What a day I had-Hope some one else learns from my mistakes

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wilcoy02

Well-known member
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Joined
Feb 14, 2012
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Location
Marengo, Ohio
I bought this 80 wing as it was going to the crusher. Been working on it, with another friend, since Jan.
Finally got it together and ready for sale.

Sat it out in the front yard and on the 2nd day this guy stops and asks questions. As he left he said I could get more by parting it out.

2 days later he shows up again.Looks it over and ask for a test ride. He was gone about 15 mins and returned. Asked what my lowest price would be. He looks at the Illinois title and previous owners stuff that was left in the bike.

He hands me a check $200.00 more than what we agreed to, signed by a woman. I went to take the plate off the bike and he asked if he could get it home and would bring it right. This was 10:30am. At 1:00 pm, I decided to call the bank and see about the check. Sure enough--no account by the checks ac't #.

OK he has my plate and I did not want a ticket on my name, so I called the sheriff at 6:pm. 6:28pm the sheriff is in my drive. We only have 2 sheriffs in our county. He took the info for forged check and a stolen vehicle report. He left about 6:45pm saying I'm going to go find your bike and for me to send him pictures of bike and check.

The phone rings at 7:25pm and he says "Do you want your bike?" Did I have a second key? No I did not.

It was about a mile north of my house.
I took the trailer to pick it up.

The cop said the bike was going south and he was heading north. Turned on his lights and turned around after the bike.
The bike pulled into the back yard of a house /shut it off and took the key. Then the guy ran into a big cornfield.

I now have three pair of jeans, couple of shirts, and a very cool OHIO STATE JACKET, and a small boom box, with 15 cans of cold beer. The guy did leave the title to the bike in the trunk.

Lesson learned:
Never take a check-always cash period.....
Copy a drivers liscense
Picture of potential buyer and car plate.

I was really bummed from 1pm to 6pm. Now I am amazed that the bike was found and in less than an hour by the sheriff.
 
You have a damn good sheriffs dept

Sent from my LM-X420 using Tapatalk
 
At this stage in your life, I’m really surprised that you’re just now learning not to take a check from somebody you don’t know for a vehicle sale. The absolute easiest way to get scammed. Vehicle sales 101.

You were really lucky.
 
Certainly an adventure of the kind you don’t need. Glad it all worked out. :salute:
 
No one TEST RIDES my bikes unless I have cash in hand, copy of license (photo), and a signed BOS (to protect me from liability).

That stated, please come buy my '78 GL1000 rescue!
 
Y'know, bad things tend to happen to people who run into cornfields. If they saw him run in, it's only a matter of time...
 
Then a good story - listed my '78 rescue on Marketplace and Craigslist. Friend calls up and says he didn't know I was selling it that soon and would be right over. Came over yesterday, listed to it start and run. Wrote me a check for a good portion of the price to hold it until next week. Last night he called and said he would just go ahead and pick it up today. He came by this morning, paid the total in cash (said to rip up the check), and rode off on it. He posted on Facebook on the loop home how much he likes it. That makes me happy. Plus, I now have room to bring the next project into the garage.
 
One more lesson should be never let a buyer ride off with your plate on the sold car/bike/truck. If this scum had hit some little old lady 10min after leaving and hit the corn fields, you would have been the one trying to explain to the cops it wasn't you that just hit grandma. Knowing the cop may help but you could end up in state supplied bracelets.
 
One more lesson should be never let a buyer ride off with your plate on the sold car/bike/truck. If this scum had hit some little old lady 10min after leaving and hit the corn fields, you would have been the one trying to explain to the cops it wasn't you that just hit grandma. Knowing the cop may help but you could end up in state supplied bracelets.
That is a really good point. In Cali we have a release of liability form that we send to DMV right after the sale, but your post brings up the question what about all the time before they receive the form!? I will definitely check that out and be careful on our next sale.
 
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