How To Buy A Used Bike
HOW TO BUY A USED BIKE
Careful shopping can net you a plum instead of a lemon
Fernando Belair
SOMETIMES, because of high initial purchase price or the unwillingness of an owner to put up with first-year de preciation, a new motorcycle is not the wisest purchase. Consequently, hundreds of thousands of used motorcycles are being bought. Some of them are good buys. Others are overly abused lemons. The problem is in telling the difference, especially if you are new to motorcycling. In order to shed some light on this problem, here's some basic knowledge of what to watch for and what to watch out for when purchasing a used machine.
A prospective buyer should always look for machines that are as close to stock as possi ble. Heavy alteration generally indicates that a machine has either been raced extensively or used in some excessive manner. Examine the following components meticulously. ENGINE A smart seller will carefully clean and detail his engine. If it has been thoroughly cleaned, we suggest that you ask for an exten sive test ride to allow any uncorrected oil leaks or noises to reveal themselves. If an engine has not been cleaned, it is easy to find the leaks. Some require only a new gasket. Others may be caused by cracking metal. Take care to note which is the case when you trace the source of a leak. Watch carefully for gas and oil stains. These stains get baked into the metal by the engine's own heat. If a previous owner had taken case of cleaning and maintaining the machine at regular intervals, the stains would not exist. Pull the spark plugs before you ride the bike. Many times they will be new. If they are, ask to see the old ones. These will tell you a lot about the internal treatment the engine has received. A worn top end or cheap gas car be quickly spotted. So can improper jetting that may lead to premature wear. What yo~
are looking for is porcelain that is not cracked (overheating or lean jetting causes this), and for a light brown color up around the elec trode. If the plug appears black or sooty one of two things may be wrong. The bike may be jetted too rich. Carbon buildup will result, but it is not serious and does not result in perma nent damage. If the machine you're looking at is a four-stroke, a worn piston or rings or an oversize bore (caused by wear), may be the problem. FRAME Looking at the visible parts of the frame usually reveals little. Most people take care of what you can see. Nevertheless, look under the fuel tank. A really conscientious owner will remove the tank when cleaning his bike. His machine will have rust or accumu lated dirt neither under the tank nor under the engine. Some frames may have been repainted, particularly on motocross machines. A small scratch made with a key or a coin on a hidden section of the frame will tell you if it was properly sanded and if primer was applied prior to painting. If neither was done, the new paint may come off the first time you wash the bike at a 25~ car wash. On any machine, but especially on race bikes, check all frame welds for developing fractures. Pay particular attention to the area around the steering head and rear shock mounts. SEAT, TANK AND CONTROLS A faded fuel tank, weathered instrument faces, or a dry, brittle seat indicate a machine that's been left outside a lot. A new tank on a street bike is cause for an inquiry. Usually it indi cates a machine that has been in an accident of some kind. If the owner indicates that the bike was in an accident, reinspect the frame for wheel alignment.
A fresh tank on a motocross bike normally doesn't warrant suspicion. Usually it means that there was something else sitting there holding the fuel, like an accessory plastic tank, or perhaps a large capacity model indic ative of desert racing. Handlebars may or may not be stock. Re gardless, you should make note of their style and feel. If they don't fit you, replacement will be necessary. While you're checking out the bars, inspect the levers. If they're bent, the machine has either been dropped or banged hard against something. Inquire. Cables should not be kinked or cracking from decay. On streetable machines, the speedo and tach should be in working condition, night lights and all. Note the mileage on the odometer. SUSPENSION A bike's suspension should feel fresh. In other words, you should not be able to bottom it out or hear it top by bouncing on the bike or when riding it. Worn suspen sion that has not undergone renovation could be attributable to a careless or an uninformed owner. Neither is particularly desirable. In addition, the forks should not leak oil, any where. And the shock preload adjuster should not be rusted to the point that spring adjust ment becomes difficult. Steering head bearings are often over looked. Apply the front brake and rock the machine back and forth with your left hand resting on top of the steering head. Any movement of the stem or upper triple clamp indicates either the necessity of adjustment or worn bearings. WHEELS AND TIRES Rust on a rim is not a good sign. Rusty spokes, particularly at the nipples, show neglect. If a wheel looks bad outside, it will look bad inside. A selling party should have no objections to pulling off a wheel. While the wheel is off, inspect the brake shoes for wear. If the machine has disc brakes, make sure there are no deep score marks on the disc. When the wheel is re installed, try to wiggle it from side to side. If you can wiggle it, the wheel bearings are
worn and need to be replaced. Check tires carefully. If it looks like they might be weatherbeaten or rotted from smog, deflate the tire and roll the machine. If there are any cracks, this will make them evident. Tread depth is also important. If any part of the tread is worn down to the casing, replace ment is immediately necessary. MISCELLANEOUS Original equipment exhausts that are in good shape show that proper maintenance has been performed. Aftermarket exhaust pipes may be an added bonus on a used bike, depending on how you feel about them. Looks aside, remember that excessive noise will cause you nothing but problems. If a machine has metal fenders, check the undersides for rust spots. The top surfaces should be in good shape, although chrome fenders will show fewer scratches than painted ones. Most motocross bikes come with plastic fenders. If a machine is fitted with other than stock fenders, inquire as to whether the bike's original units had to be replaced because of a crash. Take a look at the chain and sprockets. The chain should not show any traces of rust. Sprocket teeth should not be cupped more on the rear slope than on the front. Worn sprock ets must be replaced. If they are not, the chain will wear out immediately. Check frame alignment by having someone hold the machine upright at its balance point. With the machine balanced, step back and see how well the wheels line up with each other. This is particularly important if the machine looks like it has been dropped. BUYING FROM A DEALER Don't be afraid to ask questions. Inquire about warran ties. Some dealers offer limited buyer protec tion, some don't. If you are really interested, a dealer should be willing to have an engine compression-checked for you. On twostrokes this not only means checking com pression pressure, but also certifying that the engine is air-tight. An air leak on a two-stroke will cause severe damage. BUYING FROM A PRIVATE PARTY You probably won't find a seller with the proper tools to take a compression check on his engine. So ask him when the piston rings were last replaced. If the work was recent, request to see either the dealei work order or his receipt for the purchase ol the rings as proof. If he doesn't have records, you have to judge whether or not he's telling the truth. Most private parties sell their machines or an "as is" basis. Some who take good can of their bikes, however, will tell you that "I this thing breaks I'll be so surprised I'll hell you fix it." That sounds good, but try to get i in writing on the bill of sale. Otherwise, it' just talk. A GOOD BUY A bike should never cos more than the current Blue Book retail listing Such Blue Book listings take into accouri only an average amount of wear and tear. If machine has had more than normal use, th
price should be lower. If it has had less than normal use, a slightly higher price may be asked. A good buy, then, is either a normally used machine at a sub-Blue Book price or a totally unabused machine at straight Blue Book. You can get most Blue Book prices from a cooperative dealer, but do so in person. Sometimes they are reluctant to give out such information over the phone. If you want to obtain an appraisal book of your own, the best is the N.A.D.A. (National Automobile Dealers Association)Mororcyc/e Appraisal Guide. For more information re garding this book, write to N.A.D.A. Ap praisal Guides, P.O. Box 1407, Covina, CA 91722. One final point. If you like a particular machine, but can't cope with the price, sub mit an offer. The seller may either accept your offer or respond by lowering his price as a compromise gesture. If he remains firm, though, be nice. He's just trying to get what he thinks his scooter is worth. If it was your bike, you'd be doing the same.
