Look at it!
Don't just start the engine and take it round the block. Start
examining the front end and work your way through to the tail
light. Note every single fault you see on a piece of paper (so you
don't forget) and also note its likely cost.
Looking at the bike first will also allow the engine to cool
slightly, if the seller has warmed it up before you arrived, and
engines should always be started from cold just to see if they do
start easily!
1) Front tyre:
Should have plenty of tread. Look for cuts and gashes. Budget S$40
- 150 for a replacement (according to model)
2) Brakes:
Check thickness of disc pads by squinting down the caliper. Budget
S$20 a set for replacements (ie: S$40 for a double disc front
end).
Drum brakes - see if the adjuster at the brake end has been fully
wound in. If so, the linings are close to the limit. Again, budget
S$20 a set for new linings.
3) Forks:
Squint at them sideways to make sure they are straight and
parallel. If not, the bike has been in a crash, and the frame may
be bent as well.
Look for any oil leaks from the seals and signs of pitting on the
fork stanchions (the polished bits) themselves. People sometimes
replace the seals but leave the pitting and the pits will wear out
new seals in days. Budget S$10 per seal (if you do the work
yourself) and S$70 for full servicing per stanchion.
4) Head race bearings:
If the bike has a centre stand get someone to push down the back of
the bike to lift the front wheel off the ground. If not, pull the
bike towards you on the side stand to lift the front wheel. Turn
the bars gently. If you feel a notch, or worse still, several, the
head races are shot and need replacement. New races will cost about
S$30 (again, depends on bike model) and mean stripping down the
front end to fit them. A dealer will charge about S$100 for the
whole job.
5) Lock stops:
These are the lugs welded to the steering head that stop the bars
turning before they bash into the tank. If the bike has been
dropped or crashed, they will be bent or otherwise damaged. This is
a danger sign!
6) Bar ends, mirrors, lever ends:
Look for scrape marks as a sign that the bike's been down the road.
These are easy and cheap to replace, so don't take an absence of
scrapes as a sign that the bike's never been dropped.
7) Bodywork:
If it's non-standard, be suspicious: it might have had a respray
after a crash. In any case, non-standard paint generally knocks
down the resale value of a bike.
Frame:
On alloy beam frames look for any signs of deformation where the
rails bend towards the headstock. Alloy is softer than steel and
much harder to fix. Any signs of damage - walk away
9) Rear suspension:
Grab the rear tyre and try and move it from side to side. Play here
means wear in the rear suspension bearings. This can be easy or
difficult to fix, depending on how complex the rear end is and
whether the bearings will be all seized and rusted into place.
Assume the worst.
Bounce on the seat. A dry creaking noise from the suspension
indicates worn and seized linkages. This can cost up to S$150 to
fix. The rear end should also bounce once, returning to its former
position. If it boings up and down two or three times, or just
sags, the rear shock(s) is/are worn out. This will cost at least
S$250 and maybe as much as S$800 to replace with a decent
aftermarket unit on a big bike. Twin-shock bikes are cheaper, but
still allow S$150 - 200.
10) Rear tyre:
Should have plenty of tread. Look for cuts and gashes. Budget
S$40-S$150 for a replacement, according to size of bike!
11) Rear brakes:
Check and budget as per front
12) Rear wheel bearings:
Grab top and bottom of rear wheel and try to move it from side to
side. If it does rock slightly, the rear wheel bearings are shot.
Easy job, but still budget S$20 for replacements
13) Chain & sprockets:
Look at the wear indicators (if fitted) and the chain adjuster
marks (if not). If the rear wheel is pulled far back on the
adjusters, the chain is worn out.
See if you can pull a link off the rear sprocket. if you can, it's
shot.
A dry slack rusty chain will also cast doubt over how the rest of
the bike has been looked after.
Look for wear and hooking on the sprocket teeth. A new chain will
cost S$70-80 for a big bike. A chain and sprocket set will cost
over S$200! More if you intend to use gold-chain.
14) Engine:
Before starting, look for any signs of oil leaks and the presence
of gasket cement (usually red, sometimes clear/white). If you see
gasket goo oozing from joints, walk away. The engine has been
rebuilt by a careless motodiam. The Japanese don't use the stuff
except on crankcase joints and sometimes on camshaft end caps,
after all. Even then, they use it very sparingly. Someone who's
slapping the stuff around like cement is too tight to buy proper
gaskets, and too careless to worry. Gasket goo is good stuff, but
excess goo can get sucked into the lube system and filter and block
them, and wreck the engine. It just isn't worth the risk.
It should start instantly. If it churns away on the starter for
ages before firing, or if the starter rattles and clunks, just walk
away. Again, it's not worth the risk.
Let the engine warm up properly. There should be no rattles.
Rattles from the top end indicate camshaft or camchain wear. This
can be expensive to fix.
Rattles or rumbles from the bottom end of the engine indicate
crankshaft or main bearing wear. This can be very expensive to fix.
Walk away.
When test riding, rev the engine hard in as many gears as you can,
then shut the throttle off, go down hard on the over-run, and whack
the throttle open again. If it's going to jump out of gear, this is
when it will do it.
Also, as you whack it open after going down on the over-run, look
behind you for smoke. This action forces oil into the bores. A
little puff of smoke is normal. A cloud isn't, and means the rings
and/or valve guide seals are worn.
See if it steers properly hands-off. Beware wobbles! If it shows a
reluctance to turn in one direction and a tendency to dive into
another, the frame is probably bent from an accident. (only to be
attempted by an experienced rider)
Try the brakes, hard, several times. Make sure you aren't being
tailgated when you do this....
When you get back, listen again to the engine. It should sound
quieter and sweeter than it did when it was started from
cold.
15) Electrics:
Check every single function. If you have a multimeter, put it
across the battery terminals and measure. It should read about
12.5v and rise to maybe 14.5v as the revs rise. If it doesn't, or
if it shoots up past 20v, the regulator/rectifier is fried and
maybe the alternator with it. Cost: maybe S$100 for a reg/rec and
S$50 for a rewound alternator.
If you haven't a multimeter, turn the lights on and see if they
brighten when the engine is revved. It won't tell you if the
reg/rec is fritzed, but it will tell you the alternator is
working.
16) Paperwork:
The registration document or logbook is vital. It tells you
everything you need to know. It should bear the bike's registration
number, the engine number, the frame number, the colour. Check all
of these. Be very suspicious if there's a discrepancy. Engine
and/or frame numbers not tallying mean it's almost certainly
stolen. On no account believe the "I'm selling it for a mate" or "I
haven't got around to changing the logbook" stories. This may not
matter to you, but it will probably mean that he's working on a
profit margin and will not be amenable to offers. The logbook also
carries the name and address of the last owner and the date the
bike last changed hands. The newer log card version only carries
the name and address of the current owner. If this was very
recently, be suspicious. Why is the seller getting rid of it so
fast? hhhmmmm...
ON NO ACCOUNT BUY A BIKE WITHOUT A LOGBOOK/LOGCARD. DO NOT ACCEPT
PHOTOCOPIES.
If someone says he does his own maintenance, ask him what the valve
clearances should be or what grade of oil he uses - competent
mechanics know these details. Ask if he has a manual. If not, how
does he do the work? If so, oily thumbprints on the relevant pages
are a good sign (but oily thumbprints on pages detailing, for
example, gearbox rebuilds, may not be!)
17) Haggling:
Tot up the cost of every single worn or damaged component you have
noticed, using the guide above. Compare the resultant figure to the
cost of an equivalent bike in a dealer's price. Point out that the
dealer will sell the bike with decent tyres, brakes, etc, plus a
warranty. You want to aim for a price that's 20% less than what the
dealer is asking, when all is said and done. If a lot of work needs
to be done, make that 30%, to cover the hassle factor. If the
seller can't see the logic of your arguments, walk away. You might
as well buy from a another dealer.
1 Accessories:
Some add to the value of the bike: most don't. Almost every BMW
ever sold comes with panniers/box - they're worth less if they
aren't. A Harley that's got the usual desirable mods done - carb,
pipe, brakes etc. - will fetch more than one that doesn't. To a
lesser degree this applies to some Italian bikes as well. Apart
from these exceptions, extra money spent on tuning, go-faster,
handle-better, look-neater, weigh-less mods will not add one penny
to the value. They may even detract from it. On some Japanese bikes
(Yamaha FJ1200, 900 Diversion, Honda VFR750, Honda Africa Twin 750)
a decent luggage kit may add S$150 - 300 to the value.
To sum up, you can spend five thousand dollars on gold-plating a
Hayabusa or an R1, but you won't sell it for five thousand more
than an unplated one. Get it?
19) If humanly possible, take someone with you when you buy:
A sceptical mate will not be blinded by the shiny paint and the
"I-wannit-now" syndrome, and may save you a fortune. Enough
said.
20) Finally ......
Make sure you read through every paper you sign and don't forget to
check and see that there's some form of black and white guarantee
on the bike (for at least a month). Changing ownership of a bike
can be done directly at the LTA with both parties present (or get
hold of either one's IC) and insurance transfer can also be done at
the insurance office itself. Some people go through bike shops
which charge a ridiculous amount! So be warned...
