What to look out for on buying a bike?

[Ellyt247]

As a complete newbie, with no experience, licence, gear or a bike I have little to no grasp on the key things to look out for when I eventually buy a bike.

 

Other than my preferences for the bike e.g. look, cost, resale value (as I will most likely get a 125 1st and get use to riding then sell on) etc, I have no idea on what to look out for. 

 

Whether I buy from an online auction, private or trader, what should be the important things I need to know to ensure I get a fairly decent bike.

 

Thanks in advance

[NeilM]

Everything depends on budget to be honest.

Once you've worked that out then you can look through the options.

[Bender]

If you buy a 125 in good condition with reasonable miles on it you should get back what you paid, there is always demand for 125's

 

Do you have any biker friends to go with you to look at them.

 

What's your budget and what do you like the look of.

[Ellyt247]

5 hours ago, Bender said:

If you buy a 125 in good condition with reasonable miles on it you should get back what you paid, there is always demand for 125's

 

Do you have any biker friends to go with you to look at them.

 

What's your budget and what do you like the look of.

 

No, pretty much a loner. Don't have any biker friends.

 

Not knowing much about the biker market though, I wouldn't really know what is reasonable miles and what isn't. Also, when looking at bikes, is there anything else I need to consider? E.g. mechanically, history, paperwork etc?

[onesea]

I would go second hand Japanese - Suzuki Yamaha, Honda, Kawasaki.

They tend to hold value well.

High mileage i would say is over 15-20k. They can go allot further, however 125s generally change hands then end up in hands of idiot and end up written off.

 

However maintenance is every thing so yes papers.  

Mechanicaly sound, matching key locks often a big clue. History and trustworthy seller are important.

Buy the right bike clean it  sell on in  the spring you can make money.

Buy ing a 125 from dealer is challenging, they want top money or to sell new.

 

I was in your shoes no knowledge about bikes when I bought my first.

 

Get your CBT done chat with your instructor, they sometimes know of people selling bikes.

 

There is allot of learning ahead

[husoi]

As @onesea says you can get a good second hand 125, ieally japanese one as they are far more reliable.

Nothing better than going to a dealer and sit on a couple and see what you feel more comfortable on.

Then if you already know your budget just make searches for your shortlist of 3 models.

Don't be fooled by a "good deal" on a model you don't really like.

[Ellyt247]

Brilliant. Thanks for all the advice everyone 

[Bender]

Yup all of the above, if you can find something between 8 to 15k miles preferably 10k as a target, or less.

 

Look for damaged plastics as often 125s can have a rough life, drops and scrapes, a minor mark is ok but if half the plastic is damaged look elsewhere.

 

The better condition you get the more yore going to get when you sell it.

 

Your going to learn a few basics on the cbt but chat with the instructors they will be happy to give you pointers on what to look out for, if they are miserable twats find another school.

 

I paid 1k fir a Honda with under8k miles had it a year and got 1k back for it, took a bit of finding but there is no rush, best to find a good bike in the first place.

 

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

If you don't know much about bikes then I think the following rules of thumb apply:

 

Buy from a reuptable dealer. You will pay a bit more but you'll get a warranty and a better chance of a bike that is in decent condition.

 

Buy a used Japanese as others have said. Most people tend to change their first bike when they get into riding and discover what they really want. So I wouldn't over think the first one. Go for a used Japanese bike and you will get most of your money back when you trade it.

 

When dealers reopen go to a few and sit on as many bikes as you can. You'll soon know if it feels right for you. Get a bike you can comfortably reach the ground with your feet.

 

Service history matters. Not only does it mean the bike will be more reliable, but it will have more value when you trade it.

 

Decide what you will use the bike for and try to buy above and beyond that use.

 

Consider where the bike is to be kept, smaller bikes tend to get stolen more so look into security. Check the insurance as bikes that get stolen more will cost more to insure. eg I love the Suzuki RV125 VanVan but they do suffer from being stolen so the insurance is higher for them.

[Six30]

28 minutes ago, Ellyt247 said:

Brilliant. Thanks for all the advice everyone 

If I could offer you only one tip for the future, dont buy anything Chines would be it.
The long term benefits of not buying Chines have been proved by scientists, whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience...
I will dispense this advice now....

 

do not buy a chinese motorcycle , they are cheap for a reason..

[fastbob]

Looking ahead . My advice upon buying any second hand bike is to have it serviced REGARDLESS of anything the seller tells you . An MOT is no guarantee of mechanical reliability .  By far the most important thing to do with a new bike is to change the oil and filter . Another piece of advice I would offer is to buy the Haynes Manual for the bike  before something goes wrong and READ it . Good luck in your quest . 

[Ellyt247]

Thanks again everyone for all the advice.

[Ellyt247]

9 hours ago, onesea said:

I would go second hand Japanese - Suzuki Yamaha, Honda, Kawasaki.

They tend to hold value well.

High mileage i would say is over 15-20k. They can go allot further, however 125s generally change hands then end up in hands of idiot and end up written off.

 

However maintenance is every thing so yes papers.  

Mechanicaly sound, matching key locks often a big clue. History and trustworthy seller are important.

Buy the right bike clean it  sell on in  the spring you can make money.

Buy ing a 125 from dealer is challenging, they want top money or to sell new.

 

I was in your shoes no knowledge about bikes when I bought my first.

 

Get your CBT done chat with your instructor, they sometimes know of people selling bikes.

 

There is allot of learning ahead

 

Ideally, those are the makes I have been looking at. I was going to maybe speak to the CBT instructor but don't know if its worth getting something now to get use to and familiarise myself with before I get on the road with it

[Ellyt247]

7 hours ago, Bender said:

Yup all of the above, if you can find something between 8 to 15k miles preferably 10k as a target, or less.

 

Look for damaged plastics as often 125s can have a rough life, drops and scrapes, a minor mark is ok but if half the plastic is damaged look elsewhere.

 

The better condition you get the more yore going to get when you sell it.

 

Your going to learn a few basics on the cbt but chat with the instructors they will be happy to give you pointers on what to look out for, if they are miserable twats find another school.

 

I paid 1k fir a Honda with under8k miles had it a year and got 1k back for it, took a bit of finding but there is no rush, best to find a good bike in the first place.

 

You mentioned minor marks but is it worth considering a category N write off?

[dynax]

3 minutes ago, Ellyt247 said:

You mentioned minor marks but is it worth considering a category N write off?

 

No, not as a first bike.

[fastbob]

1 hour ago, dynax said:

 

No, not as a first bike.

Well I would offer an alternative opinion on that . What's wrong with buying a bike with cosmetic damage when you are highly likely to drop it and do further damage yourself ? While you are riding the bike you can be keeping a lookout for some nice second hand panels or even a new tank . When the time comes to sell , bolt it all on and you might even make a profit .