Buying a motorcycle on ebay can be disconcerting. The most important thing is reading all of the listing and the seller's feedback BEFORE placing a bid. My shortcoming has been that I am impatient so I just look at the score and bid. A seller's score might only be from buying items. If this is the case the score may be helpful to indicate the general ethics of the person however the responsibilities of selling are wholly different from buying and so a much greater degree of caution is required for a seller who is new. Actually reading about the problems the seller has had and how they have dealt with them is a great indicator of what will happen if you have a problem. If the feedback is unclear (it's impossible to get everything from a bad transaction into the limited space for feedback) try to contact the person who left the feedback by clicking on their name and then the Contact a Member button. The effort you make in ascertaining the charachter of a person will be well worth the savings in money and trouble later. Keep in mind that some bad feedback is left by less functioning people and you can usually tell this by the feedback they leave or by checking out their feedback.
Making sure you understand and agree with all the listing's "fine print" can save hassle later. Don't assume the seller will be flexible on any of the terms or you may have a problem. Contacting a seller and asking them questions about the terms is a good time to ask other questions about the item you have. Five questions about the item can easily double your knowledge about the item. If the item you are buying is largely available then searching for the items nearest you is a great idea. It is wholly possible to get a great deal without seeing or testing the item. However it is easier with a diamond ring than a motorcycle. With the motorcycle you are entirely basing your knowledge of it's running condition on someone's honesty and more importantly on their mechanical knowledge. An honest seller without mechanical ability may think that tick tick tick is how it is supposed to sound. That is why I recommend with items like the motorcycle, buying near enough that you can drive to and check the item in person if possible. This may take a little longer to find the right item but it is a more secure way to buy.
For very expensive items a third party escrow is worth the fees they charge. If you are using a shipper sometimes they can provide this service for you. Following the above advice should ensure a smooth, satisfying transaction.


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