It is awfully curious isn't it. I wonder if the seller would be so kind as to provide the VIN number for us. Given that his forum account was just recently created as well.. this is fishy as hell.

 

Things that make you go "HMMM"!!

 

With 4 posts it does smell!

How about the frame with title? Is it for sale? If you're honest, it will be.

 

Couple people doing the part out these days. There's a company I follow that is always snatching up perfectly find ducati's and just parting them, more profit in that.

 

Yea, they're called chop shops.

 

It's a brand new ebay account, too.

 

Agree that this one is fishy, and silence from the OP makes it even fishier.

However, with respect to parting out it can be surprisingly lucrative. I paid $400 for a non-running but complete and cosmetically intact '83 (I think) Goldwing 1100, but got tired of the project and put some easily removable parts on Ebay, plastics, gauges, exhaust, carb block, chrome doodads, etc. I was almost embarrassed when sales totaled over $2000, at which point I gave away the rolling chassis and engine (minus carbs).

But I think this works best with vintage bikes for which replacement parts are hard to find. Not an '09.

 

I know a shop that does this all the time with bikes bought at auction - parts are very often worth more than the whole bike, and there is much less liability if the machine is a lemon.

 

^ Sure thing.

How often do those shops open a new account on ebay and a motorcycle forum then disappear when questioned about the title status? All this seller would have to do is show they have legal ownership of the bike and our concerns would be alleviated. See post 13.

I'm confident that a legitimate shop would be diligent in securing proof of ownership. They probably don't like going to jail. This one just smells fishy.

 

I'm not vouching for the guy by any means, but his story is plausible and he has no obligation to provide proof of ownership on an internet forum. (VEE NEED TO ZEE YOUR PAPERZ!)

The fact that he has a new user id to the forum is laughable as evidence, who among us didn't create a new account when they got their bike? (He has a Honda Pilot taillight lens for sale too, quick! check that forums to see how long he's been a member!)

Regarding the new Ebay ID? Well like he said, he's going to start a business parting out bikes to make money... so yes, it would make sense to create a new Ebay account to do this. If the account is new or old, it's still traceable in the (unlikely) event that Law Enforcement get involved.

Ah, and now on to the infamous *post 13*... Just because he hasn't listed the frame and title on ebay doesn't mean he won't be selling it eventually. There are many parts of the bike not yet listed. (side note - I appreciate the irony - the typical buyer of a "title and frame only" probably has a stolen bike they're trying to wash) Is it *possible* the bike was stolen? Yes, I will concede it is possible. It's also possible it has a lein on it, and it's also possible it was abandoned. It's also possible he got the bike legitimately and doesn't want to ride it and thinks he can get more for the parts than the whole bike. I think it's a little premature for the mob to light the torches.

Like I say, I'm not vouching for the guy. I don't know him from a box of rocks. I'm just saying that people part out machines that are running all the time. I know from experience that the cheapest way to buy a Hayabusa motor for a Dune buggy is to buy a Hayabusa and sell everything but the motor - you'll come out ahead.