Buying used bikes over t'internet

[gwernybwch]

I was wondering what are peoples experiences of buying and having delivered bikes based purely on an internet listing.

I've bought a few project bikes on ebay auctions on the whole they have been 'as described'. But in all cases, I have gone to collect them, checked them over before handing over my hard earned cash. Alternatively I have seen an advert and gone to view and bought it without doing a test ride (no insurance, licence etc) and those deals have turned out fine.

But buying a bike without seeing it, hearing it, sitting on it, riding it. Based solely on an advert. Am I mad?
Those that have done, are there any tips that you could offer? How is the V5 sorted out?

As a background, I have settled on buying a particular model (Honda CB500X) when I pass my test. But the bikes that meet my exact requirements (model, price range, condition, mileage, mods, colour) always seem to be miles away.

[A100man]

Ebay seller - style of advert should give clues. Message the seller with questions/concerns. Get a feel of who you are dealing with.

Dealer seller - choose reputable. you get quite a few 'rights' from buying from a dealer.

I'd but without seeing but only up to a price..
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Now: A100, GT250A, XJ598, FZ750

Then: Fizz, RS200, KL250, XJ550, Laverda Alpina, XJ600, FZS600

[pepperami]

I’m old fashioned, and I would never buy a bike without seeing it first.
You hear just to many stories about people being scammed without ever seeing the bike or the seller or thier money ever again. .
Buying like that would make me feel uneasy.
I’m cynical and would prefer to buy from a reputable dealer and pay a little bit more.
That said, reputable dealers are increasingly harder to find these days.

I traveled all the way from Ipswich to Preston to look at a bike before I decided to buy it.
The option to buy it over teh tintnet was there and have it delivered, but I still chose to look at it first, hey-ho, my choice.
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I am the sum total of my own existence, what went before makes me who I am now!

[Polarbear]

I bought wifies first big bike over the internet, a divvy 600. It was delivered in a van, was immaculate and the van driver was a mechanic for the shop and started it and went over everything with me. It was an excellent experience.

HOWEVER

Would I do it again? Not sure, The above was a small dealer who long ago dissapeared and whet is left are the big boys. If you read the thread on the Superbike Factory you will see why I would be more cautious.

A private deal? never.
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Triumph Trophy Launch Edition

[Honda434]

I bought some project bikes and it all turned out ok. Was scared till the end. I bought a newer bike that I had the guy take to a dealership I had them check it over. And they handled the sale. I wired them the money and they paid the guy. Only cost me a couple hundred bucks extra. I had the title to the bike before the bike was delivered.
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Honda434

[ThunderGuts]

If you buy over eBay and pay with PayPal then you get all sorts of buyer protection these days; basically everything falls in your favour. Don't entertain ANY online sale that requests a direct transfer from your account; you have pretty much zero protection in such circumstances. Sellers don't like PayPal because of the fees, but those fees help protect the buyer.

As above really, as lots of questions, including additional photos if needs be. That said, bikes tend to pop up randomly; just because you haven't seen one yet, doesn't mean one won't appear locally between now and you passing your test. There's no rush after all . . .
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TG.

[Ste]

[ThunderGuts]

[Ste]

Items that are excluded from the eBay money back guarantee thing: https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/policies/ebay-money-back-guarantee-policy/ebay-money-back-guarantee?id=4210&docId=HELP1238#excluded-items

Items that are excluded from the Paypal Bertie buyer protection thing: https://www.paypal.com/uk/webapps/mpp/ua/buyer-protection#ineligible-items

[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]

In the last few years I've bought two bikes sight unseen off eBay - a w650 and a zx9r. The former came with a brand new MOT and the indicators wired up opposite. A simple POWDER check would've revealed this, once it came off the van. But no - I had to just jump on it and head over to the next town. Then and only then did I realise wtf was going on after several confounded glances, etc. This got put right and the bike was fine - but it should've been, tbf. They're garage queens.

The zx9r was more or less what I expected for £1.8k. It rides well but holy fuck the headstock bearings were notchy AF (predictably). Brakes spongy (again, typical for 6 pot OEMS), and couple of other mischievous bodges. But it's all fine now and rides as it should. Lovely, smooth motor actually.

So yeah - I've done it. But wouldn't recommend it tbh. I just got "lucky" - ish, is my feeling.
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"Life is a sexually transmitted disease and the mortality rate is one hundred percent."

Mobylette Type 50 ---> Raleigh Grifter ---> Neval Minsk 125

[Feasty]

Have to be careful the other way sometimes too. I'm selling my bike on Ebay and got a reasonable offer without any questions - but saying they'll need to get a company to collect it and what's my preferred payment method.
I've heard of scams involving bank payments - collecting the bike, then the payment gets cancelled and you're left with nothing so I asked for cash on collection.
Strangely enough they aren't interested now.
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Previous: Aprilia Habana Retro 50cc (beauty), Yamaha SR125 (fell apart), Honda XR125 (nippy little commuter), Honda SLR650 (Geewhizz), Yamaha Diversion 900S (Smoooooth) written off courtesy of a stupid escaped horse.
(7 year gap), BMW F650 (Relaxing ride). Aprilia Caponord ETV1000 (Big and bold). Yamaha FZS600 (got me in trouble too quick!).
Current: Yamaha TDM 900 (Comfy, light but big, power when needed).

[Blah blah]

Living in West Cornwall, everywhere is miles away, it's almost 2 hours to the nearest motorway and that's in a different county so buying unseen is a thing.

The last 4 bikes I have bought are from the internet (none from ebay though, 2 were off Facebook !) and the first time I saw any of them was when they were dropped off.

Each time I asked for lots of photos plus some unusual ones so they have the bike plus evidence that they've got the V5 and that they're a real person with a real address. Land lines are good for this.

Then a quick bank transfer of a small deposit, the rest just before the courier turns up.

One the ones from facebook was a bit fraught, they wanted £500 deposit and the bike was registered at their old address, we agreed on £50.00.

Nowadays with the checks the bank do on accounts, it's a bit better but you need to go into it with your eyes open, be as thorough as you can and be prepared to walk away.

(and showing that I never learn, I'm currently trying to buy a car that's a 5 hour train ride away, again unseen other than lots of photos)

[struan80]

I have bought a few bikes from a dealer without seeing them, not sure if I would trust a private sale.

I wouldn't like to sell a bike to someone over the internet without them seeing it fist. I always stipulate that.

[woo]

TLDR: make the effort and check the bike in person!

I am the type that would rather not take chances so if a bike I really want is in north Wales then I will jump on the train from London and go inspect it and if all is well buy it there and then. (have done this multiple times all over the UK)

Some checks have to be done in person or by someone who is competent to do the checks.

A few bikes I have gone to check had dodgy frame numbers or engine numbers so I had to walk away.
It was better to loose the cost of the train ticket than to be stuck with a bike that has dodgy frame/engine numbers or dodgy anything.

Its your money at the end of the day and sometimes nothing good in this world is easy, you have to get out there and do the work.

and always HPI check everything even if it is a dealer selling it and they have done their own check.

Last year I was after an R1 and was about to pay a dealer £6k for one but the HPI check showed mileage discrepancies, walked away
another dealer had another R1 but the headlight plastic mountings were broke which is suspect so had to walk away (I would not have seen this had I not traveled to inspect the bike myself)
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Elen sila lummen omentielvo!

[gwernybwch]

Thanks all for the replies. Very insightful.
I've come to the conclusion that for me, it isn't worth the risk. There is the old saying that 'only gamble as much as you are prepared to lose'. I'll probably be spending around £4k, which I know isn't much to some but to me that takes a long time to save up.
Even if I go and view it and it isn't right for me, the worst that I have lost is a day and a tank of diesel.

Cheers all!

[A100man]

For that money I'd definitely want to view. My blind limit would probably be 1k.
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Now: A100, GT250A, XJ598, FZ750

Then: Fizz, RS200, KL250, XJ550, Laverda Alpina, XJ600, FZS600

[Fat Angry Scotsman]

[Polarbear]

In a private sale, sold without going and collecting, how much comeback would you actually have?

I mean if you bought a Suzuki gixxer for 2 grand and and old Burgman or something similar turned up, how would you prove anything? and to who?

Genuine question as short of going to lawyers I wouldn't have a clue.
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Triumph Trophy Launch Edition

[Fat Angry Scotsman]

[A100man]

[DJP]

I bought my current bike from a dealer miles away and was perfectly happy.

There were plenty of good photos and I did my own MOT history and HPI checks which came up clean.

I paid a deposit, they brought the bike down for me to inspect. I gave it a good look over, paid the balance by credit card there and then, and we did the paperwork in my front room.

I've had the bike for 4 months and it's been fine. You need to go in with your eyes open but it's perfectly possible to buy a good bike this way.
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Suzuki Bandit 1250
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