This article has focused on buying a brand new bike, but buying a
second-hand motorcycle is always an option as well. Although you won’t have the
comfort of knowing that your bike is covered under a warranty, you will save a
big chunk of change on the entire purchase. The rate of depreciation for
motorcycles is at its greatest between the first and the third years of the
bikes lifetime. So, when looking for used bikes, you’ll get the most bang for
your buck by looking at bikes that are within this timeframe.
When you’re going to check out used motorcycles, you should make sure that
you know what signs of damage or distress to look for. If you’re an
inexperienced rider, bring along a more experienced friend. Since you don’t
have the comfort of a warranty, or the security of knowing that the bike hasn’t
had any previous owners, it’s hard to be sure of just what kind of shape the
bike is in.
Some things to check out include:
The Body – look it over for signs of poor maintenance, or worse, accidents.
In the case of rust and/or dirt build-up on the body, then you can be pretty
sure that the inside of the bike hasn’t been taken care of either, and that
means you might be soon be shelling out money for repairs.
The Exhaust – Check for rust on the muffler, especially on the underside.
Signs of rust mean that you’ll be paying for a replacement down the road.
The Tires – Make sure there’s tread on the tires. Motorcycle tires are more
expensive than regular automobile tires. If they look like you’ll need to
replace them soon, make sure you take the additional cost into account.
The Chain – Be sure that it’s clean and well-oiled.
Try to take the bike for a test-ride, or, if you don’t have much riding
experience, bring an experienced friend to test-ride it for you. If the bike
has any problems, they’ll make themselves known on the test-ride. Even if you
don’t test ride it yourself, be sure that you do follow the instructions given
above (At the Showroom) to ensure that the bike fits.