How to buy a motorcycle

indian-motorcycle-sale-song-by-willie-nelson-large-10I’ve bought lots of bikes in the last 20 years and with the recent purchase of my Ninja 1000, I think I finally got it right. Here are a few tips:

  1. Don’t buy new – unless you’re one of those people who just can’t be seen without the latest thing, skip right past brand new machines. Let someone else take the depreciation. There are tons of people who buy motorcycles and don’t have time to ride. My 3-year-old Ninja was purchased with 700 miles on it, and looks brand-new. I got it for more than 40% off retail. You can even buy from dealers this way. Many dealers will have prior year or even 2-year leftovers sitting on the floor and are usually willing to make a serious deal.
  2. Do some research – think about what you want out of the bike and how you really ride. Read reviews of the types of machinery you think might work. I tend to like the long-term reviews that Motorcyclist magazine does, giving you ideas about how the bike is suited for actual use, and what modifications might make it suit you better.
  3. Don’t buy a project – unless you’re looking for a project, stay away from anything advertised as “just needs this part to run.” I can’t tell you how many times I’ve bought a cheap bike only to have to put into it more money than I paid for purchase. There are exceptions, but unless you know what you’re looking at, stay away from bikes needing work. You want to ride, not wrench!
  4. Don’t buy when everyone else does – Buy your bike when nobody is riding. Buy track machines shortly after your local club racing season ends. Start looking at street bikes when it starts to get cold. The downside is that you’ll have a motorcycle in your garage for a while that you may not be able to ride. Come spring, when everyone else is looking or buying, you’ve already got your machine and money left for gas.
  5. Give yourself time – don’t rush. This is where not buying when everyone else does helps, because you’re not trying to get a bike before some event. Search high and low, but wait for the right bike to come along at the right price. If you’ve done your research and have been looking a bit, you’ll know the prevailing market price on the model(s) you’re looking at, so you’ll know a good deal when you see one.
  6. Don’t be afraid to walk away – No matter how deeply you’re involved in a purchase, until money has changed hands and the title is signed, be ready to walk away. Things can go south at the last minute. Stop a moment, look at the wad of cash you’re getting ready to hand over, and make sure you feel good. If you don’t, either try to change the deal so you are, or shake the seller’s hand and say goodbye.
  7. Look everywhere – don’t limit yourself to one channel. There are great deals to be had at your local dealer, on Craig’s List, eBay, Cycle Trader, and a variety of other places. Make sure you follow basic buying safety rules, particularly for online purchases, but look in as many places as you can.
  8. No regrets – once you’ve bought, stop looking! There may be a better deal out there, but you have made the best deal you can make in the time you have with the resources available to you, and you’ve got a motorcycle! Enjoy!

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