Lightning
Just got it firing!
So far the past 2 moths I have been selling off everything I had running to buy a used EV-T. Been trying real hard to get one for the past month but for some reason or another its just an impossible thing to do. I did a lot of research and setting aside me being partial to Guzzi's in the first place I came to the conclusion that the EV-T was going to be the best Tour bike for me and the wife to obtain.
Now with that said I will share a little story on 5 bikes I have recently try to purchase. I am not going to mention any names or locations or bad mouth anyone... (well there is this one guy I won't speak highly) anyways thats not the point of the topic here.
Bike #1: Spoke to the mechanic 3 times and still have not heard back from the sales guys yet.
Bike #2: Wasn't too crazy about the color but was priced right. Negotiated some recall work and gave CC# for a decent down payment. Thinking this was a done deal took me 5 days after giving the deposit to finally get a hold of the sales rep to find out they sold the bike to a previous party that was interested in it... and didn't bother to call me to let me know. They said they couldn't find my number, funny they called be 5 times before they took the deposit. Fortunately they never charged my card so no harm done there but would have been nice to know anyways.
By this time I am done with trying to deal with a dealer so I jump into the private market to see what I can dig up.
Bike #3: Found a really nice one but the guys was asking a small fortune for it, in fact it was the highest priced EV-T I have seen to date. Anyways for some reason the lowest I could get him down to was about $200 under BB value.... which is about $500 over my budget since I have equated plane tickets/fuel expenses to travel a great distance to pick up a bike... not to add to retitle an out of state bike & taxes.
Bike #4: By far the furthest bike away, price a little lower the #3, but not by much. Negotiated down... still hit that magic number as the one above. Also, none of the recall work has been done to the bike so there is a possible disaster waiting to happen and not too sure I would go touring on it until it was fixed.
Bike #5: Thought I had a winner today. Went to go pick the bike up about 3 hours away. Bike was priced right, didn't even try to talking the seller down. Seller was 30 mins late to showing up to his own house even though I told them I would be there at noon... which I was. Saw a little rust pitting on the handle bars, nothing serious and nothing steel wool couldn't fix. Also a little paint crinkle at the bottom edge of the gas cap.. pushed on it and seemed to be hard, possible factory defect. Cranked it up motor sounded solid and no leaks. Seller then tells me the ODO is broke and goes into bla bla bla about it... so now its exempt (by my book) when I buy the bike but I was warned already about those speedos breaking. I took it out for a spin... came back grinning ear to ear and told him SOLD. Went to the truck to grab my plate and cash for the bike, hand the cash and ask the seller for the title.
The seller then told me the title was at his other house 2 states away...??????? Huh???? :unsure: :woohoo: :S:angry:
Now I asked if they had a clear title for the bike before I came up there, guess I should have been more specific and asked if the title and the bike were at the same location. Anyways the seller tried to get me to take the bike with out a title... yea right... not going to happen. Seller begins to get upset with me because I am not willing to buy the bike without a title in hand... however it was offered to be mailed to me (possibly via turnip truck). At this point I can't possibly believe someone would try and sell a vehicle of any type and not have a title on hand... or at least disclose that very important piece of info before traveling to make a purchase.
Anyways that is the logistical hell I have been going through trying to get a EV Tour and thanks to Todd with a few emails of info I have somehow wound up knowing more about the bike than the sellers... and I still don't know much if that says anything. After today's incident Todd, I think I want a shirt that says "You meet the weirdest people selling a Guzzi"
I'll keep hunting for a couple more weeks and if I don't find one I might just have to buy another Eldo. Sorry for the long rant but thought some of you might get a chuckle at the ongoing process of trying to buy a bike... which I will add the EV-T is the hardest bike I have ever tried to buy, and I have owned a lot of bikes.
Aaron
Now with that said I will share a little story on 5 bikes I have recently try to purchase. I am not going to mention any names or locations or bad mouth anyone... (well there is this one guy I won't speak highly) anyways thats not the point of the topic here.
Bike #1: Spoke to the mechanic 3 times and still have not heard back from the sales guys yet.
Bike #2: Wasn't too crazy about the color but was priced right. Negotiated some recall work and gave CC# for a decent down payment. Thinking this was a done deal took me 5 days after giving the deposit to finally get a hold of the sales rep to find out they sold the bike to a previous party that was interested in it... and didn't bother to call me to let me know. They said they couldn't find my number, funny they called be 5 times before they took the deposit. Fortunately they never charged my card so no harm done there but would have been nice to know anyways.
By this time I am done with trying to deal with a dealer so I jump into the private market to see what I can dig up.
Bike #3: Found a really nice one but the guys was asking a small fortune for it, in fact it was the highest priced EV-T I have seen to date. Anyways for some reason the lowest I could get him down to was about $200 under BB value.... which is about $500 over my budget since I have equated plane tickets/fuel expenses to travel a great distance to pick up a bike... not to add to retitle an out of state bike & taxes.
Bike #4: By far the furthest bike away, price a little lower the #3, but not by much. Negotiated down... still hit that magic number as the one above. Also, none of the recall work has been done to the bike so there is a possible disaster waiting to happen and not too sure I would go touring on it until it was fixed.
Bike #5: Thought I had a winner today. Went to go pick the bike up about 3 hours away. Bike was priced right, didn't even try to talking the seller down. Seller was 30 mins late to showing up to his own house even though I told them I would be there at noon... which I was. Saw a little rust pitting on the handle bars, nothing serious and nothing steel wool couldn't fix. Also a little paint crinkle at the bottom edge of the gas cap.. pushed on it and seemed to be hard, possible factory defect. Cranked it up motor sounded solid and no leaks. Seller then tells me the ODO is broke and goes into bla bla bla about it... so now its exempt (by my book) when I buy the bike but I was warned already about those speedos breaking. I took it out for a spin... came back grinning ear to ear and told him SOLD. Went to the truck to grab my plate and cash for the bike, hand the cash and ask the seller for the title.
The seller then told me the title was at his other house 2 states away...??????? Huh???? :unsure: :woohoo: :S:angry:
Now I asked if they had a clear title for the bike before I came up there, guess I should have been more specific and asked if the title and the bike were at the same location. Anyways the seller tried to get me to take the bike with out a title... yea right... not going to happen. Seller begins to get upset with me because I am not willing to buy the bike without a title in hand... however it was offered to be mailed to me (possibly via turnip truck). At this point I can't possibly believe someone would try and sell a vehicle of any type and not have a title on hand... or at least disclose that very important piece of info before traveling to make a purchase.Anyways that is the logistical hell I have been going through trying to get a EV Tour and thanks to Todd with a few emails of info I have somehow wound up knowing more about the bike than the sellers... and I still don't know much if that says anything. After today's incident Todd, I think I want a shirt that says "You meet the weirdest people selling a Guzzi"
I'll keep hunting for a couple more weeks and if I don't find one I might just have to buy another Eldo. Sorry for the long rant but thought some of you might get a chuckle at the ongoing process of trying to buy a bike... which I will add the EV-T is the hardest bike I have ever tried to buy, and I have owned a lot of bikes.
Aaron
