buying used off eBay out of state

[Duck-Stew]

My suggestion would be exactly that:  Find the local board to where the bike is located.  Post up and see if you can't get a DMF'er to look at the bike and take pics for you.  If it's a Monster, chances are that we'll know what to look for and what to avoid.

[FastAndLight]

My suggestion would be exactly that:  Find the local board to where the bike is located.  Post up and see if you can't get a DMF'er to look at the bike and take pics for you.  If it's a Monster, chances are that we'll know what to look for and what to avoid.

I was going to suggest that as well.  I was looking for a wrecked 999 for a project a little while back and I asked in the local forum here and someone went and took a look at the bike I was interested in for me.  Invaluable help from a dis-interested third party.

[DarkDucati]

  great points everyone, thanks! Once again this forum proves to kick azz. 

eBay also lists a third party vehicle inspection service for $99, so that seems like another possible option if I can't go local or find someone in a state where I find a bike.

[DucofWestwood]

just wanted to say thanks for starting this thread.  i am in the same position and had the exact same questions.  good luck and hope we both find what we're looking for! 

[justinrhenry]

when i bought my first car off ebay i tried to hire an escrow company to hold the money, but ultimately i think it made the seller more skeptical than anything.  i ended up not using the escrow company, which saved me cash, and everything worked out fine.

you guys are some skeptical mother funkers.  if everyone followed your rules nothing would ever get sold on ebay. 

just make sure you get all of your questions answered and have a little faith in the safeguards ebay has built into their system. 

[junior varsity]

Bought a slightly binned '98 M900 off Ebay out of Tennessee (I'm in California).  Seller wrote back quickly, had good pics, price was right, bike had nice aftermarket equipment, yadda-yadda-yadda...  Fast-forward 2 weeks and the bike arrives.  Both motor mount bolts were banana-shaped, the cases were cracked to hell-and-back and the frame was tweaked HARD.

None of that was in the description.  Emailed back angrily several times.  Never got anything out of it.  WON'T do it again on a whole bike w/o someone I trust putting eyes on it.




but that's just me and my $.02.

Sweety dearest, you could have called - i'd have gone to look at it

[Cloner]

...just make sure you get all of your questions answered and have a little faith in the safeguards ebay has built into their system...

I used to be naive, too....but then I got make the beast with two backsed and neither ebay nor paypal would help.  Trust yourself and a few close friends.  Never trust anyone who's selling something occasionally on ebay.  They're generally not looking out for you and they don't care about a long term relationship with either you or ebay.

End of lesson, Mr. Henry.

[jwoconnor]

I bought my S2R1000 on ebay last summer. I had already had contact with the seller on Craigslist before it was listed on Ebay so I was able to ask the same questions without the seller knowing I had already had contact with them. Everything sounded good so I bid $1500 less than she was asking on CL. It met the reserve and no one else bid (oops). I had to explain to the wife that I just bought another motorcycle. I sent $200 Paypal to get her to meet me a hundred miles closer and then drove 400 miles each way to pick it up.
Yes, there were a couple things that hadn't made it into the add like the seat cowl being scratched/cracked and no red key (do your homework) but I can spend hours in the shop just looking at the bike from different angles and wiping it down.

I'll do it again.

[John1454]

I bought my bike sight unseen on a complete whim / "in the moment" off ebay with no third party involved. I can't say I would recommend it (I was worried I screwed up and it was stressful until the bike arrived)... but it worked out just fine for me. Bike was and is absolutely perfect.

[DarkDucati]

So check this...
 
I saw a low mile used model bike I want for sale at a dealership this week, and made a fair offer based on the many same or lower miles selling on eBay and CL, and considering I'd have to pay shipping for out of state deal. 

The dealer tried to claim that bikes with low miles from out of state couldn't be registered in CA.

WTF?! I've never heard such.  I've poked around and didn't see any evidence that this is true, anyone know otherwise?

[Popeye the Sailor]

So check this...
 
I saw a low mile used model bike I want for sale at a dealership this week, and made a fair offer based on the many same or lower miles selling on eBay and CL, and considering I'd have to pay shipping for out of state deal. 

The dealer tried to claim that bikes with low miles from out of state couldn't be registered in CA.

WTF?! I've never heard such.  I've poked around and didn't see any evidence that this is true, anyone know otherwise?

It needs to be over a certain age/number of miles.


Someone here probably knows specifics, but they may have been telling you something accurately.

[DarkDucati]

It needs to be over a certain age/number of miles.

Someone here probably knows specifics, but they may have been telling you something accurately.

I guess it's true...if it's 7500 miles or less it's "new" and CA won't let you register it.  Wow, that's some BS. Wonder if it's always enforced.  Crap.

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/brochures/fast_facts/ffvr29.htm

[Howie]

If the bike in question is CARB (50 state) emission certified and has the appropriate stickers you can register it. 

[Popeye the Sailor]

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/brochures/fast_facts/ffvr29.htm

[ducpainter]

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/brochures/fast_facts/ffvr29.htm

That pertains to new vehicles as far as I can tell.