What to look for when buying a slightly used bike

[Qbushido]

Hello all, looking to buy my first bike sometime over the next 2 months and I'm looking for a little guidance from you all in terms of what I should be looking for? My instinct is too go about it like I would if I was buying a used car, obviously not everything will apply though.

Can you guys offer any wisdom as to what to look for and what should be a red flag?

[BlueBomber]

TMW forums has a buying used section, and I think totalMotorcycle.com has one as well.

Basically you want to look for things similar to that of a car, and you want to check for signs of the bike ever having been laid down for sure.

You want to give it a REALY good looking over for the things in TCLOCS and you generally want to dig in there deep and look for things that go unnoticed.

If you have a SPECIFIC bike you're looking for, get a good repair manual and see what kinds of things go wrong on that particular bike.

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[Ian522]

When you look at the bike, feel near the engine to see if its hot. If the guy warmed it up before you got there he might be trying to cover up a cold start problem.

Check the pipes, turn signals, clutch/brake levers, etc. for deep scratches or scrapes which could indicate the bike was dropped. Check out the fork seals to make sure they arent leaking. Check out the chain and sprockets to make sure they look ok. Start up the bike and then listen for abnormal noises like loud rattles, etc. Make sure all lights and turn signals work.

Check around the carbs, fuel lines, and petcock for any fuel leaks.

Ask for all service records and receipts. The sellers word is worthless without documentation.

[qwerty]

Buying a used bike is exactly like buying a used car. Have you chosen what type of riding you want to do?

[flynrider]

Buying a used bike is exactly like buying a used car.

I wouldn't say "exactly". The one thing that you have to look out for when bike shopping are low mileage bikes that have sat gathering dust for years. There can be problems. That's not something you run into a lot in the used car market.

[MotoF150]

ask the owner if he used Amsoil Synthetic Motorcycle Oil since the bike was new. If he says "no" tell him thank you and walk away.

[KingRobb]

ask the owner if he used Amsoil Synthetic Motorcycle Oil since the bike was new. If he says "no" tell him thank you and walk away.

At least tell him the worlds leading sucky advice giver told you too before you just leave him standing....then laugh and move forward with negotiations.

[Koss]

ask the owner if he used Amsoil Synthetic Motorcycle Oil since the bike was new. If he says "no" tell him thank you and walk away.

...

[Flting Duck]

Difference from buying a car: Aside from checking out the tread, find out how old the tires are (receipt if possible.) Motorcycle tires can get old, hard or cracked, and DANGEROUS after three years or so. f the tires are old that's not a reason to walk away, just figure the cost of replacing them into your buying equation.

[TorontoBoy]

I don't know how old you want to buy, but there are some bigger ticket items to watch:
-rusted gas tank
-bent frame
-bent forks/front shocks leaking oil
-cracked plastic fairings (expensive to replace)
-ownership papers

Also check with eBay to see if there are lots of parts available. Some bikes are pretty common and parts are easy to buy while others were made for a year or two and you might need to fab your own parts.

Before you lay down your dough check the price of insurance in your area. The bike may be a great deal but if it'll cost you $3,000/yr to ensure that R1 then you might want to pass.

Dan has more info. He's a great resource.