Royal Enfield motorcycle for sale? How tough should your ad be?

Royal Enfield motorcycles are like any other motorcycles when it comes time to sell. You want to attract buyers who are sincerely interested, considerate and ready and willing to pay, in cash.

The best way to do that is to place an attractive, complete and honest ad illustrated with good pictures of the motorcycle. Some sellers also choose to lay down some firm rules.

"All payments must be made in cash," is probably a good rule. But some sellers don't stop there.

Here's what one advertiser added:

"If you want to test ride, please bring a helmet, motorcycle endorsed license (I will hold on to it while you ride) and something of equal or greater value for collateral, for example, the cost of the motorcycle in cash, your car keys etc. If you drop it, you buy it."

Too tough? At least he said "please."

My thought is this: the person who wants to look at the motorcycle has to contact you for your address anyway. Why not lay down the law at that point, on the telephone, when your voice can indicate your sincerity?

"I'm sorry," you could say, "but the house rules only allow test rides by people with motorcycle endorsements and you must wear your helmet. We can trade keys while you ride."

We all know that, either way, potential buyers may show up in a taxi with no license, no helmet and no cash. It doesn't help that so many guys think they have to dress like characters in Grand Theft Auto when they look at motorcycles.

Courtesy, on both sides, can go a long way toward establishing trust.