Four tips to buying a secondhand motorcycle

Buying a secondhand motorcycle can be a daunting thing to do, especially if you’re buying your first bike. Whether you’re buying from a dealer or a previous owner, you need to know exactly what to look for, as this ensures you can tell that the motorcycle is good condition, so you can get a fair price, a safe bike, and a good deal if you need to make any repairs. Follow these tips to safely buy a secondhand motorcycle.

Before you choose a bike, remember to think practically too. If you find your dream bike for sale for a bargain price on the other side of the country, it can be tempting to rush off after it. How will you get it home? Factor in the cost of transporting it to you through a service like Shiply. 

Know the bike

Before you go to look at any used bike, learn everything you can about the model first. Go with a thorough knowledge of what should come with the bike as standard, so you can spot anything missing or out of place. It’s common advice not to buy the first used bike that you go to look at. This is smart, as the only way to spot the best bike is to look at as many as you can. Sometimes the best bike is the first one you saw, but try to see a few. A good way to do this is to look at a few variations of the model that you want. 

Call ahead

Save yourself a wasted journey by calling the seller first and asking lots of questions about the bike, not just to check that it is still available. Find out if they have all the relevant paperwork for it. Ask how long they have had the bike, why they’re selling it, and if there is any damage that you need to know about. It’s also a good idea to ask them not to run the bike for a couple of hours before you look at it. This way, you can check how the bike starts from cold. If you arrive to see a used bike and the engine is warm, be wary, as this can be used to mask startup issues. 

“Take a torch”

Always view a secondhand bike in daylight if at all possible. If you can’t, ask the seller to see the bike somewhere as well lit as possible. If they won’t do this, this should set off alarm bells. Always take a small torch, whether you see the bike in daylight or not, so you can use to look inside any nooks and crannies in the bike. A torch also makes it easier to check the frame and engine numbers. 

Give yourself time

Never let a seller rush you. Check everything thoroughly, even if the seller tries to push you. If in doubt, walk away. There will always be another bike, no matter what the seller tells you.