It’s a great opportunity to buy used motorcycles. Most people are prone to buying used motorcycles to save money compared to buying brand-new motorcycles.

It is scary for a motorist to buy a motorcycle because finding the right motorcycle which offers value for money is hard. These days, people are trying to scam people with fake information while selling their bikes especially selling stolen ones is quite common.

You can buy any kind of used motorcycle in a range of ways. You must be calm and confident during your purchase.

How to buy a motorcycle from a private seller? We strongly recommend you to read the article step by step to understand how to purchase your new motorcycle to get it right the first time considering your budget.

Dealer Vs Private Seller

When you get into buying your bike, a common fear of being screwed over can cause a lot of frustration for the buyer. Let us discuss a few reasons for choosing a motorcycle from a dealership vs a private party.

A lot of people think that dealers generally have a bad reputation, but apart from a slightly higher fee, especially if you live in a state that doesn’t charge tax on private parties, there are a lot of advantages if you are buying a motorcycle from a dealership

The shopping process at an online shop is relatively simple and relatively secure. You can see the most famous motorcycle brands right here.

On the other hand, buying process from a private seller is quite tricky. There are many risks attached to buying a used motorcycle.

For instance, It could be a stolen motorcycle being sold as one of their own. The advantage of buying from a private seller is getting a good deal monetarily.

Don’t Get Burned: Tips For Buying A Used Motorcycle

Most motorcycle purchases are made by dealers and financed by banks. Therefore you can use your monetary power in the private market. In general dealership transactions usually involve a deposit which requires you to pay cash or a cashier’s check.

Buyers finance these differences by borrowing from the bank. Almost all transactions that arise between private parties and customers happen at once.

Generally, you pay the entire amount as a deposit. Private sellers usually look to find buyers who already have money and are ready to buy from them immediately.

It is clear that not everyone wants a motorcycle mogul, and so avoiding motorcycles that look like turds is a little tricky for those who spend rationally on motorcycling.

Many individuals will transform the exterior of their bike and fool you by trying to sell it for a higher price than its worth. Therefore, keep the following advice in mind during the buying process.

Check Several Platforms

Once you decide which bike you’ll get, browse a range of online marketplaces to find available motorcycles to buy. These include anything you see online, in a newspaper advertisement, and keeping an eye out for motorcycles showing ‘for sale’ ads on their vehicle.

It might be the case that some websites have no listings for your motorcycles while other sites have a lot of options. In either situation, you should check multiple platforms and websites before purchasing a motorcycle from a private seller.

Contacting The Seller

After finding your desired motorbike and examining it carefully you will contact them for a viewing time. Several things should be taken into consideration during scheduling, especially when considering used bikes.

When planning a visit on your motorcycle, ensure that you are not restricted to merely having time for it (that would mean not going in your lunchtime).

You’d like time to see the motorcycle in the same light so that you’d not feel forced into taking the next step due to the shortfall.

What To Look For On The Motorcycle?

Once you contact your seller to set up an actual visit of the used bike you want, be ready to check out some specific items of the vehicle yourself. It is up to you how you want to handle mechanical problems on motorcycles.

It’s difficult to determine whether this is the right purchase or not. It depends on your situation. You must look into some things first before you start riding your bike or offer the final price.

See what lies underneath the bike. Following are the things which you can check during the buying process.

See How Hard The Bike Was Ridden

Note, hard riding and redlining on the bike may not cause any harm to them but there are a few guys that beat the snot off the machines. Check the wheels, flat longitudinal grooves in tires indicate burnout.

In the sports vehicle, inspect the tire edges. If a tire spout is visible at the corners or on the edges, this indicates the bicycle has been used on the track.

Look at the hero blobs. This is one of the small indicator signs on the feet peg that tells the user has been in a deep inclination which led to scraping the most costly components.

Assess The Bike’s General Condition

Glossy paint not only makes the exterior of the bike look fantastic, but it’s also often an excellent indicator of how the bike’s mechanical bits have been maintained.

I’m not often impressed by motorcycle mileage. The odometer tells just about a portion of a motorcycle’s history. If a customer gives you a receipt it’ll be incredibly beneficial for them.

The bike should have good maintenance — it comes with matching wheels, and shiny and waxed paint and the owner probably has changed worn items such as seat cushions and grips.

Pop The Seat

It is your responsibility to inspect the wiring, particularly those parts attached to the battery. Is there any problem with the factory connectors? Besides seeing the GPS and fog light hanging over the bike, your senses will begin tingling.

Once you’re in this place you will find electrical strips, vampire connectors, and all sorts of wires in different colors. The owner often bought a few spools of wire in various colors. Understand electrical damage can be very costly but also hard to recover.

Check The VIN

That’s the basic starting point. The remaining parts could be useless to anyone who had looked over a hot bike.

Those bikes have a very high burglary rate and are usually not checked by the police. Once this is elucidated, you need to confirm that the paperwork is authentic and there is no red flag in the registration.

Negotiate The Price

Never hesitate in negotiating the price. Unless an advertisement says “firm on pricing,” negotiation can play an important role. And many buyers expect that. It’s best for sellers to not get too low or completely offend them.

If you’re too short-sighted it could be that you won’t interact anymore. It is okay to try and talk to the sellers. In other words, if you want your buyer to reduce the price to $5,000, you’ll be able to negotiate up to $5,300 a year.

What To Watch Out For While Buying A Used Motorcycle

Perhaps a major worry when a consumer gets scammed when he purchases a new bike or one with a lien on it. This situation can drain both emotionally and financially and is not surprising to those who have tried to escape it.

Hopefully, there’s something to avoid from this scenario. I have implemented these guidelines on a number of my vehicle transactions. Make no promises to the seller that they will give you the property and send it to you. It won’t happen; No one is coming back.

Examine The Bike Cold

Often when I want to purchase a bike I tell the motorcycle owner to keep it cold until I arrive and I’m sticking to the deal. It can easily be done to hide start-up issues with hot bikes.

Take note of the jugs if the bike has been frozen! If the seller can’t start the bike in its entirety, it can make you have trouble adjusting the system.

Know Your Expertise

People have many other reasons for buying bikes. Almost everyone can enjoy it and ride it as much as they wish. Those who want to make something up can find some work along the way. Whatever the situation is, it is essential to have a deep understanding.

You might want to get a motorcycle checked by an experienced professional if you lack knowledge in this field.

Know Your Bike

It helps to know what bike life is like. The first thing you should consider is a bike with low mileage — anything between 155,000 and 25,000 miles is an ideal choice. Another crucial aspect before leaving home is examining a bike advertisement on eBay.

Please view pictures of the listing description, the contact info, and the E-Mail ID. You want to buy a bicycle that fits in the economic range, if not the actual value.

Engine

So it’s important to start with the aesthetics as the look that the bike has displayed on the outside shows what it looks like inside. If the bike is not cleaned or dropped regularly it probably won’t be the most desirable choice.

However, even if the bike looks good there are dozens of other methods that allow for an accurate evaluation of its mechanical condition.

Hidden Costs

Finally, check into the bike to find the hidden costs when buying a secondhand bicycle. Our budget is usually based on our efforts and attempts at getting the most out of the budget. So it could end up being catastrophic if you hit the budget for a nice-looking bike and later discover you’re spending another few hundred dollars on putting in parts that you weren’t paying for.

Keep checking the chain hooks for any damage. A chain with a lot of tight places needs to be replaced. Make sure you get a discount on your bike in such a case.

Aesthetics

We always prioritize aesthetics but it will depend on what will affect the vote on whether or not you like the bike. However, if a bike is bad, you don’t have any reason to drive it. Always bring your mate along when a bike is being examined.

You need to be careful that your partner can detect minute differences. Two persons can easily see the problems on the motorcycle. Some areas to see are dents from the key ring or cracks on the faceplates or an aftermarket variation.

Why Buy A Motorcycle From Private Sellers?

Purchasing new motorcycles can be extremely expensive. If you are in debt and don’t have any money, then a used bike might be a better choice. Used bicycles can also be used to get a beginner bike before a big league game.

Here are a few things you can keep in mind while buying a used motorcycle.

• Quality

Purchasing motorcycles through private dealers, indie stores, or franchises has an extremely high chance of buying the best one them.

They would be easily disreputable if they sold inferior bikes therefore trading in for good maintenance and a great quality bike will be a good value for you like a new rider.

Dealer generally takes trades in which there are good conditions. Expect a good used motorcycle in excellent condition, which should be ready for riding once you leave the showroom.

A dealer usually has an examination form in which all repairs are noted and any repairs made when they get the motorcycle.

• Repairs

Some dealer services have repair departments to help solve your motorcycle issues if they arise after purchasing your motorcycle. Once you buy the product after you trade the vehicle, you can have confidence that the work has been completed efficiently.

Private sellers can do everything to maintain the bike and repair it but do not receive the same training as dealers and shop workers do.

• Title Transfers

A private buyer should give you the new title of ownership for the bike (assuming there are no liens on it) and once it’s in your possession you are required to file a title transfer to the DMV or other documents after the purchase.

Often the dealer provides all the added work during the transaction allowing you to avoid the queues at the DMV and wait until your license plate arrives.

• Financing

Private sellers usually won’t give you any financing options. You can usually buy cash from a bank on-site when paying for the purchase.

Dealerships may offer private financing options and can complete their transactions using an endorsed lender. If you want the money to make a private purchase experience you have to make the effort to secure it.

• Service history

The private seller cannot provide any evidence that the property is maintained under the property of the buyer.

The point is, that having no evidence of something is rarely true at least. Occasionally, owners will have documents or receipts for their motorcycles. A car dealer usually has no history other than the time when they bought the motorcycle.

• Warranty

Occasionally dealers can offer a limited warranty when motorcycles are damaged after they have been purchased for some time or miles.

A private buyer usually buys a motorcycle in its original state without a warranty. Usually, a dealership takes your bike home for maintenance within a week of your purchase. Private sellers do this rarely.

• Ownership History

Dealerships usually do their history search to make certain that your car is not stolen. Private sellers might not know the history of motorcycles and may not disclose this information. In many cases, dealers can provide copies of motorcycle history on paper.

• Pricing

A private vendor generally offers lower costs than the dealer. A private seller doesn’t need additional items to manage a business. Although low prices seem attractive initially, they also pose potential problems.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Questions Should You Ask When Buying A Used Motorcycle?

Do a VIN check by asking for the vehicle identification number, gather information regarding registration and insurance from the seller. Check if the bike is in good shape and does not have any oil leaks, and check how the previous owner used the motorcycle.

How Do You Negotiate A Private Motorcycle Sale?

You can start by showing interest in the seller from the beginning and take action quickly.

Try to negotiate with the seller but don’t push the seller so hard that he gets agitated. For instance, if you want to close the deal at $5000 then you can negotiate and close it even at $5300.

The Final Word

In the above context, there have been many tips and advice that one can follow to buy a used motorcycle. For starters, one can follow various motorcycle forums, and ‘For Sale’ advertisements online and displayed on bikes.

Buying from a private seller has its incentive for getting a good deal monetarily since there is no sales tax included. In buying process from a dealer one has to pay tax when purchasing a motorcycle.

A few things should be kept in mind while buying a used bike. The selling price should align with the condition of the vehicle. Do a VIN check by asking for the vehicle identification number from the seller.

Thoroughly check for registration and insurance documents to ensure it’s not a stolen motorcycle. If the owner of the vehicle fails to provide a legal document the vehicle then it’s a sure sign that it is a stolen motorcycle. For more information, visit here to find out how to buy motorcycles from private sellers.