Objective of this second hand bikes buying guide
Buying second hand bikes can be more stressful than buying a new one. After all there is a lot more uncertainty involved in a used bike. At the same time if you plan your second hand bike purchase properly, you will end up with a really good bike at a great discount. The article that follows will tell you all the right questions that you need to ask before buying a second hand bike.
Before you start searching for second hand bikes
Different people have different needs for a bike. You need a bike that fits your requirements even if you are buying a used one. Hence you need to decide the following parameters before you start searching for a second hand bike. The parameters to decide are
* Budget : It is just too easy to get lured by a great bargain and pay more than what you can afford to buy something more than what you need. If you are buying a bike for short usage there is no point in buying a karizma just because the seller is giving it for a huge discount.
* Basic requirements: There are some requirements that are quite basic to the purchase. Like if your wife is going to use the bike as well then do not even think about that pulsar. Decide upon all the important requirements and constraints for your used bike and make sure that you do not miss out on them in the process of deal hunting.
* Your expected usage pattern: The way you will use your bike has a huge impact on the suitability of bikes. A bike that is fit for drive on the highway is not so great for taking you to office. How important is the mileage also depends upon your usage pattern. If you are going to be traveling on your bike throughout the day as in case of salesmen then better go for a fuel efficient one.
The quality of second hand bikes is impacted by
* Age: There is a reason why that 10 year old used bike is available at scrap value. You must be aware that the maintainance requirement of a bike goes up with time. However what you may not be aware is that beyond a certain age the maintainance requirement goes up sharply. The money that you save by going for a second hand bike, might be spent in maintainance
* Usage: 2 bikes with the same age might have had different level of usage. A bike that used to be with a sales person would have been used far more in 1 year than a 5 year old bike used by a software engineer.
* Handling: The quality of the bike depends on the handling by the previous owner. A well maintained bike will be in a much better condition compared to a motorcycle used carelessly by its previous owner
Select second hand bikes dealers
Now that you have come to this site for used bikes website, there is no need of any used bikes dealer. A second hand motorcycles dealer takes a huge cut from the sales price. If you have not realized you are paying his profit and hence you are better off without any used bikes dealers. There is no dearth of used bikes dealers. Some thumb rules for selecting a good bikes dealer
* Never settle for one. Let them know that you are talking to other dealers as well. They will be too eager to tell you why the other deal is not so great. You can use that information to negotiate better with the first dealer.
* Read some automobile related blogs/magazine and start asking technical questions to the dealer. If your second hand bikes dealer knows that you know what you are buying, he is less likely to take you for a ride.
How to shortlist used bikes from all that available
Hopefully you have already made a list of your requirements and your constraints. Based on those identify all the vehicles that meet your criteria. From this list eliminate all the bikes that do not have proper paperwork, have changed hand too many time. Next thing to do is to take the bike for a test drive. Typically a test drive will give you a good sense about which bike is not right for you. Eliminate those as well. It is advisable to use an experienced mechanic at this stage.
Read up the reviews on bike review sites. If the original vehicle is having engineering trouble then most probably the used version will have issues as well.
Close the deal
After shortlisting the bikes, start talking to the owners of the bikes directly. Ask them for original paper, registration details, insurance details etc. Verify the information for yourself. Look up records to see if the bike has been mortgaged to any banks, has ever been involved in any accident etc.
At this stage try to get a sense of urgency on the part of the seller. Someone who is going out of country in the next 15 days will settle for a lower price to ensure that the bike is sold. Similarly for people who need the money for buying a home for example as he runs the risk of loosing the other deal in case of delay.
Hope the above will be helpful in getting you a good deal in the second hand bikes purchase.
