5 Questions To Ask Before Buying A Used Dirt Bike

Want to buy a second-hand dirt bike? If you are looking for a list of questions to ask the seller of a secondhand dirt bike, then you should read this piece because I have made this list for you and you should never forget these questions.

It’s common, as we see everyday news related to blacklegs and spamming. We have dealt with those frequently asked questions in this article. Go through this and get satisfactory answers. 

There are several questions to ask when buying a used dirt bike. It could be regarding the parts, its true value in the market, what kind of bike you should buy, or whether a worn bike is in good or better condition.

If you are looking to purchase a secondhand dirt bike, is it advisable to do so from a local showroom or from an internet marketplace? How much money do you have set aside for the purchase of a secondhand dirt bike, and what is your budget for this purchase?

How to Prepare Yourself While Buying a Used Dirt Bike?

You are here to know the answers to those important questions, but before that, do some homework about your new member: the used bike.

1. Research by Yourself:

What kind of bike do you want and from which brand? Also, you can check online or discuss with bike riders who have a great understanding of dirt bikes.

Compare prices to see which one will be best for you. Doing this small research is precious and you will have a little information regarding bikes.

2. Visit Stores and the Owner’s Home:

Let me explain this task. Suppose you see an expensive dress online, but it doesn’t look like the image. What will you do?

You’ll probably return it or exchange it. It’s not always workable. There are many places with no return policy, so visit the places and ask for the details along with their terms and conditions.

3. Wait for the Best:

Once you have done both virtual and physical research, wait for the best time to buy a used dirt bike.

It’s like you have bought a bike and then you see an offer on the branded ones. So, have patience to avoid regret time.

4. Set Budget:

The special thing is to determine your budget. The quality of the dirt bike will decide how much you will spend on it. And also, it saves you time from looking at other bikes that are on a higher budget than your savings. 

5. Take Help From Experts:

After finalizing all the above tasks, the last one is to take someone along with you who has more knowledge about dirt bikes than you. You can visit them at their nearby places to inspect the used dirt bikes.

What Are The Questions To Ask While Purchasing A Used Dirt Bike?

So, here you will see what questions you need to ask the owner of a used dirt bike. Let’s see those most frequently asked questions that will be helpful to you a great deal.

1. Dirt Bike History:

If you do not educate yourself about the background of dirt bikes first, purchasing one will not be a wise investment.

You can ask when the purchase was made so that the correct value can be found.

You will also get information about the bike’s condition, such as whether or not it has been fixed and how much those fixes cost.

Which component did not come from the original, and which brand was put together after the previous one became distorted?

2. Original Documents:

Checking the original paperwork to see if the people at issue are the original owners of the property or if they purchased the papers from another source is the most crucial question to ask.

There is also the potential that they stole this bike from somewhere, or that it is theirs to begin with. If you acquire a used dirt bike without any documentation, you run the risk of having to deal with the law at some point in the future.

3. Maintenance Records:

The next step is to inquire about a maintenance book in order to determine how the current owner maintains the bike from a technical standpoint and the frequency with which he or she brings the motorcycle in for service.

The motorcycle’s owner demonstrates a high level of dedication to their machine by meticulously keeping a record book of their riding accomplishments.

4. Extra Parts:

It is essential that you enquire about anything new or peculiar that you come across in relation to the components of the dirt bike. It is conceivable that there will be instances in which it is expensive as well as instances in which it will be quite inexpensive.

It would be wonderful if you could find out how much it costs to replace the items that have been removed from circulation; this information would be really helpful.

They would be able to determine the legality of that dirt bike by looking at the pricing in addition to the brand name.

5. Budget:

The very last thing you should do is inquire about the spending plan that they have established, after which you should either travel to another location or confirm that the previous one was accurate.

Be wary of purchasing a dirt bike for such a high sum of money because it is not uncommon for the owner of a vehicle to ask for more money than the vehicle is actually worth.

Things You Need To Check While Buying a Used Dirt Bike

As you can’t ask everything one by one to the owner, for something you should keep your eyes open.

As you have already heard, a seller will never say his products are inadequate. A checklist has been mentioned below. Read it and do the same while visiting to see used dirt bikes. 

1. Frame:

For a bike, its frame is like the skin of its body. You can see the scratches and devastation on the frame if it was smashed.

View the used bike from the rear to check out whether the subframe is bent or all good. Looking for such damage can give you a chance to reduce the selling price. 

2. Tires:

If these don’t have sharp edges or crack form somewhere, you will have to pay for the new tires. A flat tire is not good for riding. It will slip on the road or get stuck in muddy roads. Always use spooky tires for a safe journey. 

3. Bearings:

To inspect bearings, move it sideways and see if there is any slope while moving it. If you find one, replace it with new and good quality bearings

4. Swing Arm:

Put the bike on the centre stand and now move the swing arms up and down, right and left. If it sticks anywhere, it implies something rough. With a little service, swing arms will be fine. 

5. Chain:

A physical look is enough to check chain condition or you can move it too.

Check gaps using fingers, if it moves smoothly, then everything is fine or enough rough movement means it needs some lubrication.

Or one more case could be arisen that chain wear out, in such case replacement will be required. 

6. Brakes:

To know the condition of brakes, look at its pad, if it’s close to metal that indicates the changing time. And also check brake fluid in the master cylinder. If it’s low or dirty, you need to do some cleaning. 

7. Sprockets:

Look at the teeth, if anyone is odd-shaped or has any damage on teeth. As with a new chain, you will always get one rear and two front sprockets. But, in the case of an old dirt bike, you may be required to buy a new sprocket. 

8. Clutch:

To test the clutch, take a ride and then decide about its replacement.

A jammed or slippery clutch opposes a safe ride. A loose or too tight clutch affects the engine’s power and further results in bad performance

9. Carburettor:

Without tools, you can’t find the internal issues, but a bad carburettor gives signs such as creating issues while starting the bike. Or if you feel marsh while accelerating, probably it’s a carburettor problem, you must either clean it or replace it. 

10. Exhaust:

A damaged or dented exhaust pipe can be seen by the naked eye and will be repaired easily. And if it’s producing annoying sounds, a new silencer package will be needed. 

11. Engine:

Let the engine idle at least for five minutes and try to listen to whether the noise it’s producing isn’t annoying. If so, then fix it and also ask for a ride so that its RPM is high or low. 

12. Transmission:

Start shifting gears. A good transmission can make it easier to shift up and down. And if you feel friction, that means something messy. 

13. Seat:

For a good look, a new shiny seat is better than a torn old seat cover. Whenever you purchase a used bike, change the seat cover. 

14. Air Filter:

A good engine and cool riding are also signs of good air filters. If the owner won’t interrupt you while looking at each part, that’s a good deal. But, if they resist, don’t buy it.

Keeping air filters clean indicates that the dirt bike owner took care of his vehicle in a good manner. 

15. Coolant & Radiators:

Open up the radiator cap and see the coolant level. It should be at the top. If it’s low, it means the engine is overheated. That’s not a big issue. Further move to the radiators, take a closer look to know whether they are in disservice or in a good situation. 

Checking each part will count in the final price, as for the damaged or repairable materials, you can ask them to lower the price. 

Suggestion:- Many sellers hide damages and are in a hurry to sell their bikes. Be aware of such people, take a few weeks to gather full information and then go for the best used dirt bike under your budget. 

Conclusion

I have mentioned those questions to ask when buying a used dirt bike along with their answers. If still, you have a few more queries, you can share them with us via the comment box. For more updated posts, don’t forget to subscribe to the newsletter. And also tell your experience how much you find it useful. 

Sources:-

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