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Author Topic: Help with buying a bike online/out of state?  (Read 2335 times)
Chri5
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« on: November 09, 2013, 03:43:41 PM »

Hello everybody,

Im shopping around on ebay, craigslist, and cycletrader and i came across a particular model. Its a 2012 M796 in black with just over 500mi on the odometer, termi exhaust, and fender eliminator. An auto dealership is selling it. I live in New York and this dealership is more than 12 hours away. I contacted the dealer and asked some questions such as how old was the previous rider, if there was anything wrong with the bike, reason they have the bike, and how long they have had the bike for.

Previous owner was in his 40's, married with kids, didnt have time to ride thats why he sold it. The dealer told me that the bike has been with them for approximately 2 weeks and its pretty much brand new. The 'client adviser' is a motorcyclist as well. He rides a harley.

Now, i know that a good thing to do would be to hire a mechanic locally and pay them to visually and physically go to the dealership to inspect the bike and to generate a report to send to me so i can make a more informed decision. I called the local shop and the guy told me that its gonna be about 170 based on their labor rate (84/hr). Theyre about 5 miles away from the dealership.

The dealership showed me a video of them starting up the bike. It looked and sounded phenomenal. But the video was not HD lol. Anyways, id like to know what you guys would do? Is it worth paying a mechanic 170 for a "safety inspection" on a "like new" motorcycle? Plus, how can you tell if the mechanic is making a BS report? OR do i just trust the dealership?
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stopintime
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« Reply #1 on: November 09, 2013, 03:50:26 PM »

That sounds like a very affordable peace of mind  waytogo

Not very likely that they find anything, but anyway.

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HotIce
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« Reply #2 on: November 09, 2013, 05:19:20 PM »

I think I see the bike on eBay.
Bike looks spanking new, and seller has a very rare 100% positive feedback.
Couple that with eBay buyer's protection, and I'd save the $170 for some gas  Dolph
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SpikeC
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« Reply #3 on: November 09, 2013, 05:32:09 PM »

. I contacted the dealer and asked some questions such as how old was the previous rider, if there was anything wrong with the bike, reason they have the bike, and how long they have had the bike for.

Previous owner was in his 40's, married with kids, didnt have time to ride thats why he sold it.


 Does anyone really believe this oft cited excuse? More likely he didn't like the cold blooded nature of the beast or some other real reason.
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HotIce
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« Reply #4 on: November 09, 2013, 05:34:50 PM »

Does anyone really believe this oft cited excuse? More likely he didn't like the cold blooded nature of the beast or some other real reason.
Could have been a mid-life crisis went bad Cheesy
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d3vi@nt
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« Reply #5 on: November 09, 2013, 07:55:48 PM »

Auto dealership's frequently know little about bikes. The ones I've dealt with that sell bikes are crappy dealers that grabbed a bike because they thought they could make money on it. Usually (again, in my experience) the bikes were picked up via auction and were repo's or something else sketchy. Missing keys, no service history, etc.

Personally, I'd look for something local I could lay eyes and hands on unless it's just impossible to come by. And it never hurts to get a good mechanic to take a look, as long as you know they're a good mechanic.
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« Reply #6 on: November 09, 2013, 08:21:46 PM »

Does anyone really believe this oft cited excuse? More likely he didn't like the cold blooded nature of the beast or some other real reason.

I don't know. That's honestly why I sold my KTM SMT. There wasn't a single thing wrong with the bike...easily the best street bike I've ever owned, and it was set-up perfect. The addition of a new baby meant I had daycare duty every day...coupled with 6-8 race weekends per year, and I really didn't have time to ride it. Seeing a bike just sit in the garage drives me nuts, so I sold it.  Undecided
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Spidey
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« Reply #7 on: November 09, 2013, 08:28:47 PM »

I don't know. That's honestly why I sold my KTM SMT. There wasn't a single thing wrong with the bike...easily the best street bike I've ever owned, and it was set-up perfect. The addition of a new baby meant I had daycare duty every day...coupled with 6-8 race weekends per year, and I really didn't have time to ride it. Seeing a bike just sit in the garage drives me nuts, so I sold it.  Undecided

Yup.  That's why I sold my kids.

OP, it's about whether you're risk averse or not.  It sounds pretty much brand new, and if something is horribly wrong, it's likely covered by the warranty (is the warranty still good?).  If not, pay the extra $170 if that makes it still worth the deal.  You'll likely be fine either way. That said, is it really that difficult to find a bike closer by?
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Rudemouthsky
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« Reply #8 on: November 10, 2013, 07:47:56 AM »

Does anyone really believe this oft cited excuse? More likely he didn't like the cold blooded nature of the beast or some other real reason.

That's up there with the; "dent from previous owner" in my book.  laughingdp

On topic, I echo HotIce's sentiments. Ebay Buyer protection favors the buyer so much it's ridiculous. You have little to fear. And what would a mobile mechanic do anyway beyond maybe the oil and a visual inspection? It's not as if he/she's going to check the valves. $170 sounds like a waste.
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Chri5
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« Reply #9 on: November 10, 2013, 12:48:43 PM »

Yup.  That's why I sold my kids.

OP, it's about whether you're risk averse or not.  It sounds pretty much brand new, and if something is horribly wrong, it's likely covered by the warranty (is the warranty still good?).  If not, pay the extra $170 if that makes it still worth the deal.  You'll likely be fine either way. That said, is it really that difficult to find a bike closer by?

Thats definitely a question im going to ask the dealer. Im going to ask if he has both keys, title status, maintenance history, and the VIN number. What else should i establish over the phone? And no, i havent seen any bikes within 100 miles of my location with low mileage and a decent price for a bike that has the primary mods i'd personally do first (termi exhaust, fender eliminator).

What specific items should i request/expect the mechanic to do?

That's up there with the; "dent from previous owner" in my book.  laughingdp

On topic, I echo HotIce's sentiments. Ebay Buyer protection favors the buyer so much it's ridiculous. You have little to fear. And what would a mobile mechanic do anyway beyond maybe the oil and a visual inspection? It's not as if he/she's going to check the valves. $170 sounds like a waste.
One problem i considered might be since the bike is a 2012, theres a chance that the previous owner purchased this in late 2011. And since theres only 500ish miles, theres a chance that the bike was in storage for quite some time. If the bike wasnt winterized properly, what kind of problems would this pose in the future? Is there a way or are there signs of corrosion or gunk build-up that can be visualized or inspected in the tank?

Heres a short clip of them starting up the bike. The quality was terrible to begin with and i couldnt figure out how to attach the video from my email since it wasnt sent as an attachment. Sorry, but u get a decent idea of how it sounds if you have a subwoofer. The salesperson sent me the video using a 3rd party client. So i filmed my screen...lol.
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HotIce
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« Reply #10 on: November 10, 2013, 01:29:22 PM »

Again, if this is the bike, it looks spanking new:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ducati-Monster-Motorcycle-2012-ducati-monster-796-abs-only-524-miles-termignoni-upgrades-brembo-/350918732319

VIN looks clean. Not stolen, and never totaled:

https://www.nicb.org/theft_and_fraud_awareness/vincheck

Asking price is a little steep though, IMHO. Yes, it is basically new, and yes, it has termis on, but it is $1500 over KBB retail.
I would likely not pay $9800 for that. I'd try to drop to around $9000 if possible.
Consider you are looking at $500 or close-by, of shipping too.


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Chri5
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« Reply #11 on: November 10, 2013, 02:23:30 PM »

Again, if this is the bike, it looks spanking new:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ducati-Monster-Motorcycle-2012-ducati-monster-796-abs-only-524-miles-termignoni-upgrades-brembo-/350918732319

VIN looks clean. Not stolen, and never totaled:

https://www.nicb.org/theft_and_fraud_awareness/vincheck

Asking price is a little steep though, IMHO. Yes, it is basically new, and yes, it has termis on, but it is $1500 over KBB retail.
I would likely not pay $9800 for that. I'd try to drop to around $9000 if possible.
Consider you are looking at $500 or close-by, of shipping too.
Great point. Now what key points can i make to lower the asking price substantially? I would think that if i mention the KBB value, they would just counter by saying it has a 1600 exhaust on there w/ ecu etc. Then what would be my counter to that? And i would like to make the purchase thru ebay so that im protected, but i see that there are 2 other previous offers that are still pending. And i understand that i have more buying power if i wave the cash/pre-approved check in their face.
« Last Edit: November 10, 2013, 02:26:21 PM by Chri5 » Logged
HotIce
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« Reply #12 on: November 10, 2013, 02:26:45 PM »

No idea  Grin
But, what one pays for something, it is very much personal.
I'd throw an offer at $9000 and see if it sticks. If not, work your way up until price is right for you.
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Chri5
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« Reply #13 on: November 10, 2013, 03:47:58 PM »

No idea  Grin
But, what one pays for something, it is very much personal.
I'd throw an offer at $9000 and see if it sticks. If not, work your way up until price is right for you.

Thanks for your advice. I appreciate that.
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Rudemouthsky
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« Reply #14 on: November 10, 2013, 04:45:48 PM »

Great point. Now what key points can i make to lower the asking price substantially? I would think that if i mention the KBB value, they would just counter by saying it has a 1600 exhaust on there w/ ecu etc. Then what would be my counter to that? And i would like to make the purchase thru ebay so that im protected, but i see that there are 2 other previous offers that are still pending. And i understand that i have more buying power if i wave the cash/pre-approved check in their face.

In my experience as both a buyer and a seller in a retail environment, "negotiating" is the wrong way to...negotiate. The seller knows his own bottom line, as do you. Make your best offer, and politely explain that it really is your *best* offer...not because of KBB...or a keyscratch...or this or that. "This is what my budget can allow...can you accept it?" then be prepared to walk away.

That being said I really do loathe dealing with used car dealers...too often there's a ton of double talkin' BS and not enouh integrity, so the candid, respectful approach may not work. Some of these guys just can't do business that way.
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"while there is a lower class, I am in it, and while there is a criminal element, I am of it, and while there is a soul in prison, I am not free." -Debs
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