Selling Bikes to New Riders.

[corndog67]

I mentioned this in another thread, but I was wondering, would you sell a fast bike to a new rider? 

Also, as I mentioned, about a year, year and a half ago, I sold a Honda Blackbird CBR1100XX to a guy that had never ridden a bike before.   Also, he was a real little guy, but those little guys are the fastest guys usually.   At least the racer guys I know.  The guy that used to own the Blackbird was also a brand new rider, also his first bike.   He sold that and bought a Hayabusa.   Both guys were students at Cal Poly.   

The way I look at it, it isn't up to me to decide whether to sell to him or not, it's the same money and it spends the same.  They are adults and can make their own decisions. 

If I didn't sell it to them, they would buy from someone who would. 

Different opinions?

[RavnMonster]

My first bike was my S4R ...  Been riding almost 2 years now and never even came close to going down.  I am a little older than the usual new rider. (32)  If you ware worried about your conscience of selling your bike to someone who will potentially hurt themselves or someone else. I think you need to evaluate the maturity of the rider rather than the experience.  Just because the rider has been riding for a few years doesn't mean they aren't an idiot.

Just my opinion

[ROBsS4R]

I have a S4R and I know someday I will probably sell it and when I do I will most likely not sell it to some noob rider but that's just me.

On the other hand that person is an adult and they will just go buy from someone if they really want one that bad.

It really depends on the individual and if they can control themselves. I know people who have started on R1s and they have yet to drop there bike many years later but I also have a friend who I let take my old ex 500 for a spin around the parking lot and I glad he hated it because I wouldn't even recommend that guy to buy a bicycle now 

[DarkStaR]

$$$ is money.

Think of it this way, do most dealers discriminate against experience or maturity? 

If selling a bike or not is on the line, you'll bet your ass that they'll sell.

[Bun-bun]

It's a tough call. I know that it's not your responsibility to keep another adult from harming themself or others, and if you don't sell to them,someone else surely will.
That said, I would feel horrible if I sold a bike to someone and then found out that they'd killed or seriously injured themselves(or someone else).
I think it's like Rob said, you have to evaluate the buyer.

[Popeye the Sailor]

I've never been in the position of selling a bike to a newer rider, but I suppose it depends on the vibe. My position is, if nothing else, I would explain that it's not really an appropriate bike to start on. AKA dangerous, and I'd encourage them to buy something more newbie friendly.

[redxblack]

I've never been in the position of selling a bike to a newer rider, but I suppose it depends on the vibe. My position is, if nothing else, I would explain that it's not really an appropriate bike to start on. AKA dangerous, and I'd encourage them to buy something more newbie friendly.

+1. I feel the same way. I'm not selling any of my bikes right now, but I'd rather send someone towards a 250 ninja if I caught a whiff of squid upon them.

[teddy037.2]

$$$ is money.

Think of it this way, do most dealers discriminate against experience or maturity? 

If selling a bike or not is on the line, you'll bet your ass that they'll sell.

you've never been to our ducati dealership 

[vampire]

if he's a n00b then i would just explain for him the hazards/danger and it will be up to him!

[the_Journeyman]

When I sold my 1984 Suzuki GS1150 I put a line in the ad that read:  "This bike is NOT for a new rider, nor for a timid rider."  Fact is, that back was stupid fast and stable in a straight light.  Turned on considering the technology, but it took a little finesse to walk that nearly 600lb machine through a tight corner and any speed.  The brakes were way inadequate for the engine.

JM

[superjohn]

I've never been in the position of selling a bike to a newer rider, but I suppose it depends on the vibe. My position is, if nothing else, I would explain that it's not really an appropriate bike to start on. AKA dangerous, and I'd encourage them to buy something more newbie friendly.

+1 more from me. What I have a problem with is dealerships who push new riders into race replicas they shouldn't have. Even a 600cc supersport now has more power, and more opportunities for a new rider to overdo it before they realize it. Unfortunately, these are exactly the sort of bikes being sold to beginners.

[moto-zen]

My Monster 900 is my first bike. I was 28 when I picked it up, I think always riding with my kids in the back of my mind keeps me alert. I guess if I had to sell it I would probably be a little apprehensive to let it go to someone of little experience. FWIW When I was shopping around at the Kawi and the Yama dealers neither of them would even let me consider the larger, faster bikes. It was the Yamaha dealer who actually sent me to the Kawi dealer to look at the smaller Ninjas.

[MadDuck]

True story. Last week I was having a couple beers with some folks and one of the guys who had only been riding a moped for two weeks announced he just bought a beginner bike, a Harley Sportster 883. I asked why he thought the 883 was a beginners bike.



"Because it's the smallest bike Harley makes."

[Xiphias]

....Isn't the 883 a girl's bike?

[needtorque]

True story. Last week I was having a couple beers with some folks and one of the guys who had only been riding a moped for two weeks announced he just bought a beginner bike, a Harley Sportster 883. I asked why he thought the 883 was a beginners bike.



"Because it's the smallest bike Harley makes."

http://www.hotbikeweb.com/tech/0607_hbkp_ss_horsepower_upgrade_kit/index.html

To save you a little reading time this was an 05' sporty   First things first. The 883ci Sporty was thrown up on the dyno to get some baseline numbers. The bike put out 35.10 hp and 38.37 lb-ft of torque, right where we expected it to be for a stock 883

I would say that is a beginner bike yes.  Some mopeds are close to that power lol.

I have a friend who was also a member of this forum.  He had an 04' S4R which he sold to a guy in atlanta who was a first time rider.  The purchaser was in his late twenties or early thirties I forget exactly.  Anyway, my friend gets home from selling the bike and the guy calls him on the same day asking how to start the bike (after he had already been shown at the time of purchase).  No matter, my friend walks him though it and hopes for the best.  Next day he gets another phone call.  New rider had totaled the bike in a manner that really sounded like he was trying to pull a wheelie in his subdivision.  I would hate to get that call after just selling a bike.  But thats just me.  It is not about new rider/old rider but more about the individual doing the riding and their personal responsibility level.