Buying a used motorbike
Buying
a used motorbike can be full of pitfalls, so here are some hints
on what to look out for:
Before
you buy:
Decide
how long you want to keep the bike for, and what you want to use
it for. Is it going to be used daily for work or is it going to
be a summer plaything, which only comes out on dry days. Also are
you the only person to be riding on the bike or are you going to
be carrying passengers.
Once
you know what you are going to use your bike for decide what sort
of bike will fit your needs, whether it be a Sports bike, Touring
bike, Trials bike, Commuter, Cruiser, Scooter or Learner legal.
Look
through as many bike magazines as you can find as well as checking
out websites and bike shops which should then give you a good indication
of what sort of money you would have to pay for different years
of manufacturer.
Then
think about how much money you can afford and work out which particular
year and model will suit your budget.
As
you look through various magazines and websites you will notice
that the majority of high mileage bikes are often cheaper than low
mileage bikes. This does not necessarily mean that they are any
worse than the low mileage bikes as long as they have been regularly
serviced and looked after.
Work
out what, if any, add-ons you require your new bike to have, i.e.:
Aftermarket Exhaust, Double Bubble Screen, Rear Hugger, Carbon Accessories,
Crash protectors, Steering damper or even a Top Box, you may find
some bikes for sale which already have these items on them included
in the price.
Next
check out how much the insurance is going to be. There are a lot
of companies out there so you may have to make quite a few phone
calls , or web quotes, but as you will find out, there is a lot
of money to be saved by trying lots of different
insurers. Often buying online will afford an extra discount.
If
you know the registration number of the bike it may be worth doing
an HPI check on it. An HPI check costs just £39.95 online
and they can tell you whether a bike has been written off, clocked,
has outstanding finance or is stolen. HPI even offer a guarantee
if they get it wrong.
Then
comes the viewing:
The
hardest part about viewing a potential new bike is to view it objectively.
You must view the new bike with an open mind, if you go with the
mind set "I will buy this bike" your judgement will be
clouded.
You should always arrange to meet a potential seller at their home
address or place of work.
First is to ask the seller if there is a valid V5 (logbook) present
for the bike. If not walk away!
Before you arrive you should think of as many questions as you can,
don't be embarrassed to ask the seller lots of questions as it is
you that is going to be parting with your hard earned money. Remember:
Ask before you buy, as it will be too late afterwards.
Checklist:
-
Have a good thorough look all around the bike, checking for any
signs of crash damage. If there is anything about the bike you
are not happy with then simply walk away and look for another.
- Check
all the panels, mirrors and seats for rips, tears or scratches.
- Check
the engine casings for signs of damage or replacement
due to damage.
- Have
a general look for water or oil leaks, especially oil leaks from
the front forks and the rear shock
as these can be expensive.
- On
the V5 are the frame numbers and engine
numbers, which you can check against the bike. The frame
number is normally found on the right hand side of the frame just
under the headstock and the engine number is normally found on
the left hand side of the engine. Just have a look and make sure
the numbers are the same and that the numbers on the bike haven’t
been altered in any way. If they have, or you think they have
walk away!
- Also
on the V5 is the amount of owners the vehicle has had.
- Check
that all the lights, indicators and horn (if fitted) work.
- With
the ignition on you will be able to see the current mileage, check
it against any Mot’s or bills for servicing the seller has
for authenticity.
-
Check all the keys fit all the locks.
- Check
the brake and clutch levers for smooth travel
and to see if they are bent. Bent levers are a sign the bike has
been dropped. Also a stiff clutch lever means either e new cable
or maybe a new clutch is required. If you also look at the adjuster
on the clutch lever, this will give you an indication of either
how worn the clutch is or how far the cable has stretched.
- Also
check the colour of the brake fluid in the reservoirs,
if it is a light clear colour then that is fine but if it is dark
and cloudy then it would need draining and replacing with new
fluid of the correct type.
-
Check the rear foot brake works and is not bent
or broke and the same with the gear lever.
-
Check the tyres for tread depth; this should
be a minimum of three millimetres. Don’t forget worn tyres
are going to cost around £200 a pair.
-
Check the actual wheels for any signs of damage especially at
the edge of the rims.
-
Check the brake discs for wear. If you can feel
a lip at the edges of the disc then this would mean the discs
are worn and would need replacing.
-
Check the chain and sprockets. You cant normally
see the front sprocket on most modern bikes, but if the rear one
looks good and the chain looks good, chances are the front one
will be as well as it is just as cheap to buy a Chain and Sprocket
kit (which comprises of front and rear sprockets and chain) as
it is to buy these separately. If the chain looks a bit old and
worn try to lift the bike on the centre stand if it has one or
lean it over onto the side stand (making sure someone else is
holding the bike up) and spin the wheel. The chain should spin
freely. If there are any signs of a tight spot or the chain jumps
then this is a sign the chain needs replacing.
-
Whilst the bike is up on its centre stand or leant over on its
side stand, gently rock the front forks back and forward to check
for wear in the headstock bearings. You could
do the same with the rear swingarm rocking it
gently from side to side and up and down to check for swingarm
bearings rear wheel bearings and rear shock wear.
-
While you are checking the front forks have a look at the chrome
parts to try and spot any rust or pitting as this will soon destroy
the fork seals.
-
Without the engine running twist the throttle wide open and on
different steering locks let it go. It should return to the stop
position on it’s own. If it doesn’t it could mean
the throttle cable is routed wrongly or the inner
cable has frayed and is snagging the outer casing or maybe a carburettor
problem
-
Take the bike off of its stand and hold the front brake on. Now
push down hard on the handlebars to check the front forks
don’t bottom out and that they return smoothly without bouncing.
-
Check under the front foot pegs for scrapping.
This would indicate either the bike has been dropped or it has
been round a track at some time in its life. This doesn’t
necessarily mean the bike has been thrashed; there are a lot of
people who do track days to get to know just how to ride their
bike properly and safely.
-
Ask whether the bike has got an alarm fitted.
If it has it will firstly save you the expense of having one fitted
yourself and secondly and most importantly it will reduce your
insurance premium, as long as it is an approved alarm.
-
Also ask if it has got datatag or alphadot or
the equivalent, as these could also reduce your insurance premium
- you will need to ensure that if you buy the bike you transfer
the datatag / alphadot registration into your name.
-
Have a look at the size of the number plate.
Is it legal, if not you are sure to get pulled over by the police
and warned or maybe even fined.
-
The same goes for the exhaust. An after market
exhaust may sound better than the original but it has to be stamped
as road legal or you could get another fine. You could also have
trouble getting the bike through the next MOT without either a
road legal exhaust or the original one so try to get the original
exhaust in with the deal.
-
Start the bike and again check for oil and water leaks.
The engine should tick over smoothly at around 800-1000 revs.
-
Listen out for any unusual noises especially when under load.
-
Check to make sure the gearbox is nice and smooth
and that it goes into each selected gear without any trouble,
do this with the engine running.
Now
for the test ride:
If you show the seller proof of insurance that you can ride the
bike and he agrees to let you then agree to a half hour test ride.
Ride the bike as if it was yours (unless you are a proper racer)
and just check that all the gears are smooth, it starts when hot
as well as cold, that there are no funny noises or vibrations whilst
you are riding it. If you normally ride a bike with a tank bag on
then take that along with you so you know what it is going to be
like if you buy it.
Try riding along in a straight line and loosen your grip on the
handle bars and see if it still goes in a straight line. If it doesn’t
then it could just mean worn tyres or it could mean that something
isn’t straight.
As you are riding along and the road is clear put the bike into
fourth gear and accelerate hard then look into your mirrors for
signs of smoke.
Try to ride as many different routes as you have time for to get
a feel for the bike under different circumstances.
If you take the bike back and you are still not sure then you can
always check the bikes history by getting a HPI check done. There
are many companies out there that will do this for around £30.
Haggling:
If
you are happy with the bike then it is time to haggle with the price.
Don’t forget the seller will expect to be offered a bit less
than the asking price but don’t insult them with your offer.
If the bike is slightly over your budget but you really like it
then try to haggle the price down a bit but if the seller won’t
budge and you can’t really afford it then don’t buy
it. There are thousands more bikes out there, just be a little bit
patient and look for another one.
If
you need a loan try here to see how much it will cost 
Protect
your new bike by making sure it is locked up. 
Return to homepage
|
