lonerider
Race Dog
- Joined
- Jul 15, 2007
- Messages
- 1,906
- Reaction score
- 0
- Location
- Stellenbosch
- Bike
- BMW R1150GS Adventure
https://www.wheels24.co.za/BikesQuads/Any-old-iron-Bike-buying-tips-20110917
If the headline takes you back to a pop song as sung by a chap called Lonnie Donnegan that’s a bonus but I was really referring to the gentle art of buying a good used motorcycle because there’s a few caveats along the way of which you really ought to be aware.
In last week’s column some of the lads in my friendly boozer formulated a list, a list that revealed I was way behind some of them when it came to bikes owned down the years. It was great that several Wheels24 readers took the trouble to tell us about their “pride and joy” machines they’ve also owned and it made enjoyable reading in its own write — if you’ll excuse the pun.
'TIME TO UPGRADE'
Jaco, the best barman in the southern suburbs, is about to embark on finding a new bike (his second, nogal) after discovering that owning two wheels was huge fun while managing to keep his job due to having to rely on public transport - not the best of arrangements to get to him to work on time - independence rules, OK!
“The weather’s warming up nicely and I get to work on my scooter so quickly,” said Jaco. “It’s time to upgrade to something bigger I reckon. What tips do you have to aid my search?"
That’s a question that’s interested me for close on 50 years and in one simple answer: do some homework about the bike of your dreams!
Some folk who probably mean well suggest taking along a mechanic (the only time I took that advice I ended up having to re-ring the bike and do a top-end overhaul because he reckoned the wisps of blue smoke out of the exhausts were nothing more than blocked dirty air filters).
TOP FIVE TIPS
Whether you look for a machine in the classified columns of a newspaper or trawl the interweb there’s at least five questions to be asked of the seller - the most important of which is so obvious it’s easy to let it slip your mind.
(1) Can I see the logbook/registration papers? Before you go any further, this is where you need to check that the engine and frame numbers match. It’s paramount that they are correct — if the owner can’t find them when asked rather walk away because, for some reason he probably won’t ever be able to find them.
(2) Who services the bike? Are there receipts to show work done while the selle has owned the machine? Maybe the seller is mechanically minded. If so, ask him about valve clearances, tyre pressures, etc. relevant to the bike. His answers really are important.
(3) Is there a workshop manual for the bike? If so, can you see it? Flick through and see which are the grubbiest pages. It’s fair to assume these would reflect troubles he’s been faced with. Maybe it’s the Sherlock Holmes in me but I consider this tip one of my all-time favourites.
(4) A good bargaining tool might be: Is there anything wrong with it I really ought to know about? I suppose psychologists might analyse something out of this question but one usually finds people are quite open and honest about this line of questioning.
(5) Can I go for a test ride? Assuming the seller doesn’t mind you taking the machine for a spin, it’s always been considered courtesy/protocol to leave your car or bike keys with him while you do this. While on that test ride it’s time to evaluate the brakes, steering, gears, lights to ensure they are all working properly.
LISTEN TO THE BIKE
If the bike “talks to you” now’s the right moment to check for engine quietness, the suspension for knocking noises and take a long, hard look at the tyres and wheels. Chains and sprockets can be examined for wear, while any crash damage should soon become apparent during your test ride.
My parting words to Jaco were: “The good, old-fashioned 'gut' feeling should now come into play: is this the bike you really want? Is it a good example of the brand you’ve always lusted after? If the answer is yes, then do the deal!”
While we’re at it … don’t ever be afraid to talk cash. We all live in a buyer’s market right now and a motorcycle isn’t any different to a house purchase. It doesn’t hurt to make an offer!
