Buying Used Motorbike Through EBay

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eBay motorcycles have seena massive increase in popularity over the last few years.Due to their increasing popularity, it is rare for a motorcycle not to receive any bids when being auctioned on eBay. But how do I go about buying bikes on eBay? This simple guide will help you avoid the pitfalls of buying online so you end up with the bike you were hoping for.

Read the description thoroughly.

Firstly you will need to check the listing description.The description should include all the salient information you need when deciding to buy, such as the condition, terms of sale, any guarantees etc. Not all descriptions are mad equal - the more thorough the description, the better. If you have a question that isn’t covered in the description, contact the seller (use the “Ask seller a question” link at the top of the auction listing). Don’t wait until the end of the auction. Also, be aware that many Sellers don’t want to negotiate the price (or reserve price) of eBay motorbikess, but do want to answer any questions that you have.

Do not make the assumption that all eBay motorcycles are sold in “as is” condition.

Make an independent assessment of the condition of the motorcycle and if you are in any doubt, contact the seller with anyquestions you may have beforemaking an offer. You should never feel as though you cannot ask a question! Pester the life out of him until you get satisfactory answers. The good sellers will be very open about what you are bidding on and the bad sellers will try to pressure you into parting with your cash.Not every motorcycle on eBay is going to be a gleaming chrome beauty and if you are looking at older models you should always expect some wear and tear. Often if a motorcycle on eBay looks to good to be true - it often is.

Questions, questions, questions.

See the note above. Questions will let you get a feel for the motorcycle and will also help you to weigh up the seller and their reliability. The more specific you can be in your questions, the more helpful the seller can be with his or her answers. Questions you may want to ask are:

Can you supply extra photos by email?

Can I look at documentation (They can probably scan it and send it as an attachment)?

Can you provide the service records and beyond that the name of past dealers that serviced the bike?

Will I have to organise my own courier?

Research your seller.

Check the seller’s feedback rating for positive comments and to see if the seller has sold eBay motorcycles in the past. If you are struggling to keep in contact with your seller you should seriously consider their trustworthiness when it comes to selling something of high value. eBay has a policy to cover you if you can’t reach the seller which says you can retract your bid if you can’t contact the seller, so this puts the onus on the person selling the bike to make himself available.

Know what you can afford, and the total costs.

All bids on eBay are binding so you should make sure that you know how much you can afford first. Private Party and Trade in Value guidelines along with previous similar eBay listings will give you a rough estimate of how much you should expect to pay. Know your total costs and how you’ll cover them.

Make sure you consider all the potential costs such as:

Title & Registration.

State Taxes.

Any shipping costs.

Your state DMV site is the best source for finding official guidelines on taxes, title and registration. It is important to work out a realistic motorcycle transport solution if you can’t pick up the bike yourself. Usually sellers of eBay motorcycles can help arrange shipping, but buyers usually pay for it. Wouldn’t hurt to get some shipping quotes of your own though. You can also book yourmotorcycle transport online on transport marketplace websites such as Shiply.

Be sure to have a credit card prepared for expensive purchases!

You are required to have a credit card on file with eBay if you bid more than $15,000 on an item. You get notified when you bid, butdon’t panic, you won’t get charged anything. Your credit card details are used to confirm your identity - asecurity measureput in place by eBay to help protect buyers (and sellers) from any potential high-bid frauds.

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