question on buying a bike from a private seller

Ryosen11 · May 28th, 2010, 08:06 PM

My friend is looking to buy an 09 ninjette this weekend from a private seller. The seller still owes money on the bike so he is saying my friend can pay and take the bike home and the seller will get the title from his bank next week and send it to her. If she decides to buy it she will get the bill of sale from the seller for the proof. Does she need to get anything else? or would that be enough? I appreciate your advice!

Soujyu · May 28th, 2010, 08:13 PM

I smell a rat.

I would tell your friend to accompany the seller to the bank to have the bike be actually paid off.

Either that, or just give up on the sale. I wouldn't buy a bike from someone without a clear title.

Alex · May 28th, 2010, 08:35 PM

Some people go through with deals like this and everything works out great. Others find themselves disappointed. Unless it's an incredibly screaming deal, I wouldn't chance it. And even then, I probably wouldn't anyway. Suggest to the seller to pay the rest of the bike off on a credit card, get the title in hand, sell the bike, pay the credit card back.

I don't necessarily think it's a scam, I just think it's a lazy seller and an over-eager buyer.

bob706 · May 28th, 2010, 08:41 PM

Get a notorized bill of sale

Ryosen11 · May 28th, 2010, 08:44 PM

She will be looking the bike at the sellers house and the guy seems legit so thought it would be alright since she is taking the bike home but I wasn't 100% sure. I will suggest not to chance it. Thank you!

izmail1215 · May 28th, 2010, 09:26 PM

I wouldn't do it to much of a risk.

bobguy · May 28th, 2010, 09:44 PM

I purchased my 09 ninja with this exact scenario. It was a little fishy to me. But everything worked out O.K. It took the Previous Owner 2 weeks to get me the title...I was getting a little nervous. I made the purchase through ebay and paid with paypal...so I guess it is a little different.

It is still a risk. It's hard to tell with some people.

capt_bugaloo · May 28th, 2010, 10:10 PM

It's not like it's hard to find a used bike for cheap lately.
My advice would be no title, no sale.
Posted via Mobile Device

Verus Cidere · May 28th, 2010, 10:15 PM

I would agree with going with the person to pay off the bike. Don't hand over any money until the person needs it to pay off the bike. Then, when they have the title, pay them the rest. Personally though, I'd just find a bike whose owner has the title in hand. There are plenty of bikes out there.

ninja250 · May 29th, 2010, 01:50 AM

A lot of the time you will be OK doing this type of transaction. Just be sure the guy seems trustworthy and you get both keys to the bike and take it home and hide that mofo. Get copies of all the papers and hang on to the bike until you get the title. Make sure it's his real address and all that. Bill of sale for each person, you might even fill out a release of liability form that you can get from the DMV even though you don't have the title yet too.

Sometimes people can't afford to pay it off so they need you to pay it off for them in order for you to take the bike off their hands. You can get killer deals like this if you are willing to chance it. If you have release of liability form filled out, the motorcycle itself and bill of sale, I think the cops will be on your side. Specially if they see they guy recently paid off the bike like he was about to sell it to someone and then hung on to the title instead.

Possession is 9/10ths of the law. Get the bike and all the papers you can and you'll be fine.

tinng321 · May 29th, 2010, 05:42 AM

I went thru this with my 08 250.
It depends. I can usually tell if someone is honest or not. What I did was went to the seller's house to look at the bike that way if something goes wrong at lease I have an address. I know it's not right to say this but I usually associate the person to the environment. She lived in a nice neighborhood, her house was nice and neat and her family was there. All of these things kind of gave me an idea what kind of person she was. In the end, it's all about business so a contract is a must. I typed out a contract to include both of our names, addresses and driver's lc #s. We both signed 2 copies and had her notirized them before I handed over the bank check.
Hope this help.
GL

Greg_E · May 29th, 2010, 07:13 AM

Go to the bank and hand the money of to them to get a lean release, they may also notarize the title while you are there.

May 28th, 2010, 08:06 PM	#1
Ryosen11 ninjette.org member Name: sho Location: SoCal Join Date: Jun 2009 Motorcycle(s): CBR600RR Ninja 250R(sold) Posts: 144	question on buying a bike from a private seller My friend is looking to buy an 09 ninjette this weekend from a private seller. The seller still owes money on the bike so he is saying my friend can pay and take the bike home and the seller will get the title from his bank next week and send it to her. If she decides to buy it she will get the bill of sale from the seller for the proof. Does she need to get anything else? or would that be enough? I appreciate your advice!

May 28th, 2010, 08:13 PM	#2
Soujyu ninjette.org sage Name: W Location: Austin, TX Join Date: Mar 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2010 Ninja 250R (sold), 2012 Tuono V4R Posts: 512	I smell a rat. I would tell your friend to accompany the seller to the bank to have the bike be actually paid off. Either that, or just give up on the sale. I wouldn't buy a bike from someone without a clear title. __________________________________________________ 2010 Kawasaki Ninja 250R - "Aria" (sold) 2012 Aprilia Tuono V4R - "Perrine" Proof that Harleys and Ninjettes are friendly with each other

May 28th, 2010, 08:35 PM	#3
Alex ninjette.org dude Name: 1 guess :-) Location: SF Bay Area Join Date: Jun 2008 Motorcycle(s): '13 Ninja 300 (white, the fastest color!), '13 R1200RT, '14 CRF250L, '12 TT-R125LE Posts: Too much. Blog Entries: 7	Some people go through with deals like this and everything works out great. Others find themselves disappointed. Unless it's an incredibly screaming deal, I wouldn't chance it. And even then, I probably wouldn't anyway. Suggest to the seller to pay the rest of the bike off on a credit card, get the title in hand, sell the bike, pay the credit card back. I don't necessarily think it's a scam, I just think it's a lazy seller and an over-eager buyer. __________________________________________________ Montgomery Street Motorcycle Club / cal24.com / crf250l.org / ninjette.org ninjette.org Terms of Service Shopping for motorcycle parts or equipment? Come here first. The friendliest Ninja 250R/300/400 forum on the internet! (especially Unregistered)

May 28th, 2010, 09:44 PM	#7
bobguy ninjette.org member Name: steve Location: central virginia Join Date: Mar 2010 Motorcycle(s): 09 Ninja 250 Posts: 64	I purchased my 09 ninja with this exact scenario. It was a little fishy to me. But everything worked out O.K. It took the Previous Owner 2 weeks to get me the title...I was getting a little nervous. I made the purchase through ebay and paid with paypal...so I guess it is a little different. It is still a risk. It's hard to tell with some people. __________________________________________________ "An armed society is a polite society"

May 28th, 2010, 10:15 PM	#9
Verus Cidere ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Michael Location: Southern NM Join Date: Feb 2009 Motorcycle(s): '91 Honda CBR600 F2 Posts: A lot.	I would agree with going with the person to pay off the bike. Don't hand over any money until the person needs it to pay off the bike. Then, when they have the title, pay them the rest. Personally though, I'd just find a bike whose owner has the title in hand. There are plenty of bikes out there. __________________________________________________ 1991 Honda CBR600 F2, White/Gray, D&D slip-on exhaust, tail integrator, gel grips, Custom undertail.

May 28th, 2010, 08:41 PM	#4
bob706 ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Sean Location: Mary Esther, FL Join Date: Jan 2009 Motorcycle(s): 2008 Ninja 250 1998 HD Road King Posts: A lot.	Get a notorized bill of sale

May 28th, 2010, 08:44 PM	#5
Ryosen11 ninjette.org member Name: sho Location: SoCal Join Date: Jun 2009 Motorcycle(s): CBR600RR Ninja 250R(sold) Posts: 144	She will be looking the bike at the sellers house and the guy seems legit so thought it would be alright since she is taking the bike home but I wasn't 100% sure. I will suggest not to chance it. Thank you!

May 28th, 2010, 09:26 PM	#6
izmail1215 ninjette.org member Name: SaM Location: Houston Join Date: May 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2010 ninja 250r, 2009 650r Posts: 150	I wouldn't do it to much of a risk.

May 28th, 2010, 10:10 PM	#8
capt_bugaloo motorcycle rider Name: Bruce Location: Victoria, BC Join Date: Apr 2009 Motorcycle(s): '14 Yamaha V-Star 650 Custom (silver) Posts: A lot.	It's not like it's hard to find a used bike for cheap lately. My advice would be no title, no sale. Posted via Mobile Device

May 29th, 2010, 01:50 AM	#10
ninja250 You are sleeping Name: Casey Location: LMFAO!!! Join Date: Nov 2009 Motorcycle(s): 2 Posts: A lot.	A lot of the time you will be OK doing this type of transaction. Just be sure the guy seems trustworthy and you get both keys to the bike and take it home and hide that mofo. Get copies of all the papers and hang on to the bike until you get the title. Make sure it's his real address and all that. Bill of sale for each person, you might even fill out a release of liability form that you can get from the DMV even though you don't have the title yet too. Sometimes people can't afford to pay it off so they need you to pay it off for them in order for you to take the bike off their hands. You can get killer deals like this if you are willing to chance it. If you have release of liability form filled out, the motorcycle itself and bill of sale, I think the cops will be on your side. Specially if they see they guy recently paid off the bike like he was about to sell it to someone and then hung on to the title instead. Possession is 9/10ths of the law. Get the bike and all the papers you can and you'll be fine. __________________________________________________ <Yeah, it's a 250. LMFAO! Weaksauce

May 29th, 2010, 05:42 AM	#11
tinng321 ninjette.org sage Name: Tin Location: NJ Join Date: Apr 2009 Motorcycle(s): 08 black 250r (sold); '09 black zx6r Posts: 903	I went thru this with my 08 250. It depends. I can usually tell if someone is honest or not. What I did was went to the seller's house to look at the bike that way if something goes wrong at lease I have an address. I know it's not right to say this but I usually associate the person to the environment. She lived in a nice neighborhood, her house was nice and neat and her family was there. All of these things kind of gave me an idea what kind of person she was. In the end, it's all about business so a contract is a must. I typed out a contract to include both of our names, addresses and driver's lc #s. We both signed 2 copies and had her notirized them before I handed over the bank check. Hope this help. GL

May 29th, 2010, 07:13 AM	#12
Greg_E ninjette.org sage Name: Greg Location: central new york Join Date: Aug 2009 Motorcycle(s): 90 Suzuki gsx600f Katana, 03 Buell XB9R Posts: 868	Go to the bank and hand the money of to them to get a lean release, they may also notarize the title while you are there.

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