It?d be nice if we could all afford brand new bikes, all of the time, wouldn?t it" But the fact of the matter is this; you can get a whole lot more for your money when you start to peruse the used bike market. Be it a six-month old superbike, still with its showroom smell and a big fat warrantee to boot. Be it a motor that?s as old as you with tyres that look even older; there are some absolute belters. But there are certain things that only a fool would overlook when checking out the next addition to their garage. So if you?re thinking about buying a used bike, make sure you take note of these five things, if nothing else?

Crash Damage

Sometimes this is blindingly obvious to spot, other times it takes a keener eye. A little spill doesn?t mean a bikes worthless. If the seller says it?s never been down the road though, don?t let them pull the wool over your eyes. Non-matching pairs of mirrors, indicators, levers and foot-pegs should all set the alarm bells ringing. As should any scrapes on any of the aforementioned ? so check them all. Damaged fairings are reasonably easy to replace or repair, but occasionally you?ll be able to spot it if the painter?s crap at colour matching. If the bike?s obviously been crashed and the seller is denying it, your best bet is to tell them to fuck off. And then think about buying a used bike from someone else.
But if they?re happy to be open and honest with you, there is no reason the sale shouldn?t go ahead. But only if...