Step 1: Decide what type of riding you will be doing in most cases: commuting, sports, touring, or a combination. This is actually the most important qualification you have to think about. A 1000 cc superbike could make your heart skip a beat, but there's a very good possibility that you'll loathe it on the commute, and that your passanger will probably be uncomfortable on it. Track-days on a cruiser will also be disappointing.
Step 2: Buy from Family PowerSports. Individual sales could be cheaper, but you will not have any recourse if the bike breaks down or blows up. If you must purchase from a private party, demand that you can bring the bike to Family PowerSports to be assessed and inspected. A few dollars invested right now can save you loads of money and trouble later on. In addition, Family PowerSports can do an ownership background lookup for you to make sure the bike in question hasn't been stolen and hasn't been listed as "written off" by an insurer.
Step 3: Examine the bike yourself. Take some simple hand tools with you, such as a flashlight and, if possible, a multimeter.
Look at the condition of the drive chain and sprocket. The chain needs to have around 3/4" of slack (up and down) and the teeth of the sprocket shouldn't show noticeable deterioration or wear. Attempt to move the chain side to side on the sprocket. There shouldn't be a lot movement with a decent set. Have somebody sit down on the motorcycle and verify to be sure the chain is sort of snug, with almost no motion up and down. Chains wear out as time passes, but sprockets should keep going a lot longer. A significantly used sprocket indicates either an old sprocket or a bad maintenance schedule.
The tires should have great tread completely over the surface without any signs of uneven wear or damage. Daily drivers' tires normally have a lot more wear at the center on the tread (a lot more freeway riding). Other people who may have raced their motorcycle on the track, could have tires that show more use at the side of the tread.
Sit on the motorcycle. Look at the overall condition of the brake and clutch levers, bar-end weights, straightness of the bars and instrument cluster. These could possibly be indications of a crash or drop. Additional clues might be scratched engine cases, foot pegs or exhaust pipes. Squeeze the handbrake and bounce the front suspension. It needs to feel even and firm. Get off the motorcycle and examine the fork tubes for indications of rust, pitting and oil. These are typically symptoms of worn fork seals, or potential future pricey issues.
While checking the forks, run your fingernail over the brake rotors, feeling for uneven wear or grooving. Look into the brake caliper to find out how much of the pads remain. In the event the motorcycle has spokes, examine the overall condition of the individual spokes. For all kinds, try to find dents or problems to the rim.
Place the motorcycle on its center stand it's outfitted; turn the handlebars side to side. Feel for any uneven motion or roughness with the steering.
If possible, check the visible frame; take off the seat to view beneath it also. There shouldn't be dents, kinks or noticeable damage to the frame. If you find any, find another bike.
Since the seat is removed and you're able to gain access to the battery, clip the multi-meter across the battery terminals and examine the voltage. It should preferably read no less than 12 volts. Start the engine. The meter ought to read at most 14 volts roughly while operating. If it does, that could be a warning of a malfunctioning voltage regulator and it could overcharge a battery and make it fail. Check the lights and indicators at this time also. Pull a fuse or two out and examine for corrosion. Try this when the engine off of course. Also, check the battery terminals and overall look of the battery. Replace the seat.
Open up the gas tank and check for apparent signs of rust or corrosion using the flashlight.
Look beneath fairings (if the motorcycle has fairings). Remove the same fairing the owner takes away to change spark plugs and do normal routine upkeep. Look at the frame for weakness at the weld points. Examine the general condition of the engine block, plugs, and radiator. Look for leaks close to the oil filter and oil pan bolt.
Examine the brake fluid level. It's usually on top of bars, in an enclosure with a transparent window. With the engine running, pull hard on the front brakes level and release as you're watching the fluid level. It should fall and rise. It should go up rapidly once the brake is released.
Step 4: Get a test ride. Pick a great day with dry roads and good visibility if you can. Take your bike license and proper gear should you have it. Most dealers should have loaner gear for you to use.
Select a road you are acquainted with that has gentle traffic and excellent street conditions whenever you can. Ease into it and get accustomed to how the bike feels and reacts.
Evaluate the brakes. They must not vibrate. That is a sign of warped disks. They should engage efficiently and evenly and not seize violently or feel spongy.
Speed up throughout the gears. The tranny should feel solid and not slip out of gear under acceleration or feel clunky.
While you're on a straight, clear spot of road, weave left and right a bit to see how the motorcycle reacts. It should feel stable and straightforward to fix.
You should listen for virtually any uncommon engine sounds, suspension creaking or rattling and any undue vibrations. Ask questions regarding anything you have concerns about.
Step 5: Inspect the motorcycle once more following the ride, searching for just about any leaks or drips. Examine the oil, via either the sight glass or; once the engine cools, the dipstick if so outfitted. Almost all partially or complete synthetic oils may darken after only a handful of miles. That's totally typical.
Step 6: Get a service history. It's usually a great detail to get, however for numerous reasons, they may not be available. Ask for the owner's manual and factory tool set if available.
Step 7: Be sensible when negotiating on the ultimate price of the bike. For an individual seller, this might be his baby and disparaging him now will make sure that you will not get a reasonable price. When at a dealership, realize that the salesman might have objectives to satisfy plus a supervisor looking over his shoulder. Do your homework on the web; use the retail pricing guides when available, or read the motorcycle classifieds to obtain a fair market price of the bike. And then, set the purchase price properly.
Author Resource:
Should you be looking to get an used Motorcycle and you are around the Fort Worth region, then you will wish to check out Family PowerSports and check out the pre-owned Motorcycle in Fort Worth. In the following article we are going to go into some of the key considerations you should keep in mind when you're shopping for an used Motorcycle in the Fort Worth area.
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