Private purchase of vehicle worries

treecol

We're just looking to buy a new motorcycle. Found a local one for a good price - very good in fact. Done an AA HPI - all clear. Entered & checked every bit of info with HPI info still all ok. The HPI guarantee states if the vehicle is over 30% less than market value, they would not recompense us in the event of any claim arising. It's close - we buy any bike have valued it & taking into account their price, the price we can get the bike for is a fraction under 30% less but it's close.
I've checked the log book very carefully, all is in order but I do still worry about log book loans & other scams. Has anyone got any experiences after HPI on a vehicle that they then found out was a dodgy vehicle?

DUTR

If in doubt leave it out.
Why is it you have to get that particular bike?
You have done all you can to check it and it all seems clean, so what's the beef?

treecol

Mainly worried because it's so cheap. Seller will accept £6k less than a dealer would sell it for & £2.5k less than WBAB will offer. a dealer said today they'd buy it outright for £3k more than seller asking for it.
It's a very popular bike that always holds it's price well, normally you just cannot get a "cheap" one. Just set alarm bells off. I wonder if you really can successfully get money out of these HPI companies if the need arises?

Spicy_McHaggis

If is sounds too good to be true then it probably is. 6k off a bike, are you for real?

=rizla=

What bike is it?, as has been said, if it sounds too good to be true.....

treecol

I'm going to a dealer to get a safe bike!! It's a HD Electraglide - 2011 plate. I've seen the bike at the owners house, HPI & log book tie up all seems legit. But it's so cheap there has to be something wrong. But I can't work out what. The owner could walk into his local Harley dealer (he bought it from a dealer 1st time round) & get so much more than he'll take from me.
Can't work out what he's up to so I'll leave it. Some other less cautious person will probably get caught.

Marktheshark

There could be something wrong with it, hence why a dealer wont buy it.
As bikes go they are very expensive to repair.

forgotmyname

£2.5k less than selling it with no hassle to the buyers that want to pay as little as possible for it.

Something not right there. Sounds way too dodgy. Why would i sell a bike to a private buyer for less than a dealer will give me.

Something wrong there.

treecol

Thanks all for taking the time to reply. If I bought his bike, I could walk straight into the local Harley dealers & they've confirmed they'd pay me straight out for the bike - so I'd make a quick profit - but I wonder if their HPI check would reveal more than my AA one or if the bike will fall apart after a couple of miles! Like you say - something wrong here.
Some other gambler can buy it - it's too worrying for me. Thanks guys.

forgotmyname

Is it a genuine harley or a clone with harley badges? Checked the engine is genuine and not a cheap non original replacement?

treecol

forgotmyname wrote: »

Is it a genuine harley or a clone with harley badges? Checked the engine is genuine and not a cheap non original replacement?

No it is genuine. The chassis number is correct for HD - bike is all original. Doubt I'll ever know exactly what's going on & why so cheap.