Buying a bike

Once you have been on your first ride you will want to buy a bike. Here are some things to keep in mind.

• A bike without an expensive-to-fix fairing and with an upright riding position is preferred for novice riders.

 

• Sitting on the bike off the stand, can you get enough of your feet on the ground both sides to feel stable? Does the seat/bars/pegs position feel comfortable (ask a friend to hold the bike upright to test this)?

 

• Check the overall appearance of the bike – is it clean with all components in good condition? Someone who doesn’t maintain the appearance may not have maintained the bike mechanically. If the owner agrees, get it inspected at a bike shop.

 

• Look for evidence of crashes – scratches on the fairing (if it has one), engine cases or mirrors, bent footpegs, indicator stalks and brackets, paint overspray from amateur repairs.

 

• Check the owner’s manual/service book to see if services have been to manufacturer’s specifications. If not, ask for evidence of servicing, such as receipts for oil/air filters, oil, brake fluid, tyres and so on.

 

• Look for oil leaks from the engine and suspension units. If the bike has a fairing, look inside to see if there is oil collected in the base.

 

• Do the kilometres shown on the odometer match the appearance? Low kilometres should mean the footrest and gearshift rubbers are very little worn, for instance. Check for plenty of rubber/deep tread grooves on the tyres – tyres are expensive and if you are going to need new tyres soon this is justification for bargaining the price down.

 

• Test all electrical equipment - low/high beam, tail/brake lights (make sure both hand and foot brake operate the brake light), indicators and horn.

 

• Put the bike on the main stand (if it has one) and get a friend to sit on the rear of the seat to get the front forks off the ground. Pull the lower end of the forks back and forth – any movement here shows loose steering head bearings which need attention. While you have front and rear wheels off the ground, try and move the rim from side to side – movement here shows the wheel bearings need attention.

 

• Before you start the engine, check if it is already warm by putting your hand on it – if so, it might be difficult to start and the owner has warmed it up before you arrived. You can try arriving half an hour early to combat this tactic.

 

• Check the brake calliper bolts and sump plug – if there is small hole drilled sideways through the bolts and plug the bike may have been raced – the hole is for the locking wire required by racing regulations.

 

• Do a REVS check to see if there is any finance owing on the bike – ring 13 32 20 with the vehicle VIN or chassis number ready, or go on-line at http://tinyurl.com/33ez5a4. You can obtain a certificate for $13.80.

You can also check whether the vehicle is registered and obtain a vehicle history from the RTA which gives the details of previous owners and will reveal whether the bike has been written off in the past.

Check the engine and chassis numbers against the rego certificate and that the bike is registered at the sale address. If not, ask for an explanation.

• On a test ride check that the engine spins cleanly and smoothly through the rev range. If you are not confident to rev the engine right out, ask an experienced friend to do this on the road. Check that the bike does not pull to one side or the other. Check the brakes operate smoothly and are effective.

Riding Gear

You should regard the cost of good rider gear as part of the cost of buying a bike. See the separate fact sheet on how to select gear.

Download the Buying a bike fact sheet (PDF 260KB/1page).

The assistance of the Motorcycle Council of NSW, the Motor Accidents Authority of NSW and Girls Ride Out is gratefully acknowledged.