Buyer's thought process?(or lack there of?)

I'm selling a 1982 Suzuki Gs850L Bagger. I just picked up a Yamaha XVZ12TK Venture and once it's in road-able condition it'll take the Suzuki's place.

The Suzuki has a Vetter Windjammer 2 fairing and a KG hard bag kit installed. I have most of the take off parts.

My craigslist add details the mods, new parts, add ons and condition of the bike and related the fact that the original speedo was inop when I bought the bike so I have zero idea of the actual mileage, yada, yada, yada. I'm asking $1300.00 and will jump at the first $1000.00 offer.

So I get a call yesterday and the guy asks me to tell him about the bike. I go into great detail about the condition when I bought it, what I have done to it, how it runs now and what might need done in the near future. Then he asks me if there is any truth to the rumor the Suzuki dealerships will not service older bikes. I confirm that at least my local shop will not.

He then spnds 5 minutes trying to get me to tell him what the actual mileage is. I explained that there is no way I can give him any kind of real number. I have no idea how long the original speedo was busted. I told him what the title said when I bought it and that I had put about 2200 hundred miles on it since I owned it. He couldn't understand how I could not know the mileage.

He then asks if the fairing and bag kit are removable. I confirm they are but there would be a good bit of work to reinstall the front lighting and relocate the wiring, etc.

"Well," he says "I,m not a mechanic and I'm not interested in the fairing and bags and you won't tell me the actual mileage. Would you take $500.00?"


So he calls about a 34 year old bike that's set up for touring when he has no interest in that kind of bike. Then he insults me with a low ball, sight unseen offer? I mean it didn't really hurt my feelings or anything. It did make make scratch my head and wonder about what he thought I'd say though.

</rant>

 

Consider that you are dealing with a caller from a Craigslist ad. Be thankful that it wasn't someone telling you that they will not only pay your asking price, but will also add in an extra $150 for your time when his agent arrives to pick the bike up, and could you please provide your Paypal account info so he can make the transfer today. That's usually the calls I get for the first week or two of an ad.

 

Hey, k-moe, you wanna post an ad for me? With troubles like yours, who needs... uh, shoot! I don't even know what the opposite of trouble is!