Yeah, I've been scanning Gumtree for sub $5K bikes. Plenty of bargains. My thoughts: buy from a rider who is 40+ and it's probably going to be ok. Obviously you need to do these checks b4 you buy but when you are young, the bike tends to get thrashed, when you are older, you tend treat it like a baby. Generally.
@@onthebackwheel LOL yeah, wish there was some post covid money ha ha. Well, how many bikes do you need - just one; how many bikes do you want - them all.
I’ll kinda agree. I’m 39 and bought my first motorcycle in almost 20 years after getting back into riding. I’m a fair weather rider and I maintain my motorcycle with the dealership so that I have a paper trail.
open the oil reservoir cap and see the color on the cap and inside. Should not be black. observe the exhaust exit and see the color. Should not be black, but light grey. see the motorcycle in motion and check that the wheels are aligned with each other. Take a friend with you for that. check that the motorcycle steering wheel is straight and the front is aligned with the steering wheel. accelerate the motorcycle in third gear and see if it accelerates without choking until almost the speed limit. listen to the engine noise and check that there is no strange noise. tell the owner not to start the motorcycle so that when you go to see the motorcycle it is completely cold. start the motorcycle when cold. Run the bike until the fan activates, then turn off the mode and check if the fan turns off after a while. Choose in first place Japanese motorcycles (more reliability in my opinion). If there is an opportunity, it is best to take an experienced mechanic, especially if it is a high-value motorcycle. Paying the mechanic for this can be quite profitable.
Yeah Mate, One or two small items come to mind. For starters, engine! Read the plugs. Do a compression check. At the very least check the inside of the exhaust. I'm assuming here that you know what you should or shouldn't find! Check the oil BEFORE you bother to test ride. If the owner didn't think enough to change it to sell the bike, what does that tell you?? Check the charging system output voltage. And why not check for play in the swing arm as well as in the headset? Go for a test ride. How does the bike HANDLE? First questions first. Are the tire pressures correct? If not, what does that say about the owner's maintenance? Take the tools that you will need, including a flashlight even though you will definitely inspect the bike during daylight. Take a list and take your time. Follow your gut and good luck!
I always do a REVS check before looking at a used bike, for a few bucks it is peace of mind… I’ve come across a few stat write offs… there’s heaps of them out there for sale 🙂
Buying new can be a challenge now days too! Since the COVID bike mania, salesmen have gotten used to the bike just selling itself with little input from them >
Absolutely love it! Was looking for reviews/tests for a klx450r for ages before buying a new bike and ended up buying a wr450 due to not being able to find a whole lot about the klx online. Enjoy the new bike👍
I bought a new Honda Africa Twin,it's o.k. My brother got a great deal on a Triumph Tiger on Facebook. It didn't exactly have real low miles and it was older. It was owned by an old man,and he threw in a Shoeie helmet. There seems to be a lot of people buying these things here in Texas,and they just don't ride them hard or at all and then sell them. I would go used next time! Good tips by the way!
Good vid. In general though, tires are not a thing I worry about. If they are bald, or torn up, it can be a clue that the previous owner did not take very good care of his bike generally, but if the bike is otherwise in good shape, worn tires mean little. I'm buying the bike, not the tires.
I have question I’ve brought a bike interstate lucky it was good etc video sent of the motor start up & running, at the end of day it was great. My rule of thumb once I got home pull it down. Luckily I got home ok once I pulled it down I discovered the fuel lines weren’t in the best shape.. something that could be overlooked when you flight up & ride back on an unregistered permit. End of the day it’s what I want & was able to sort out. Now I’m thinking about at another interstate buy Darwin to NSW. Some people are selling their pride & joy cheaper than eastern states because they can’t get a buyer. I believe if it a good deal & you have the right time flight to it ride it back home then you will get to know it & if it what you wanted. If you can save 2 grand off the eastern coast prices it’s worth the adventure as long as you have the time to do it 👍 life is all about adventure anyway Right 👍
It may be different in OZ, but here in the EU we need to check the paperwork, title, invoices from service, make,sure the serial number is intact, etc. Good video!
Not sure how it works elsewhere but here in the US always make sure it has a clean paper trail and what we call a TITLE... also there are a lot of adds that just don't have time to ride.. or to much bike for me. And stuff like I bought it from the original owner and just not for me and it's 2023 or 2022 model year.. and never been dropped and it's all scratched up broken lever and bent handle bars..
@@onthebackwheel also super easy to get it behind the radiator and look at the top of the motor to see what kind of lipstick job the owner has done. Its saved a me A BUNCH. I just about bought a K7 GSXR and when i scoped over the cylinder head i saw that the oil seals were bad around the coils. The guy claimed to have done a full service but it was merely a Simple Green service. He got nervous when i pulled out the camera and then started talking down the price when i started looking.
What about when you're selling, ever had dramas giving a test ride? Feel nervous letting someone ride off with my bike, not knowing if they might drop it or something 😮
