First, you may decide what type of bike you want to try or what type of riding you will do, which will greatly narrow down your choices. Will you be commuting, taking motorcycle travel with your biker partners, riding your biker girl for a biker date, taking a track day? Then you may want to buy it from a reputable dealership, where you will get back-up if something happens to your motorcycle once you bought it. Although you may get a cheaper quote from private dealership, you may have to deal with all the issues after the purchase. Next, let’s take a look at the things that you need to look for when buying a second-hand motorcycle.
1. The tyres – the tyres should have good tread without signs of uneven wear or damage. Remember to check the profile of the tyres. If the rear looks a bit squared rather than round, then it must be replaced for many times.
2. The drive chain and sprocket – the chain that is not be taken care of may cripple a bike and endanger the rider’s safety. So, try to move the bike a few inches forward to check if it moves roughly. And the shape of the teeth of the sprocket should be even.
3. Battery – clean battery leads suggest that the bike hasn’t been unattended for a long time. And motorcycle riders should check if there is a sign of corrosion.
4. Sit on the bike – after your checking of the individual components, single bikers should sit on the bike to observe the condition of the brake, clutch levers, straightness of the bars, bar-end weights and instrument cluster. Grab the front brake and compress the forks. They should react with even and firm resistance and rebound back to their starting point. Check the visible frame. Make sure there is no dents, kinks or visible damage on the frame.
5. The fuel tank – use your flash light to check the fuel tank. There should be no obvious sign of rust or corrosion in it.
6. Check what is missing and what need to be maintained – after checking the key components, single motorcycle riders need to check if there is anything that is missing. Sometimes, those harmless parts can be expensive to replace. And get a budget of the maintenance.