.
New bike (1-2 years) with low kms = no safety is ok
Older bike 8+ years and 15,000+kms = safety before purchase
 
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I just sold my current ride and I agreed to safety it after I got a deposit! Uvip is required by law with or without safety I believe.

The garage I took it to said there are requiring much more from the mechanics in regards to information that they include in the safety like pad thickness and other details for the ministry. You are paying for the mechanic to enter in all the info for the ministry database.

Suffice to say it cost at lot more this time than 5 years ago. It is much better for buyer so they can just go and take the paperwork to do the transfer.

I always sell my bikes certified.

BB
 
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TK4 said:
A fitness certificate is good for 36 days, if the seller can't provide one ask why.
If the seller won't agree to deliver the machine to an inspection station ask why.
If the seller can't provide the UVIP ask why.
As a purchaser you are entitled to these services or know the reason.
You can always walk on the deal and buy from someone else, let the buyer beware.
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The only thing you're entitled to is the UVIP (and funnily enough 90% of people don't have it). Everything else depends on the arrangement between the two parties involved.

Laziness aside, this time of the year, many people are unwilling to ride or transport their motorcycle to a mechanic (for some it means renting a truck or a trailer which is definitely a hassle). Insurance is also a factor, with how expensive it is, most sellers take their vehicle off their policies as soon as they make up their mind to sell it.

If what you have is worth a lot of money, then definitely provide the certificate. If you're selling a 10 year old Ninja 250 then whether it's safetied or not, won't make much of a difference on resale value.

Finally, as previously mentioned, a safety is not an indicator of the mechanical condition of the vehicle.

If the seller doesn't want to provide the document then there's really no point on fighting them or trying to "educate" them. Just find another bike or bite the bullet if the price is right.
 
I sell bikes 'as is' but certifiable and let the buyer know. Never had a problem.

For me, it's a matter of time. The time it takes to get the bike in to a mechanic, then hope they safety it while you wait, then hope to sell within the 36 day validation period? I'd rather knock a couple hundred off the price.

I've bought over 20 bikes uncertified and only one with a UVIP. Don't care. I know what to look for and I'll pay for the UVIP when I register the bike in my name.
 
kruzuki said:
I've bought over 20 bikes uncertified and only one with a UVIP. Don't care. I know what to look for and I'll pay for the UVIP when I register the bike in my name.
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That's playing with fire. If there's a lien on the bike, you won't find out till you get the UVIP. And if you've already paid for the bike, then you're basically on the hook for the lien as well. Either that or get it repo-ed...
 
It is a seller's market in the springtime. Lots of people eager to buy. Sellers do not need to compete with each other for your business.

I think maybe you would have better luck if you offered to pay a deposit to cover the cost of the safety check.
 
If you find yourself buying used to save some $$ like a lot of us do, it’s worth it to learn how to check if a potential bike will pass a safety yourself. Can allow for better deals and I understand in some people’s situations it’s a pain to take it to get safetied, especially if they’ve already pulled the insurance. Someone who can visually inspect it themselves will end up buying it and they will knock the price down a bit more. But the UVIP I will always make sure to get even if the seller doesn’t provide it. $20 can save you from a disastrous situation. Plus I like to know how many people have owned the bike


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Until they implemented the UVIP, I bought all my bikes on a bit of faith. So not necessarily a big risk, but I don't buy one now without the UVIP. Basically if the bike is in good shape, buying it without a safety isn't a big deal.
 
Lightcycle said:
That's playing with fire. If there's a lien on the bike, you won't find out till you get the UVIP. And if you've already paid for the bike, then you're basically on the hook for the lien as well. Either that or get it repo-ed...
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That’s exactly what I was going to say – the biggest reason the UVIP was implemented was to help protect buyers against being defrauded - buying vehicles that don’t even belong to the seller, and people selling vehicles with undisclosed leins.

To blindly continue to purchase vehicles without the useful information that’s contained on it is indeed Russian roulette.
 
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never bought a bike that had a safety and never sold a bike with a safety.
 
PrivatePilot said:
That’s exactly what I was going to say – the biggest reason the UVIP was implemented was to help protect buyers against being defrauded - buying vehicles that don’t even belong to the seller, and people selling vehicles with undisclosed leins.

To blindly continue to purchase vehicles without the useful information that’s contained on it is indeed Russian roulette.
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Read the fine print on the UVIP.
It is not worth the paper it is written on.

When buying a bike I don't care if it has a safety or not. I will let a mechanic I KNOW go over the bike.
The last three bikes I bought with safeties were failed by my guy. Two were obvious fails.
 
Two camps, one wouldn't ride an unsafe safety checked bike , the other wants it done at a drive thru window. Has been forever thus.
 
bitzz said:
Read the fine print on the UVIP.
It is not worth the paper it is written on.
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Please elaborate.

I've heard of loans that have been paid off that haven't been reflected on the UVIP, which is more of a hassle for the seller.

But I've never heard of a lien *not* showing up on UVIP. That would be devastating to a buyer.

If I'm a buyer, the UVIP is still a worthwhile document.
 
I'd only ever want my own guy to do the safety anyway. What if the seller went to a crappy tire to get one done? Obviously I know enough to check the big stuff on my own before buying, but I'd really be nervous about a guy selling me a bike WITH a safety if I wasn't familiar with whoever did it. I had a car shop do a safety inspection for me once (bike mechanic already went through it, just needed a certified shop for paperwork) and the guy was a braindead ****** that knew nothing about bikes. I got my paperwork, but I'd be pretty freaked out if that was the only assurance I had.
OP, this is why some people would rather buy from a dealership if you're worried about the bike being mechanically sound. Private sales CANNOT provide a warranty, or pretty much any recourse if there is a big issue. You pay more at a dealer, but you certainly have a great deal less to worry about, particularly with liens, etc.
 
What's a shop charge for tires and a brake job? The couple of hundred dollars being kicked around as a price reduction doesn't interest me.

The price range of the bike is also a factor. Having to certify an almost new bike is worth it but with a decade old high mile starter bike new tires and brakes leaves the seller with little in his pocket.

Pre-inspection inspection tip: Take along someone who doesn't like that particular model. They won't be looking at it through rose coloured glasses. Write down deficiencies and put a number beside each one. Do the math.
 
bitzz said:
Read the fine print on the UVIP.
It is not worth the paper it is written on.
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NO UVIP provided by the owner can tell you if the bike was imported from another province or the U.S. and/or if its an insurance write off.
If any of those cases apply you can be in for a mess of trouble at Service Ontario.
An unfit motor vehicle ownership doesn't necessarily provide that kind of information.
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