Buying a Used Motorcycle

Buying Your Used Motorcycle - Considerations

Credit to Triumph Motorcycles for this picture.

First and Foremost Congratulations on considering a used Motorcycle!

This route is not for everyone. Some believe they must buy their motorcycles new as their first bike, or simply do not trust people enough to buy their vehicles used and buy them straight from the dealer every time.

Personally, I feel buying a used motorcycle can be a very rewarding experience. However, it also can be a very risky experience as well. If the right steps are taken, the right motorcycle is found with the right owner, with the right maintenance, the right amount of self-discipline, you can potentially save hundreds, if not thousands of dollars on your set of wheels!

As a hardcore motorcycle enthusiast, I have purchased dozens and dozens of used motorcycles for both myself and other people. I am by no means a professional mechanic (even though I did work as a mechanic for several years), or a professional salesman (but I have worked at an European Dealership) but I want to contribute my advice for people considering a used motorcycle.

First Steps - Figure out what bike suits your needs

One thing I always tell people BEFORE they even start looking for a specific bike; Research. Think about it. You’re going to be on this vehicle with your life. Find a bike that suits your lifestyle. You wouldn’t hop into a Lamborghini and drive from San Diego, CA to New York City, NY as a daily driver would you? You wouldn’t take your Stock Ford Ranger Truck to the drag strip in hopes to actually win medals right? As someone with numerous motorcycles in my garage, each motorcycle is a different “tool” in the garage. They all excel at different things and it is worthwhile to see what motorcycles fit your needs. If you’re learning how to ride, it would make more sense to pick up a cheap, lightweight, used Yamaha FZ-07 to learn the ropes on versus a brand new, heavy, low mobile Harley Davidson Motorcycle. There will be a different post in the future where I will go into more details on choosing your first bike.

Credit to CycleDrag.com for this picture.

Credit to mechanics.stackexchange for the picture.

Research any potential “Flaws” commonly found in your Bike

One thing I always like to do whenever I am researching a motorcycle is to discover the weak links with the bike. If you discover a common issue with a bike, wouldn’t you like to see if the owner is aware of it and has modified anything to make up for it? A common example: KTM 690 Enduro/SMCs models have a very sensitive fuel injection system. Out of the factory they run incredibly lean. To counter this, most owners either remap the ECU, install aftermarket exhaust modifications, and/or adjust intake parts. Knowing all these weak links in mind, you can approach a model with all these issues before you even see one. This can give you an idea what has happened to the bike’s ownership. If someone is aware of the issues and did not take the precautions to fix/address these, ultimately, the bike could be in for some pricey repairs, etc. Knowing these issues might just divert you to a different model altogether. Due to the crazy maintenance and potential issues of the KTM 690s, most people pursue a different model/brand of bike altogether. But not knowing this BEFOREHAND can potentially save you on a rash decision.

Check out Insurance Rates

One thing I noticed that most of my riding buddies do not do prior to shopping, is check Insurance rates for their new potential ride. In many states, it is MANDATORY to have motorcycle insurance, so you will not be able to loophole out of this, unless you constantly want to be running from the law, or risk being pulled over on the streets. Some states (like CA) will non-op your vehicle if you do not have insurance registered for your vehicle. One of the best things about buying used bikes, is that YOU can choose whatever rates you would like. Used bikes tend to be paid off, so you are able to drop the full coverage (if you choose to) and save hundreds+ each month. However, before you run into a dealership or meet up with someone to check out the wheels, it really does not hurt to call a local insurance company or get an online quote, to expect what you are going to be paying each month before you pick up your ride. You’d be surprised how much cheaper some of the older models of modern day bikes are in comparison for insurance.