Are you about to purchase a secondhand bike and do not know where to begin? Here in this blog, you will go through 7 important things that you should do before purchasing a used motorbike.
Buying and selling second hand bikes is not a strange thing they are a buy, sell area, both online and offline. In addition to this, motorcycles have also become a popular medium for commuting as these machines require less fuel, and are very easy to maneuver in the narrow roads and the traffic jams that are witnessed on the roads.
As soon as you start looking into the prospect of buying second hand bike, a number of questions might come up in your mind – what will be your choice and will you get the maximum value? Will it be like a newly purchased bike and exceed my expectations, or will it even fall below my expectations?
If you are another motorcyclist who is planning to buy a used bike and don’t know where you should start, here are 7 things to keep into account before making a purchasing decision.
7 things should be kept in mind before making used motorcycle buying
Why do you want to ride a bike?
This is the question that has to be kept in mind when you buy a motorcycle. If you understand what you really need, always reflect on reasons that bring you closer to your goal of ultimately needing a motorcycle. You could be after an urban bike that fits your daily commuting or perhaps, maybe you need a cruiser for road travel. Note, buying the bike is as a matter of fact only the tip of the iceberg. In addition to this, it is another burden to consider maintenance expenses, fuel spending, etc.
What are the options available?
Now you are aware of why it is significant to buy a secondhand bike, let us then come into the role of researching various used bikes at our disposal. The cost and the age of the motorcycle might be different in various dealerships or individuals. It is necessary that you get the information about the cost, age, models, and other issues and then decide what kind of deals you will going to enter into. Traders are not the only ones that you can avail of services from. Furthermore, the Internet can provide you with a motorcycle for sale from a reliable online shopping website or you can even connect with a friend for that.
How to ensure the good condition of the bike?
The motorcycle is quite a beautiful piece of art and you won't entirely know how well it runs until you get the test drive. The individuals who are enlightened about the basics can tell about the physical fitness and performance of the motorcycle by just spending five minutes on observing them. Although it is not recommended for a newbie to do it on their own, it is still advised to have a more experienced friend or an authentic mechanic to get the job done.
Check the chassis number for authenticity
On your second most serious step of buying a second-hand motorcycle, you need to conduct a chassis number check. The tag/its pic and the number on the plate should be the same and must be recorded in the registration certificate.
Do check the service record
Attempt to get the service history of the motorbike considered from the seller. Through these tests, you can realize how many times the bike has been to the shop and how soon it will need another mechanic's visit.
Are all the documents of the used bike ready?
Documentation being done on the right thing should be your core principle. Here’s a list of the documentation.
- Registration certificate
- Bike insurance - in your name, it shows the insurance company.
- Pollution certificate
- RTO forms
- Sales receipt
What would be the ideal value?
However, make sure not to leave negotiations up to last. According to these parameters, the repair cost can be determined as follows the dent, the scratch on the painting, or the maintenance problems. Also, to check bike resale value based on the physical and mechanical condition always make negotiations to get better offer.
Things you must ask from the owner
Do ask for the maintenance history and its record
It would be right for the owner to have their maintenance records ready to show as proof if it is done for high grades. An existing bike owner who maintained the bike in a good shape, meticulously and with this proved to have documented every component with precision. It looks like there may be a tinkerer who goes in for a detail check and usually does not skip scheduled maintenance.
if the owner has no records so to speak, this does not directly equate to skipping their services of doing the maintenance. On the other side, however, it also means that you have to be more careful. One of the things you can do is to keep on checking a few basic things that might still be in working condition like safe guard rails, emergency shutoff valves, or circumferential blowouts.
- Walk the chain to ensure it is free from rust, as well as to inspect if the lubes are good enough.
- Look through your glasses and if the oil is yellow or amber then it means your engine oil condition is ideal but if it's dark, then it's time for a change. These are simple jobs that usually suggest that the owner has been neglecting their bike.
- Dirty oil can point toward an owner whose bike has not been taken care of, while rusty chains can also be signs of poor maintenance and care.
Ask the owner to start the bike in cold condition
Try to look at a motorbike when the engine is not running; ask the owner if it's possible to see the machine (engine cold). If the question seems strange at first consider why it may not be so.
This is because the engine issues are seen when the bike is starting out in the morning when the bike is cold. A bad working carburetor or worn gasket could cause a thing of starting a cold engine. But for all the recording metaphors of death and despair, the motor is a living creature and soon runs just fine.
Those sellers who are not honest about the condition and originality of the purchased items can exploit the platform. A good mechanic keeps the bike in top shape for a comfortable ride, makes the cold start easier, and warms up the engine beforehand. Check auctions carefully to find out whether the bikes are really frozen as claimed by sellers and whether the material can bear the additional cold that they are likely to be subjected to.
Find the signs of dents or scratches
Whenever you are looking to purchase a motorcycle, you’ll want to make sure and ask if it has been in a collision before. These features of the bike may not be sufficient to disqualify it as good, but they are factors that should be considered essentially when assessing its condition.
Regardless of how the situation arises and if it is fixed, a previous accident most likely should be at least a concern. - But, although this is worse, it is not, I believe, as bad as the idea of him hiding something from you.
Some footpegs just have this ability to show up for the same riders more often than others. Most modern footpegs are an oval metal shape at the bottom of the end, this is an adaptation for touching the ground first when the bicycle is too inclined. Here, it’s all about a thought: they should scratch and slash so that the rider does not lean any further and runs off the road. Certainly, the worn-out pegs typically mean that the lender had been recklessly riding the bike and must be accounted for when determining what to offer.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it's a great deal of act, if you've decided to purchase a used bike from a reliable seller. Make sure to follow the above guide in terms of looking into important things about a motorcycle and asking relevant questions from the owner.
One of the most important things to know is the old bike's value after doing its valuation at the Wheels of Trust (WOT) platform online. All you have to do is add the information related to the
selected motorcycle, add its condition, year of manufacturing, make, and model, and get to know the current reselling price.
