I've been lurking here for a while, and see that alot of people recommend buying a used bike to start off with (which makes alot of sense). But, when buying used, there are alot of things to worry about. The nightmare scenario would be a bike that is in great exterior condition, but has demons lurking where they can't easily be seen.

I worry about break-in, hard riding, crashes with parts being replaced.... with a modified exhast, can't that cause lean-running? How bad is that?

I've spoken with dealerships about a pre-buy inspection, but all they talk about is adjusting cables (brakes, clutch etc.), an oil change, chain adjustment and a general look-over. Is that adequate?

Further, is the NADA book in the ballpark for real used prices/value? Seems like the numbers thrown around here are often below NADA...but prices on used bikes are often above NADA.

Am I worrying for nothing?

Thanks for the advice

 

1st - don't buy a salvage bike which will substract alot of possible problems
2nd - don't buy one with too many scratches on the fairing and frame
3rd - If you have a friend who knows something about a bike get him on board to check the bike with you. Let him test ride it.
4th - Here the engine run. Look at the idle if it doesn't jumps around.
5th - Check to make sure the headlights (high/low) work. Make sure the turn signals work, make very sure that the oil pressure light comes on when you turn on the ignition, and goes out when the engine starts! Make sure the neutral indicator light works. Make sure the starter works. Make sure the brake levers light up the brake light. Make sure the horn works.
6th - look at the color of brake fluid needs to be somewhat lighter than honey
7th - move the bike in neutral and apply the brakes.

Good questions to ask seller:

Has the bike ever been down?
If the seller says, "no," but you see evidence of crash damage, ask the seller to explain.
Has the bike ever been raced?
If the seller says, "no," but you see safety wire, tires with ragged edges, aftermarket case guards, etc., there better be a good explanation.
When was the oil last changed?
Street bike oil should be changed at least every 3000-5000 miles or six months, whichever comes first.
What is the maintenance history of the bike?
Is the bike overdue for regular servicing, like a valve adjustment, a carb sync, etc? (If the owner hasn't lost the bike's owner's manual, open it up and look at the maintenance schedule to see if it was followed properly.)
How old (years & miles) are the tires? Ask the seller if he thinks the tires are good.
What modifications were made to the bike?
Heavily-modified bikes should probably be avoided.
Why are you selling the bike?
Is there anything wrong with this bike?
Is there anything wrong with it that you haven't pointed out?
Are there any maintenance/safety issues that I should be aware of if I buy this bike?
What work would you do on the bike if you were going to keep it for another year or two?
Is there any reason I shouldn't buy this bike?
Sometimes the simple act of asking these questions in a very blunt manner will get the seller to reveal things that they didn't think of -- or didn't plan on mentioning.

 

Thank you for the response, there is some very useful information in there.

I worry about a raced/stuted bike, but I'm not sure that I would be able to pick out out from a crowd. I'll be sure and look for safety wire as a clue to racing.

In stunted bikes, can't the forks be damaged from the hard landings....is there a test for damaged forks (bent, bad fork seals, etc.)?

 

only test is either actually riding it to see if the bike behaves differently or take it to a shop where they can measure it. otherwise, you can go in there with a straight edge ruler (yard stick and guage it. to make sure it's not too bent.
however, the tightening of the triples and the wheel will make it appear straight. sit on the bike and stear straight to see if it all lines up.

make sure you start it and take it up to temps, either while idling or riding (most won't let you ride it) and see if the fan comes on, etc.

yes, there are many things that can go wrong, but usually, other than electrical stuff, bikes are pretty easy to figure out.

T

 

Ask about the gearing. If the sprockets are drastically different (+4 teeth in the back, or a combo -1 front & +3 back), then it's probably had the front wheel in the air.

Ask how it wheelies, lots of stunters like to brag so see if you can get him to brag about all the bad-*** wheelies he does.

Try and guage if the guy knows anything at all about bikes and maintenance. Does he have any tools in his garage?

Has the chain been lubed?

Look very closely at the rims for any dents. Look it over for a long time and bring a friend with you to spot things you might miss. Friend doesn't necessarily have to know about bikes, but they maybe can see imperfections that you're missing.

Good luck with your purchase. Just watch for shady characters.

 

Thank you, thank you. Good advice.

 

Sometimes a friend who doesn`t even like bikes are good to take as long as there pretty observant, they usually bring up points which you have to answer n gets you thinking about it.

 

oops made an error i meant brake fluid instead of fuel - corrected

Tires with roughed up edges, covered with ragged strips of balled-up rubber is a sure sign that the bike has been raced. If the rear tire is completely flat in the middle but looks practically new on the sides, the owner may have performed a burn-out with them

 

Thank you all again.

I have since found out that there were other changes to the bike (which the seller did not disclose), which makes me feel like they are hiding even more.

I am no longer considering this bike.

Thank you all for your suggestions.