6. Hop On The Forums And Search For Common Problems
This is a big one. Most sportbikes have little quirks about them that tend to go bad on a consistent basis. Take whatever bike you’re looking at (R6, GSX-R, CBR, etc.) and go to the most popular forum for that bike. Head into the correct model year forum and do a search for common problems. Usually you’ll get the answer you’re looking for. You can use this information when looking at the bike in person, asking the owner if they’ve ever had any problems relating to the common issue.
Story Time: The past two motorcycles I’ve purchased are from the 2006-2007 model year. The bikes are mechanically identical, save for cosmetic changes from one year to the other. When I bought the first one, I didn’t research common problems and it left me in the dark on the side of the road at midnight trying to get home from my girlfriend’s house. You see, the rectifier (which needs to stay cool) on those two model years is located between the radiator (which puts off heat) and the motor (which puts off heat). It was a heat sandwich and my poor rectifier was the meat. It fried, which cooked the stator because of the increased voltage, which killed my battery. I replaced the rectifier and stator and $300 later, I was good as new. 3 months later a deer thought it was a great time to cross the road and that beautiful machine was toast. I bought the same one in a different color because I really liked the way it looked and had a good experience (save the rectifier problem). That bike was pretty much cursed, but it was my favorite of the ones I’ve owned. The first thing I did on the new one was swap that rectifier for a better one and relocate it so it got some more air to keep it cool.
7. Know How Much You Want To Pay Before You Leave Your House
This might be a no brainer, but setting a limit for yourself is great when it comes haggling time. In the Craigslist post, most of the time the owner will put whether the price is negotiable or the bike is “$X,XXX OBO” or Or Best Offer. Generally, even if the post says $5,000 firm, you can get them down a couple hundred if you have cash. Just don’t be a dick about it. Tell them you really need to get it for $4,800 because of the taxes and notary fees. As long as you’ve created a positive relationship with the buyer before the haggling process begins, you should be able to get them down. Your research in the forums might also pay off here if you can have a good conversation about the positives and negatives about that specific bike. If they’re stuck on that $5,000, just accept and pay. If they list it at $5,000, OBO, don’t go in there thinking you can give them $3,000 and walk out with a new bike. It won’t work and you’ll insult them. You wouldn’t want someone to do that to you so don’t do it to them. It’s a waste of time for both parties.
8. Avoid Buying From Teenagers
This is a touchy one because not all teenagers are morons on motorcycles. But a good majority of them are. I would know, I was one. The first bike I ever bought I bought from a kid that couldn’t have been more than 17.Like I said before, it was in good mechanical shape but it looked like it had been tipped over and the tail light was literally screwed into the tail fairing. I don’t know if it was him who didn’t take care of it or the owner before him, but there was some mistreatment going on. Teenagers are usually are more interested in doing wheelies than preserving their fork seals, which cost me $250 to replace because they’re not something that can be handled by a garage mechanic like myself. Now, you might talk with the seller on the phone, maybe exchange texts, and they seem like a regular person that takes care of their stuff as well as you take care of yours. You show up and realize it’s a 19 year old, but the bike is in great shape and the seller is knowledgeable. I would say that this is the exception.
9. Mileage – How Much is Too Much?
Motorcycle engines are not built like car engines. They are usually not good for hundreds of thousands of miles. So how many miles is too many? That’s a personal question you’ll have to answer when it comes time to see how much money you can put towards a bike. In my experience, sportbikes over 15,000 miles are getting up there and anything over 20,000 should be avoided. The majority of sportbikes on Craigslist are going to be over 10,000 miles. Sportbike engines traditionally don’t last as long as cruiser engines because of the amount of stress associated with constant high-RPM’s. Decades of research has extended the life of these engines by leaps and bounds, but in my opinion, a sportbike over 20,000 miles should be handled with caution. If it’s clear the seller took impeccable care of the machine, handing over years of service records and maintenance intervals, then it’s worth taking a shot on it as long as you can get it for a good price.
10. Be Willing To Walk Away
This might be the most important point on this list. Don’t fall in love with a bike before you see it in person and take it for a ride. It can be easy to get caught up in reading reviews about how good the bike is and how good it looks. These articles should be read for informational purposes, but they should be taken with a grain of salt.
More stories: After I hit the deer on my second bike and was looking for a replacement, I came across a 2009 Suzuki GSX-R 600. In my opinion, this is the best looking Japanese sportbike ever made. The 2008-2009 Gixxer’s are downright gorgeous. I knew this before going to look at it and I’ll admit I kind of fell in love before I saw it in person. I violated my own rule. It had 9,500 miles and was 2 hours away so I grabbed my cash and went to pick it up and bring it home (or so I thought). It was in perfect shape, impeccably maintained by the owner. When I took it for a spin though, it just didn’t seem right. It was comfortable, but it didn’t want to turn in at all. As soon as I would lean over it into a turn it would want to stand back upright. This was unnerving. I was gone about 5 minutes and returned with a conflicting opinion. I loved it but it rode horribly. It was a little more than I wanted to spend and the owner wasn’t budging on the price. I decided against my heart and left empty handed. After I left the owner rode the bike and noticed the same problem. Upon his further inspection, the rear tire was down to about 10psi, which would account for the lack of turning ability. I decided it was an omen and kept looking. I found a fantastic bike with half the miles for less money a week later. All because I was willing to walk away.
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These 10 steps are just things I’ve noticed in my time scouring Craigslist for fun, and when I was actually in the market for a bike. They reflect my previous experiences and are guidelines more than rules. They would also be useful for someone selling a motorcycle on Craigslist. Just reverse the roles.