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Buying a bike - hows it all done ?


Paulpen
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As above really - ive been buying and selling cars for over 15 years but when it comes to bikes I know nothing and no one to ask other than here :oops:


I brought my 125 via a private seller on Autotrader - I had no idea what i was doing so borrowed a van and went down to see it. He had little idea on bikes too so we both fumbled through the deal, I didnt ride it and home it came. In hindsight I was very luck that he was an honest seller and the bike was in good condition and has been reliable but id like to be better prepperaed now im after something bigger !


Mechanically I know to be checking for damage, operation etc but what happens about test rides - is it normal to just up and down the road or a full out test from cold then out at various speeds ?


I see bikes for sale and some have a few thousand and some 30,000+ but have no idea what is a "high mileage" for a bike ?


Is it poor form to go to a big sales place and try sitting on lots of bikes as I dont really know what I want or how well I will fit anything !


Are there certain bikes I should be avoiding as a novice (modified things, short MOTs etc) ?


I suppose alot of this will also help with what to expect when I sell my 125 (if i dont trade it in).


Sorry if all of this is really simple or obvious but the world of bikes can seem quite intimidating and I cant blame that on being young anymore :crybaby:

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Guest Richzx6r

Tbh go in to the deal the same as with a car, if it looks and feels right and legit then go for it if you get a gut feeling something is amiss then follow your instincts, as for high mileage anything 50k+ is something to either avoid or carefully consider either it's got all paperwork to verify its above average or a rottbox and your should avoid and as for test rides they should be fine from a dealers but sometimes they may limit you to a number of bikes as if you just try everything they may see that as taking the piss out of them and with private sellers its pretty unheard of with getting test rides unless you can prove insurance details on that bike and that you hand over the asking price before a ride, but you say you have many years experience with cars so theres not much else to it

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Thats cool - instinct and reading the seller is half the battle !


The test ride things for private sales is handy to know - I dont want to be letting just anyone on my 125 (as i suspect they will be very new to riding just like I was) but I also I dont want to be turing down on buying something as I feel the seller is hiding something by not letting me test it :lol:

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Number 1 rule is if the seller is trustworthy and gets good reviews you should be fine. Hard to know for an individual though.


Most dealers will let you sit on every bike - courteous to ask first though.


Check that the bike has been serviced as per the schedule - check all receipts etc. Especially for high mileage.


Check the frame all over inch by inch for odd welds, dents etc - signs of a crash. Get right underneath and look for rust, holes etc.


Check all of the panels, look at the chain, sprockets etc - just look at everything closely and throughly.


And Google (eg) 'yamaha r6 used buyers guide' to know for specific things to check at certain mileages if it's been changed - some models have their own foibles.


When buying from a dealer if you put £100 of it on a credit card or via PayPal you have some buyers protection if they sell you a turkey.

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Guest Richzx6r

Number 1 rule is if the seller is trustworthy and gets good reviews you should be fine. Hard to know for an individual though.


Most dealers will let you sit on every bike - courteous to ask first though.


Check that the bike has been serviced as per the schedule - check all receipts etc. Especially for high mileage.


Check the frame all over inch by inch for odd welds, dents etc - signs of a crash. Get right underneath and look for rust, holes etc.


Check all of the panels, look at the chain, sprockets etc - just look at everything closely and throughly.


And Google (eg) 'yamaha r6 used buyers guide' to know for specific things to check at certain mileages if it's been changed - some models have their own foibles.


When buying from a dealer if you put £100 of it on a credit card or via PayPal you have some buyers protection if they sell you a turkey.

 

:thumb: what he said

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I always bought my bikes from a m8 I we or off a dealer trading in . But my CB750 I bought it off eBay I asked the seller about mileage which going on a 20year old bike I guess it was low (56.000) think it was but the seller said he had loads of paper work and some service . Also he brought the bike over to

Cardiff from Bristol to show me which I thought was fantastic him . Full tank of gas and almost every MOTs tax disc ( till done them away ) and almost full 5lt oil and cover for the bike . I could not say no to him he answered all my questions I said to him don't think I'm being a dick . I need to check the log book the bike numbers and if its got any bangs or dings he said no carry on and he helped me . I just checked the log book went over the bike and paid the man the full amount he was asking he gave me his email and I had his phone no and said any problems call me I gave him a lift to the train station as I did say it drop him home but he was happy to take the train as I paid him what he asked . I have called him a few times just ask if he new if this was changed or had this happened to him sort of questions . So there are fantastic sellers out there


Just ask questions if they answer right away (when chatting to him face to face ) no I'm not sure it was a m8s so on see what they will do for the sale . And you should be ok . Good luck .

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Yes, the guy I bought my ER6F from asked me to call if there were any issues. Checked in after a few months to ensure all was well (and I got the distinct impression he would have bought the bike back if I wasn't getting on with it, I think he missed it).


I haven't got a huge amount of experience (both riding and mechanical) but if you're buying a relatively new bike I think you can at least visually relatively quickly tell what looks a bit iffy and you get a lot of vibes from the seller too.

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Guest Richzx6r

I too will be putting it in to action as I'm in the need for a new steed.....hayabusa is on my radar but not sure what else to look at as nothing else really takes my fancy thus far though I'm sure there are many many bikes I'm overlooking

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I just take my dad and his mate 😂


Cant reach the floor on much me though which is annoying, so whilst they are doing boy things like chexks im just seeing whether my feet reach rhw floor 😂

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I too will be putting it in to action as I'm in the need for a new steed.....hayabusa is on my radar but not sure what else to look at as nothing else really takes my fancy thus far though I'm sure there are many many bikes I'm overlooking

 

Stumbled upon this bad boy .

Screenshot_20190411-205335.thumb.png.7a7f8d8e589a2329ed1a026db1f0e960.png

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Guest Richzx6r

I too will be putting it in to action as I'm in the need for a new steed.....hayabusa is on my radar but not sure what else to look at as nothing else really takes my fancy thus far though I'm sure there are many many bikes I'm overlooking

 

Stumbled upon this bad boy .

 

I do like it but its lacking a fairing which for me is a must have

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I bought my bike off eBay.....unseen!... :shock: :shock:


But the listing was so comprehensive and loads of good photos....did an HPI check that came back clear.....phoned the guy up and had a chat with him, he was obviously an enthusiast....really honest about the bike......He just gave me a good vibe......and the bike was a priced a fair bit below most others on eBay, so I paid his asking price......and I wasn't disappointed when I went to pick it up.....and he threw in a Single Sided paddock stand........that was nearly 7 years ago and I'm still dead pleased with the bike......and chances are I'd likely get my money back on the bike if I decided to sell it now..... 8-)

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Don't forget to check insurance or you market a surprise if you buy first and check later

 

Already done that, 60quid more......

 

How do you know how much Paulpen's new bike is going to cost to insure when he don't even know what he's buying :shock:, you don't have the lotto numbers handy for the next draw do you 😁

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Guest Richzx6r

Don't forget to check insurance or you market a surprise if you buy first and check later

 

Already done that, 60quid more......

 

How do you know how much Paulpen's new bike is going to cost to insure when he don't even know what he's buying :shock:, you don't have the lotto numbers handy for the next draw do you 😁

 

I saw the hayabusa I wanted and ran a quote and it came back at 60 quid more expensive than jigsaw was

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This Harley buy that I'm trying to pull off was advertised with a starting bid of £4200 but there were no bids at all so I contacted the seller and asked his best price . £4200 ! Seller is in no hurry , phone numbers exchanged so as soon as I have the cash from my bike sale it's game on . I wonder why he didn't just put it up as a classified ad instead of an auction.

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I bought my CBR off eBay as well. I got lucky, because (in hindsight), it could've been a disaster!


First time I saw the bike in the flesh was when it was delivered to me.

 

I don't think I could bring myself to do that !

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I bought my CBR off eBay as well. I got lucky, because (in hindsight), it could've been a disaster!


First time I saw the bike in the flesh was when it was delivered to me.

 

I don't think I could bring myself to do that !

 

Yea, it's one of those "WTF were you thinking!" moments. But like I said, I got lucky.

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It's essential to check the service history(either part or full) and do the HPI check, and check that against the actual paperwork which you will have at hand, and against the bike(vin number, engine number), and look out for specific problems of the bike you have in mind. For example for my Fazer it's the 2nd gear disengagement under load, and the dreaded front sprocket nut coming loose and wrecking the output shaft.


Good service records means that the owner has looked after the bike. The condition of the chain and tyres can tell how the bike was exploited(commuting, weekend blasts...).


The only gripe with high mileage bikes is that selling them on will be a bit of a challenge, people in general avoid high mileage bikes and cars, and the rust/corrosion which you can't avoid when you're using the bike all year round.

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