How Not To Buy A Classic Motorcycle From Me

I recently had an experience that is worth sharing. Before sharing the story, let me set up a bit of background.

About five years ago, a friend called me from Denver, Colorado. Al had visited a collector in the Denver area who had a 1954 MV Agusta CSTL 175 he wanted to sell. The bike was an unrestored original machine with low mileage. It had spent most of its 60+ years in Italy. No doubt coming from a fairly wealthy family as MVs were a premium value motorcycle.

MVs in the classic era of the 1950s and early 1960s were not imported into Canada and only a handful made it into the USA. So, this was a rare bike here in North America. Not only are MVs rare here, the 175 CSTL was cutting edge technology in the lightweight motorcycle marketplace. They came with an all aluminium over head cam single engine when Harley Davidson were still selling side valve motors made mostly of cast iron, British bikes used push rods and leaked oil from new. Over head cam (OHC) engines in American cars were still two decades away. So not just rare, but also technically way ahead of its time.

Some emails and phone calls were exchanged. The $4500 asking price winged its way to Denver. A U Ship Driver brought it to Rochester NY. I picked it up and did the tax thing at the border crossing in Fort Erie. Once here in Ontario, it got a carburetor upgrade and an improved ignition. I even found a spare fuel tank in Italy and paid to bring it here as a spare. Altogether worth around $1100 bucks more the buy in cost.

The MV was first displayed here in Ontario as part of the 2017 Century of Motorcycles display at a Toronto Motorcycle Show. The MV is the only 175cc OHC model in Canada. It is probably one of less than a dozen OHC MV singles in all of North America. So much for the background.

In November, Mr. Adam (I am just using his first name) began advertising here in Ontario that he wanted to buy an MV single cylinder motorcycle. He posted a photo of a restored OHC 175 CSTL. Yes, he wanted to buy the same bike as the one in my garage. He advised that he wanted the motorcycle to honour his 90+ year old Grandfather who had owned one in Italy. The family wanted the bike before Christmas as a surprise.

Mr. Adam only communicates via phone and text. Ok I call and offer to loan my bike to the family for the Christmas season figuring a 90 year old isn’t really going to ride it. No… Mr. Adam only wanted to buy one. I would have to think about selling but it seemed to be a worthy idea to reward the family patriarch.
After thinking about it and again via phone, I agree that I might want to sell my MV. Mr. Adam immediately expects multiple photos of my bike. He seems a bit too aggressive but I figure he has already gotten some scammers trying him out so put it down to him being cautious. He doesn’t ask my price but mentions how he can buy one cheap in Europe.

My thought is hmmm that isn’t the way to start negotiating with a collector who doesn’t need to sell. He wants me to send photos immediately. I send him a few photos. He seems disappointed that they are low res via text. I am not warming to Mr. Adam.

Next mistake Mr. Adam makes: make an appointment to come see the bike on a Saturday morning and then not show up. Call only after I have stayed home all day waiting. Then fail to apologize and blame it on ‘work’. Of course, your time is more important than my time. At this point, Mr. Adam has yet to see the motorcycle or see any of the documentation from the importation or subtle upgrades. I have reviewed my notes and know exactly how much money I have invested in this lovely little MV. Mr. Adam will “get back to you”.

Grand Slam Mistake: several days later, Mr. Adam calls again and asks “what is your bottom price?” Mr. Adam has already left an impression that he is a jerk. However, maybe his Grandfather is ok. So, I offer to sell the bike for my cost. Mr. Adam’s reply is that my price is too high and I really should sell my bike to him for what he wants to spend. Because of course “I can buy a better bike much cheaper in Italy”

Mr. Adam did not give his Grandfather a vintage MV Agusta for Christmas and I still have mine.

P.S.: A brief trip through the world wide web will show that the much cheaper OHC MV Agusta 175s are currently being sold by some recently dethroned African Prince who needs a significant down payment sent immediately to a PO Box somewhere that is nowhere near Italy.