Grim Fairy Tales

[skybono]

Just found this in one of the blogs of a motorcyclist.

Very interesting and funny.

 

Exaggeration seems to be part and parcel with world of motorcycling. You are shocked, I know. Just as most motorcycle speedometers tend to be significantly optimistic, so claims about epic rides, riding prowess, and other aspects of one's motorcycling adventures may diverge somewhat from reality. I, of course, would never do that. Trust me. Every story I tell you here is utterly, definitively true, mostly.

 

The most amazing display of cognitive dissonance in all of motorcycling though is that some people's representation of their very own motorcycle sitting right in front of their very own eyes may not mesh closely with reality once they describe it in a "for sale" ad. The motorcycle section of your local classified ads or the ever popular http://www.cycletrader.com may have more in common with a politician's campaign promises than reality.

 

Having owned bunches of bikes and sold bunches of bikes I have spent a fair amount of time rummaging through bike-for-sale ads. I confess that I love browsing Cycle Trader. Most of the ads are dull but there are just enough bargains, gems, diamonds in the rough, and oddities to keep me coming back for regular visits month after month, year after year. Even when I'm not buying or selling, I spend time browsing the ads so I'm up on current prices just in case I do decide to buy or sell a bike. It always pays to know your market and you never know when you might stumble across a great deal on that 1960 Heinkel Tourist scooter you didn't even know you wanted.

 

After looking at countless numbers of motorcycle ads over the years and driving to look at too many misrepresented bikes I've learned a thing or two about reading between the lines of the bike-for-sale ads. It's made me just a tad cynical about what I read but I'm ornery enough that there's entertainment value even in cynicism.

 

One of the things that amazes me is how often the same phrases are used by completely different people as they struggle to convince you, using bad grammar, no punctuation, and grainy photos, to buy their treasure-turned-white-elephant. Guys get very low marks for originality in used bike ad writing. This of course can work to the benefit of the savvy shopper who can decode the true meaning of the words.

 

Over the decades, I have stood in a goodly number of driveways and garages and heard the stories behind the ads that truly caught my attention. Some stories were interesting, some were funny, some sad, some were outright lies. I've learned a lot but it has be hard-earned knowledge, trust me. So to give you the benefit of my years of bike shopping experience here are some lines from actual bike ads (bold type) I've recently browsed and what they probably really mean. Should you find yourself buying or selling a bike, perhaps these will prove useful:

 

"My loss, your gain"

I paid way to much for this thing. Somebody with more money than good sense bail me out.

 

"OBO" [or best offer]

I'll take $500 less than I'm asking. Alternate: I'll only take $50 less; I just wanted to con you into coming to see the bike in hope that you'll bite when you get here.

 

"Runs and looks perfect!"

I finally got it running again after I tried to tune it up myself to save money.

 

"recently tuned/oil change"

See above

 

"GREAT SHAPE"

I washed it for the first time in 10,000 miles and it doesn't look as bad as I thought.

 

"Forced sell"

I'm three payments behind and the collection agency is calling every day.

 

"scuff on front fender, runs great"

I tipped over in the driveway, now I'm scared of it.

 

"USED FOR JOY RIDES NEVER RACED!!!"

I wanted to be a stunter but couldn't wheelie for more than three feet.

 

"carbon fiber blinkers"

I wanted to be a stunter but couldn't wheelie for more than three feet, crashed, and broke the stock turn signals off.

 

"bike is super clean"

I washed it for the first time in 10,000 miles AND waxed the tank and fenders.

 

"rare silver color"

They made 10,000 of them but it's the only silver bike I own.

 

"flawless condition"

I washed it for the first time in 10,000 miles , waxed the tank and fenders, AND ArmorAll'ed the seat.

 

"adult owner"

I'm an old fart and scared myself with this thing. Someone take it off my hands.

 

"fast & looks great"

I'm tired of street racing it and I washed it.

 

"bought from orig owner"

I'm reselling a beat up repo I got cheap from the credit union.

 

"super dependable"

It has not left me by the side of the road thumbing a ride home in over a month.

 

"very good cond, recent fluids"

I washed it and finally added enough oil to reach the bottom of the dipstick.

 

"lots of new parts, clutch, chain, etc"

I bought a junker and got it running. Buy it quick before I have to spend more money on this turkey.

 

"HONDA RC51, like new cond, only 500 mi, completely stock "

I'm an old fart and scared myself with this thing. Someone take it off my hands.

 

"no time to ride"

I got four tickets in one month and lost my license.

 

"Call For Price" [always a dealer]

I want full retail and I think you're too stupid to realize that.

 

"price plus fees" [dealer]

Doc fees, freight fees, prep fees, salesman commission fees, tire disposal fees, lot boy dusting fees, pay for my kid's braces fees. Prepare to pay at least $1,000 more than the ad price.

 

"Must sell! Moving into new home"

I'm way over my head on the new house payment and have to bail on the bike. Someday I will own another motorcycle. I hope.

 

"will consider any reasonable cash offer"

As long as it's within $50 of my asking price.

 

"Must sell due to health"

I didn't tell the wife I was buying this and now she's gonna kill me.

 

"This bike is my daily driver"

I've beat the crap out of this wreck and want to sell it before it breaks down again.

 

"Owner is motivated to sell"

Lost my job. One payment behind now and no new job prospects.

 

"must sell having a baby"

My life is over.

 

"FAMILY SITUATION MUST SELL!!"

I got my girlfriend pregnant and we gotta get married or her dad's gonna shoot me.

 

"Divorcing must sell asap"

See other ad listings for my truck, boat, trailer, gun collection, stereo system, and dog. Give me cash so I can hide it from the court and my soon-to-be ex.

 

"nothings funner than beating a rice burner with a Harley"

I once out ran an '86 Toyota Tercel at up to 65 mph.

 

"Need money for a dirt bike"

I scared myself witless on the street. Maybe freestyle motocross is safer.

 

"To many toys, must sell!"

I didn't tell the wife I was buying this and she's gonna kill me.

 

"Must sell, as I am just getting too old"

My wife and kids have nagged me about safety to the point that I just give up.

 

"Must sell due to medical problems."

I'm a squid and crashed.

 

"professionally detailed every 3 months"

I'm such a poser I don't even wash and polish my own bike.

 

"Must sell. Husband died"

He bought this thing without asking me and I killed him.

 

"never been laid down"

But the engine has had it's guts twisted out while street racing.

 

TOO MANY TOYS - WIFE SAYS SELL

ALL CAPS indicate: "I didn't tell the wife I was buying this and she's cut me off."

 

and of course the most pathetic of all:

"New bride says bike must go."

I have been neutered. Please kill me.

 

As for me, when selling a bike I advocate simply telling the truth about the bike and including several, nice, clear pictures in the ad. Avoid silly hyperbole; state your firm price and that's that. It's always worked for me but then I'm not a motorcycle dealer, a squid, desperate to sell, behind in any payments, about to be divorced, or scared of riding on the street. Debbie would never demand that I sell my bike (wise husbands and wives never demand such things) and so far I don't have "TOO MANY TOYS" so life is good even with just one bike in the garage.

[-ResiDue-]

hahahaha....

funniest thing i've read all day...

laughed my guts out at the office...

which blog did you get it from?

[skybono]

Originally posted by cephelix@Oct 4 2006, 12:29 PM

hahahaha....

funniest thing i've read all day...

laughed my guts out at the office...

which blog did you get it from?

Hi cephelix, glad you liked it the same

way I did.

 

And here is the blog...

 

forty on two wheels

[paithorn]

that's a good one bro....

 

over this forum, i wanted to buy a BMW R1100S 6 months ago(he is still advertising recently)....

 

told me nice number 3 digit plate....i found out it wasn't nice.... i told him my offer is $16.5k cos but he insist $17 is his lowest...now he is rying to sell $15k neg

[-ResiDue-]

thanx for the link skybono..

more reading material for the office....

keep up with the articles...

 

paithorn,what bike did you buy then?

[aceh]

Dats the way to put it.........

i got to be honest...........i use some of of them to sell of my rxz........

[paithorn]

Originally posted by cephelix@Oct 23 2006, 12:31 PM

thanx for the link skybono..

more reading material for the office....

keep up with the articles...

 

paithorn,what bike did you buy then?

in the end i bought an R1150R....

[-ResiDue-]

ooo...

how's the bike so far?

[paithorn]

excellent man.... love the bike!

[-ResiDue-]

someday...

i hope to own a bmw too...

but as yet...still no bike!

[paithorn]

what are u doing in vietnam? doing NSF?

[-ResiDue-]

nolah...

only doing my ns now....

taking leave in mid dec to go back vietnam

kos i did my poly attachment there..

4 mnthsof fish,eggs n vegetables!

if it wasn't for the corned beef,

i wouldn't have had beef for 4 mnths!

 

so after 2 yrs i thought i'd go back there & see if anything's changed after i left..

going to Nha Trang too...

an amazing beach!

big waves!

not as big as aussie..

but if you body board or skim, it'd be a real nice place to do it...

[paithorn]

that's really nice... i just visited HCMC ealier last month....love that place!

[-ResiDue-]

I know!..

oh, do you know if the empress hotel is near the duxton?

what's the name of the big big market that tourists like to go to?

[paithorn]

empress?? i dunno, stayed at equatorial...

 

market? Ben Thanh Market

[-ResiDue-]

equatorial??

where is that?

is it near sheraton?

or nearer the river?

oh yeah!

ben thanh...

haizz..miss that place..

really cheap good perfumes....

bought lolita lempika (for my gf of course) for $65..

the same thing here costs like $80+

[paithorn]

equatorial is district 5.....sheraton is better, in district 1...

[-ResiDue-]

district 5?

never been out of district 1 except for nha trang....

sheraton more ex..

i prefer the backpackers hotel....

u get more feel for the area...

n laundry is $1 per kilo..ahahahaha