|
Buying A Used Motorcycle the RIGHT WAY-2
Custom Search
CHECK OUT MY OWN PERSONAL WEBSITE FOR MOTORCYCLE GOGGLES AND GREAT SUNGLASSES-GREAT DEALS AND GREAT QUALITY. CLICK LINK BELOW.Richard's Personal Sunglasses & Goggles Website-Check It Out & Enjoy
Consider the availability of Honda Accessories or Honda parts for the used honda motorcycle you are considering. Same thought for whatever brand you are looking to buy. Vintage motorcycles are great and actually tend to hold their value much better than their modern day counterpart but sometimes parts are hard to come by when needed. So consider this in the purchase deliberation. Let's discuss a few items while we're driving to the bike. First of all, NEVER SHOW EXCITEMENT. NEVER SAY HOW MUCH YOU LOVE THE BIKE.....EVEN IF YOU DO. You're toast if you do this. Your NEGOTIATION POWER HAS JUST BEEN ELIMINATED. So we are now calmly getting out of the car to see the used honda or whatever brand motorcycle it is. First of all, on first view, what is your first impression? Are you still interested? Is it really crappy looking and not at all to the specs that were advertised? If so, just say "thank you" and walk away. No need to waste time. If it still looks appealing, here's what you must do. First, don't let him (her) start it yet. You are just looking. How does the upholstery and paint look? Is the paint and chrome shiny or does it have a dull lifeless (perhaps faded) look? If so, this bike has probably been sitting outside in the elements. Is the seat torn, ripped, or dryrotted? Another indication of whether it was garaged or not. Remember that anything you must do to bring the "bike up to snuff" is going to cost you money and part of the negotiating factor. Check the tires...NOT JUST THE TREAD. Is there dry rot (cracking along the sidewall). Look carefully. If there is, these are very old tires that will probably have to be replaced. A tire including installation and balancing for a large streetbike can run $150-$400 per wheel. Does it lack equipment that you might want such as a backrest for you or your passenger, luggage bags, etc. Once again, an expense that you must consider. Are you getting a feel for this? I hope so. It's not so hard once you take the first step. Ask the owner questions. How long have they owned the motorcycle? Why are they selling it? Ask them what maintainance has been completed: new brakes, clutch, tires....what has or hasn't been done. What needs to be done? Get a feel for the owner as well as the motorcycle. This can tell you a lot. Ok, now some really important stuff. It's all important but this is REALLY IMPORTANT. Motorcycles are prone to droppage and it's fairly easy to see what has transpired. Check the brake and clutch levers. Are they broken or scratched at the ends? How about the brake and shifter foot controls? Bent? There are lots of parts of motorcycles that "stick out" so to speak and these tend to break or get damaged if the bike has been down. Fiberglass parts are also a great barometer for checking if the bike has been down as it is very susceptible to scraping, cracking, and breakage. If the bike shows obvious signs of having been laid down, once again, it's time to walk. Because there might be unseen frame damage or fork and suspension damage that might make the bike a handful or even unsafe to ride. And look under the bike at the engine casing. Any obvious leaks or signs of leakage. Wetness? And always look for rust. Usually shows up on the chrome, engine cases, and the exhaust system. A bike with obvious telltale signs of rust should be avoided. It will eat away at exhaust systems (expensive to replace) and attack unseen systems such as brakes, etc. And don't rely on the previous owner to tell you everything. He or she wants to sell their used motorcycle as much as you want to buy one. There are some honest sellers out there but you really must rely on your own savvy. If you're still interested, time to hear and ride the bike. Is it making obvious engine clatter? Most well kept used Hondas or any other brand for that matter will not. Is the owner telling you it just needs a "tuneup"? If that is the case, why didn't he or she just have the tuneup done before trying to sell the bike? If the bike has sat a long time without being run, low mileage means nothing as sometimes a bunch of work is required to get these bikes back into running order. Total lack of activity to a motorcycle is almost the same as abuse. Let's assume you have heard the motorcycle and ridden it and now you still want it. GREAT!! TIME TO NEGOTIATE!! Always start low!! Even ridiculously low. Don't be embarassed Remember, you can always go up once you started but there is no way you're going down if you started too high. OK? And you don't know the seller's situation. He or she may really need the money for something else or they may be sick of "lookieloos" that have wasted his time up this point so he or she may be ready to unload to the first person that is for real and has the funds to purchase. Remember the values that you started with from the nada or whatever source you used. Wholesale is great.......retail is to be avoided. Remember to throw in any factor of work that needs to be done or work or equipment that you will want to do to make the motorcycle most suitable for you. CONGRATULATIONS ON BUYING YOUR USED HONDA MOTORCYCLE THE RIGHT WAY.
I thank you for allowing me to be of service and I hope this was helpful to you.
Used Honda Motorcycle-Buying It Right- page 1
|
