Test ride

[Kwalsh]

So when selling your can am does anyone allow a complete stranger take his can am for a test ride?

I lost a sale today because I wouldn't let someone test ride my 08 gs

i have purchased several bikes without test ride and some with so just wondering what the proper etiquette is

[Bob Denman]

It's a tough call...
I would put them on the passenger perch for the first half of the ride...
Then I'd end up at a parking lot, and teach them the controls...
After that: I'd take the perch, and let them take the bars for the return trip!

[cuznjohn]

THAT IS A TOUGH CALL, i once let a guy teat a two wheeler, but he gave me 1/2 the price of the bike in cash first. so with that i let him do it. but still thought the cash could of been fake lol

[al0vely]

I personally would not buy anything I couldn't drive before purchase - if the seller refused the test ride.

I have sold 2 and live in a small town so maybe I am too trusting but I allowed the buyers to ride if they wanted before the sale. Additionally I have purchased 3 and didn't ride 2 by my choice.

My BF was looking for a Harley earlier this year and refused to buy from a dealer that would not allow test rides.

But it is totally your call of course because you have to be comfortable with it.

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

I try to find out what I can about the guy ahead of time, and then essentially trust my instincts. If you establish some confidence in their ability to ride, and all else seems trustworthy, then I say let them do a test ride. If you can, go on your own bike and lead them around on a route, including some parking lot maneuvers. An honest person will be upfront about what they know and what their experience is. If he's a braggart, then watch out.

[2dogs]

Been in this situation myself more times than I like. #1, you're liable as all get-out. Not only do you risk losing your bike, you may lose your house and all that goes with it. Dam scary. #2, you may lose the sale if you don't allow a test ride. Lose a sale lose a house, or both? One safer option is take it to a dealer and give them 10% to sell it for you. They're covered for that sort of thing. Good luck.

[Chupaca]

Had a fellow test ride a GS11000 my son had for sale and he headed down the street jumped a curb and wiped out the neighbors mail box. Fortunately a honest responsible fellow and paid for all the repairs and decided he was not meant to be on a big bike...Giving them a ryde is the best or send him to a dealer to test ryde....

[Av8er]

I would never buy a bike that I couldn't test drive nor would I ride on back with someone else. That being said, if I go look at a bike I have cash and am prepared to walk away if I can't test drive it. Would you buy a used car without a test drive?

[Road-Kill]

I would not. I have taken bikes out and rode them while a buyer drove/rode along side but not gonna put a stranger in my saddle.

[Bob Denman]

Mayhem lurks everywhere...

[LateLifeCrisis]

So when selling your can am does anyone allow a complete stranger take his can am for a test ride?

I lost a sale today because I wouldn't let someone test ride my 08 gs

i have purchased several bikes without test ride and some with so just wondering what the proper etiquette is

My friend did the following: (just in case this happened: .............)

1. Required the interested party to sign a waiver releasing him from any injuries, damages or responsibility.
2. Required the interested party to leave his vehicle, keys, and cell phone with him during the test ride.
3. Required the interested party to leave a credit card.
4. Required a test drive by the seller to make sure no damage was done to the bike while on the test drive; the interested party received his keys, cell phone and credit card back after the approved test drive.

And yes, my friend sold his bike - to the first guy who came to look at it - and the buyer had no problems with the requirements of the test drive.

[ruralgirl]

Your friend's well thought-out steps to protect himself were all great ideas and worth doing. However, do keep in mind that:
1. You can't waiver away negligence. E.g., if it could be proven that you knew your bike had faulty brakes, but you said nothing, and their failure caused the interested party damage, your signed waiver is useless.
2. The psychology behind holding one's valuables is excellent, but it's questionable as to what you can legally do with the interested party's stuff. Courts tend to rule against holding property as ransom, not to mention, the only item whose value would cover the loss of your bike - the guy's car - wouldn't help you unless he's willing to sign its title over to you.
3. The psychology behind holding one's credit card may be effective, but you can't actually do anything with that card.
4. A follow-up test drive by the seller is a great idea unless the interested party denies having caused any difference(s) in the bike's condition or operation. Might be best to video the seller proof-riding the bike immediately before the interested party steps aboard to hopefully be able to demonstrate before and after comparisons.

This really is a tough call. If I were selling, I'd inform the interested party that the dealers in our area require payment in full before allowing a test ride on recreational vehicles such as ATVs and motorcycles. Then I'd probably have them sign an agreement that they'll owe me my full asking price if they damage my bike in any way (proven, with luck, by aforementioned video). But then how do you keep the guy from just taking off, and then if you find him, who wants to drag him to court?

The answer now seems obvious .... we should NEVER SELL our beloved Spyders!!

[ARtraveler]

A really tough situation and no one is going to be right on. Society is past the time when a handshake made a deal good.

Me: I would not let anyone I do not know take my vehicles for a test ride. When I sold motorcycles before, if they wanted a ride, I was the driver and they the passenger.

Everything is legal these days. If they get hurt because of their inexperience or stupidity--you are usually going to end up on the hook.

If the bike gets damaged, in most cases you are going to be on the hook.

These days, there is the ride and steal going on. Good luck on that one.

Holding a cash deposit or license will last until they call the cops if anything above goes bad. You are going to be on the hook.

Sorry I could not be more helpful on this one.

[Samson]

Never have let anyone test ride when selling. The Allstate video above says enough. I once sold a Yamaha Tenere, 2 guys showed up as they were thinking about getting into adventure riding. They both admitted they had never rode an adventure bike and wanted to use mine to see what it's like, no intention of buying.

[SteveP]

Years ago we would not worry about someone taking a test drive mostly , but yes today liability seems to be something to really worry about . Although ...I was selling a 1975 TransAm in 1985 and when the guy came to look at it I wouldnt let him take it for a test drive ( something about him) my friend with me said he wouldn't let him take it either . Well he bought it anyway and I delivered it to his hometown garage , while I was taking his check to the bank there he convinced the mechanic that was doing the certification at the garage to give him the keys .... he went up a side street and lost control putting it into a ditch . The garage owner was just getting his tow truck to bring the car back when I dropped the ownership off .
So I think however you can cover your butt ( waiver , deposit, license etc) would be a good idea

[Bob Denman]

Never have let anyone test ride when selling. The Allstate video above says enough. I once sold a Yamaha Tenere, 2 guys showed up as they were thinking about getting into adventure riding. They both admitted they had never rode an adventure bike and wanted to use mine to see what it's like, no intention of buying.

I once had a guy show up at my house to take a test-ride on a Honda TransAlp that I was selling.
He was just curious about the bike: no intention of taking it home with him...


1989 TransAlp.jpg

[Pirate looks at --]

Had a fellow test ride a GS11000 my son had for sale and he headed down the street jumped a curb and wiped out the neighbors mail box. Fortunately a honest responsible fellow and paid for all the repairs and decided he was not meant to be on a big bike...Giving them a ryde is the best or send him to a dealer to test ryde....

Wow that sounds like an Allstate commercial!

[LateLifeCrisis]

Your friend's well thought-out steps to protect himself were all great ideas and worth doing. However, do keep in mind that:
1. You can't waiver away negligence. E.g., if it could be proven that you knew your bike had faulty brakes, but you said nothing, and their failure caused the interested party damage, your signed waiver is useless.
2. The psychology behind holding one's valuables is excellent, but it's questionable as to what you can legally do with the interested party's stuff. Courts tend to rule against holding property as ransom, not to mention, the only item whose value would cover the loss of your bike - the guy's car - wouldn't help you unless he's willing to sign its title over to you.
3. The psychology behind holding one's credit card may be effective, but you can't actually do anything with that card.
4. A follow-up test drive by the seller is a great idea unless the interested party denies having caused any difference(s) in the bike's condition or operation. Might be best to video the seller proof-riding the bike immediately before the interested party steps aboard to hopefully be able to demonstrate before and after comparisons.

This really is a tough call. If I were selling, I'd inform the interested party that the dealers in our area require payment in full before allowing a test ride on recreational vehicles such as ATVs and motorcycles. Then I'd probably have them sign an agreement that they'll owe me my full asking price if they damage my bike in any way (proven, with luck, by aforementioned video). But then how do you keep the guy from just taking off, and then if you find him, who wants to drag him to court?

The answer now seems obvious .... we should NEVER SELL our beloved Spyders!!

If I'm EVER in the market for an attorney, you're hired!!!

[Ramg66]

I was a used car salesman in my younger years, I remember a woman came by the lot and wanted to test drive a car, I did the normal procedure and checked that she drove up in her own car and looked at her Drivers license, well she took off and I came back in, after awhile I looked outside and noticed her car was gone. Well we recovered the car a week later, 2 states away.

Tough call to make.

[Machinegunner]

I read once were a buyer wanted to test drive a bike. He left his new pick up as insurance. He took off on the bike and never came back. The pick up was stolen.

[Tazzel]

One thing you can do is meet at a big empty parking lot. Large schools on the weekends have a good sized lot.

[Bob Denman]

If I'm EVER in the market for an attorney, you're hired!!!

If her rates are too high for you: my guys work cheap...

Dewey Cheatem and Howe.jpg