Alright, let’s talk about grabbing a used motorbike. I went through this whole song and dance not too long ago, figured I’d share how it went down for me, what I actually did.
So, I got the itch for another bike. Didn’t have heaps of cash, plus I kinda like tinkering, so a used one felt right. Started the usual way, scrolling through endless online ads, you know the drill. Lots of junk, some maybe-okay stuff. Took a while, filtering through the hopefuls and the downright scary listings.
Finding a Potential Ride
Finally spotted one that looked decent in the photos. Decent price too. It was a model I knew a bit about, which helps. Messaged the seller, seemed like a straight-up guy. We set up a time for me to come take a look. Always better to see it in person, photos can hide a lot, trust me.
The First Look and Kickin’ Tires (Figuratively)
Got to the seller’s place. First thing? Just walked around the bike. Slowly. Get a feel for it. Does it look dropped? Any obvious big dents or scratches? Does it look like it’s been cared for or just left out in the rain? You get a gut feeling pretty quick. This one looked okay, a bit grubby but straight enough.
Then I started poking around more seriously. Here’s kinda the checklist I ran through in my head, and what I physically did:
- Paperwork first. Seriously, don’t even touch the bike until you see the title (logbook, V5, whatever it’s called where you are) and check the VIN number on the frame and engine matches the paper. Make sure the seller’s name is on it. If it’s dodgy, walk away. Period. This guy had his stuff in order, so green light there.
- Frame check. Looked closely at the frame, especially around the headstock (where the handlebars connect) and swingarm pivot. Any weird welds? Cracks? Ripples in the paint? That stuff screams major accident. Felt okay on this one.
- Engine cold start. This is important. I put my hand on the engine before he started it. Needs to be cold. A warm engine can hide starting problems or smoke. Asked him to fire it up. Listened for weird rattles, knocks, or bangs. Watched for smoke out the exhaust – blue smoke is oil, white can be coolant. It started okay, idled a bit rough but no horrible noises.
- Fluids check. Checked the oil level and condition – was it black and sludgy or reasonably clean? Looked at the coolant level in the reservoir. Checked the brake fluid – should be clear-ish, not dark brown. Low fluids or really dirty stuff tells you it hasn’t been looked after.
- Suspension poking. Pushed down hard on the handlebars a few times. Forks should go down and come back up smoothly, no bouncing. Looked closely at the fork seals (the rubber bits near the axle) for any oil leaks. Did the same at the back, pushing down on the seat. Checked the rear shock for leaks.
- Brakes squeeze and look. Pulled the front brake lever. Felt firm? Or spongy (could mean air in the lines)? Checked the brake pads – how much material left? Looked at the discs – any deep grooves or cracks? Did the same for the rear brake.
- Chain and sprockets (or belt). If it’s chain driven, checked the chain tension. Too loose or too tight is bad. Looked at the sprocket teeth – are they sharp and hooked (worn out) or nicely rounded? If it was a belt drive, I’d look for cracks or fraying. This bike had a chain, bit loose but sprockets looked alright.
- Tires. Tread depth is obvious, but also checked the date code on the sidewall. Tires get hard and dangerous even if they have tread left, especially after 5-6 years. Looked for cracks in the rubber. These were okay-ish, probably need replacing soon though.
- Electrics test. Turned on the ignition. Headlight work? High beam? Indicators front and back? Brake light (check with both front and rear brake)? Horn? All the little things need to work.
The Haggle and the Handshake
It wasn’t perfect. Knew it needed a good service, probably new tires down the line, and that rough idle needed looking at. So, I pointed out the things I’d found, not in a nasty way, just matter-of-fact. Made him an offer a bit lower than his asking price, explaining my reasoning (cost of tires, needing a tune-up). We went back and forth a little, pretty standard stuff. Landed on a price we were both okay with.
Getting it Home
Paid the man, finished the paperwork, got the key. Felt pretty good. Loaded it onto my trailer (didn’t want to risk riding it home with those iffy tires and rough idle). Got it back to my garage. The real work would start soon, cleaning it up and sorting out the issues. But yeah, that’s basically how I went about it. Lots of looking, lots of poking, and trusting my gut feeling. It’s worked out alright so far.
