Ultimate Guide to Used Motorcycles

Used motorcycles don’t have to be disasters – but they can be. So, are you keen to get yourself onto two wheels; to become a member of a riding fraternity. If so, you could use an ultimate guide to used motorcycles. And, while this may not be the absolute ultimate guide, it covers the bases if you are considering a used motorcycle.

Be Clear about what you’re looking for

Before you even head out the door, you need to know what you’re looking for. And, to be clear about this, you need to decide how you plan to use the motorcycle. Are you looking to join those of use who take extended road trips? Do you want to go bush-bashing on the weekends? Do you aspire to become an adventure rider? Are you interested in motocross or enduro riding? Or, do you want to be the ‘boy racer’? You see, the type of motorcycle you will need or want will depend on how you want to use it.

If you want to be the ‘boy racer’ you will want to look for will be entirely different to what you might want to commute to work each day. On the other hand, if you’re planning on taking extended road trips, the motorcycle you will need will be different again [Cruiser/Tourer].

So there’s a place to start; think about how you are planning to use the machine. And, just a word of caution – Don’t be in a hurry! Used motorcycles don’t have to be disasters; but they can be. You don’t really want to pay money for someone else’s headache. So, read on and you’ll have your ultimate guide to buying used motorcycles.

Know what you expect to pay

OK, Let’s go shopping. But before you do, get online and check the Motorcycle Red Book; it will give you an idea of what you will have to pay. 

When I was a kid, my Dad used to regularly say: 

Don’t judge a book by its cover!

In life generally, not a bad piece of wisdom. But, when you’re shopping for a motorcycle, ‘the cover’ is important.

As you walk up to the bike, what is your first reaction or impression?

The motorcycle’s appearance often reflects the owner’s pride and care. Most riders take pretty good care of their motorcycle’s exterior. If you’re out on the road on your bike, you want to look good – right?

So, first impressions matter. Now let’s take a closer look.

General Appearance

When I’m shopping for a motorcycle, one of the first questions I ask the seller is: 

Why are you selling the bike? 

There’s no right or wrong answer to this, but the owner’s answer will tell you quite a lot.

Other than that, I use the following checklist when I’m checking the overall appearance:

• Look over the whole bike carefully.

Has the motorcycle been garaged and pampered or has is been ‘quick cleaned’ for a sale?

• Check hard to reach places where dirt can accumulate.

An enthusiast will take the time to get into these areas. A quick cleaner won’t; he’ll be hoping your excitement over-rides your judgement so you won’t look closely.

• Check the tabs that secure the fairings to the frame. 

These are the first things to break if the bike has been crashed and shoddy repairs are easy to spot.

Exhaust

When I phone the owner to arrange an inspection appointment, I always ask him/her not to run the bike before I get there. There are a couple of reasons for this:

1. A motorcycle always starts more easily after it’s been running. So, if you want to know if a motorcycle starts easily, you will want to attempt it as a cold start.
2. It doesn’t take too long for a bike to heat up and you don’t want it to be so hot that you can’t touch anything.

That being said, here are some things to check:

• Check the exhaust mounting. 

The exhaust system gets a lot of vibration from the engine, which can cause the mounts and the pipe to fail.  

• Check by feel places on the exhaust that you can’t see. 

Check the pipes for rust. Have they rested through – or almost through?

• Check the exhaust header. 

Dents and deformed pipes can affect performance.

The Frame

Its worth checking the frame carefully; just about everything hangs off it or is bolted to it.

You’re looking for dents, scapes, cracked welds etc. These may indicate that the bike has bottomed out; taken a hard landing; or been in some kind of accident. Slide your hands over as much of the frame as you can; this will enable you to feel what you can’t see.

• Check the steering head bearings. 

Apply the front brake and then rock the bike back and forth. If you see movement or hear a clicking sound, the bearings in the steering head are either loose or worn. 

• Check the steering stops on the neck of the frame. 

These the metal stops that meet the tabs on the lower steering stem to stop the handlebars from turning past a given point. If the bike’s has been crashed, the metal will be bent, bulging or rusty.

The Clutch

A bit of play or slack in the clutch cable is normal and can usually be adjusted out. But: 

• Grip the left handle-bar grip and pull the clutch in. 

It should operate smoothly. The release should also be smooth; no ‘snags’ or ‘pops’ when the clutch lever is engaged or released. 

• Sit on the bike and engage the clutch. The motorcycle should roll smoothly with little resistance while you are in first gear with the clutch engaged.

Note: There ought to be some free play in the clutch before it engages, if not there is a chance the clutch plates are excessively worn.

Brakes

• Sit on the motorcycle, take it out of gear and roll it forward:
• Gently apply the front brakes. The operation of the brake lever should be smooth and the bike should slow to a stop with virtually no noise from the calipers. 
• Release the brake lever. The return of the level to position should be smooth and the bike should roll freely without any drag on the caliper/s – if there is drag, there may be a problem.
• When you go for a test ride, try applying the brakes, gently, at speed.There should be no brake lever pulsing – if there is, it is possible that the disk is warped.

Note: Each rotor/disk is stamped with a minimum thickness. So, if possible, measure the thickness of the rotors.

Suspension

Straddle the motorcycle, apply the front brake, and then shove down hard on the front end.

• The forks should return to position slowly and silently. 

Any significant noise can be an indication of problems.

• Check the forks and seals for oil seepage

Seal replacement is not expensive but needs to be considered along with any other problems discovered.

• Check the fork sliders for nicks, damage or rust. 

The fork sliders should be clean, shiny and free of oil and dirt.

• Bounce up and down on the seat. 

The rear shock[s] should offer resistance and return the rear without bouncing up and down.

Note: Run your fingers up and down the fork tube. Bumps are an indication of rust, and a crease means that the fork has been bent at some time – band this is often the result of an accident.

Chain or Belt and Sprocket

The checking process varies depending on whether the bike is equipped with a chain or belt drive.

Belt Drive

• Check the outside surface of the belt.

You are looking for signs of wear and/or cracks. 

• Check the inside of the belt. 

You are looking for missing, cracked or worn teeth.

• Check the belt tension. 

The rule of thumb here is that you should be able to laterally twist the belt through about 45 degrees. A belt that is too tight places undue strain on the drive pulley bearings.

Chain Drive

• Check the tension of the drive chain.

You can do this by pulling it away from the rear sprocket at the three o’clock position. You should not be able to pull it farther than about halfway off the sprocket tooth. Any farther and it’s time to replace. The inner area of the chain that contacts the sprocket should be clean, smooth and shiny.

• Check the teeth on the sprocket. 

If they are leaning over, both sprocket and chain are excessively worn and need to be replaced.

Wheels and Tyres

You can expect wear on the tyres but the kind of wear will tell you a bit about how the bike has been used.

• Smooth even wear should be expected and is not a problem.
• Severe wear at the centre third of the rear tire could be an indicator of long distance freeway riding. On the other hand it could be an indicator of ‘burn outs’. These are not good for the tire but may also mean that the engine has been abused. 
• Check for flat spots on the tyres. These are indicative of hard braking and skidding.
• Check the 4 digit DOT numbers on the outer sidewall of the tires. The first two numbers tell you the week the tire was manufactured; the second two give you the year of manufacture. If the tyres are 6 or more years old, they need to be replaced even if they appear to be in good condition.
• Inspect the wheels for dents. 

If possible, place the bike on the center stand with the transmission in neutral and spin the back wheel. Watch it from both the side and the rear to identify dings or bends in the wheel. The same can be done with the front wheel using the kickstand and some help from another person.

Note: Cupping is a natural wear pattern on motorcycle tires. It is not a sign of bad tires or suspension parts. It just shows that the tire is gripping the road. Cupping develops on the sides of a tire. The forces created when a motorcycle is leaning while turning are what cause this. If the tyre is excessively worn, you will notice vibration and noise when leaning into a turn. Softer compound tires will tend to cup more quickly.

Fuel Tank

Open the fuel cap and take a look inside. You’ll need a torch or the light function on your cell phone to do this properly. You should be looking through a light amber colored fuel and clearly see the bare metal interior of the fuel tank. 

• If the fuel is dark it’s probably old and should be drained and replaced. 

You’ll also want to flush the system and change the filter just to be safe.

• Look for rust or any grit or sediment in the tank. 

Rock the bike gently from side to side and set up a small ‘wave motion’. If there’s sediment you’ll see it shift from side to side. 

Note: Some fuel tanks may have a coating applied to them to prevent or even cover old rust. In this case you will not see a shiny silver surface but more likely a light milky surface.

Coolant

Coolant [If the motorcycle you’re inspecting is fluid cooled]

The normal appearance of coolant is neon green and should smell sweet. With the engine cold, remove the coolant cap and take a look. 

• Green is great. 
• Brown colored coolant could mean either rust or oil has invaded the engine. 

If the engine has begun to rust, you can look forward to some expensive repairs in the future. 

• If you have oil in your coolant you may have a leaking head gasket or failed O-rings. 

O-ring repair is not a death warrant for a bike but fixing a head gasket is a job for an expert, so you may want to think carefully if this condition exists.

Note: Removing the radiator cap (cold engine only) will tell you if you have any oil in your system. Since oil is lighter than water most of the oil in your cooling system will float to the top of your radiator. If you see an oil slick floating on your coolant there could be engine problems.

Oil

Check the condition of the oil by using the sight glass on the side of the engine. Where there is no sight glass, use the dip-stickYou will immediately see the colour of the oil. If the sight glass is discoloured or brownish, the oil may have begun to “varnish” the engine interior. This is caused by not keeping up on frequent oil changes.

• Clean syrupy appearance is new oil. It’s been changed recently. 

• If the oil is black, ask when the oil was last changed. 

• Water and oil don’t mix so, if the oil has white milky streaks in it, water is getting into the engine. [You may not want to purchase a bike with this problem unless you’re ready to tear down the engine.] 

• Oil slows wear on an engine but doesn’t prevent it. Unless the oil has been recently changed you may feel a very slight grit when you rub a drop between your thumb and forefinger.

Note: If you feel or see shiny metal flakes in the oil this is very bad news. This engine is eating itself from the inside out. You do NOT want this bike.

Cold Start

Alright, you’ve looked the bike over carefully and you’re ready to hear it run. Each bike has its own cold start temperament and you will eventually get to know yours. 

• Make sure the fuel petcock is turned to the “on” or “reserve” position. 
• You may have an electronic choke that requires no manipulation; or you may have a manual cable type choke. 
• If manual, ask the seller to set it at the preferred setting. 
• Ask him how much throttle to use on startup. If it has an electric starter, use it. 
• Once the engine is running, return the throttle to its normal position. 
• While the bike is warming up, take the time to notice a few things. Is it running smoothly? Does the engine chug? Is the bike blowing smoke? 

The color of the smoke will tell you a few things about the bike. 

• Dark smoke and a heavy fuel smell is probably just a fuel/air ratio problem which can be adjusted. 
• Blue smoke is burning oil. You should probably walk away from this bike. 
• White smoke or steam may be coolant [if the bike is liquid cooled] in the exhaust which is most likely due to a leaking head gasket [this may require major repair].

Note: Listen to the engine. Do you hear any knocking, rattling, pinging? It should be smooth and clean sounding. There is a simple trick for listening deep into an engine. Bring a wooden dowel rod with you. Touch one end to the engine and place your ear against the other. Internal sounds will be transmitted through the rod and you’ll be able to hear it from the other end. Place the rod in several locations on the engine and listen carefully.

Electrical

Sit on the bike and run through all the switches to include the blinkers, horn, hazard lights and others to verify they are in working order.

• Check the headlights on both high and low beam. 
• Pull the front brake lever and press the rear brake pedal to make sure the brake lights are operable. 
• Check all the gauges for proper function.

Note: While idling, if the headlight should get dim it is most likely caused by either the idle being set too low, or it could be a weak battery.

Service Documents

Ask for the service records and receipts for the bike. If the seller is the do-it-yourself type, this is not necessarily a bad thing. A good do-it-your-self-er will have receipts and records of all repairs and maintenance.

Registration

Finally, no ultimate guide to used motorcycles would be complete without mention of the documents you need to check before purchase. Here, you need to carefully check the bike’s VIN number; license plate number; and title and make sure they match. 

• The VIN number is usually located on the steering head of the frame. Make sure all the numbers are visible and none have been tampered with.
• Check the title to make sure the motorcycle has been financed. If the seller doesn’t have the title don’t even consider making the purchase.

Note: The last thing you want is to buy a bike you can’t register. If the bike doesn’t have a current registration or sticker or if it’s registered in another state you should contact the appropriate Department to establish what the fees might be to transfer registration.

Finally, used motorcycles don’t have to be disasters; but they can be. Remember Caveat Emptor does apply . . . let the buyer beware. But, now you have your own ultimate guide to used motorcycles, you can avoid purchasing someone else’s headache.