Things are tough all over, and if your financial situation is anything like mine, buying a new bike may not be the best way to dispose of what's left of your disposable income -especially after you've blown most of it on luxuries like food, shelter and clothing. A better alternative may be something euphemistically known as a pre-owned motorcycle.
Consider this: In the U.S. the average motorcycle is ridden fewer than 2500 miles a year. In most cases that means a 10-year-old bike will have clocked fewer than 30,000 miles, and there are plenty that have turned less than half that.
Buying any used bike involves a degree of risk, especially if you unwittingly buy something that's been "rid hard and put up wet." Purchasing through a dealership is one way to protect yourself. Most offer at least a limited warranty on used bikes, and in some cases your new ride may even come with the remainder of the factory warranty to protect you. But dealers do command a premium, assuming they even have what you want in stock.
The alternative is to buy privately, and in that case it's your responsibility to make sure the bike is in good mechanical nick.
Inspecting a used bike can get pretty involved, especially when you don't do it on a regular basis, but as always your friends at Motorcycle Cruiser can help. That's why we've condensed all the information you'll need to inspect a pre-owned motorcycle into a handy-dandy checklist, complete with color illustrations.
Because we've covered all the technical blather in past issues, this list concentrates on what you need to check, as opposed to the 1-2-3 of actually checking it. You can find that info under the tech section at motorcyclecruiser.com or by e-mailing me directly. Feel free to make as many copies as you need, but don't tell the lawyers I said so.
Major Components
Inspecting someone else's motorcycle up close and personal takes a certain amount of diplomacy. Some guys are resentful, others take it in stride, but at the very least the seller should let you make a basic mechanical inspection of the bike.
Chassis
Frame: Check for signs of repair or crash damage.
Steering Head: Check the steering head bearings for signs of denting, or improper adjustment.
Forks: Check for signs of physical damage.
Fork Seals: Check for leaks.
Fork Alignment: The forks should be parallel to each other and aligned with the handlebars.
Fork Action: The forks should operate smoothly in both directions without binding or sticking.
Swingarm: Look for signs of physical damage. Make certain the rear wheel is centered and square to the swingarm. Check the bushings/bearings for excess play.
Linkage: Check for wear at pivot points, loose or missing hardware and physical damage.
Springs: Should at least support the weight of the rider and passenger without bottoming out.
Mounting Hardware: Make sure it's all there and in reasonably good condition.
Rear Shocks: These should operate smoothly in both directions; check for leaks.
Wheels/Tires
Front Wheel: Look for missing, bent or broken spokes; check for worn bearings; check trueness.
Front Tire: Check tread depth (see this issue's tips on page 92), sidewall condition and pressure.
Rear Wheel: Look for missing, bent or broken spokes; check for worn bearings; check trueness.
Alignment : Take a look at the tire alignment. This takes some practice, but wheels that are grossly out of line are pretty obvious. If there are other signs of crash damage (even repaired crash damage) and the wheels look out of kilter you may be looking at a tweaked frame.
Brakes
Front Master Cylinder: Check fluid level and condition. Lever feel should be firm when squeezed.
Front Hoses: Check for chafing and overall condition. Make sure they're properly secured and there are no leaks.
Front Caliper: Check for leaks, and make sure all mounting hardware is there.
Front Pads: Check the wear indicators; most manufacturers recommend a minimum pad thickness of 1.5-2.0mm.
Rear Master Cylinder: Check fluid and pedal travel.
Rear Hoses: Check routing and condition.
Rear Pads: Check wear indicators.
Rear Drum Brake: Check wear indicator* and adjustment.
*Drum brakes normally have wear indicators on the actuating arm, but it's not unknown for guys to reposition the arm on the brake shaft rather than replace the rear brakes when they're worn. Ninety-nine percent of the time there'll be a punch mark on the brake shaft that's meant to line up with the slit in the brake lever or with a datum mark, and it never hurts to check that.