Buying a second-hand motorcycle could seem like an overwhelming thing especially to first-time buyers. However, anyone could do it and get a good deal if they know what to look for.
It’s always best to take an opinion of an expert like the owner of a motorcycle shop, but they might charge you for their service for they know exactly what to look for and make sure that your money is spent on something worth it.
If you do not know what things to keep in mind before buying a used motorcycle, then you’ve come to the right place.
Here’s a short guide of tips when buying a used motorcycle.
6 Tips for Buying a Used Motorcycle
- Always Start with Research
- Check the Engine
- Check the Brakes, the Tires, and the Gears
- Check for any Cosmetic Damages
- Make sure that the bike is insured
- Make Sure to have Proper Purchasing Papers
Always start with research
You might be tempted to buy the motorcycle right away, but you need to know if it’s worth your money. Always do extensive research about the model of motorcycle that you are planning on buying.
Look for any information you can find to know in detail about the specs, features and latest prices in the market.
When buying a used motorcycle, you might want to consider the fuel efficiency and speed. These two details are highly important when choosing what brand of motorcycle to buy for it would determine how much gas is consumed while driving and the time needed before changing gears.
An additional detail to look into is whether or not the air filter has been changed. This should be included in your checklist for buying an excellent quality bike, especially if you’re getting your bike from an individual rather than a store.
Check the Engine
It’s always best to get an overview of the engine before purchasing it. You could ask any experienced mechanic to take a look at it for they will know what’s wrong with it if there’s anything at all or what needs to be done in terms of fixing.
Listen to its engine sound too. If something is wrong with it, you might want to reconsider buying it even if it’s inexpensive.
Another important tip for buying used motorcycles is checking the engine in the presence of a manual. If you don’t have prior knowledge about how to fix motorcycles, then this might come in handy.
Check the Brakes, Tires, and the Gears
Brakes, tires, and gears are very important when it comes to safety precautions of riding a motorcycle for they would determine if you meet with an accident or not.
If your tires are worn out already which means that it wouldn’t give you any traction while on the road and could result in a fatal accident. Always look at them first before going into anything else so that a possible wheel replacement won’t be necessary right away.
When checking the gear system, see to it that there’s no unusual noise produced by it during transmission. When it comes to the brakes of a used motorcycle, they should be in excellent condition. After all, they are the most important parts of the bike.
Check for any Cosmetic Damages
Cosmetic damages can’t be repaired so easily. So you should always consider checking the entire motorcycle to see if there are any scratches or cracks on the body of the motorcycle before heading into anything else.
Even though the cosmetic damages do not affect how a motorcycle performs, but aesthetic appeals need to be considered before buying a used motorcycle.
Make sure that the bike is insured
Before anything else, it’s important to double-check if the used motorcycle of your choice is insured by the seller. This would give you peace of mind knowing that no matter what happens, you could always recover any damages.
If there are some repairs needed somewhere, then at least they would be covered by insurance which means that you don’t have to spend on it all by yourself.
Just because you’re buying it from an individual instead of a dealership doesn’t mean that it isn’t covered by insurance. Check what kind of coverage they have whether comprehensive or third-party liability. If not, make sure that you purchase insurance for yourself since accidents, no matter how unfortunate they are, do take place.
Make Sure to have Proper Purchasing Papers
If you are purchasing a used motorcycle, make sure that the purchasing papers are in order. Purchasing papers that are not agreed upon will lead to problems. You will then need to work out how you will be paying for the bike and also what the price will be.
Asking for a lower price is acceptable as long as you can explain why the price should be lower.
Also, keep in mind the VIN, which is a number that identifies the bike. It should be placed at the bottom of the steering wheel and it should not be tampered with in any way. You can also call your regional DMV to check if this number corresponds to a certain model of motorcycle.
Conclusion
When buying a used motorcycle, it’s always good to do your research and check if everything is in order.
First and foremost, you should always check the documents of the bike and make sure that they’re in order. If they are not, if anything goes wrong tomorrow, you will not be the one liable for it but you will also be the person paying for it. So, make the papers and the documents your top priority. that any kind of problems won’t arise later on.
Then check the brakes, the tires, and the gears along with the cosmetic damages before you move to something else. Insurance papers are critical as well because until and unless they are in order, you will have to pay the bucks for every repair work that you do after purchasing the motorcycle.
The tips for buying used motorcycles that are mentioned above should guide you through the process of buying one so that you don’t eventually get ripped off.
