First things first: Who are we and why are able to write a guide? Well, we're Four Rivers Harley-Davidson, located in Paducah, KY. Formerly Sills H-D and Sills Cycle, we have served this community for nearly 50 years.
When it comes to eBay purchases of a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, you must understand first that the vehicle you will be purchasing is Pre-Owned. It will be for sell in either two ways:
A) An actual H-D dealer, such as us, will be selling a pre-owned bike that they may have gotten as a trade-in.
B) An individual who owns the motorcycle is selling it on eBay, thus confirming the motorcycle has had atleast one previous owner (the seller).
First, lets deal with selling example A. Harley-Davidson dealerships are not allowed to sell new Harleys via eBay or certain other auctions. If you see a dealership eBay account selling a Harley-Davidson motorcycle that they claim to be new, you should both check into the dealership to see if they are legit, contact them to make sure the eBay account isn't someone else masquerading as them, and lastly inform the Harley-Davidson Company. There is a good chance this is a scam, though it could also be a legit Dealership that was not aware of the rule. This is highly unlikely, but still possible. In this case, they will remove the listing from eBay but you may still be interested enough to consider purchasing directly through them.
Now, selling example B. First take a good look at all information listed in the auction listing. If a VIN number is provided, do a history research under it. This way you can confirm that it is not a former wreck. Also, check the seller's account. How is their feedback? How much have they done on eBay? Just because they are brand new doesn't mean they aren't legit, they could just have made an account to do nothing but sell this bike. However, more experienced sellers are always something to be easily more comfortable with.
Check the pictures provided with the motorcycle. Using those pictures, if you aren't familiar with the particular model motorcycle then got to the official Harley website and look up the bike. Do the pictures provided and model given match what the official site says they should? They may have different colors, but barring custom work, they should resemble one another.
Check the color provided. Harley-Davidson Motor Company provides a limited few official factory colors that change every year. If this is the same as one of those colors (another fact you can research at their official site), then move on. If they don't, then double check if the listing mentions a custom paint job. If it doesn't, ask the seller why. The bike could have been re-painted after a wreck.
Check the milage, and don't be afraid to ask the seller any questions you have. If they really want to sell the bike, they'll gladly answer. Ask him/her what type of oil they've been using, about any leaks, how the controls are holding up, and that all the lights work.
Also double check for small things. Are the tires going to last a while? You can always get new tires, but it'd be nice to not have to put out the additional money right after spending so much on the bike. Any good chrome or other accessories that you would have wanted anyway? Thats always a plus.
Think about shipping. If they are offering shipping, is it a secured frieght style which will hold its onself responsible for any mishaps? Some sellers will only sell to someone willing to pickup. In this case, how far away are they and is it worth it? And do you have a trailer to bring it back on?
Remember: Some states require vehicles being transferred into the state to be inspected by the local sheriff's department. Make sure to remember to get this done!
Lastly, is this bike for you? Try to forget the price for a moment. If you are absolutely one hundred percent going to buy a motorcycle, then find the one that you like that you would consider the cheapest model. Now, find a few other bikes. Don't consider the total price of each bike, just the difference from the cheapest.
Example:
Johnny sees a nice Sportster for 9,000 that he likes. He is going to be financing anything, so he begins to wonder how he'll feel about that bike once its paid off. Will he be satisfied with it still, or will his riding capability be better and his need for a larger bike with more bag space and more fuel holding capability be important? In this case, is the Heritage Softail for 14,000 good? The difference is 5,000. However, if Johnny goes the cheap route and only gets the Sportster, and then when he has it paid off wishes to get a larger bike, instead of saving 5,000 dollars, he's just waisted $9,000.
In the end, make sure that you'll be satisfied with the motorcycle purchase. We all love to ride, and ride safe. We also love to spend safely.
-Four Rivers Harley-Davidson
Orignal From: Purchasing a Harley-Davidson Motorcycle on eBay
No comments:
Post a Comment