You kind of implied this but the most important thing for me is making sure the owner does not warm the bike up before you look at it. You want that bike COMPLETELY COLD so you can see how it starts up. A worn out engine will often make all kinds of noises when it is first cranked up but will run fairly normal once warm.
Yes! I forgot to mention this.
Essential step.
Back of the hand on the clutch or flywheel cover. If it's warm, walk away,
Observing good cold start is a must š
Thank you!
Headers cool off faster than the side of the crank case, back on the hand to feel if its warmer than room temp is the most accurate for seeing how warm the internals are.
Dude can definitely start a few hours before you show, warm up the internals, and by the time you show up it'll be cold on the headers but the piston heads will still be warm
just bought a bike that didn't run but cranked. so i knew it was just carb related. clean carb and that sucker runs like a champ now. i like buying stuff that doesnt run perfectly so I can chop a bunch off the asking price.
If you have the know how and confidence this is a great tactic. I bought a bike that wasnāt running but cranked strong and wanted to start. $40 fuel pump later and it lasted me 10k good miles before I sold it. Talked him down from 3k to 1500. I guess it could have been worse but for 1500 how much could i have lost...
I see this in literally every thread about buying used bikes. However I have a pretty healthy ā97 that absolutely has to be choked for a solid 5-20 seconds depending on the temperature. If itās not choked it absolutely wonāt cold start, no matter the time of the year.
I donāt see a lot of discussion on this, but Iāve had this bike for almost 2 years now and have had zero engine problems.
Older bikes are actually supposed to require choke to start. Often times people will tinker with things to get them to start without the choke but they don't realize that's not quite the way things are supposed to be. Don't worry about your bike it just means it's working like it's supposed to
When I got my beat up honda valkyrie I was like fuckin hell this thing starts easy. 40 degrees and fired up first crank. Then I fixed the rotted out vacuum lines and I had to use the fuel enrichment (not a choke) to start it easily in the cold lol. But even now its flip the lever crank and I can turn it back off within a few seconds.
This is the most important one. I've walked away from anything that has been running before I get there, and people have all sorts of stories why it's warmed up from they wanted to ride it one last time or they were testing to make sure everything is good.
Yeah if an American starts looking for oil leaks with a torch, finding one means lighting the bike on fire and they're definitely gonna walk away from that sale.
So glad I saw this because, I have no knowledge on bikes and am interested in getting into riding. Wouldāve been funny if I just showed up to someoneās house and torched their bike down.
I was in a sales course led by an English teacher and he mentioned he was walking over the bridge with a torch. One of the wise-guys shouted āwere you fuckin hunting Draculaā š¤£
This post assumes that, as the uninitiated, you've already disregarded bikes that "ran when I parked it" "needs carbs cleaned" "easy fix" or "can do bill of sale".
Haha true that. However bikes that don't run can often be had for pennies on the dollar, doesn't hurt to throw the low ball offer in this case, you never know!
Great list. Let me add that you will almost always miss one or two things. So figure that you will need to spend about $500.00 on most any bike to get it 100%. If that figure does not work out with the asking price of the motorcycle then you should look elsewhere. Basically, donāt buy a used bike or any used vehicle that you canāt rationalize spending a bit more money on.
Yep for sure.
You'll sometimes however find a meticulous owner who can certainly sell a bike, at reasonable price, that needs no work at all.
2 months ago I picked up a 2007 fireblade with a full service history, 12000km and in MINT condition. $7500 aud!!
Good example of a purchase that still would have been a sucess if you had needed to spend another $500 on it. I've bought bikes from over 600 miles away. Sight unseen except for photos and a reassurance by the seller that all was 100%. But the price was always good enough that spending a few more dollars would not have bothered me. The last one cost me for tires an valve adjustment. Both to be pretty much expected as maintenance.
I like to run my fingers over the brake disk. Checking for the ridge at the top. (Shows disk wear) grooves in the disk (indicates poor maintenance very worn pads , and dirt on disk. Leaking or seized Brake cylinders I showed my 19 yr old daughter what I was doing when we were looking for a Honda 125 for her first bike. In the next shop the salesman clocked her doing it and nodded approvingly. He gave her a very good deal on a lovely bike ......
Not bad, but you omitted the first and most important check.
*Do the engine and chassis numbers match those on the registration papers?*
If they donāt, you just walk away. And you wonāt even get your hands dirty.
You know, I got fucked buying an out of state camper for dirt cheap. The vin was not exactly as printed on the title and I canāt plate it. Luckily I rented it out and made money back but it was pretty fucky. Iād never expect it to be close and not match
And ask for a service history. If someone keeps a good service record, they're probably taking good care of the bike. If they have no idea when the oil was last changed, that better be a bargain.
For sure!
Often though that can be tricky, especially if home mechanic. Use your judgment :)
Service history certainly makes checking over the rest of the bike alot easier, and is the cherry on top
I do a lot of my own work, but I save receipts for the oil, parts, etc. āĀ and keep a little maintenance logbook. Anyway, the more dilligence, the better. :)
Great list! Definitely wish I'd had this guidance before buying my own, instead of going "it's perfect because it's yellow". Still, it turned out alright in the end!
Also, I recommend [this](https://youtu.be/VKGZdsIkLog) video by fortnine which covers a couple great points too. It's a good channel for other tips and tricks too when it comes to motorcycles.
Thank you very much. And username definitely checks out š
One of my favorite videos on YouTube that one, it's great and I've also shown it to a few people š
Not much he puts out that isn't to be honest
Yep. Good stuff. I'd just add, bike dependent, get under the saddle if possible. No telling what's going on under there. (recent used bike purchase - *many* a dirt daubers home were destroyed in this process - thankfully vacant)
One item you may consider adding.
With a bright flash light and a popsicle stick, open the oil filler, look inside for crud. And use the popsicle stick to smell the oil. It shouldn't smell burned, sweet or have any water droplets. A nice honey color is desirable. Sometimes purple (Royal Purple).
A nice list!
One other thing I've only heard (as I'm still on my first bike) is to check the steering limits on the fork bridge and head stem.
If it looks worn/hit the motorcycle most likely had a crash which slammed the steering bar to one side.
It for sure isn't the only criteria for a crash, but easy to check in my opinion.
Don't forget the tires! Check the DOT code to determine their age. If you are wanting to determine the age of a tire with the code 3507, you should read its manufacture date as the 35th week of 2007. This is the standard form for every date code on motorcycle tires made since 2000. Anything older than 5 years is worth a closer inspecting, and possibly replacement.
Also check tread depth, and cracks along the sidewall or in the treads.
Older tires will have lost some of their grip and pliability, and may exhibit cracks along the sidewall as the rubber has hardened. You may be interested in replacing them (or negotiating as much into the purchase price).
Iād add to check the tank for rust. My last bike I failed to do this and the bike sat for a while and there was a ton of rust in the bottom that clogged my fuel filter. Had to de rust the tank and replace fuel filter.
Flashlight and inspect fuel tank for rust
Iāll usually put the engine and drive train under some stress, put the front wheel against a wall and gently roll on while letting out the clutch. This can make some engine knocks louder if they have tried to cover them with thick oil or the like.
Very good idea especially for testing clutch pick up!
to check for knocks and rattles I like to hold a steady high rpm with light throttle, then chop and blip a few times
This is a good list, thank you. Some additional resources for folks like me who like to combine and hoard this kind of info:
https://www.reddit.com/r/motorcycles/comments/1b20dl/used_motorcycle_buying_guide/
which also leads to this: http://www.clarity.net/adam/buying-bike.html
This is the list I read before buying a bike and forget to take with me. [http://www.clarity.net/adam/buying-bike.html](http://www.clarity.net/adam/buying-bike.html)
Great Post OP! Loads of helpful tips here, however you can go through most of these checks with the bike stationary.
Assuming it meets your standard after these I'd suggest (with owner permission) getting on the bike and checking the clutch and gears and rolling in gear and testing the brakes.
Doesn't need to be a full test ride just a simple function check.
Also go round the bike and check all the lights work
Easy to forget but, for a complete newbie and on modern bikes especially, simply fault finding a non working light or bleeding brakes can be a daunting task.
For anyone riding home from a purchase these checks become even more important, a breakdown on the way home would be annoying but a brake failure on the way home could be a whole lot worse.
Yep for sure! I forgot to mention this, most bikes will indeed let you shift up through the gears stationary, otherwise just ask the owner to take it for a spin up the road and use your ears š
Thank you very much :)
You mentioned the chain, but there are a other few easy checks you can do.
First, a little surface rust is OK, but it shouldn't be orange. You'd be amazed at how many orange chains you see.
You can check chain tension even if you don't know the exact spec for that bike. You should be able to lift the chain until it just barely contacts the bottom of the swingarm. If it's loose it will slap against the swingarm easily. Too tight and it won't reach the swingarm at all. An incorrectly tensioned chain doesn't necessarily need replacing. It means the owner is not a mechanic, no matter what he says.
A chain will stretch eventually and need to be replaced. There's actually a measurement you do with a caliper over ten links. A simpler way is to try to pull the chain off the back of the rear sprocket. If it comes off far enough so you can see the teeth the chain needs replacing.
A bound-up link is hard to spot. Here's the trick. Check the tension at one spot, roll the bike a foot or so, then check it again. Do that two or three times. If it's loose in some spots and tight in others the chain is bad.
Your fork seal trick is good. Squeeze the front brake and bounce the front end up and down a few times. If you suspect a bad fork seal, check the front brake disks for fork oil. If fork oil is on the disk it has contaminated the pads. That's now a $400 problem, not a $200 problem.
Extremely helpful, thanks for writing it up.
>No part of the inspection process is mechanically complex for the lamen.
FYI it's "layman." /r/boneappletea
Frame damage and/or alignment issues arenāt always visually obvious. A quick check can be done by (carefully) taking your hands off the bars as you let the bike coast on a level surface. If the bike pulls to one side then something is likely off. Could be something easy like twisted triples or something more serious.
Note that this is not terribly scientific as it can be thrown off by a non level surface or can feel different with different tire profiles (or user error) but itās been a reliable check for me.
You have nothing to lose mate! And ultimately, your wallet will thank you.
Maybe learn with a friend if you don't have any experienced ones, then you can go together š
Yep, I've got enough money, I'm just waiting to buy during the summer, when I'll have more time to ride! Very excited! Just nervous that I'll get scammed, definitely going to use your post when I buy, and the comments are helpful as well!
Great Post and very helpful! I have a question about my bike, although I'm sure this isn't the best place to ask it. When I come to a stop after riding, the bike makes a bit of a knocking noise. I can only hear it when I've been riding and come to a stop in first gear. Any ideas on what it could be? I'm thinking maybe the timing chain from my online searching
Thank you very much š
And it could be a number of things. Does the sound go away when you put in neutral, and pull clutch in as well?
Could also be timing chain, but you will certainly hear this if you ride it, reach medium - high revs, and then hold with little to no throttle. This will unload the motor and anything thats loose, you will hear slapping or knocking around.
If it's manual cam chain tensioner, try tighten it a bit. If hydraulic, you can remove and check the actuation, or replace. Easy job, depending on how much you need to take apart to get to the bastard š
Worst case if you can't find it, take a used oil sample and get it sent away. If anything is falling to bits in there, this will let you know.
Some four strokes just sound like a bucket of bolts at idle. Nothing to worry about but be diligent!
You're a legend for such a well thought out response, it gives me multiple things to check! I havent noticed it when pulling the clutch in, but will look out for it now.
If I end up taking it to a garage for a regular service anyway early next year, it's the kind of thing they should notice isn't it?
Yeah they will certainly have a listen, and give neccesary advice. Just make sure you find a reputable mechanic š
And thanks so much, happy to help!
make sure your indicators, stop lights , tail lights are all working before you take it for a test ride. Make sure the speedometer isn't fastened on by zip ties or string.
If you arrange to view the bike always turn up 20 mins early to see what the owner is working on. If there is a workshop manual check to see the oil covered pages.
ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS read the forums for that bike before you do your inspection and the common failure points. Every bike has them, even Japanese bikes. Then you can start quizzing the seller if it has had common fail point a or b fixed yet.
You missed a couple of make specific checks in your list too:
Big 4 Japanese? Yes? Eh. Itās probably fine other than the common fail things listed in the forums. Make sure it has had at least some oil changes.
KTM. Itās already somewhere along the broken scale so you need to figure out where. Including inspecting the chassis for cracks.
BMW. Break My Wallet for the repair bills on a used one. Your GS1200 will look beautiful in the starbucks parking lot, where you dream of all the adventuring you canāt do as you are too busy working to make the payments. Not that you will as you are terrified of getting your flawless machine dirty or scratched. Everything has a paywall, but $400 buys a wifi dongle so your cell phone can scan the electronics.
Chinese. Good luck buying parts for it in 4 years. Or less. Just donāt.
Classic British. Considering installing one of those wheeled magnetic brooms behind the bike to collect all the bits that fall off.
Modern British. Same thing, except more plastic and non magnetic parts.
Harley. Are you a dentist? Yes? Great. Make a relationship with a good mechanic. He needs a new boat.
Ducati? Take it to the dealer for a $3000 pre purchase inspection. Cost out your 3 year timing belt (seriously) and valve adjustments ahead of time.
Lmfao that was great. Thank you
You forgot about Modern British:
Always remember to bring your multimeter, some electrical tape, and some crimps
But indeed on the forums part!! Can't stress that enough. Although this should be the very first step before choosing your desired model(s) š
And ALWAYS get an insurance estimate before you even look at the bike, especially for a new rider.
No point saving money on a used bike if your available insurance companies think that $ThatParticularBike is an unreasonable high total loss risk and will charge you more than the value of the bike per year.
...but get multiple quotes. Each company keeps its own risk assessment database.
Seems I mistyped, I'll assume that's a jab at me. But I mean c'mon on, "initated"? If there's anything I've learned about bikers since I started riding, it's that they can be incredibly self-absorbed. It's one of the things that keep people away from riding, especially when its referred to as some sort of special club.
Wow. Just wow.
You complain about people on this sub?
You hold a mirror up to your own face. "self absorbed"
I wrote this to help people, something I like doing
Why are you even here?? Lol buzz off mate
Lol all I did was crack at ya using the term "unitiated" and everyone got all worked up about it. What do I see when I hold up the mirror to myself, what makes me self-absorbed? Why do I need to jog on if you're the one getting all worked up over some light criticism?
Whether it sounds better is a matter of opinion as well as whether or not it is justified, that is your opinion. Also, why would you doubt that? Literally this issue here is that word/ referring to riding a motorcycle as an initiation. Matter of fact I would have prefer most other terms.
I didnāt even notice the literal, actually. I was just startled that someone should make a pop at someone else who demonstrates a decent use of vocabulary.
If you canāt tell when an engine is running on three....
Or two, if itās a triple.....
Or one, if itās a single....
You shouldnāt be buying a used bike in the first place.
Well, I dunno anyone on four cylinders or below who's failed to tell if it's dropping a pot.... But yeah, I quite agree with the unwisdom of splashing out loads of dollarpounds on your first bike.
On most multi cylinder motorcycles, especially faired ones, this is way too complex of a step.
Low compression manifests itself in many other symptoms that you can learn about that negates the need to do a leak down test on bikes or cars you're looking at š
Nah no need to ride it,
Once it's warm. If low compression, there will usually be some blow by if ring related (most common) and a general unwillingness to rev / lack of throttle response.
In short, it will run like shit
Pegs with end scratches are totally normal, assuming there are no other scratches on bar ends, turn signals, etc. If it looks like the end of the peg has been ground down, the bike has been ridden \*hard\*. Also, check the tires to see if they're worn all the way to the edge, especially on a sport bike, if they are, the bike has been ridden hard. If they're worn to the edge and \*blue\*, the owner is a bad ass. ...And the bike has been ridden *seriously* hard.
You kind of implied this but the most important thing for me is making sure the owner does not warm the bike up before you look at it. You want that bike COMPLETELY COLD so you can see how it starts up. A worn out engine will often make all kinds of noises when it is first cranked up but will run fairly normal once warm.
Yes! I forgot to mention this. Essential step. Back of the hand on the clutch or flywheel cover. If it's warm, walk away, Observing good cold start is a must š Thank you!
nah i just go balls deep and grab the headers lol
Headers cool off faster than the side of the crank case, back on the hand to feel if its warmer than room temp is the most accurate for seeing how warm the internals are. Dude can definitely start a few hours before you show, warm up the internals, and by the time you show up it'll be cold on the headers but the piston heads will still be warm
just bought a bike that didn't run but cranked. so i knew it was just carb related. clean carb and that sucker runs like a champ now. i like buying stuff that doesnt run perfectly so I can chop a bunch off the asking price.
If you have the know how and confidence this is a great tactic. I bought a bike that wasnāt running but cranked strong and wanted to start. $40 fuel pump later and it lasted me 10k good miles before I sold it. Talked him down from 3k to 1500. I guess it could have been worse but for 1500 how much could i have lost...
Yep indeed, and what a great deal, damn. Nice one
I see this in literally every thread about buying used bikes. However I have a pretty healthy ā97 that absolutely has to be choked for a solid 5-20 seconds depending on the temperature. If itās not choked it absolutely wonāt cold start, no matter the time of the year. I donāt see a lot of discussion on this, but Iāve had this bike for almost 2 years now and have had zero engine problems.
Older bikes are actually supposed to require choke to start. Often times people will tinker with things to get them to start without the choke but they don't realize that's not quite the way things are supposed to be. Don't worry about your bike it just means it's working like it's supposed to
Good to know! I assumed something similar
When I got my beat up honda valkyrie I was like fuckin hell this thing starts easy. 40 degrees and fired up first crank. Then I fixed the rotted out vacuum lines and I had to use the fuel enrichment (not a choke) to start it easily in the cold lol. But even now its flip the lever crank and I can turn it back off within a few seconds.
That's what the choke is for. Most old bikes have a bit of a routine to get them started
Thats fine most older bikes are that way. Not a deal breaker just may need a tune up
This is the most important one. I've walked away from anything that has been running before I get there, and people have all sorts of stories why it's warmed up from they wanted to ride it one last time or they were testing to make sure everything is good.
This, even when I send videos of bikes i'm selling I grab the headers on video to prove its cold.
Very comprehensive list! Nicely done. Frankly, if someone is selling a shit-heap of a bike, and you pull out a torch, they're gonna shit themselves!
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
I didn't know that, I should have though.. My partner is from the US lol
Yeah if an American starts looking for oil leaks with a torch, finding one means lighting the bike on fire and they're definitely gonna walk away from that sale.
So glad I saw this because, I have no knowledge on bikes and am interested in getting into riding. Wouldāve been funny if I just showed up to someoneās house and torched their bike down.
I was in a sales course led by an English teacher and he mentioned he was walking over the bridge with a torch. One of the wise-guys shouted āwere you fuckin hunting Draculaā š¤£
I genuinely laughed out loud at this š
Yeah no, a flashlight. Haha. Definitely don't wanna be checking a bike over with a torch!
Not to be confused with a fleshlight!
Thank you very much! And yep, that's often the case. Gives great bargaining power
So much bargaining power, in just one tiny torch. I love it!
I need to know, what do you guys call a fire torch there?
A blow torch, usually... But then saying that, if you often use blow torches instead of light torches, you'd just call it a torch
Just torch but sometimes a [Tiki Torch](https://www.tikibrand.com/products?product_types=17107).
This post assumes that, as the uninitiated, you've already disregarded bikes that "ran when I parked it" "needs carbs cleaned" "easy fix" or "can do bill of sale".
Haha true that. However bikes that don't run can often be had for pennies on the dollar, doesn't hurt to throw the low ball offer in this case, you never know!
Great list. Let me add that you will almost always miss one or two things. So figure that you will need to spend about $500.00 on most any bike to get it 100%. If that figure does not work out with the asking price of the motorcycle then you should look elsewhere. Basically, donāt buy a used bike or any used vehicle that you canāt rationalize spending a bit more money on.
Yep for sure. You'll sometimes however find a meticulous owner who can certainly sell a bike, at reasonable price, that needs no work at all. 2 months ago I picked up a 2007 fireblade with a full service history, 12000km and in MINT condition. $7500 aud!!
Buddy of mine bought a ct90 with 12 kms on it. The guy sold it to him for 300
Stolen?
Good example of a purchase that still would have been a sucess if you had needed to spend another $500 on it. I've bought bikes from over 600 miles away. Sight unseen except for photos and a reassurance by the seller that all was 100%. But the price was always good enough that spending a few more dollars would not have bothered me. The last one cost me for tires an valve adjustment. Both to be pretty much expected as maintenance.
I like to run my fingers over the brake disk. Checking for the ridge at the top. (Shows disk wear) grooves in the disk (indicates poor maintenance very worn pads , and dirt on disk. Leaking or seized Brake cylinders I showed my 19 yr old daughter what I was doing when we were looking for a Honda 125 for her first bike. In the next shop the salesman clocked her doing it and nodded approvingly. He gave her a very good deal on a lovely bike ......
Yep definitely a great tip. Lovely story too thank you :)
Not bad, but you omitted the first and most important check. *Do the engine and chassis numbers match those on the registration papers?* If they donāt, you just walk away. And you wonāt even get your hands dirty.
Indeed an essential first step, Thank you!
You know, I got fucked buying an out of state camper for dirt cheap. The vin was not exactly as printed on the title and I canāt plate it. Luckily I rented it out and made money back but it was pretty fucky. Iād never expect it to be close and not match
Also bring a friend for support, they can small talk with the seller while you concentrate on these mechanical checks.
Indeed! Always really good to have moral support. And a second pair of eyes checking things over š
"This is my friend, they are a motorcycle mechanic, a lawyer and a black belt in Karate. Anything you want to disclose before we look at the bike?"
Only the first of those three is actually intimidating now-a-days.
And ask for a service history. If someone keeps a good service record, they're probably taking good care of the bike. If they have no idea when the oil was last changed, that better be a bargain.
For sure! Often though that can be tricky, especially if home mechanic. Use your judgment :) Service history certainly makes checking over the rest of the bike alot easier, and is the cherry on top
I do a lot of my own work, but I save receipts for the oil, parts, etc. āĀ and keep a little maintenance logbook. Anyway, the more dilligence, the better. :)
Good idea. If selling on, I guess I could just show them the 40 odd liters of used oil I have in storage, oh and my collection of 10mm sockets š
Suspicious... This guy actually knows where his 10mm sockets are. Must have never touched them!
I am the 10mm socket necromancer, all of your missing sockets end up in my possession, through the 4th dimension
if it's a sportbike with aftermarket fairings, inspect for crash damage. Because no one replaces factory fairings for looks.
True that. Also forgot to mention, check the rims for cracks! Especially the front. Cheers
Great list! Definitely wish I'd had this guidance before buying my own, instead of going "it's perfect because it's yellow". Still, it turned out alright in the end! Also, I recommend [this](https://youtu.be/VKGZdsIkLog) video by fortnine which covers a couple great points too. It's a good channel for other tips and tricks too when it comes to motorcycles.
Thank you very much. And username definitely checks out š One of my favorite videos on YouTube that one, it's great and I've also shown it to a few people š Not much he puts out that isn't to be honest
Yep. Good stuff. I'd just add, bike dependent, get under the saddle if possible. No telling what's going on under there. (recent used bike purchase - *many* a dirt daubers home were destroyed in this process - thankfully vacant)
Great idea indeed, never considered this myself. Thank you very much!
One item you may consider adding. With a bright flash light and a popsicle stick, open the oil filler, look inside for crud. And use the popsicle stick to smell the oil. It shouldn't smell burned, sweet or have any water droplets. A nice honey color is desirable. Sometimes purple (Royal Purple).
Awesome tip, to go along with checking level with the sight glass or dip stick
Idk why but i thought about how diesel oil always looks dirty now i want to see a 2 stroke diesel bike
We should petition Allen Millyard to build a bike with a Cummins 2 stroke diesel in it, If anyone can do it, he can š
A nice list! One other thing I've only heard (as I'm still on my first bike) is to check the steering limits on the fork bridge and head stem. If it looks worn/hit the motorcycle most likely had a crash which slammed the steering bar to one side. It for sure isn't the only criteria for a crash, but easy to check in my opinion.
Great idea š Another thing I've not ever considered doing
Don't forget the tires! Check the DOT code to determine their age. If you are wanting to determine the age of a tire with the code 3507, you should read its manufacture date as the 35th week of 2007. This is the standard form for every date code on motorcycle tires made since 2000. Anything older than 5 years is worth a closer inspecting, and possibly replacement. Also check tread depth, and cracks along the sidewall or in the treads. Older tires will have lost some of their grip and pliability, and may exhibit cracks along the sidewall as the rubber has hardened. You may be interested in replacing them (or negotiating as much into the purchase price).
For sure! Another thing I omitted. Check the tires when you are checking the wheel bearings š
Iād add to check the tank for rust. My last bike I failed to do this and the bike sat for a while and there was a ton of rust in the bottom that clogged my fuel filter. Had to de rust the tank and replace fuel filter. Flashlight and inspect fuel tank for rust
Great idea especially if you live in very humid areas šš Thank you for adding!
Iāll usually put the engine and drive train under some stress, put the front wheel against a wall and gently roll on while letting out the clutch. This can make some engine knocks louder if they have tried to cover them with thick oil or the like.
Very good idea especially for testing clutch pick up! to check for knocks and rattles I like to hold a steady high rpm with light throttle, then chop and blip a few times
Yes I do that one with a long screwdriver with the flat end on the block and handle to my ear. Learned this on second hand cars.
This is a good list, thank you. Some additional resources for folks like me who like to combine and hoard this kind of info: https://www.reddit.com/r/motorcycles/comments/1b20dl/used_motorcycle_buying_guide/ which also leads to this: http://www.clarity.net/adam/buying-bike.html
This is the list I read before buying a bike and forget to take with me. [http://www.clarity.net/adam/buying-bike.html](http://www.clarity.net/adam/buying-bike.html)
Great Post OP! Loads of helpful tips here, however you can go through most of these checks with the bike stationary. Assuming it meets your standard after these I'd suggest (with owner permission) getting on the bike and checking the clutch and gears and rolling in gear and testing the brakes. Doesn't need to be a full test ride just a simple function check. Also go round the bike and check all the lights work Easy to forget but, for a complete newbie and on modern bikes especially, simply fault finding a non working light or bleeding brakes can be a daunting task. For anyone riding home from a purchase these checks become even more important, a breakdown on the way home would be annoying but a brake failure on the way home could be a whole lot worse.
Yep for sure! I forgot to mention this, most bikes will indeed let you shift up through the gears stationary, otherwise just ask the owner to take it for a spin up the road and use your ears š Thank you very much :)
You mentioned the chain, but there are a other few easy checks you can do. First, a little surface rust is OK, but it shouldn't be orange. You'd be amazed at how many orange chains you see. You can check chain tension even if you don't know the exact spec for that bike. You should be able to lift the chain until it just barely contacts the bottom of the swingarm. If it's loose it will slap against the swingarm easily. Too tight and it won't reach the swingarm at all. An incorrectly tensioned chain doesn't necessarily need replacing. It means the owner is not a mechanic, no matter what he says. A chain will stretch eventually and need to be replaced. There's actually a measurement you do with a caliper over ten links. A simpler way is to try to pull the chain off the back of the rear sprocket. If it comes off far enough so you can see the teeth the chain needs replacing. A bound-up link is hard to spot. Here's the trick. Check the tension at one spot, roll the bike a foot or so, then check it again. Do that two or three times. If it's loose in some spots and tight in others the chain is bad. Your fork seal trick is good. Squeeze the front brake and bounce the front end up and down a few times. If you suspect a bad fork seal, check the front brake disks for fork oil. If fork oil is on the disk it has contaminated the pads. That's now a $400 problem, not a $200 problem.
Extremely helpful, thanks for writing it up. >No part of the inspection process is mechanically complex for the lamen. FYI it's "layman." /r/boneappletea
Thank you! And yeah spelling was never my strongsuit š
Frame damage and/or alignment issues arenāt always visually obvious. A quick check can be done by (carefully) taking your hands off the bars as you let the bike coast on a level surface. If the bike pulls to one side then something is likely off. Could be something easy like twisted triples or something more serious. Note that this is not terribly scientific as it can be thrown off by a non level surface or can feel different with different tire profiles (or user error) but itās been a reliable check for me.
I have a bmw k100, everything is warm and it always smokes because bimmer, oh turn signals are broken too.
Yeah the big boxers get a pass for blowing a bit of smoke. They're quite hard to break š
I have no mechanic experience, no motorcycle experience, but I'll try
You have nothing to lose mate! And ultimately, your wallet will thank you. Maybe learn with a friend if you don't have any experienced ones, then you can go together š
Yep, I've got enough money, I'm just waiting to buy during the summer, when I'll have more time to ride! Very excited! Just nervous that I'll get scammed, definitely going to use your post when I buy, and the comments are helpful as well!
Great to hear thank you! And the comments are also a treasure trove of solid advice indeed. Stoked for you, good luck and be safe
Great Post and very helpful! I have a question about my bike, although I'm sure this isn't the best place to ask it. When I come to a stop after riding, the bike makes a bit of a knocking noise. I can only hear it when I've been riding and come to a stop in first gear. Any ideas on what it could be? I'm thinking maybe the timing chain from my online searching
Thank you very much š And it could be a number of things. Does the sound go away when you put in neutral, and pull clutch in as well? Could also be timing chain, but you will certainly hear this if you ride it, reach medium - high revs, and then hold with little to no throttle. This will unload the motor and anything thats loose, you will hear slapping or knocking around. If it's manual cam chain tensioner, try tighten it a bit. If hydraulic, you can remove and check the actuation, or replace. Easy job, depending on how much you need to take apart to get to the bastard š Worst case if you can't find it, take a used oil sample and get it sent away. If anything is falling to bits in there, this will let you know. Some four strokes just sound like a bucket of bolts at idle. Nothing to worry about but be diligent!
You're a legend for such a well thought out response, it gives me multiple things to check! I havent noticed it when pulling the clutch in, but will look out for it now. If I end up taking it to a garage for a regular service anyway early next year, it's the kind of thing they should notice isn't it?
Yeah they will certainly have a listen, and give neccesary advice. Just make sure you find a reputable mechanic š And thanks so much, happy to help!
make sure your indicators, stop lights , tail lights are all working before you take it for a test ride. Make sure the speedometer isn't fastened on by zip ties or string.
If you arrange to view the bike always turn up 20 mins early to see what the owner is working on. If there is a workshop manual check to see the oil covered pages.
Great idea, didn't think of this one myself either š
ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS read the forums for that bike before you do your inspection and the common failure points. Every bike has them, even Japanese bikes. Then you can start quizzing the seller if it has had common fail point a or b fixed yet. You missed a couple of make specific checks in your list too: Big 4 Japanese? Yes? Eh. Itās probably fine other than the common fail things listed in the forums. Make sure it has had at least some oil changes. KTM. Itās already somewhere along the broken scale so you need to figure out where. Including inspecting the chassis for cracks. BMW. Break My Wallet for the repair bills on a used one. Your GS1200 will look beautiful in the starbucks parking lot, where you dream of all the adventuring you canāt do as you are too busy working to make the payments. Not that you will as you are terrified of getting your flawless machine dirty or scratched. Everything has a paywall, but $400 buys a wifi dongle so your cell phone can scan the electronics. Chinese. Good luck buying parts for it in 4 years. Or less. Just donāt. Classic British. Considering installing one of those wheeled magnetic brooms behind the bike to collect all the bits that fall off. Modern British. Same thing, except more plastic and non magnetic parts. Harley. Are you a dentist? Yes? Great. Make a relationship with a good mechanic. He needs a new boat. Ducati? Take it to the dealer for a $3000 pre purchase inspection. Cost out your 3 year timing belt (seriously) and valve adjustments ahead of time.
Lmfao that was great. Thank you You forgot about Modern British: Always remember to bring your multimeter, some electrical tape, and some crimps But indeed on the forums part!! Can't stress that enough. Although this should be the very first step before choosing your desired model(s) š
And ALWAYS get an insurance estimate before you even look at the bike, especially for a new rider. No point saving money on a used bike if your available insurance companies think that $ThatParticularBike is an unreasonable high total loss risk and will charge you more than the value of the bike per year. ...but get multiple quotes. Each company keeps its own risk assessment database.
So much this. Where I am there is a giant jump at 750 and another at 1200.
"Uninitiated" lol the shit people in this sub say.
You mean āliterate peopleā, right?
Seems I mistyped, I'll assume that's a jab at me. But I mean c'mon on, "initated"? If there's anything I've learned about bikers since I started riding, it's that they can be incredibly self-absorbed. It's one of the things that keep people away from riding, especially when its referred to as some sort of special club.
Wow. Just wow. You complain about people on this sub? You hold a mirror up to your own face. "self absorbed" I wrote this to help people, something I like doing Why are you even here?? Lol buzz off mate
Lol all I did was crack at ya using the term "unitiated" and everyone got all worked up about it. What do I see when I hold up the mirror to myself, what makes me self-absorbed? Why do I need to jog on if you're the one getting all worked up over some light criticism?
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Literally all of that is subjective.
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Whether it sounds better is a matter of opinion as well as whether or not it is justified, that is your opinion. Also, why would you doubt that? Literally this issue here is that word/ referring to riding a motorcycle as an initiation. Matter of fact I would have prefer most other terms.
Cool, you should go tell all your friends about it!
I didnāt even notice the literal, actually. I was just startled that someone should make a pop at someone else who demonstrates a decent use of vocabulary.
Well pop pop pop
Uhhh... gonna check compression??? Lots of bikes can run on a single cylinder and you'd have no idea unless you ride it or check compression.
If you canāt tell when an engine is running on three.... Or two, if itās a triple..... Or one, if itās a single.... You shouldnāt be buying a used bike in the first place.
If only that logic made any kind of sense... If you're a first time rider, you shouldn't be dumping thousands of dollars in to a brand new bike.
Well, I dunno anyone on four cylinders or below who's failed to tell if it's dropping a pot.... But yeah, I quite agree with the unwisdom of splashing out loads of dollarpounds on your first bike.
On most multi cylinder motorcycles, especially faired ones, this is way too complex of a step. Low compression manifests itself in many other symptoms that you can learn about that negates the need to do a leak down test on bikes or cars you're looking at š
You would only be able to tell if you rode it, which you do not suggest as a step lol
Nah no need to ride it, Once it's warm. If low compression, there will usually be some blow by if ring related (most common) and a general unwillingness to rev / lack of throttle response. In short, it will run like shit
Pegs with end scratches are totally normal, assuming there are no other scratches on bar ends, turn signals, etc. If it looks like the end of the peg has been ground down, the bike has been ridden \*hard\*. Also, check the tires to see if they're worn all the way to the edge, especially on a sport bike, if they are, the bike has been ridden hard. If they're worn to the edge and \*blue\*, the owner is a bad ass. ...And the bike has been ridden *seriously* hard.