If you’ve recently made the decision to buy a used motorcycle, you’ve come to the right place. If you are buying your first bike, we definitely recommend you buy used. It’s the best way to buy a great bike for cheap while you get a feel for riding. However, there is much more to buying used motorcycles than finding one that looks and sounds cool – and if you go in unprepared, you might be walking home from your first joy ride.
Do Your Homework
When you’re doing your homework-and you really should do your homework-you’ll quickly find that there are a huge variety of bikes available on the used motorcycle market. You’ll have to ask yourself: “what kind of bike do I want?” This will help you quickly narrow your choices and make researching less overwhelming. Try to narrow it down to one or two bike “types”-like cruisers, sportbikes, scooters, touring bikes, dirt bikes, choppers, enduro bikes, etc-based on your personal tastes and needs. After you decide on a type you can move on to more specific bikes: make, model, year, accessories, etc etc.
Pick Your Seller: Dealer or Private
So you’ve done the research and finally decided on what you want to buy, now it’s time to figure out from whom do you want to but it: a private party or a dealer! Whichever you decide (and there is no reason to limit yourself to one or the other as long as you understand the pros and cons of each) you should know enough about the bike to walk into any transaction armed with knowledge, especially of fair market value.
You should also have a definitive number you want to spend (and keep motorcycle insurance, safety gear, courses, etc, in mind). It is ill advised to risk your health and life for a good deal. Safety first, an under budget buy second.
Time to Inspect
You do not want to buy any bike sight unseen. Ant not only do you want to SEE the bike, but you also want to INSPECT the bike…thoroughly.
First things first, check the frame. Even the smallest crack or hairline fracture in the bike’s frame can become a serious problem, resulting in thousands of dollars worth or repairs. In fact, any frame damage at all should be a deal-breaker (unless you are getting a GREAT buy and understand the severity of frame damage). Also remember to remove any parts that might cover potential damage.
Next, check the chain and sprockets for wear, check the battery and battery leads, inspect the tires and tread, sit on the bike, test the brakes, and look for anything that appears missing. It’s also ideal and quite commonplace that you ask to see any maintenance and service records.
Time to Test Drive
After the used motorcycle passes your inspection it’s time to test-drive it. Whenever we talk about riding motorcycles we ALWAYS stress that safety gear should always be worn. This applies to test drives. Be prepared for that.
If you are buying a new motorcycle, you probably won’t get the chance to test-drive it first, so appreciate the opportunity. If you are buying the used motorcycle from a dealership, you will probably have to sign a lot of insurance and liability forms. Don’t freak out…that’s just how it is.
You should feel comfortable on the bike while riding and the longer the test-drive the better to get a good idea of what it will feel like for longer rides. Also, you will want to familiarize yourself with the bike before you hit the roads. Get a feel for the pedals, the throttle and handle bars, the mirrors, etc. Once you are ready, take her out!
When test driving a used motorcycle, variety is the key! Vary the speeds (accelerate then brake and repeat) and vary the road conditions and types of roads (curves, straight-aways, flat ground, hills, and so on). Try to simulate, as best you can, how you will be driving the bike if you were to buy it. But take it slow! It’s not your bike yet.
Let a Pro Take a Look
Finally, after the bike passes your inspection and after you enjoyed the test-drive, ask if you can take the bike to a mechanic for a proper inspection. This will come out of your pocket so make sure you are very interested in the bike at this point. Even though it will cost you, it will you save you money in the long run if the bike has some mechanical problems that a mechanic would have otherwise detected!
Once everything checks out, it’s time to negotiate! Have a firm price in mind and be ready to walk away if the seller can’t hit it. With the power of the “walk out” you might just ride home on a sweet deal.
Similar Posts:
- How to Buy a New Motorcycle
- What to Consider When Buying Your First Motorcycle
- Finding and Buying Used Motorcycles
- New Or Used Motorcycle Buying Guide – Seven Great Tips
- Motorcycle Testing: Millions spent – more to lose!
