Ballabio Bertie Posted January 8, 2013 Posted January 8, 2013 You may have noticed my bike has been for sale for quite a while now.It has been advertised in the usual places-magazines,websites etc.I've had lots of responses - mostly from time wasters-Nigerian scammers(send money to me by Western Onion to pay my shipper.....).People who ask for pictures and the cant even be bothered to acknowledge that they've been received- people who receive the pics and then complain that the bike isn't in Immaculate condition (I never claimed it was-Its an 8 year old Guzzi for goodness sake.It's been used,it's sat outside in the pissing rain (while I slept next to it in my tent in the same pissing rain)It'sgot the odd scratch and stonechip but its a smart looking bike for the year.People who ask odd questions ("Do you have the grey cap which is missing from the engine head"...WTF? )People who don't want to take a chance because they "Can't pop round to have a look"(good luck finding one on your doorstep mate)and then buy one off fleabay...An (admittedly brief) look on the Internet just now has turned up 2 V11s for sale in the UK, both 2 years older (crinkle engine paint and fuel tanks with the pad.)One is a LeMans at a dealer for TWO GRAND MORE than my asking price the other a V11 private sale in Northern Ireland (pop round there for a look..) at over FIFTEEN HUNDRED more than mine.I know my location is a problem,but its an Island off the cost of Scotland not a Planet in a faraway Galaxy.Motorcycles,cars and goods of all shapes and sizes are shipped on and off Island every day,It's not a problem ,Dammit I'll even pay for delivery to your door.....So what DO these people want...?
Gritman Posted January 8, 2013 Posted January 8, 2013 An excellent rant and right on the money (if that ain't too pointed) On this forum we know what we've got and what its worth. Your price is good and no reason to think your V11 ain't good value. Lordy, I bought a van from Arbroath cos it was the spec I was after. Lets be frank; its the 80:20 rule - sadly we are the 20 in that equation, the other 80 can f*** off , we wouldn't want to know them anyway. Keep the faith, hold your price and be patient. Sales is a difficult thing. Good luck and hope you get a genuine bite soon!
helicopterjim R.I.P. Posted January 9, 2013 Posted January 9, 2013 There is nothing wrong with your bike Bertie. It's just you ........ Seriously though I wonder of you're price is low enough that people think it's too good to be true and then go looking for the reason. As Gritman says feck em! I hope you find a good honest buyer who will enjoy the bike. If it's still for sale next summer maybe I'll come over, buy it and have a good stroll around Scotland. I'm sure I have relatives there somewhere holding my inheritance for me ..... or I could go to gaol! Sent from my SGH-I717D using Tapatalk 2
pete roper Posted January 9, 2013 Posted January 9, 2013 Remember, you're dealing with potential Guzzi owners. So tight they can peel and eat an orange without taking their hands out of their pockets. Try selling an undesirable old Tonti and its much, much worse. They want to pay peanuts but expect that the previous owner of a thirty year old munter will give better-than- factory warranty. Tell them to bite their bums! Pete
Blueboarhound Posted January 9, 2013 Posted January 9, 2013 Good excuse to keep it if you can! Sod 'em! I second that.....
gstallons Posted January 9, 2013 Posted January 9, 2013 I thought I was alone in living around pricks that want a bargain hand delivered to them.
felix42o Posted January 9, 2013 Posted January 9, 2013 Nope, it's a universal problem. Everyone wants to pay less than it's worth and get more than they paid for. Not just a bike problem, either. I've recently decided to sell my vintage boat that I've fixed up a bit over the years, with an equally vintage, good running outboard, and all I get is people griping about small s*&t that, by all accounts, should be expected on a 1959 anything. Hold your line and the right buyer will surface. But I agree it's frustrating to say the least.
V11boy Posted January 9, 2013 Posted January 9, 2013 Bertie, Your bike looks decent to me I have noticed it there for a while. Picked up my Ballabio in June last year and paid well over the odds really (£4k, 16k miles, not many extras!) and its in similar condition to yours... there mustn't be too many of us who like these bikes, but I would have thought when the weather picks up you will find someone to buy it (who isn't a bullsh*tter!) Bloody good buy from where I'm standing Good luck with it
JerryB Posted January 10, 2013 Posted January 10, 2013 Sorry to hear your having difficulties. I contacted you a while ago and would love to buy the bike. You were a pleasure to deal with, sent me the pictures and pointed out any details, none of which I had any problems. Trouble is, as we discussed at the time, I'm in Australia and whilst I can buy the bike and put it in a garage in the UK, I can't import to Australia due to very restrictive import regulations. Not much point having it sitting in the back of a garage half a world away. At the moment I would need to wait around 12 years before I could bring it over as a 'classic'. If anyone has any ideas or knows how I could get this bike over to Aus I'm all ears ( or eyes in this case). Equally frustrated, Jerry
mznyc Posted January 10, 2013 Posted January 10, 2013 What about riding it down to Falkirk to Jim Allan's and sell it on consignment? Looks like that's your closest MG dealer .Would probably get at lot more eyes on it and potential buyers.I think the remoteness may definatley dissuade possible buyers.Ive bought several bikes on Ebay unseen in the flesh,but that might not be for everybody.Wish I could pick it up Rob,but I have a Blackbird sitting in Glasgow that I bought for touring Europe that sits as Ive been trying to get insurance for me a foreigner.
docc Posted January 10, 2013 Posted January 10, 2013 . . . . and have a good stroll around Scotland. I'm sure I have relatives there somewhere holding my inheritance for me ..... The only things I inherited from my Scottish sires are a bristly attitude and a taste for liquids smacking of gearoil and gunpowder. Best of luck Bert. Maybe she just wants to stay home with you! 1
Ballabio Bertie Posted January 10, 2013 Author Posted January 10, 2013 Good excuse to keep it if you can! Sod 'em! Hi Guy (and others with the same suggestion),I'd love to keep the bike but there's no point as I can't ride it for more than half an hour at a time.I have arthritis in my upper frame (neck/shoulders /wrists) and my knees.The riding position does for the knees pretty quick and wind blast does the rest.Truth is the last decent ride I had was the Portaferry meeting,which I've just realised was 2009! I love the bike,I've had some of the best times of my life on or because of it.It also introduced me to some of the funniest most intelligent and downright entertaining folk I've ever met (both online and at the meetings I've attended).Somebody else should be planning this years trip to Nordkapp /the Alps /Italy /Picos or wherever on it.My biking future is bolt upright,slow and behind a bloody great windscreen....(but its better than none.. )
Ballabio Bertie Posted January 10, 2013 Author Posted January 10, 2013 Hi Jerry.You still not found one down under then?Note I didn't say all enquiries were from Arseholes... Hi Michael,I hope that Scura of yours is hanging together now.It'sabout time you had the crossover and pc on there isn't it?
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