Tips on buying a secondhand motorcycle and getting started on a budget.
Sep 20 '00 (Updated Jan 06 '01)
When I first decided I wanted to ride a motorbike, I took a lot of time looking at different models - mainly in motorcycle magazines. I listened to other people's opinions about bikes and especially, their first bikes. I looked in the newspapers to get an idea of price, and also joined a newsgroup online to find out even more. As I'm in Australia, we've got as great Australian newsgroup (aus.motorcycles) and the folks there were really helpful. Another thing to note is that here in Oz we can't ride anything larger than a 250 cc bike with our first license, we have to ride for a year before we get an open license. In the UK it's even less: 125 cc! I have to say I think the Aussie rule is pretty reasonable - and so I'll make my first point: don't get a bike too big for you. As a novice, it's really a good idea to get something that doesn't accelerate too fast, because that's where a lot of people get into trouble: basically, I'd avoid 2 stroke bikes as they have a narrow powerband - I've heard some great stories from my riding instructor about individuals getting completely turned off motorcycles because they had an early experience with puttering along, giving a bit of throttle and *wham!* they are suddenly careening out of control - and never want to get on a bike again. I'm not saying everyone would react the same way, but it's worth a thought when considering buying a first bike.
Okay. So you have a bit of an idea of what models you are after, you have an idea of your price range. So keep looking in the local newspapers, or online (if you're very patient!) and see what comes up. You see something that looks like what you are after, so it's time to go check out that bike that may be the one. Firstly, if at all possible bring a friend with you who knows something about motorbikes. I can't stress this enough - it's easy to be intimidated or lied to when you really don't know that much about bikes. You might get lucky, or you might not, and not being lucky can turn out to be very expensive and totally blow your budget. But if you can't bring someone with you, the next best thing is to get the bike checked out by a mobile mechanic after you've seen it. If the owner doesn't want to agree to that, think twice about buying the bike.
There are a few things you should keep in mind when looking at a bike. Check the body of the bike over carefully, look for rust and signs of poor maintenance. If the paintwork is peeling and there is gaffa tape on the seat, you might want to think twice - unless it is a real bargain, in which case, factor in the cost of probable immediate repairs. Check the tires and make sure they have a bit of tread on them - motorcycle tires are a lot more expensive than car tires. Also look closely at the chain, to see if it's been well oiled, and check the exhaust - get down to look for rust on the underside of the muffler.
Take the bike for a test ride. If the owner doesn't agree, think twice about buying the bike. Certain problems with the bike will become apparent very quickly when ridden. Get a feel for the handling - bikes vary greatly and it might be very different to the bike you learned on. Or if you are buying this bike to learn on, get a friend to test ride it for you.
Just a few notes about motorcycle accessories. If you are on a budget, you are going to want to try and get all your safety gear for as little as possible. First and foremost, buy a helmet. In most countries this is not an option - for a damn good reason. Also, don't buy a used helmet. You never know where they might have been dropped - and besides, helmets are hard to clean and better to start afresh with something that's stuck on your head for hours on end. Get as good a helmet as you can afford. Now you are also going to need a good jacket, pants, gloves and boots. Here's where you can save a lot of money by looking around carefully - there is a lot of secondhand bike gear out there and it's possible to get some fantastic bargains in the newspapers, at flea markets, if you don't have to be seen with the latest trendy logo on your gear, that is. You can pick up real bargains in last season's markdowns at bike shops too. Remember, the better deal you can get for all your clothing, the more you can spend on a really top quality helmet (or food, if you've basically mortgaged yourself to get a bike.)
I'm sure there's more important tips I could add but I'll leave this here for now. Hope you have fun with your motorcycling adventures!
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Epinions.com ID:
_Cassandra_
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Location: Perth, Western Australia
Reviews written: 35
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About Me:
Designer and Filmmaker - and an artist in many guises.
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