You see, before you pull that trigger and go through with a purchase, you'd better be sure you've done your homework.
It could save you a lot of time, stress, and money.
Here's a list of 6 tips for buying a used motorcycle on eBay -- as well as in your own neighborhood:
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1. Keeping an eye on what bikes are going for on eBay will also help you save money if you're shopping locally.
Motorcycles are a supply & demand thing. The price in one part of the country might be very different than somewhere else. There is no winter to speak of down South, for instance. This means that prices don't fluctuate like they do up North, where in the middle of Winter, you can find a kick ass deal on just about any bike you want.
For example, here's a 1981 Harley-Davidson Sportster that was going for under $2,400.00...
Can you get a deal like that locally? If you really want to shop locally, eBay is a good bargaining tool too. If you could print out a few auction pages, showing that the same bike is actually selling for a grand less than the local shop is asking--well, he might bring his price down for you.
If he won’t, think eBay!
Yup! Along with checking Kelly Blue Book, be sure to check what similar bikes are selling for on eBay. What the Blue Book says is helpful, but keeping an eye on what people are actually paying for the model you're after might end up saving you a load of cash. After all, for just a few hundred dollars, you can have any bike in the country shipped right to your door by a major shipper that actually knows what they're doing -- like Allied Van Lines or Federal Motorcycle Shipping. (I'll say a bit more about bike shippers later in this list.)
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2. Check a seller's feedback! Never, ever, EVER buy ANYTHING this expensive from someone with no feedback, or with anything less than a 90% positive rating.
Feedback is a seller's reputation on eBay. You can check out what former customers have to say about this person. Is he honest? WIll he just take the money and run? People with a 90%+ rating are more than likely a decent fella. Just click on “Read feedback comments” to check him out.
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3. If a seller is serious, and you are serious, ask for the pictures you need, before you make your decision to buy or not.
When people try to sell bikes on eBay, they'll upload a bunch of photos to help give people an idea of what the bike is like. This means, of course, NEVER buy a bike without a lot of pictures.
So, if you're planning on getting the bike, and you'd like to see some pics of the tires' tread for example, they go ahead and email the seller to get the pics you want. Don't bother him/her if you're not serious though, that's just not fair to make people go to the trouble of taking more shots if you won't be buying it in the first place. Remember the Golden Rule -- "Do unto others as you have them do unto you."
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4. If you've seen all the pics you need to, and you know the seller is decent, and you're ready to pull the trigger, get a mechanic to inspect it.
One of the great things the Internet has brought us is CarFax. However, CarFax doesn't list motorcycles.... I know -- Why the hell not!? Beats me. It seems that with a theft and damage-prone vehicle like a motorcycle, it'd be a great idea...
However, I’ve recently learned of CycleVIN (www.cyclevin.com) which is, in fact, just like a CarFax for motorcycles. I haven’t tried it out yet, but it looks like it might be worth a try next time I’m in the market for another used motorcycle!
So, we're stuck with calling a few local shops and shelling out a few bucks to have a mechanic stop by to have a look for any major problems. And make sure the title is clean (it's against the law for them to lie about this) and run the VIN to make sure it isn't stolen. It's worth it though -- especially if you're buying a $10k+ bagger.
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5. eBay provides fraud protection!
This is something eBay just had to provide--whether it wanted to or not. But we're lucky they did. Check out the screenshot of that seller's feedback posted above. You get up to $20,000.00 in fraud protection!! That's a nice safety net.
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6. To ship, or to pick up...
This is a judgement call only you can answer. However, the professional shipping companies know what they're doing. Check out Allied Van Lines or Federal Motorcycle Shipping. I've actually used Allied, myself.
They shipped my 1998 Harley Davidson Sportster to me (I got it used a few years ago) from a dealership in Michigan. I was living in Louisiana at the time, and it was the middle of winter. This means almost nothing in Louisiana...the prices on motorcycles are basically the same year-round. But in Michigan, late December is the "Oh my God, we gotta sell SOMETHING!" time for motorcycle dealers.
I got a 1998 Sportster, and Allied delivered it (fully insured against damage in transit) to my door for $594.00.
If I'd driven a pickup truck that far, I'd have blown that much in gas alone... And with those icy December roads, if something had happened on the way, the bike would probably not have been covered. It was worth the $500.00 I paid to get her shipped to me hassle- and worry-free.
If you live only a few hours away, well, maybe the road trip with a pick-up isn't such a bad idea (just be sure you know how to tie down a bike so it doesn’t fall over). So, like I said, it's up to you.
By the way, there’s no sales tax for out of state purchases...
Now don’t get me wrong, when you get your permanent plates & vehicle registration from your local DMV, you’ll have to pay your sales tax. But if the dealer gives you temporary tags, you’ll be all set for the next 90 days (or however long the tags are good for--it’s different from State to State). This means that if you had to stretch a little bit to afford the motorcycle at the time, you’ll have a reprieve of sorts from the added expense of your state’s sales tax & the registration of your tags.
It’s nice to have a couple of months worth of paychecks to recoup your expenses along the way.
Well, I hope this Short Guide to Buying Used Motorcycles on eBay helps you get the bike you want, without any headaches or stress. And maybe it'll save you some money in the process!
FYI: This list is provided for your benefit, for free, and was put together via my own experiences buying motorcycles on eBay. eBay isn’t paying me a dime for writing this... It’s just something I put together to help you out.
Disclaimer: Neither TheBikerWeb, nor its writers (i.e. BikerDan), can be held responsible for whatever happens when you shop online. But hopefully, this info will keep you from getting burned. Knowledge is a secret weapon. Use it well.
