Buying a used bike

Wouldn’t it be sweet if, every year when the new line of bikes came out, we could just roll down to the local dealer and pick up a new bike right out of the crate.  Then as soon as we get it home, go to MotoSport.com and load up on all the sweet aftermarket parts to trick it out!  And while we’re at it, might as well order up some matching new gear to go with the bike. Then after you’ve ridden it for a year, dump it and get a new one.

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

1.  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...
2. You can research on those new features and get feedback as to which new ones work well, and which ones are duds.
3. 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).

It is a little more risky, because you can get burned buying a bike that looks fine on the surface, but has hidden mechanical issues.  But you can also find that jewel, a bike that’s in great condition that you will be happy with for several years.  Wading through the market to find the bike that is right for you can be a daunting task, so here is how I approach getting a newer bike, and I hope it helps. (click below to read the entire article)

What do I bring to the track?

What do I bring to the track?

Ever get to the track, start riding, and suddenly need something that is sitting on your shop bench?  It happened the other day, my son pulled off after two laps and started waving frantically at me.  Rode over to check it out, and both of his seat bolts were loose. No problem, except when I went into my tool kit, there was not an 8mm socket to be found.  I had this vague recollection of tossing it into a parts bowl as I finished up my last job… and NOT putting it back into the socket rack.  I’ll cover “benefits of putting your tools away” in another post, but it also pointed out that in our hurry to get out the door, I didn’t check my “RIDE LIST”.  (the pic is my son hitting a corner at the local track)

My ride list is a list of stuff that I like to have with me at the track, things that I need from time to time.  I post the list in the garage where I will see it, and I check it off every time we go out (well, almost every time).

So here it is, my RIDE LIST.  Feel free to add your own items, but it might be a good start: