What to look out for when buying used motorcycle?
So I am on the market for my first bike. I took a class and learned how to ride it. Looked around a bit and decided to get either 2001+ Yamaha r6 or 2004+ Honda CBR600RR. I mostly looked on eBay and on cycletrader.com and a lot of times these used bikes have scratches and dents. So my question is what to look out for when buying used bike? What damages can turn out to cost more in the long run to fix then others?
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Tagged with: bikes • damages • dents • ebay • honda • scratches • yamaha r6
Filed under: yamaha motorcycles
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Watch out for people who have set up their bikes for track use. This involves a lot of chopping, tweaking of engines, and generally amateurish screwing up of something that worked fine already.
Look at plastic parts to see if things have been cut, and make sure all the lights work. If you can, ask to ride the bike long enough for it to warm up so you can make sure they haven’t janked the engine somehow. Also make sure there isn’t damage under the fairings…some people will put on racing fairings, damage the bike, and put on street fairings again to cover it up.
I’m sure some people do a good job, but there’s tons of bikes out there all messed up from some guy doing a half-arsed job.
PS I agree with the 250 to start sentiment. I had a Ninja 250 that was good for learning, and I dropped it twice. You don’t want to do that on a 2004 CBR 600 RR…it’s just a waste.
If it’s your first bike, don’t worry too much about minor cosmetics. Look for something that’s been well-maintained and that is ridden regularly, and it’s a plus if it has new parts — chain and sprockets, tires, etc. That’s often an indication that it’s been taken care of. Also, ask what his oil change interval is, and if you can see the bills for tunes-ups, etc.
I’d still suggest a little less-sudden machine for beginning, though, like a 250 or 400. Get what you really want in a year, after you’ve done your initial bike-scratching.
Remember, it’s the traffic that usually kills you, so don’t just be right — be alert! Good luck.
Definitely go Honda, and keep checking classifieds until you find one that someone has owned a long time and know’s it. Get up early and be the first one there if it sounds like a good person your’e buying from.
California here.
One thing to watch out for in California is — is the motorcycle the California model? If it isn’t, and it hasn’t been registered in California, then it may be difficult or impossible to register in California.
with a bike that has dinks and dings on them have been dropped. duh. they will not tell you if it was at high or low speeds. even bikes that look clean could have been dropped. dropped bikes can have outrageous problems down the road. have them take it to their local dealer and have them check it out to make sure everything is running well. your best bet would to buy used from a dealer. they have very strict requisects on used bikes. it is their name on the line so you know they are not going to buy a pice of shit. if you buy from the dealer you know the bike has been checked out by pro’s and not your average joe.