I actually did a bit of research and wrote an extensive post on what to look for on my blog after buying my bike. Here you go:
OWNERSHIP and BIKE HISTORY
Ownership: Make sure the bike belongs to the seller! Ask to see the registration, you do not want to be buying something stolen
Theft: Compare the VIN number on the bike to the VIN number on the registration paper the owner shows you – if they don’t match, walk away (then call the police).
VIN History: If you can, ask for the VIN number in advance of seeing the bike and have it’s record checked. Your local insurers should be able to see if the bike has been in any major accidents, or has “rebuild status” – though sometimes this can be expensive. A bike that has ‘rebuild’ status was taken off the rode, uninsured, rebuilt to road standards, tested, and insured again. It’s up to you if you feel safe riding in one of those. The value of the bike should reflect that, so if someone is selling a rebuild for the price of a new/used bike, they’re scamming you.
Retail Value: Check the Kelly Blue Book for the retail value of the bike. It’ll offer high and low end pricing – does the bike you want to buy reflect the blue book values or is it way overpriced? Ask why if it is.
Bike Modifications: Look online for the stock features of the bike. Has anything been swapped out on the bike you’re looking at? Often people will make modifications to their bike: changing the mufflers, seats, fenders, etc. If there are mods, look up those parts and see whether they are a good fit for you.
Off Season: Where was the bike stored during the off season? Ask if it was in a covered garage, and if it was stored with a full tank of gas and stabilizer or an empty tank. If the answer is neither, then there may be rust in the tank – those are the only 2 ways to store your bike for a long period of no riding.
Insurance: was the bike properly insured? A good red flag for the bike being a scam is if the seller can’t tell you who it was insured with, or cites a bogus insurer.
Service History: When was she last serviced? Does the owner have the documentation? Where was she serviced? If she’s due for a new one soon, that might be something you can use during your price negotiation. Get copies of the maintenence records as well. Its good to see when and what has been done to the bike.
BIKE INSPECTION:
Wheels: look for impacts, dents, scratches, etc. on the rim. Bent wheels and spoke problems or cracks should be a red flag. If the bike has never been in an accident, there shouldn’t be any rim damage.
Tires: Look at the tread of the tires – is it deep enough, or do they need to be changed soon? This can affect your bargaining position. Check to ensure the tires don’t have any cracks or damage, patch jobs can be fine as long as they’ve been done properly – I’m not sure I would trust someone else’s patch job over taking it to a licensed mechanic to have it done.
Brakes: Get down there and look at the disc pads: are they worn out and need to be replaced? Look at the bike’s specs online, it should tell you the minimum brake pad allowance. My ninja allows for 1mm before safety becomes affected – you don’t want to get there. If the brake pads need changing, the price of the bike should reflect that. Check the pressure in the cables and the smoothness of the brakes when you go for your test ride of the bike.
Suspension: Check to make sure the coil springs and fork legs have no damage. When you test ride, do an emergency brake. Are the fork legs leaking after the pump? Ensure that the bike steers smoothly and check for any vibrations.
Gauges: Are they working? Be sure that they actually move when the bike is on and you’re riding it.
Engine: Make sure you start the engine and take a test ride. Try to get a cold engine warm and then let it run without choke. Also check the exhaust, belt drives, chains, oil battery etc. Look for signs of leaking. Oil in strange places, around sections where the engine parts connect, caked on dirt is often a sign of grease. Cleaning a bike well can cover this up though. If they are not keeping the bike clean, it may not be well maintained.
Bike Drive: Check the condition of the chain (if it is a chain driven bike) or belt if it is belt driven. Look for wear and rear, missing teeth on the sprocket, rust, etc. These things can be replaced but it helps with bargaining and will, for most people, require a visit to the mechanic.
Cosmetic: has the bike been laid down? If there are scratches on the edge of the handle bars and the foot pegs, it would suggest it has. Ask the seller, they should be honest about whether the bike has been dropped. If they say no but the signs point to yes, decide whether or not you’re alright with that. A cracked signal light is a good sign of a fall as well: they are usually expensive to replace (for OEM parts) so check to make sure they are original and for any scuffs etc. Check for dents on the tank and scratched farings – if the bike hasn’t been in an accident there should be no damage. If there is – see if you can use that in your bargaining.
Tank: Bring a flashlight and open up the fuel lid. Look inside the tank – is there rust? If the bike was stored with fuel in it for the winter (improperly, without stabilizer) there may be rust. You don’t want a bike with rust in it, rust weakens the structural integrity.
Hoses and Lines: Inspect all lines and hoses possible to ensure they are not brittle or cracking. Lots of these materials can break down over time if they are exposed to direct sunlight (tires too). It typically takes years, but its worth looking for.
Lights: Check to ensure all signal, brake, head and auxiliary lights work.
TEST RIDE:
Take her for a spin – how does she handle? Does the weight of the bike work for you?
Be sure to find an empty street and open her up a fair bit. Shift gears, how smooth is the shift? How is the clutch’s friction point. Try to get as high up on the gears as safely possible in the space you are testing her.
Turn. How does the bike handle turns, and does everything feel ‘right’ when turning? If the balance feels off to you, this might not be the bike for you.
BUYING:
Bring enough cash to cover the asking price, as most sellers will only let you test ride with cash in hand.
After inspecting the bike – is anything not right? Has the seller been honest? If you still want the bike, see what you can bargain.
You’re good to go- check and double check your checklist, and then take your girl home with you.
Don’t forget to bring appropriate gear for test riding – you can’t expect the seller to loan you their helmet, jacket, boots and gloves!
OWNERSHIP and BIKE HISTORY
Ownership: Make sure the bike belongs to the seller! Ask to see the registration, you do not want to be buying something stolen
Theft: Compare the VIN number on the bike to the VIN number on the registration paper the owner shows you – if they don’t match, walk away (then call the police).
VIN History: If you can, ask for the VIN number in advance of seeing the bike and have it’s record checked. Your local insurers should be able to see if the bike has been in any major accidents, or has “rebuild status” – though sometimes this can be expensive. A bike that has ‘rebuild’ status was taken off the rode, uninsured, rebuilt to road standards, tested, and insured again. It’s up to you if you feel safe riding in one of those. The value of the bike should reflect that, so if someone is selling a rebuild for the price of a new/used bike, they’re scamming you.
Retail Value: Check the Kelly Blue Book for the retail value of the bike. It’ll offer high and low end pricing – does the bike you want to buy reflect the blue book values or is it way overpriced? Ask why if it is.
Bike Modifications: Look online for the stock features of the bike. Has anything been swapped out on the bike you’re looking at? Often people will make modifications to their bike: changing the mufflers, seats, fenders, etc. If there are mods, look up those parts and see whether they are a good fit for you.
Off Season: Where was the bike stored during the off season? Ask if it was in a covered garage, and if it was stored with a full tank of gas and stabilizer or an empty tank. If the answer is neither, then there may be rust in the tank – those are the only 2 ways to store your bike for a long period of no riding.
Insurance: was the bike properly insured? A good red flag for the bike being a scam is if the seller can’t tell you who it was insured with, or cites a bogus insurer.
Service History: When was she last serviced? Does the owner have the documentation? Where was she serviced? If she’s due for a new one soon, that might be something you can use during your price negotiation. Get copies of the maintenence records as well. Its good to see when and what has been done to the bike.
BIKE INSPECTION:
Wheels: look for impacts, dents, scratches, etc. on the rim. Bent wheels and spoke problems or cracks should be a red flag. If the bike has never been in an accident, there shouldn’t be any rim damage.
Tires: Look at the tread of the tires – is it deep enough, or do they need to be changed soon? This can affect your bargaining position. Check to ensure the tires don’t have any cracks or damage, patch jobs can be fine as long as they’ve been done properly – I’m not sure I would trust someone else’s patch job over taking it to a licensed mechanic to have it done.
Brakes: Get down there and look at the disc pads: are they worn out and need to be replaced? Look at the bike’s specs online, it should tell you the minimum brake pad allowance. My ninja allows for 1mm before safety becomes affected – you don’t want to get there. If the brake pads need changing, the price of the bike should reflect that. Check the pressure in the cables and the smoothness of the brakes when you go for your test ride of the bike.
Suspension: Check to make sure the coil springs and fork legs have no damage. When you test ride, do an emergency brake. Are the fork legs leaking after the pump? Ensure that the bike steers smoothly and check for any vibrations.
Gauges: Are they working? Be sure that they actually move when the bike is on and you’re riding it.
Engine: Make sure you start the engine and take a test ride. Try to get a cold engine warm and then let it run without choke. Also check the exhaust, belt drives, chains, oil battery etc. Look for signs of leaking. Oil in strange places, around sections where the engine parts connect, caked on dirt is often a sign of grease. Cleaning a bike well can cover this up though. If they are not keeping the bike clean, it may not be well maintained.
Bike Drive: Check the condition of the chain (if it is a chain driven bike) or belt if it is belt driven. Look for wear and rear, missing teeth on the sprocket, rust, etc. These things can be replaced but it helps with bargaining and will, for most people, require a visit to the mechanic.
Cosmetic: has the bike been laid down? If there are scratches on the edge of the handle bars and the foot pegs, it would suggest it has. Ask the seller, they should be honest about whether the bike has been dropped. If they say no but the signs point to yes, decide whether or not you’re alright with that. A cracked signal light is a good sign of a fall as well: they are usually expensive to replace (for OEM parts) so check to make sure they are original and for any scuffs etc. Check for dents on the tank and scratched farings – if the bike hasn’t been in an accident there should be no damage. If there is – see if you can use that in your bargaining.
Tank: Bring a flashlight and open up the fuel lid. Look inside the tank – is there rust? If the bike was stored with fuel in it for the winter (improperly, without stabilizer) there may be rust. You don’t want a bike with rust in it, rust weakens the structural integrity.
Hoses and Lines: Inspect all lines and hoses possible to ensure they are not brittle or cracking. Lots of these materials can break down over time if they are exposed to direct sunlight (tires too). It typically takes years, but its worth looking for.
Lights: Check to ensure all signal, brake, head and auxiliary lights work.
TEST RIDE:
Take her for a spin – how does she handle? Does the weight of the bike work for you?
Be sure to find an empty street and open her up a fair bit. Shift gears, how smooth is the shift? How is the clutch’s friction point. Try to get as high up on the gears as safely possible in the space you are testing her.
Turn. How does the bike handle turns, and does everything feel ‘right’ when turning? If the balance feels off to you, this might not be the bike for you.
BUYING:
Bring enough cash to cover the asking price, as most sellers will only let you test ride with cash in hand.
After inspecting the bike – is anything not right? Has the seller been honest? If you still want the bike, see what you can bargain.
You’re good to go- check and double check your checklist, and then take your girl home with you.
Don’t forget to bring appropriate gear for test riding – you can’t expect the seller to loan you their helmet, jacket, boots and gloves!