The GoldWing sellers who are FRAUDS

[LK1LK1]

This is one of those "rants." We've all had a "rant" from time to time, usually resulting from a really irritating experience. It just stays with you until the rant is shared with others, or, until hell freezes over.

So, here's my "rant" and its about those (hopefully few) GoldWing owners who decide to sell their Wing and advertise their bike in "excellent condition." But, when the potential Buyer visits and views the Wing it becomes obvious that the seller was less than honest. Indeed, the advertised "excellent" condition turns out to be best described as "crap" and the seller should have included "many repairs needed, too."

I'm well aware of the "Buyer Beware" doctrine. If it looks or sounds too good to be true, then it probably isn't true. Nonetheless, a seller of a GoldWing who purposely advertises his/her bike as "excellent" and includes obviously-dated photos that depict the bike in an excellent condition -- when it is certainly not, is best described as a Fraud.

As you may have guessed in reading this, I encountered such a Fraudster only recently in Wisconsin. The Seller had conveniently (not forgotten) to mention the clearly bald front tire on the Wing, the leaking front-fork seals on the Wing, and a huge "car" tire that was not only worn but had also been installed upon the Wing. I know car tires are often installed upon Wings, but it would have been nice if the Seller's pics had shown that tire installation. Worse yet, the seller proudly displayed a new set of brake pads, still in the package, which would fit the "excellent condition" Wing.

It's unfortunate these "Fraudsters" are out there, utilizing Craigslist and CycleTrader and other sites to proudly advertise their "excellent" Wing. It's apparent that fraudsters know that photographic "bling" and carefully-worded advertising text can draw in potential buyers, even if the seller's claims of "excellence" is either embellished or a downright lie.

If you have encountered a fraudster, but was embarrassed after being taken in by such bull, share your catastrophic stories with others and then you'll feel much better! The best part, at least for me, is the fraudster that I had met will now know he's drawn attention to himself, because he had even mentioned his frequent visits to the GoldWingDocs website. Thank You.

[gford]

Sorry for your experience. It sounds like you were looking at my grandmothers old motorcycle that she only drove to church on Sundays and had all the maintenance done by the dealer.

[minimac]

Besides buyer beware, remember that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Anyone that thinks a used bike will be pristine is fooling themselves most times. That's why you ascertain through questioning the seller before going to look at something. I can understand your frustration and feeling deceived, but it appears that you didn't do your due diligence, either, or may have had unrealistic expectations. It's a shame that people sometimes aren't honest or truthful, but it's not worth getting your panties in a bunch.

[tamathumper]

I can sympathize with the OP, I did my due diligence and received beautiful photos and repeated assertions the car was perfect, and when I got two states over to see it, it was a total rat with a torn interior and rattle can touch ups on the front end. "Well, it's a used car" was the excuse given, so I turned the truck and trailer around and drove back. That guy was a @#$%!.

[the_big_h]

In my case, it wasn't the seller who was the fraud, it was the bike itself!

The seller was a dealer. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt, perhaps he knew more than he told me, perhaps not...

When I looked at it, it was so pretty and shiny, everything looked perfect. I've never had a nice-looking shiny bike before. I was almost afraid to ride it.
When I got it home, I had to take some of the plastic off to do something, that's when I started finding it really wasn't so pretty underneath. Tabs broken, bolts missing, inch-size bolts holding things together, things assembled wrong. It's a '99, but has various parts from various years installed. It had apparently been repaired/rebuilt after a crash, with boneyard parts.
I spent about 3 months fixing up their poor assembling, and adding some of my own improvements.

The good part is I now know a lot more about this bike, and I've gotten past the shiny, and don't mind flogging it a bit.

[FM-USA]

In my case, it wasn't the seller who was the fraud, it was the bike itself!

The seller was a dealer. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt, perhaps he knew more than he told me, perhaps not...

When I looked at it, it was so pretty and shiny, everything looked perfect. I've never had a nice-looking shiny bike before. I was almost afraid to ride it.
When I got it home, I had to take some of the plastic off to do something, that's when I started finding it really wasn't so pretty underneath. Tabs broken, bolts missing, inch-size bolts holding things together, things assembled wrong. It's a '99, but has various parts from various years installed. It had apparently been repaired/rebuilt after a crash, with boneyard parts.
I spent about 3 months fixing up their poor assembling, and adding some of my own improvements.

The good part is I now know a lot more about this bike, and I've gotten past the shiny, and don't mind flogging it a bit.

THAT'S the thing about DEA... um, STEALERS, they know from their people what they got. SHINE IT UP, it'll sell.
Almost got hooked a few times like that but you should see their faces when I get down and stick my head under the vehicle with a flashlight and sizable 'mirror on a stick'. Several just walked away, they knew what I was going to find.
"If the price out shines the shine, look past the gloss & you might find floss."
STEALERSHIPS = well named for a reason.

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[FM-USA]

I can sympathize with the OP, I did my due diligence and received beautiful photos and repeated assertions the car was perfect, and when I got two states over to see it, it was a total rat with a torn interior and rattle can touch ups on the front end. "Well, it's a used car" was the excuse given, so I turned the truck and trailer around and drove back. That guy was a @#$%!.

Did you see the same truck I did in Florida???
Road the Wing down after seeing reasonable pix, yet when I asked in-depth questions I got vague answers.
Prices was about right (had a new one & know most of what it is and can handle) truck would handle the Wing on the bed so with cash in hand I went.
I NEVER seen painted over bubblegum patches, I did now. Seller tried to say his young son-in-law did the patching. EH-right, I already went around the house and seen several makes of body parts in the back yard. Besides the old guy had a faint paint circle around where he wears a mask.

OH-well, took a tour around Florida I never visited before.

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[RockportDave]

Below is the ad in Craigslist when I bought mine 3 years ago.
Tires were about 75% and were 5 years old. It had new brake pads, rear master cylinder and battery as advertised as well as fired up and everything worked. He wouldn’t come off the $3,500, but it was worth that to me.
I have owned, ridden and worked on many Goldwings and when test riding I could tell it needed work, but everything was what I expected on a 1999 with 35,000 miles. I knew I was going to go completely through it anyway. Took a full tank of gas to go 50 miles home.
I would say the ad was as accurate as he knew the bike to be.
My biggest complaint on ads are the frauds showing someone else’s “2019 Goldwing Trike” for $2,000. Craigslist is full of them.
Dave