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jeepwm69

Selling ATV's.....I hate it

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Just sold the yellow 2006 Foreman. 

 

Guys (three of them) show up and don't know anything at all about Hondas.  I explained how to get it into reverse, how it had to be in neutral to start, unless you're holding down the right brake, and where the choke is.

 

Wheeler starts up, but as soon as the choke is taken off it slows way down, dies.  We do that a couple of times and I'm thinking to myself "this thing has been perfect and now when a buyer is looking at it it's going to act up?"

 

Guy rips off on it, goes around the corner of my office, and disappears.  We wait...and wait...and wait.   I'm thinking "Did it die on him?"  Then I think "Crap, I left the petcock shut off!"  I tell the other two guys that, and they try to call the rider, but about that time he comes back around the building.  I asked him if it was acting up, and point to the gas valve, which is off.  I turn it back on, guy rides around the parking lot a couple of times and is it does fine after that.


We agree on a price, he hands over money.  I point out the pull start, air cleaner etc.  Guy gets back on it to pull it up on the trailer.  Hits the start button.  Nothing.  Now I'm thinking "You gotta be kidding me!"   Then he remembers he flipped the kill switch on the handlebars.  Fires right up, and onto the trailer it goes.

 

Every time I try to sell one of these things, I freak out thinking about every little detail and wondering if it's going to be a problem to the buyer.  My buddies all laugh at me and say I try to talk myself out of a sale, pointing out every little flaw, but there are so many scumbags out there these days and if I'm selling something I want it to be right.

 

Anyhow, I did ok on that Foreman.  I was shocked at how many people showed interest given that it was an ES and yellow, but had quite a few interested.  Might have something to do with the stimulus money everybody just got...lol

 

Anyhow, that should be a good one.  Engine ran like a sewing machine.  It was in great shape when I bought it other than the engine, and I went through it, updated first gear, put a new top end on it, and replaced all the gaskets and seals in it.  Was a very clean bike to be 14 years old and have 4K miles on it. 

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Nice clean looking machine! It will last a long, long time for sure, if they do a little maintenance... and dont sink it....

 I like for things to be right too, and take a lot of pride in my work and dont take shortcuts on something I am going to sell, so when i have a bike to resell, If its questionable, I open the motor and clean it (by the way starting fluid went up here 1.25 a can at Walmart 3.72 now....?) and do all the essentials, like cam chain, gaskets rings and the odd bearing or two etc..

 I try to put 20 miles or so on the motor after going thru it, to leak check, seat rings/heat cycle etc-  just to make sure

I know that feeling when something acts goofy right when a seller is looking at it-had a neutral bulb go out that that was good

2 minutes earlier, was able to replace, but it decided to quit after 20 years, 1 minute before seller showed up....lol

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Exactly!  This one got a new timing chain, new top end, new gaskets, updated 1st gear set, and new seals on the output shaft, crank (under pull start), shifter, and reverse pins.  It was a nice, quiet running motor when I got through with it.  I've run it a few miles to check things out and it seemed good to go.  It just acted cold natured this morning and I was "CRAP!"  

 

Gotta turn the gas on....dummie.

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lol, trust me bro, in our line of bizz ?, IT ALWAYS HAPPENS WHEN SOMEONE SHOWS TO LOOK/BUY !!!..LOL. been there a few times myself, AND YOU KNOW HOW I AM ABOUT MY BUILDS !!!..LOL. the worst one i ever did was that stupid trx500fm..that dang 1st gear ate my lunch !..had it done ( or i thought ? ), went to test drive it, pop !..hmm..came in, took it right back off CL's !!!, i can't sell something that is not right !.

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When I was selling my excavator a while back , the first guy that called is an old guy  and starts right off the bat  "" I don't want to pay what your asking , but I want to come see it , what's your address  "" , I told him flat out "  no , it would be  a waste of my time "  and I told him good-by and hung up on him , he called right back and I started to not answer , but did and told him again that I never had time for him to come see it if he didn't want to pay what I was asking , so I knew his number and wouldn't answer him as he call again , then he got his daughter to call and she said he really wants it and wants to come see it , I told her that he pee'ed me off by  said he didn't want to pay what I was asking before ever seeing it , so it was a waste of my time to let him come look at it and ask me a thousand questions and try to beat me down on price , so  the next day , she called back again  to say , that her dad is a friend of one of my friends , he told her dad  it was a good deal , and that he wanted to come see it and would be willing to pay the price if he liked it , I told her it was sold  ---then the guy tells our mutual friend that I treated him wrong ----I bet he never starts a conversation again with " I don't want to pay what you are asking but want to come see it " 

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Might have something to do with the stimulus money everybody just got...lol

 

lol! well .. at least you'll be getting some of your tax dollars back :-) 

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I'm interested in what you had to do with starting it while holding down the right brake? Is that an ES thing?

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45 minutes ago, Chevymec said:

I'm interested in what you had to do with starting it while holding down the right brake? Is that an ES thing?

 

 

Your 05 should start in gear the same way. 

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1 hour ago, Chevymec said:

I'm interested in what you had to do with starting it while holding down the right brake? Is that an ES thing?

Yours does it. If it doesn’t you might check the wires on the microswitches on your right brake lever.

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Son of a gun, it worked!! I really have never heard that before, learned something new!! Thanks guys.

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Congrats Jeep!  I've been pretty fortunate on every thing I've sold has always worked as advertised. Knock on wood.

 

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14 hours ago, Chevymec said:

Son of a gun, it worked!! I really have never heard that before, learned something new!! Thanks guys.

 

Now when you ride an older one that doesn't have that feature, it will REALLY irritate you.😅

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