[NorTex]

I bought my 2009 Spirit in late August from a dealer. It runs great, and was cosmetically very nice. But recently I noticed the left rear turn signal is slightly different from all the others. It is has a more sharply pointed forward end. A replacement? It's a minor detail, but it makes me wonder about the history of the bike.

Is there anyway to find out who the previous owner was? I really would like to ask him some questions.

 

[Bobolto]

I bought my 2009 Spirit in late August from a dealer. It runs great, and was cosmetically very nice. But recently I noticed the left rear turn signal is slightly different from all the others. It is has a more sharply pointed forward end. A replacement? It's a minor detail, but it makes me wonder about the history of the bike.

Is there anyway to find out who the previous owner was? I really would like to ask him some questions.

That's a touchy area, the dealer won't give you that info, or shouldn't.
You should stick with the Dealer on issues.

i contacted a previous owner of a car i bought at a dealer once because their name address and phone number was on the Muffler warranty in the glove box... lol
i just had some general questions and they were nice about it and we talked a bit on the phone and that was it.

 

[Bobolto]

I bought my 2009 Spirit in late August from a dealer. It runs great, and was cosmetically very nice. But recently I noticed the left rear turn signal is slightly different from all the others. It is has a more sharply pointed forward end. A replacement? It's a minor detail, but it makes me wonder about the history of the bike.

Is there anyway to find out who the previous owner was? I really would like to ask him some questions.

How close were the signals? it took you 4 months to notice?

if they didn't match i would correct that and probably wouldn't bother trying to contact anyone at this point.

you could do a CarFax or whatever but don't know what good it'll do you.

 

[smilie]

Probably a Chinese knock-off. Check the attachment of the lens. the knock-off attach differently and the lenses are a bit darker. The sockets are different as well.

 

[firehawk]

The '06 VLX I bought from a dealer on ebay has a replacement left rear turn signal head on it. Only way I noticed it is there is a mold seam in the stem that's part of the chrome head that is absent on the other three. Since there is no other damage or sign of any repair I wrote it off as an oops. Someone/something bumped into the signal head and broke it.

Doesn't matter anyway, both rear signal heads are going to be replaced with pre '97 K&S heads that fit the cobra relocating brackets I'm going with.

 

[NorTex]

Yes, it took me four months to notice. I just now measured the length front to back. The odd one is a quarter inch longer than the others. It's obviously a replacement. At this point, I won't replace it because it's not very noticeable. It's not important except that I'm just curious as to why it was replaced and how much damage was done to the bike. I guess I'll never know. It's too bad when you buy a used bike, you can never truly know it's history.

 

[Eagle7840]

Yes, it took me four months to notice. I just now measured the length front to back. The odd one is a quarter inch longer than the others. It's obviously a replacement. At this point, I won't replace it because it's not very noticeable. It's not important except that I'm just curious as to why it was replaced and how much damage was done to the bike. I guess I'll never know. It's too bad when you buy a used bike, you can never truly know it's history.

The previous owner probably did one of those slow stops with the front brake and the front wheel turned and went down and broke the rear signal.

 

[firehawk]

The previous owner probably did one of those slow stops with the front brake and the front wheel turned and went down and broke the rear signal.

OR, he just bumped it with his leg and broke it...:mrgreen:

 

[kacealraid]

Oddly enough out of the three bikes I've owned I've never bumped a turn signal and damaged it. I have damaged them on my first ride by dropping it though

That being said, being dropped isn't as big of a deal as a lot of people make it out to be... I assume any used bike has been dropped once or twice.

 

[Eagle7840]

Oddly enough out of the three bikes I've owned I've never bumped a turn signal and damaged it. I have damaged them on my first ride by dropping it though

That being said, being dropped isn't as big of a deal as a lot of people make it out to be... I assume any used bike has been dropped once or twice.

Firehawk was joking. I didn't notice the minor scratches on the crash bars, mufflers or a very small dent in the gas tank on my bike that I purchased from my Dad until I spent a day washing and waxing the bike. Yup all indications of using too much front brake at low speed or sand on the road and he lost his footing. I've added a couple of more scratches to the crash bars doing the same, but hey that's what they're there for and protected the bike.

 

[John Hopkins]

In general you don't get the previous owners details unless they are on the ownership papers, they are listed with the DMV for collection of fines and charges..

The dealer doesn't really want you to know how much he paid the previous owner and the previous owner doesn't want you to complain about any work he might have done on the bike or admit that he put sawdust in the oil to quieten the bearings the day he sold it.

The bike is yours now, but in time you are going to trade up for a bigger or faster bike.. My advice, ignore the 1/4" difference and next time look very closely..

John.

 

[NorTex]

Thanks all. The quarter inch difference is not important to me, it took four months for me to even notice it. Since I'm happy with the bike, maybe it's best that I not get some bad news about it's history to worry about.

 

[Furball Zen]

That's a touchy area, the dealer won't give you that info, or shouldn't.
You should stick with the Dealer on issues.

i contacted a previous owner of a car i bought at a dealer once because their name address and phone number was on the Muffler warranty in the glove box... lol
i just had some general questions and they were nice about it and we talked a bit on the phone and that was it.

Actually... theres no privacy there and some states (including KY) are required to give you that information if you ask for it.

 

[Scared]

I had a girl buy a truck from me a while back. She called back with some questions which was fine. But after that she kept calling. Even months after the sale. I had her number blocked. It was an as is sale and I told her everything that was "as is". The sale did not come with a year of free consultation. I don't have a problem with someone calling me after a sale, but that's it. One call.

 

[firehawk]

...some states (including KY) are required to give you that information if you ask for it.

THAT'S scarey...:neutral:

 

[Danl]

Well was,she hot?

 

[Scared]

She was SO totally hot. Actually in all honesty, my wife made me block her number.haha. I couldn't blame her.

 

[jpr1968]

Actually... theres no privacy there and some states (including KY) are required to give you that information if you ask for it.

With privacy laws I doubt seriously that any dealer would give you that information.

 

[Scared]

Copied from The Office of the Attorney General of Kentucky:

"You can request information about the previous consumer owner of a used car if the information is reasonably available. If the dealer tells you the information is not available, you should consider looking at another car. If you do obtain the information, call the previous owner and ask about maintenance and any previous problems"

 

[Furball Zen]

THAT'S scarey...:neutral:

Why?

With privacy laws I doubt seriously that any dealer would give you that information.

Like i said, there is no privacy here. Why should it be private? Unless you have something to hide?

Copied from The Office of the Attorney General of Kentucky:

"You can request information about the previous consumer owner of a used car if the information is reasonably available. If the dealer tells you the information is not available, you should consider looking at another car. If you do obtain the information, call the previous owner and ask about maintenance and any previous problems"

Correct