buying a bike, look for these possible problem signs

[aussieidiot]

There are heaps of threads about what bike to buy, but none about the signs of misuse on second hand bikes. maybe tangie can edit this post and sticky it to the top for future reference. As i'm not the most experienced in buying a second hand bike (only bought 2), my experience is limited. There will be other memebers who will have alot more information for newbies.

all these are basic checks

TYRES:
Correct inflation
Tyre wear i.e on the edges tends to be more cornering speed
central means more highway miles
Type of tyre. expensive or cheap may give you an idea of how much
the owner spends on his/her baby.
New tyres. be careful. new tyre may mean just for resale or hiding info


Brakes
rust can develop quickly on the discs of an un-used bike (2 weeks for a few spots) so be careful of how much.
warped discs. apply the brakes and keep pressure to just touch pads to the disc and listen for any repetitive squeak or pulse in the lever (my first bike did this)

dirty brake fluid or air in the lines

perished brake lines or signs of leaks
pad wear. do they need to be changed?

Supension
Front forks should be dry and the seals should be in good condition.

when sitting on the bike, roll it forward and hit the brakes to see if there is any movement in the head bearings and how much the front shocks move. bounce the front shocks to see if they keep moving up and down after one push down or whether they stop after one.

again push the rear down and see how many times before the arse stops moving

Bodywork
obviously check for damaged fairings or repair jobs indicated by differing coloring on the inside of the fairing.
replaced parts can be a sign of minor accidents. parts like bar ends, rearsets, mirrors, indicators, exhaust and engine or clutch covers. anyone replacing for style should have the OEM parts.

resprayed bodywork or a polished frame is pretty much a sure fire way to hide a bad accident. some guys do it but will have photos to prove that it was a custom job and not a repair job


Engine (my least knowledgable section)

if you can check the oil for color
listen for any out of the ordinary noises
or smoke.
try to see the bike cold. arrive 20mins early so they can't warm it up for you. make sure it starts smoothly when cold


chain and sprockets
check the chain for lubrication and correct tension
also look at the sprockets for signs of wear and teeth that are sloping. this means that it has a history of hard acceleration

General

older bikes will have more probs than new but if a 2003 model has a few of these, then chance are it was abused and the price should be set to that. none of the above problems are fatal and can be fixed but the price should be set accordingly

don't assume that an old guy who has had the bike since new and only done 20miles a year on it is going to be a better looked after bike than a 20yr old with 20,000miles per year. look for signs of money and quality gear. this can indicate that he has looked after his baby. just because the bike has sliders, engine mods, exhaust and the rider has a full power ranger leathers doesn't mean that he was a squid. he may just be ultra careful and protective and wanted to make his bike sound better

learn the basic maintenance checks for a bike and check that it is all OK.
things like clutch lever tension, chain tension and lubrication, electrical system. these are the things you/we should be doing every time you/we ride.


this is just a guide and i may be wrong so please add or debate. if someone wants to get really creative with the cut'n'paste, they may want to correlate all information into sections

[Kennedy200]

Some more advice, check the web for discussion boards. Ask questions about possible issues with the model you are looking at. There is a lot of knowledge on the web, a lot of crap too.