Need Help: Buying a second-hand motorcycle

[Alex40000]

Hi everybody!

I'm planning to get myself a second-hand motorbike to cruise around the neighborhood and to university and some distance-driving up to around 80 miles per way. I thought about something economical on gasoline, even on higher RPM. I think around 600ccm should be enough and i'd prefer a sport, perhaps a Honda CBR?

As im a total noob to the technical side of motorbikes, i ask you for some hints and tips:

What "checklist" should i use when looking through a second-hand bike? Where are critical points and what should i test?

I'd be very happy if some of you could help. :)

Thanks in advance!

[ThaSpitefulWun]

this is a good question I went shopping for second hand cycles last year and got so confused as to what to look for I never bought one...

[Swann]

Something a lot of folks overlook when buying a bike is the front fork stability.
If they are weak and you hit a bump in the road, the front wheel can go into
something like a harmonic wooble which will jerk the control from your hands.
Any bike can do this given the proper conditions, but strong forks are a must in my book.

Don't laugh, I speak from experience. :D

[adrock555]

HOnda CBR all the way.

[wangz0r]

yeah i second the honda cbr

[hungarianstud]

I would have to agree with everyone her on the honda f4-i. On of the best bikes i have ever had. 2004 should be a good year on that one but i also think you should look into the R6's there are pretty confortable as well. Just make sure the bike has been kept up well, no water, hasn't been dropped and if you can get one that is under 1500km just so you can break it in the way you like it. Just be carefully people can fix the farings and shit on the bike but sometimes there is more damage then meats the eye.

[snatch]

hmm,
I think you guys missed a few important things...

Is this your first bike? If it is, then buying a fairly new bike is a waste of money, imho. The 600f4i was the first real sport bike I've ever ridden...let me tell you a story about that.

I've been riding for a very long time, around 13 years at this point, more than half my life. I ride dirtbikes mostly, I've raced, and I don't want to brag, but I'm a very good off-road rider, I made it into the highest class in the racing I did. I rode a 250cc street bike for a few years and was quickly bored by it. I then rode an old, 1984 Kawasaki GPz 550, regarded as one of the bikes that launched the modern sport bike, which was a LOT of fun, amazing how fun it was considering it weighs more than a brand new Hayabusa and only has 55hp. I then rode a Kasasaki KLR 650, which is a dual sport, a very good bike for me considering my dirtbike background, lots of fun, could have been lighter and more powerful. I also have ridden a Suzuki Bandit 1200 and a BMW k1150s, the last two were pretty quick and powerful bikes...then I rode the f4i...

So I outlined all that to point out that I have experience on quite a few different bikes ranging many years and many different styles, weight and displacement.

Ok, so I rode the F4i, it took me 15 minutes on the bike to get the balls and be in the proper location to go full throttle in first gear (I first went full throttle in 3rd gear, then worked down to 2nd, and finally 1st).

Alright, so I get on this straightaway, slow to a roll, then roll on the throttle all the way to full...it was faster than I ever imagined. I had this fantasy about what that experience would be like, how fast it would be...it was faster than that, it exceeded my fantasy, something I thought was impossible...then the powerband hit.

Understand this: A modern sport bike is NOT for an inexperienced rider, I considered myself to be very experienced at the time, and I wasn't prepaired for what that bike could do, I can only imagine what a new rider would be like on something like that and in a situation like that, would he or she have the proper reactions? how about know about motorcycle dynamics? When the front tire is lifting off the ground at 65mph because of the power and the head starts to wobble as the front tire flirts with the pavement...how is a new rider going to react? sure, the rev limiter will plant the tire back down in short order...but it shouldn't be up to the rev limiter.

I see all too often people new to riding saying that they're going to go out and buy a brand new 600cc sport bike...I was that way once. Thank god I didn't get a brand new bike at 16, otherwise I might not be here today.

On top of the sheer power and speed that a modern 600 sport bike is capable of (I've ridden an '04 R6 and and '03 CBR600RR since the F4i...I'm pretty sure the R6 lofted the front tire when I agressively shifted into 3rd...at 100+mph) one should also consider the fact that the vast majority of new riders end up dumping their bikes in short order, you don't want a pristine bike for your first. My recommendation is to get an older bike or something that's not top-of-the-line. Specifically look at a Suzuki SV650 (get an older one,'99-'02, it'll be a lot cheaper) or possibly a Kawasaki Ninja 250 or 500. A bike that's been layed down is often in perfectly fine mechanical condition, and can be had for a lot less money.

Just my $0.02.

[Parker]

Well, I don't know if you've gone and got yourself the bike yet; but some of these points made by other members here are good ones. For exapmle Swanns' comment about the forks. Take any bike for a quick sipn and let the bars go. If the bike moves to either side more than just weight trnsfer, than it has probley got damage to the forks. Check the pipe or pipes on the underside to see if they have damage to determine wether the bike has been dumped. (HS has it right that people change the farings to mask damage) Be aware hong long it takes the bike to start and how long it takes for the rev to hit the sweet spot. Tell-tale signs that you might need to do some mechanical work if the bike doesn't idle properly. And to the fact of which bike to buy, try a bunch of different ones out. Find one that you think you could sit on for say 2 hours without your back hurting. I could tell you my preference like everyone else (Yamaha :004:) but make your own mind up. I would however go with an older bike if this is your first. I know you might want to have the newest and best if you're planning on riding with friends, but get an older bike to try out, and once you get used to it, then go for a newer one. I for one ride an '04 R1 right now. I started with an FZR600 and had an GSXR600 and then an R6. Believe me, when you start out on the old crap and then get a new bike. The ride will fell that much better.

BTW: If you need a helmet, I have a Shoei X-Eleven Norick 5 TC-2 with 3 sheilds for sale.

[bigusdickus]

Something a lot of folks overlook when buying a bike is the front fork stability.
If they are weak and you hit a bump in the road, the front wheel can go into
something like a harmonic wooble which will jerk the control from your hands.
Any bike can do this given the proper conditions, but strong forks are a must in my book.

Don't laugh, I speak from experience. :DLike a tank-slapper. Look for a bike with a stabilizer bar in the fork to prevent something like this from happening. It's not a necessity, but it will scare the hell out of you if and when a tank-slapper happens.

I bought a k6 gsx-r600 a few weeks ago. Love it. But honestly, any 600 sportsbike is a good bike. They are all very fast, and very fun. The differences between them all mostly boil down to just tenths of a second. Everything else as far as riding position, comfort, and style are strictly up to you.


If I were buying a used bike, I would want one with minimum mileage, decent tread, a good sounding engine, and working electrics.

Good luck, and post some pics of her once you've bought it.

Don't forget to buy your gear, either. Very important.

[lets_procreate]

I've always wanted to buy a bike, aswell as keep the car. Hearing what you guys have to say kinda scares the shit out of me. I'm not a speed junkie so that's not why I want it. Moreso that I don't have to ferry friends around, and if I need to, I can use the car. No this is more of an extravagance for me, some independence I guess. What would you say to some who has never even BEEN on a motorbike?

[wetskin]

<a href="http://img150.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=27625_hot_386lo.jpg" target=_blank><img src="http://img150.imagevenue.com/loc386/th_27625_hot_386lo.jpg" border="0"></a>

Here is a nice bike not 600 cc, its got a smaller single cylinder engine, 20hp, fuel injection, should give anything between 70-117 mpg and cost about 2000 USD brand new.

Dont know if u wld get it whereever you are though.

[lets_procreate]

is the front wheel supposed to be smaller than the back?

[wetskin]

is the front wheel supposed to be smaller than the back?

depends on the gene of the bike, if its a harley style cruiser it will have a large front wheel, raked forks and smaller and wider rer wheels.

For a sports bike both wheels will have same dia but the rear wheel will be slightly wider / bigger than the front wheel. However Both the rims will have the same dia.

[bman]

I agree with the guidance here regarding starting with something that's fairly easy to control AND that you wouldn't be heartbroken over if you dump it. My first bike was a Honda Hawk, and yes I dumped it about six months after I started riding. I was sure glad I hadn't invested a ton of money, and also that I wasn't going 90 KPH when I dropped it.