Matt, thanks for taking some time to help our readers buy their next bike. As great as buying a new bike is, the reality is that it’s not always a realistic option. That’s when buying a bike off of craigslist, fb, or a friends comes into play. Since you fix a ton of bikes for people, you have great insight on what could help us know when to pull the trigger or walk away
What is the most important factor when buying a used dirt bike? Is it the year? Hours? Condition?
I would say condition. The last thing you want to do is sink a bunch of time and money into something that was just purchased.
How do we know if what the owner is saying is true? It seems like all the bikes on Craigslist are usually listed as a “Fresh Rebuild” or “New Top-End.”
This could be good or bad depending on how the owner went about it. If they had a good shop perform the work (ask for receipts), then I would be more comfortable with the purchase. If the owner completed the work himself, then there is a good chance that he may cut corners and cost of parts just to get it running and sell it. This isn’t always the case, but I do see it happen.
To give you an example, a 2 stroke “new top end” should also have had the power valve cleaned. You would be surprised how many people skip this step. Also, for 4 stroke top ends, most people do piston/rings only. A valve job is equally, if not more, important to do as well.
If possible, perform a compression or leak down test to determine engine health.
It seems like the resale value for 4 stroke bikes is not very good when compared to 2 stroke bikes, why is that?
Once 4 strokes become well used, they are “ticking time bombs.” I see people buy 10yr old 250f’s and then drop a valve a couple of weeks later. When this happens you can easily spend $1,000 – $1,500 or more to have a shop fix it. It costs under $1,000 to rebuild a 2 stroke.
I know one selling point that is mentioned a lot is “Never Raced” or “Trail Ridden Only.” Does that make a difference?
People who race are definitely harder on bikes. However, in order to be competitive, they should be keeping up on maintenance and replacing parts often. This is not necessarily true for “trail” or “casual” riders. They can choose to maintain the bike or just keep running it. I think we can all agree that both a “racer” and a “trail rider” is going to twist the grip pretty hard and be hard on the bike. Isn’t that what they are for?
Is there anything to be weary of when looking at a used bike?
Yes several things:
Look closely at all fasteners and see if they are rounded at all. Fasteners that are rounded/stripped indicates an inexperienced wrencher.
Bolts missing and/or replaced with hardware store bolts. This one drives me crazy….buy OEM bolts.
Frame/engine case wear – Heavy wear shows that the bike was ridden a lot.
What are red flags that would make you definitely walk away from buying a bike?
How well is the owner organized? When you show up to the person’s house (assuming private party sale, here) look around and see how organized they are.
What shape are their cars in?
Is the garage pretty organized? Or is there junk/tools/parts laying all over the place?
Is all the documentation present well organized in a folder/binder?
Years ago, I went with a buddy to look at 2 snowmobiles that were near each other. Both roughly same year/size/price. The 1st guy looked hungover, junk everywhere, unorganized, loose engine parts, etc. The 2nd guy was well organized and everything at his home was very neat. His sled was in way better shape and had documentation for everything. He also seemed way more honest.
He bought the sled from guy #2. Who would you rather buy from?
On the other side of that, what are a couple of things that would make you completely comfortable purchasing the bike?
I feel comfortable when I get a good deal. In order to get a good deal, you have to be patient. Have cash and a trailer ready to go since deals go quick. Know what you want and jump on it when it becomes available. End of season or finding someone that needs cash fast is when you find deals. Don’t let emotion drive your decision.
For more information on Matt Bochnak or to contact him, check out his website at: https://www.howtomotorcyclerepair.com
