At the end of Oct my buddy drove from here (CO) to Texas to pick up a bike he found on Craig's list. He brings the guy cash, the guy tells him I need to go pay off the loan an thenhecan mailthe title. About a week after my buddy had the bike, the previous owner who said he would mail the title wont answer or return calls. Somy buddywaited it out a little bit trying to be optimistic about the situation. Now it is Jan and nothing has happened. The guy wont answer or anything. My buddy is pissed cause he cant register the bikeor get insurance on the thing. Now he is worried that the guy just took the cash and/or reported it stolen or that maybe it was even stolen to begin with.What is he supposed to do? Other then drive 11 hours back tothis dudes place...
We have his phone number and address. Dont know hisfull name, butthrough public records it can be found(if he rented or owned the house he sold the bike from). They dude wasstationat some millitary base so other then that info, that is all we have or know about the seller.
We did a car fax deal on the VIN and nothing came up. Tried to run the plate number but the site I paid $30 to for public records was a joke, needless to say I will be atempting to get my money back.

 

Did you get atleast a bill of sale with the guys license# and such?

Sounds like a messed up situation. Just goes to show that you can't trust anyone.

Good Luck!!!

 

Yeah, no bill of sale either.

 

Don't you have any friends or anyone in TX that can do a favor and check the address for you?

 

No offense to your friend, but who pays for a bike with cash, and doesn't leave with the title in hand? Not to mention not even getting the dudes full name. It sucks that he might possibly be getting scammed right now, but your friend doesn't seem to have played this one very smart.

I would have driven back down to the dude's place after the 2nd un-answered phone call. (but I wouldn't have ever left without a title in the first place, so I wouldn't have been in that situation.) Don't mean to be so blunt about it, but it's the truth.

 

[sm=jawdrop.gif] That sucks.

 

Blue is right. Even if he had a lein on it, you never just hand them the cash. You hand his bank the cash. This is going to suck for your friend, but it'll be something he never does again.

 

When I bought my F4i, I wound up paying the seller's bank 2/3 the selling price directly. (At least one decent organization can handle most of the $ paid for it) - they then sent the title to the owner, he mailed it to me, then I went and picked up the bike. - I considered the title to be the more important thing to obtain before the bike...
Frequently, once the cash has changed hands the sellerloses interest in completing the transaction in a timely manner.

 

Your friend should've gotten a written contract or anything saying he paid for the bike in full for this amount, on this date, signed by both buyer and seller. if he just gave him the money and didn't have anything written then you're friend is in trouble.

 

NEVER EVER EVER, HAND OVER THE MONEY WITH OUT A TITLE. NEVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!If you don't have the title, you don't own the bike it is that simple.