6-8 August 2021 – Rochester NY
Friday 6th August
This morning I have a very upsetting conversation with home, my partner is seriously ill so I must now return home asap.
The first thing to do is sort out the bike. All along I have been dithering re taking it home or selling. I know that I will probably only get $1500 for it through a dealer so my friends suggest I put it on Facebook marketplace over the weekend and see if it sells. I think this is probably a good idea, I can also put it up on Craigslist too. I compare it to other 2004 Honda VTX1300c already for sale and all seem to be on for over $4000 with higher mileage than mine so I go ahead and list it for $4000 hoping to achieve £3250-3500, wait and see.
I’d better crack on then… first I need to get it washed, remove all the decals from the luggage and the name from the petrol tank. I also have to remove my extras that I won’t be selling with the bike, so the GPS and phone mounts, the clock/temperature guage, the tracker unit (that’s never worked), and the water bottle holder. Once that is all done I can take some photos and get it put up for sale.
On the way back from the jet wash I call in to the local dealership, it’s a combined Harley, Honda, Kawasaki etc. dealer, which is useful to know. I check if they have a replacement petcock toggle, they don’t but can order it in, no good to me, but at least I can explain to any potential buyers that they can get a replacement ordered for less than $25.
It takes the best part of the day to get it all done, she looks absolutely beautiful, who wouldn’t want to buy it… I mean I would.
I also put the tent that I have only used for one night and a Webcam that I bought for work, (I already have one at home), on Facebook marketplace so I don’t have to take them home. I have decided to keep the fleece sleeping bag liner, blanket, air mat and pump, but, if my bags weigh too much, I can list them as well.
I immediately get a couple of bids for the bike, but they are obviously from dealers, one for $2500 which is better than Honda in Billings, but still too low, and one for $1500.. I reject both. Hopefully someone will see it and put in a sensible bid… I add to the advert ‘no lowball offers’ to discourage other dealers.
Someone offers $40 for the camera, I’ve listed it for $50 so go back with $45, no reply. The tent is on for $80, (I paid $120), hoping to get rid… I have someone ask where it is so go back with the address… no response.
I email a couple of shipping agencies I contacted some months ago, CFR Rinkens and Schumackers, for an updated quote to ship the bike home; I just don’t want to wait until Monday to get a response.. keeping my options open. I also check out flights and it will cost around $350 to fly from here to New York.
Ok so selling isn’t going as well as I’d hoped, will review tomorrow.
Saturday 7th August
I receive a quote from CFR Rinkens; to ship it from Newark to Felixstowe will cost $705 plus handling fees in the UK of £415 and customs duties and charges yet to be determined. The shipping itself is less than £1000, which I already knew, so food for thought.
After a lot of discussion with Glo I’ve decided to give it until Monday and if the bike has not sold I will take it to New York and either try and sell to a dealer there or take it home. I plan to leave here either way on Monday or Tuesday at the very latest. My friends Jackie and Chris are happy for me to stay as long as I need to, but I really must get home.
During the day I have a couple of messages, one asking if he can come and view it. I send him the address and ask for an eta, no reply! I also have someone interested in the tent, again send the address and ask for an eta, no reply.. OMG what is wrong with these people??? I go back to the camera person and say if he is still interested he can have it for $40, no reply!!!!
Another guy messages asking if the bike is still available, I reply yes… no reply, starting to be a theme.
Later I decide to drop the prices, I put the camera as pending, drop the bike to $3750 and the tent to $75, about 30 minutes later I get a text from the camera guy, he forgot his wife had plans for today, but maybe he can still come over. Ok I say, or tomorrow morning is good… guess what… no reply, in fact I never hear from him again.
Then I get a message asking if the bike is still for sale, yes, he replies… (wow)… asking for the address, so I send it with a request for an eta, OMFG no reply.
I decide to take the bike back to the multi-dealer and get a quote, I’ll need a valuation for customs in the UK anyway. I get there at 3.10, they shut at 3pm and don’t open again until Tuesday. Oh well, I’ll have to get that done in Newark if I am taking it home. Blimey it’s bloody hot again today, 35 degrees!
I spend the rest of the afternoon and early evening blogging, trying to catch up 8 days… if I leave it til I get home I may never get it done.
Sunday 8th August
This morning, Tom, who contacted me yesterday asking if it was still for sale, gets in touch and is not sure when he can come over, I go back and explain that the bike is only available either today or tomorrow morning as I am leaving for New York tomorrow and if the bike doesn’t sell I will take it back to the UK. After a while he comes back saying he is anxious about it as it feels like a scam, because the bike is registered in California and now I am leaving tomorrow. He says he has been scammed before so he wants me to go with him to the DMV, (like the DVLA in the UK), office. I say I’m not sure what he means, if he buys the bike we fill in the title for change of ownership and he takes it away so I don’t see the point of me going to the DMV with him… I mean, what part of I’m leaving tomorrow doesn’t he understand?? He then says he wants a copy of my drivers license… really… but without thinking I say yes ok and I also explain my circumstances re having to cut short my tour to return home asap AND I send a photo of me with the bike explaining that I’m a 65 year old grandma.
I don’t hear anything more from him so am now feeling like this is all just too much hassle, I am under quite a bit of strain and to be honest can do without this. I make a firm decision to wait until tomorrow morning and, if I still haven’t got any interest, I’ll definitely take the bike home.. looking on eBay I can get a good price for it in the UK, I might be able to get enough to recoup my money for the bike and shipping or the best part of it, or indeed just keep it and take it to Spain to swap with my Fatboy. I would definitely want to change the bars back to an original set to see if that cures the wobble first though.
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