There is currently a motorcycle for sale in my area, for a good price. However, it has twice the mileage, it’s an ‘18, that most bikes from this year have, which is still not high. However, the same bike in a different color, with half the mileage, for $300 less is available about 3 hours away. I like the color of the closer one but am wondering about resale value on the one with 1000 more miles on it.
Would you drive 3 hours for a lower mileage bike?
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How much mileage is on it? As a daily all-season rider, I do around 10,000 miles (16,000km)
each year. It would not be unreasonable for a 1-2 year old bike to have well over 10,000 miles
on the clock.
A weekend or seasonal rider will usually do a lot less mileage. In many cases the rider
will also run a car and/or have more than one bike, so that mileage is spread across
several vehicles.
Your money, your choice. I find that travelling a long distance is always a risk
because many sellers don't give an honest description of the bike. Online listings
often make false or exaggerated claims like "mint condition". Maybe people are
more honest in your part of the world?
1000 miles isn't a lot. I did over 2000 miles last month.
many sellers don't give an honest description of the bike
Couldn't be more true. My brother looked at one that a co worker brought to his work that he had for sale. The night before he sent pics that looked like a brand new bike. It was. Pics form the day he bought it 10 years ago. When the bike showed up it had been laid down on both sides, the tank was bashed in pretty bad and has a flamed paint that would be expensive and near impossible to reproduce, the front forks were dripping oil, and the tires were rotten and the tread wear pattern was really bad. The shifter was bent all out of wack and needed to be replaced and left you wondering what parts behind that shifter on the inside has been bent or damaged. When they talked price and he made an offer of just 1500 the guy got all upset. He still had it in his mind as a brand new bike. To bring it to safe rideable shape, you can just buy a bike already and not mess with it.
Always be prepared to make a un-emotional decision and be prepared to say no and walk away.
Couldn't be more true. My brother looked at one that a co worker brought to his work that he had for sale. The night before he sent pics that looked like a brand new bike. It was. Pics form the day he bought it 10 years ago. When the bike showed up it had been laid down on both sides, the tank was bashed in pretty bad and has a flamed paint that would be expensive and near impossible to reproduce, the front forks were dripping oil, and the tires were rotten and the tread wear pattern was really bad. The shifter was bent all out of wack and needed to be replaced and left you wondering what parts behind that shifter on the inside has been bent or damaged. When they talked price and he made an offer of just 1500 the guy got all upset. He still had it in his mind as a brand new bike. To bring it to safe rideable shape, you can just buy a bike already and not mess with it.
Always be prepared to make a un-emotional decision and be prepared to say no and walk away.
That’s true. I just had an experience like that with a dirt bike that i went to see. I paid for a truck rental and drove 2 hours. It was advertised as brand new. It was rusted and looked beat and I don’t think the year was as advertised either.
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It wasn't three hours away, and it wasn't a bike I was buying, but it sure sucked when I arrived and heard, "Oh, I thought you weren't coming, .... I just sold it, Sorry." Almost as bad was showing up and they weren't there, or the time they were there, but "Dang, where did I put that generator? I thought it was in the shed. Follow me across town, it must be at my parent's place."
This is why now, I try to get the seller to put some skin in the game. Having them meet you 1/2 way, or 1/4 of the way, or anyplace other than their home is a good start towards ensuring they will actually be there with the goods, somewhere near the designated time. This also doesn't hurt with the negotiations. Asking for pictures of everything, and repeating the phrase, "I'm driving a long way, and I don't want to be disappointed" doesn't hurt either.
Of course, if you have been searching for the holy grail, and they are giving it away for next to nothing, you just jump in the truck and get there as fast as you can.
This is why now, I try to get the seller to put some skin in the game. Having them meet you 1/2 way, or 1/4 of the way, or anyplace other than their home is a good start towards ensuring they will actually be there with the goods, somewhere near the designated time. This also doesn't hurt with the negotiations. Asking for pictures of everything, and repeating the phrase, "I'm driving a long way, and I don't want to be disappointed" doesn't hurt either.
Of course, if you have been searching for the holy grail, and they are giving it away for next to nothing, you just jump in the truck and get there as fast as you can.
Depends on my judgement of how credible the seller is-- and that's hardly infallible. Not long ago, I drove 1.5 hours to look at a bike, and ended up with a big disappointment. I should have known -- two short conversations, and I had learned enough to know that his description was overly-enthusiastic. But the photos looked really good, and even the problems he 'fessed up to on the phone weren't all that big a deal. When I got there -- uh-oh. Immediately clear, the photos he had sent me were NOT his bike, and things just went downhill from there...
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I'm curious as to why the same bike, with lower mileage and $300 cheaper, is $300 cheaper with lower mileage.
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It's kind of like buying something on eBay. You don't know what you get until you open the package. I bought a used notebook once and when it arrived, it looked new and had two years of warranty including accidental coverage that the seller never mentioned. Another time the notebook I bought was dirty, the case had cracks and it smelled like it came from a digital sweatshop where the user chain-smoked the entire time it was in use. Both were described as in excellent condition.
It doesn't cost much to rent a trailer and bring the bike home, if you like the bike.
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Mils, have you tried Cycle Trader?
You can find bikes in your area pretty easily that way.
That way, you can look at a lot of bikes without driving all over the place.
And if the seller is close by, they may ride it to your house for you.
You can find bikes in your area pretty easily that way.
That way, you can look at a lot of bikes without driving all over the place.
And if the seller is close by, they may ride it to your house for you.
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I think it's quite true that the used market in motorcycles varies quite a bit from place to place. Here in the USA midwest, I see lots of low mileage, excellent condition used bikes, for quite reasonable prices. I think this is due to two things. Almost everyone who relies on personal transportation, also has a car, and those cars are used almost exclusively during bad weather, and during the winter. This leaves the bikes spending a lot of time in the garage. Of course there are exceptions, but I think this is true, on average, vs other locations.
My brother lives in Southern California, and he reports that prices there, are noticeably higher, and that low mileage bikes are harder to find. No surprise, it also never snows there and seldom rains.
I was internet chatting with a guy from India, and he said that low mileage bikes are extremely scarce there, and that they don't depreciate nearly as much as bikes do in our US market. Their used market is selling transportation, our used market is selling last years unwanted toys.
My brother lives in Southern California, and he reports that prices there, are noticeably higher, and that low mileage bikes are harder to find. No surprise, it also never snows there and seldom rains.
I was internet chatting with a guy from India, and he said that low mileage bikes are extremely scarce there, and that they don't depreciate nearly as much as bikes do in our US market. Their used market is selling transportation, our used market is selling last years unwanted toys.
Heck with the mileage 1000 miles want be much in the long run. I’d by the red one. I like red Bikes.
My Red Bike is only two months old. Today I put 800+ k or just over 500 miles on it. Tomorrow I will put another 800 k or 500miles on it.
Not quite double the mileage in two days.
It was fun though.
Or I could leave it in the garage where it will still deteriorate, just in a diffrent way.
If you like the one nearby go check it out. Tell him you are also contemplating the other bike. And tell him you like the other color better.
He might sharpen his deal to get a sale.
Even if he doesn’t a couple of thousand miles is still practically new.
My Red Bike is only two months old. Today I put 800+ k or just over 500 miles on it. Tomorrow I will put another 800 k or 500miles on it.
Not quite double the mileage in two days.
It was fun though.
Or I could leave it in the garage where it will still deteriorate, just in a diffrent way.
If you like the one nearby go check it out. Tell him you are also contemplating the other bike. And tell him you like the other color better.
He might sharpen his deal to get a sale.
Even if he doesn’t a couple of thousand miles is still practically new.
I got a video of the motorcycle. Looked fine. However, given all the bad experiences I’ve had, I still don’t feel comfortable paying this guy electronically ahead of time, which is what he wants. Ideally, I’d go and see it in person, then head over to the bank, regardless of whether I’d seen a video or not. How do I know the bike in the video has a VIN that matches what’s on the loan? Between the time I make an e payment and the time I get there, the bike could be stolen or wrecked. I don’t understand the difference in waiting a day or two. I get turned off to pushy sellers.
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Now that sounds fishy and I would never do it. Face to face transaction should be fine unless he plans on taking your money and leaving the area. That's a red flag in my book.
Whoa. I'd have to say, "Sorry fella, but no d****d way!" I would also drop, permanently, any idea of going to see it. Period, end of story.
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I've offered advance DEPOSIT before. When I wanted something, couldn't get there immediately and had a good feeling from communicating with the seller over the phone, I have offered to give them an advance down payment, $50 or so, via Paypal or equivalent electronic banking method. In each case, it was MY idea and MY suggestion, and in no case has anybody ever taken me up on the offer. The idea is to get them to understand that I'm going to show up when I say, and that I'm a serious buyer, and that seems to work.
+1 what has been said about steering clear of sellers who want payment in advance, and that goes double for those who want payment wired to a foreign country. There are too many scams out there nowadays to list. I think some of these bogus ads on Craigslist aren't even trying to get money out of people, they only seem to want email addresses.
I buy lots of stuff 2nd hand, as I say, "everything but food, ammo and underwear", so I have seen some scams.
+1 what has been said about steering clear of sellers who want payment in advance, and that goes double for those who want payment wired to a foreign country. There are too many scams out there nowadays to list. I think some of these bogus ads on Craigslist aren't even trying to get money out of people, they only seem to want email addresses.
I buy lots of stuff 2nd hand, as I say, "everything but food, ammo and underwear", so I have seen some scams.
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