Topic: The longer I stay in the Biz the dumber my buying sources become

[ElCheapo]

It is funny really. It appears the longer I am in this biz the dumber my sources become and the SMARTER my customers become. Generally people I buy from are not biker types. You know the got it from someones brother who got it from someones dead husbands now deceased widow, and the list goes on. And in certain areas of my glorious state, sharp as a rubber ball and slower than pouring 90 weight up hill at -50 degrees.

Lucky me the majority of people I sell to are a much different class. Many have their act together nicely and come with cash and ready to do a deal. You can just tell that they are bikers at heart and will not let the bike I resurrected from the dead sit and rot.

The sellers are another story. I inquire about a motorcycle listed on a community board on line. I send them and email. They email back repeatedly and seem to be fast and furious to sell. I figure, an easy pick up and a fast deal. I travel 30 minutes to be greeted with a guy would could not get out of the way of a stationary broken down, trapped in a growing oak tree tractor. Ask him a question, he appears lost like a calf staring at a new fence. After a minute or two of being lost he starts messing with the brake lever and looking at the bike like I am not there. After about 5 minutes of a deafening silence it is all he has to muster - Nooo ?

With the patience of a saint and realizing I am saving this bike from certain slow rotting death I keep trying but can never speed him up. After about 30 minutes of this slow crap we agree on a price. He almost made me hate dickering a price, I would pay more just to get it moving. So now comes the load up, now in the same slow pattern set before he can not locate the title. After another 20 minutes of wasted time watching him move slower than a cow with no legs I was forced to give up all together. Funny thing is this guy was all over me like it had to go right now, TODAY, HURRY in email. When I call him on it and have cash in hand he can not make the deal go. I would have nothing to say about one of these, but it appears that we have something in the water as this has happened 3 times in similar fashion. They contact me in some apparent desperation to sell and then suddenly go fish when I call them on their bluff with cash in hand.

I can tell you I am not drinking the damn water here. That nasty smell that comes from the disinfectants in dairies,,, WILL MESS UP YOUR BRAIN!! These people are proof positive that the smell that emanates from this stuff will cause post birth-birth defects. 

[Bob Wessner]

Sounds frustrating. Maybe it's sellers remorse? They 'think' selling is a good idea at first, but when someone shows interest and they get to focus on it, they start having second thoughts about the sale. 

[ElCheapo]

Sounds frustrating. Maybe it's sellers remorse? They 'think' selling is a good idea at first, but when someone shows interest and they get to focus on it, they start having second thoughts about the sale. 

I wish it was that easy, this guy worked like a cow had stepped on his head. Seems real hopless when you get in this spot.

[6pkrunner]

I find in a lot of cases the seller just wants someone to talk to. They post the ad, you respond, show up and hten they want to talk about the item, and all the glory days they, or their kid, friend, etc had in or on it back in the day. Not to devalue their life storys, but I'm a get and go type of person. Take your money, gimme the goods, see ya!
However, one fellow did wind up giving me an F3 of his son's. The son got divorced and stored the bike at his father's garage. I was first to respond and after talking to the guy for about 20 minutes he gave me the whole thing lock stock and already signed by son papers. The bike needed a total resto, but was not a basket case either.

[ElCheapo]

Well those customers are nice to find. I dont mind to stop and chat. My wife says I'm a Chatty Cathy most times ( I could talk bikes all day for the most part, keep in mind BIKES IS ALL I DO - I dont do anything unless it is bike related).

I have had many of those happen where we start talking and all of a sudden a bunch of bonus stuff comes out, a neighbor stops by and says he has a few bikes. I had a few times where a call for a single bike ended up being 4 trips for multiple bikes and boxes and boxes of parts in the same valley. Made me wish for a truck and bigger trailer.

My point was, it would be nice of people participate in a conversation and the task at hand. The dumb ones don't. Like one hand clapping.

[Bob Wessner]

Chatty Cathy ElCheapo.. does have a certian ring to it. 

[dusterdude]

Chatty Cathy ElCheapo.. does have a certian ring to it. 

yea,hello cathy,its good to meet you.

[hondav4]

the sellers that make me mad are the ones that think the junk they are sellling is gold.
And want top dollar for it errrrrr!!!!!!!!

[ElCheapo]

the sellers that make me mad are the ones that think the junk they are sellling is gold.
And want top dollar for it errrrrr!!!!!!!!

I had one of those the other day. Some meat calling me to sell a CB 750 motor that was locked solid for $60. I offered him $40 and he said he could get more than that scrapping it. I told him all scrapped down less the steel parts the motor is worth a whopping $10 in aluminum.

[Terry in Australia]

G'Day Tom, how are you mate? Hey that seat arrived yesterday, thanks for that!

Well I think it's got more to do with your business and the people that you'll regularly deal with. I have a mate with a bike wrecking business, he has similar problems to you in that a lot of his "sources" for bikes are morons from a pretty scary neighbourhood (public housing) who aquire these bikes, then leave 'em in the weather for several months or years before selling (or giving) them to my mate Jeff.

Jeff said to me once that when your dealing with the bottom end of the bike market, you have to deal with the bottom end of society............... Cheers, Terry.

[ElCheapo]

G'Day Tom, how are you mate? Hey that seat arrived yesterday, thanks for that!

WOW that took a damn long time. I figured you have that weeks ago at the latest.

Jeff said to me once that when your dealing with the bottom end of the bike market, you have to deal with the bottom end of society............... Cheers, Terry.

This is very very true I think  . It's all good, trust me I do not want the money to go away. 

[Terry in Australia]

G'Day Tom, yeah, 3 months on average for surface to Oz from the US, but there was no rush with the seat, and that tool tray looks great, and the wiring harness will be good too, with a few minor repairs.

I'm glad business is good, and I guess now you're heading into summer business will increase as those odd looking snow-drifts melt, revealing slightly rusty motorcycles again, and people want them out of their yards?

Just keep me informed with what interesting CB750 parts you find, particularly something with a set of race carbs, I need them for my racer project! Cheers mate, Terry.