Some of you may have jobs or businesses that generate the income to allow you to have the latest and greatest ride every year: Rock on man! But the rest of us have to balance other life expenses (like food) with our love for riding, so when it comes time for a new bike, it’s usually a “newer” bike that we are in the market for.
I have found that a good strategy is to buy a bike that’s one or two years old, in good shape, ride it for a year or two, then sell it and get a newer one. This strategy has several advantages
- You're able to take advantage of new developments and technologies that come out (suspension, engine, etc), albeit a year or two later, and it also means...
- You can research on those new features and get feedback as to which new ones work well, and which ones are duds.
- You get good riding time out of a machine before the major systems wear to the point of needing a total rebuild or replacement (shocks/forks/engine/brakes).
First: Define your target
If you've been riding for a while and know what you want, you can skip this section. If you’re new to the sport, then this section may be of help. There are a lot of options, and you want to make sure you get a bike that fits your skill level and riding style.
If you a novice, or just like to putt around on trails, and you don’t plan on riding on a motocross track, you can save some money by buying a “trail bike”, like the Honda CRF150/150/250/450, or the Kawasaki KLX140/250/450. The benefits of this type of bike are:
- They are less expensive to buy (usually 40% lower than the competition model)
- They are less expensive to maintain, some have air-cooled engines which are far less complex, so there are less components to adjust and replace.
- Even the water-cooled motors will be de-tuned versions of the competition model, less compression, less horsepower equals longer life for internal parts.
- They are less powerful, so they are easier to ride, and you’re less likely to injure yourself if you are a beginner.
I have counseled friends who are just getting into the sport to consider starting with a competition bike, simply to avoid having to upgrade later on down the road. A novice may not have an understanding of the difference between a trail bike and a motocross bike, and they’ll buy a trail bike thinking it will be fine, but within a few months they are bottoming out the shocks on the track, and their buddies are smoking him all over the place, and he now has to sell that trail bike and buy something that will handle the track.
Bottom line: Know what you want before you start looking.
Oh and one more point of advice: Don’t even consider those Chinese made bikes. I don’t care what the guy at the local bike shop tells you about them. Here are the facts:
- They are junk. Ok I’ll be more specific. The materials are of inferior quality, the tolerances are higher (IOW: the acceptable limit of dimensional variance for a part that is manufactured), and the engineering and design are not even close to the big 4 (look close at one and you’ll the difference). All of this means that things will wear out faster, break faster, and not work as well. And when you do have to replace something (and you will)…
- Parts are hard to come by. The only place you will be able to order parts from will be the dealer you bought it from. Not good. There are a millions places to get OEM parts for the big 4.
- You’ll have no cred. Really, no one rides these things. I have only seen someone pull up to a track ONCE with these things. Nuff said.
Set your Budget
Simple: Know what you’re able to spend, then look for bikes in that range. Assume that you can negotiate some, and that the bikes you are looking at have some negotiating room built into the price. For example, if I have $4000 to spend, I’ll look at bikes priced from $4000-$4500. Maybe the guy won’t take $500 less than asking, but you never know till you ask.
Places to Find a Used Bike
Spread the word among your riding buddies, and at the local tracks, that you are in the market for a bike. You might be surprised at what you find: one of your riding buddies may be in the mood for a new bike and wants to sell his. And while there are some exceptions, most people that you see regularly at the track a lot will be hesitant to sell you a bike that has hidden issues. I personally don't want any enemy's out on the track. Plus, if you know the owner, especially if you ride with them, you’ll have a good idea of how they’ve taken care of the bike.
Caveat: personally I would not expect a friend to sell a bike to me at a “steal” price, and I wouldn’t insult them by putting pressure on them to do it. If my buddie wants to give me a good deal, great, but I would not go into the transaction expecting it. A good deal is when both the buyer and seller walk away satisfied.
If you don’t have a friend or fellow rider selling a bike, then check with your local mechanic. I once found a great deal on a bike through my mechanic, and my mechanic knew the condition of the bike because he maintained it!
Other places are Craig’s List and eBay. I personally prefer Craig’s List because the prices are lower, people aren’t bidding up the price of the bike, and I can set the geographic limits for my search. When searching Craig’s List I don’t limit the search to my town, I also include towns within a two hours driving distance. People also sell bikes on dirt bike forums and blogs, but more often than not they also have listed the bike on Craigs List.
I will also compare prices of similar bikes, which gives me an idea of the going price for certain bikes. There is a Blue Book for dirt bikes, which most dealers will have. But “market price” can be very subjective when it comes to dirt bikes, so Blue Book doesn’t hold much weight with me. I look to see what other similar bikes are selling for in my area.
I’ll search for bikes that meet my criteria, and print them all out into a stack. Then I start making phone calls.
What to look for
Before I get in my car to look at a bike, I will have a conversation with the seller. The information I glean from this call determines whether or not I will even go look at the bike. In my humble opinion, finding out how the bike was maintained is the most important information that you can get from an owner. This is where it can get tricky, because the sellers idea of “good maintenance” may be completely different than yours. The seller may not tell you everything that he knows, or the seller may not be familiar with all of the periodic maintenance tasks for the bike. So in other words, you have to be a bit of a detective in that first conversation, and ask the right questions.
Questions to ask on the phone
My usual first thing is to say “tell me about the bike.” How the seller describes the bike tells me a lot about his knowledge of bikes, which tells me something about his knowledge of bike maintenance. It’s not a test of his motorcycle vocabulary, but I can make an assumption that if a guy does not know the names of the basic parts of a bike, he probably doesn’t have a good understanding of how to maintain the bike. An experienced rider will know how important maintenance is, and he will describe the maintenance he does, so that I will know he took care of the bike. If all he can tell me is “it’s really fast”, then I wonder what he has done with the bike other than ride it “really fast.”
If I don’t get the info I am looking for, then I will ask “What maintenance do you do, and how often do you do it?” Let them explain to you their periodic maintenance practices. I want to know
- How often do they change the crankcase oil and filter? (correct answer: Every 5-8 hours; best answer: after every ride)
- How often do they clean the air filter? (correct answer: after every ride)
- How often do they change the brake fluid / coolant? (correct answer: brake fluid several times a season, coolant twice a season)
- When was the piston last replaced (this schedule is tracked in hours: 15-20 hours for a 2-stroke, 45-60 hours for a 4-stroke)
If I have a good feeling that they've properly maintained the bike, I’ll ask “How firm is your price?” This gives me an idea as to their motivation to sell, and whether or not they will take less. Most people will negotiate some, other will not. It's good to know up front.
Look for bikes that have not been ridden much.
This is more of a personal preference of mine. A bike can be several years old, and if the periodic maintenance has been done per the schedule, and the owner has kept it clean and taken care of it, then the bike should be fine to purchase. But I figure the newer, the better. I’ll scour Craig’s list and look for a bike that looks like it might have low hours: A dad bought it for his son/daughter and they never took to it, or someone who didn’t have the time to ride, etc. Many times they will put in the ad “low hours”. Low hours does not mean it’s a good buy, but it is a good place to start. They’re out there, you just have to be patient, keep looking, and ask the right questions.
Last year I found a two year old CR85 that was like new – legit. A guy bought it for his son, who rode it around the back yard about ten times, and then didn’t want it anymore. The guy had not even cleaned the air filter once (believe it or not, it was cleaner than one ride from my son!). It was bone stock so I had to put decent tires, bars, and a fresh piston in it, but it was a great deal.
Look for one-owner bikes
I stay away from bikes that have been sold a few times. You never know what you’re getting into. If the seller has the sales receipt, then I believe him that he is the only owner.
Race Bikes
People have different opinions on buying a bike that has been raced. Some will note that a race bike has been well maintained, and so you shouldn’t be afraid of a race bike. In some cases this is true. The other side of that is that a race/practice bike will have been run HARD. A good mini rider basically runs his bike fully pinned all the time (which is why a lot of them run ceramic bearings), and so the motor and drive train will have been under full stress load almost the entire life cycle. Same with a four-stroke. Guys that race 250 four-strokes competitively are always on the rev limiter, which is really hard on the valve train. Also, because race bikes are ridden harder, the suspension and bearings have taken a beating.
Personally, I am not inclined to buy a race bike, but it is a personal call. If you know the seller, and therefore know that he has not abused the bike, you should be fine.
Mod Bikes
A mod bike is a bike that has had some engine modification done to it. Common mod’s on a 2-stroke consist of over-boring the cylinder (or “big-bore”), or machining the cylinder and head, which increases piston compression and power. Most 4-stroke mod’s are over-bored or ‘big bore’ kits. Some serious 4-stroke riders will have installed upgraded valves and springs, but I don’t consider this a mod, but rather a bonus. No engine specs have been modified, the valves and springs are simply higher quality than the stock parts.
I will NOT buy a mod bike.
Reason #1: It’s a fact that there is a mechanical tradeoff between power generation and engine life. When you modify a motor to increase its power, it will reduce the life-span of the moving parts of the engine - it is a physical reality that you cannot escape, because increasing energy creates additional forces of friction, stress, and heat in the engine. Bottom line: Engine parts will wear out faster, hence this bike will cost you more money.
Reason #2: Unless you receive a set of detailed specs or mechanical drawings from the engine mod, you really don’t know what was done to the motor. That means the first time you have to work on the motor, you are in a guessing game as to what parts to order or what effect your work will have on the mod. Ask any mechanic if they will work on a mod motor - the answer will be "no," then when you press they'll say "OK, so what was done to it?" Which, of course, you probably won't know.
Reason #3: A higher compression motor may require race gas to be used (higher octane), which adds an additional level of expense and prep time to your riding.
I once bought a KX85 that had been mod’ed (a fact that was not disclosed by the seller). That little KX was a rocket – huge power in the upper power band, my son loved it. Of course, I had to put a new piston in that bike every 5-6 hours (which I figured out after I started inspecting the piston), and even with that frequency of top-end-rebuilds, we experienced several catastrophic piston failures.
How do you know if the motor has been mod’ed? Most times there will be a mark on the side of the cylinder that identifies the shop that did the work. If you see that, steer clear.
Note: If you want to ride mod bike, then I suggest you get a stock bike, and then find a reputable engine fabricator to perform the work. That way you know what was done to the engine, and when you need work done, you can take it to your engine guy because he knows what modifications he made to the engine.
Final Cut
Ok, so you have made some phone calls, and have narrowed down your list of bikes to several that you want to see. This is the fun part!
First, I suggest you not buy the first bike you look at. I find it helps to look around some. It’s real easy to get into a “I gotta get a bike now” mode, and you can end up making a poor decision. As a rule of thumb I will always go back a second time before purchasing something. If you do run across that “sweet deal” that is exactly what you want, and the price is right, then you can make a judgment call as to whether you want to pull the trigger. But I find that 1) You can usually come back the next day and still buy the bike, and 2) most deals that are too good to be true, are in fact, too good to be true. I personally don’t mind paying a little more to get what I want, but I hate buying something, then having problems with it.
Things to look for
When you do your inspection, put the bike up on a stand. Take a pad of paper and write down anything you see that looks like it needs maintenance.
General Appearance. Any bike can be cleaned up nice to sell, but I figure if a guy won’t clean his bike to sell it, he rarely cleaned it at all. As well, a clean bike will allow you to see the “tells:” Scratches, paint worn off, dings, leaks, cracked plastic or hoses, etc. Some of these are normal “wear and tear” on a dirt bike, but excessive wear tells me that the bike has been ridden hard and not maintained.
Frame: Check for cracks, especially near the footpegs, under the engine, near the steering head, and all welds. Make sure the serial number has not been filed off (I’m just sayin…)
Wheels: Make sure there are no broken or loose spokes, and that the rims are not bent or cracked. To check this, set the bike up on a stand, get behind the rear wheel or in front of the front tire, spin the wheel while placing something stationary and non-metal (your pen will work fine) about 1/8 from the edge of the rim. You’ll notice the gap widening/shrinking as the wheel spins if it’s warped.
While you’re spinning the tire, listen to the wheel bearings: there should not be any grinding sounds, or any drag in the wheel. Check the hubs for cracks, especially where the spokes connect.
Note the condition of the tires. Worn tires no big deal, but you will need to factor in the cost of new tires into the cost of the bike.
While you’re at the rear wheel take a look at the chain and sprockets to see if they are worn. If they are worn its not a deal-breaker, but you might be able to negotiate $100 off the price as you will have to replace the chain set.
Brakes
While you’re staring at the wheel, take a good look at the brake calipers: The calipers should be a little loose if you shake them. Look for leaks around the lines and bleed bolt. Look at the brake pads - it’s not a big deal if the brake pads are worn, but if they've been worn all the way down, they'll start wearing the rotors. Rotors are not cheap. So take a close look at the rotors and look for valleys or uneven wear. Rotors in good condition are relatively smooth across the face where the brake pads make contact. Spin the wheel and make sure the rotors are not warped.
Cycle the front and rear brake. The lever should travel no more than an inch before feeling compression, and you should not be able to fully compress the lever.
Questions to ask:
How often do you replace the brake fluid? (correct answer: several times a season, however it is not necessarily damaging to the brake system if they don’t)
Suspension: At the front end, look at the fork seals (where the inner fork tubes go into the outer tubes), and make sure there is no fluid seeping out of the seal. (It is not uncommon, and fork seals can be replaced, but you should at least note it.) Look at the dampening adjusters and air bleed screws, and ensure they are in good condition, not all stripped out or corroded. Grab the front brake and push down on the forks a few times, and ensure that you don’t feel anything hanging up, or hear strange noises. Then look at the seals again to see if any fluid leaked out of the seals.
And the back end, grab the rear wheel and give some upward pressure (not enough to compress the shock), and make sure there is no slop from side-to-side or up-and-down. If there is movement, see if you can notice at which point in the linkage the suspension is moving. If there is looseness it is an indicator that some of the bearings in the rear shock/linkage may need to be replaced. If some are bad, they are probably all bad, including the swingarm bearing. That will be several hundred dollars in parts.
Questions to ask:
When was the last time you changes the fork oil? (correct answer: Every season, or according to the service manual schedule)
Has any work been done to the forks (valving, etc)? (If they have been re-valved, then the previous rider’s weight and riding style were part of the equation. You may need to have the shocks re-valved for your weight and riding style)
Who did the work? (correct answer: XYZ shop, unless the guy is a really good mechanic)
How often do you clean and grease the shock and linkage bearings? What kind of grease do you use? (correct answer: every 2-3 months, and “waterproof grease”)
Steering: Turn the wheel from lock to lock. It should move smooth, with no ‘grabbing’ or noises. Grab the front wheel and pull it upwards, and make sure there is no up-and-down slop in the steering head stem. If you find any of these indicators are present, the bike probably needs steering head bearings.
Make sure the bars are not bent.
Pull in the clutch lever, and cycle the throttle (make sure the fuel is turned off), and make sure they move smoothly and easily. The throttle should snap back quickly on its own.
Engine: Look for any leaks where the engine cases and covers meet, or around the cylinder on a four stroke. If there is oil leaking from the main-cases, it will require splitting the cases (a big deal) to fix it. It could be that the cases were not properly sealed during a re-assembly, or it could mean that the surface was damaged. In either case it indicates that the cases have been split, and you should inquire what was done, and who did it.
If there is a leak where a cover meets, it could be a cracked cover, or simply it needs a new gasket. Also check the oil drain bolt and make sure there is no oil dripping from it, which could indicate 1) ) the seller may have lost the seal washer and not replaced it (not a big deal), or 2) the drain bolt could be stripped, which is a more complicated fix.
Wipe away any grime you see, as sometimes leaks are hidden by a buildup of grime.
Look for coolant leaks, and check the condition of the hoses.
Check the connections where the carb meets the cylinder, and the airbox. Make sure the connections are tight.
Pop the seat off and make sure the air filter is installed properly (no gaps or leaks). You can also look at the filter to see if it is clean (a dirty filter is a indication of poor maintenance), and to make sure it is oiled with filter oil, which is usually blue (you never know, some people may spray WD40 on their filter and thinks its good).
Questions to ask:
How often do you change the oil and filter? (correct answer: Oil every 1-2 rides, especially for a 4-stroke, oil filter every 4-5 rides.)
What type of oil do you use? (correct answer: motorcycle engine oil. It’s not a deal killer if they haven’t, see my article on oil)
How often do you clean the filter, and what kind of oil do you use? (correct answer: after every ride, or at least every other ride, and filter oil)
How often do you change the coolant:? (correct answer: at least once per season)
What type of coolant do you use? (correct answer: Meets service manual requirement, properly mixed with water)
The test ride
You know you gotta ride it! Even if there is not a track nearby, a ride up and down the road will tell you a lot.
Does it start on one or two kicks? A well maintained bike will. A two stroke that has good compression and a good plug should fire right up. A four stroke should as well. If it’s a four stroke and it takes several kicks to get it to fire, odds are the valves are out of adjustment, or it's time for a new piston.
Listen for any odd noises as the bike idles. There will be some mechanical noise with a motor, but unusual knocking is a red flag.
Once it warms up, run it up in each gear from low to high RPM – push it. This will give you three indicators:
Clutch slip: Listen to see if the RPM’s go up faster than the bike is accelerating. If it does, the clutch is shot.
Transmission integrity: the bike should shift smooth, and not “pop out of gear”. Either of these indicators is a no go.
Proper jetting/Carburetor performance: The engine should not hiccup, or sputter at any RPM level.
If you can get the bike in the dirt, hit the power-band a few times to make sure that there is no hesitation, and that the power hits hard when you give it throttle.
Check the brakes with a few hard stops – not locking the wheels, but to make sure the front and rear brakes don’t grab or fade, and have good solid stopping power.
Negotiation
There are 100 different ways to negotiate, and I am not going to write a book here. But I will make a few points:
- Selling price is relative to what they seller will accept, and what the buyer is willing to pay. The objective is to find a price that both parties are satisfied with.
- Emotions are in play. A seller may have an emotional attachment to the bike, or feel that they have such a primo machine, that they should get a primo price. Its better so walk away from a situation like this.
- Don’t get caught up in the mind game of trying to “out-negotiate” the seller. Remember your objective is not to “beat” the seller in the game of negotiating, but to buy a good bike for yourself.
- Bring the amount of cash that you are willing to pay for the bike, but make your first offer a little lower than the asking price. Ask the guy “will you take ____ for the bike?” You can even pull out your wad of hundo’s to make the point. He will probably try to get you up some – and you can go back and forth till you both meet.
- Have your list of things that you noted from your inspection, and use them as part of your negotiation. If the bike needs a chain set, tires, and brake pads, that is approx $250 worth of parts. You should be able to get the price down a bit (unless the price is already lower than similar bikes, which you looked at earlier in your process, remember?)
- It’s good to have a ‘backup’ bike. If you are not able to negotiate a price you that you feel comfortable, you can always tell them you have a few other bikes to look at, and leave. If the other bikes don’t work out, you can call back in a day or so and see where the seller stands.
Parting thought: I know you want to go right away and ride your new toy. Don’t. There are some things you should do before you go rider your new bike.
- 2-strokes: Replace the piston. There is no way to know how long the previous piston had on it, so just do it. If you have a preferred pre-mix, then drain the gas and refill with your pre-mix.
- 4 strokes: check the valve adjustment
- All bikes, change the oil, adjust and lube the chain, re-set the fork dampener and rebound screws (in case they were not set equal), adjust the rear shock for your weight (see the service manual), clean and oil the air filter, change the coolant, and finally do a maintenance check of the bearings.
Now... Have fun!
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