Motorcycle Buying Guide
How to get the Best Motorcycle!

Used Motorcycle Prices & What to Watch

Getting the best motorcycle depends for a great deal on the knowing the used motorcycle prices. Prices of motorcycle have gone sky high and it can feel like your going to have to sell your right arm to finance this sucker. The value devaluation of a new motorcycle once on the road is huge (30%) which makes me wonder why we want to buy new. I think it has a lot to do with not knowing the market, trust and security.

Buying a used motorcycle is possible in different ways. Where do you find a good used motorcycle? You have different places where you can start looking for a used motorcycle. Here are the most common offline places to inquire about used motorcycles and used motorcycle prices: at the brand name dealer, at a general dealer, auction or direct from the previous owner.

Buying from a brand name dealership
The most secure place to buy a used motorcycle is via a brand name dealership - it's also a great place to inquire about used motorcycle prices. When people buy motorcycles at a dealership they often trade in their old motorcycle. The dealership will keep the best used motorcycles for their own show room and move the other motorcycles to a general dealer (see next paragraph). This means that you'll find great trustworthy motorcycles however the price is also higher than you would get buying direct from the owner. Sometimes the dealership will include a service or even a warranty (be sure to ask). Also some brands have a reselling program which guarantees the motorcycles quality. I know Honda, Harley and BMW do this. Dealers often have a nice used range of quality motorcycles and when it's needed you can get financing and tips from knowledgeable staff.

Buying from a general dealership
A general dealership will stock many different brands and sell different quality motorcycles. Your trust in the dealership and your own motorcycle knowledge start to count. The source of the motorcycles can be very broad which makes it harder for you to find out how the motorcycle was used. Knowing the motorcycles history will help you judge it's real (!) value. Unless you really know the dealership and it has many advantages for you (like trading in your old motorcycle) I would prefer to buy directly from the owner than a general dealership. But it depends on your knowledge.

Buying from an auction
This is only for very experienced motorcycle traders (notice that I don't say experienced riders). There is a huge difference buying and riding. Generally you can view the motorcycle before it goes on auction. So in the preview you've been able to judge the quality. Only sometimes you are able start or test ride the motorcycle (but not often). After that it's up to your auction skills. For the record I don't classify ebay as an auction sale. What I mean here are impounded motorcycles etc.

Buying from the previous owner
Buying directly from the previous owner is your best way to find out about the motorcycle, history and other specifics. (make sure you know the used motorcycle prices before you go). When we get down to the best reason to buy direct it's the price, history and inspection possibilities. So know your price before seeing the motorcycle. Online is your best chance to find the motorcycle you want. You can search for place, type, model, year, and of course used motorcycle prices. There are some disadvantages of buying direct but good inspection and the willingness to leave the motorcycle behind will solve that. There are bad motorcycles, stolen motorcycles, salvaged motorcycles on the market. Work with my checklist to avoid such problems.

Cash is the way to go when buying a used motorcycle. It's a great way to make a sharp offer and back it up with the cash in hand.

Be respectful when checking out somebody else motorcycle. Any rider will understand that you want to do a good review but be realistic and don't end up damaging something by accident.

If your buying secondhand and really don’t know what your doing - stop - get somebody who does know things about motorcycles. Getting a manual about the type of motorcycle you want will also help.

Motorcycles are advertised in many different places… local papers, motorcycle weekly papers, bike trader magazines. The quantity of motorcycles for sale mostly depends on where you live and how popular motorcycles are.

Some (bad) general dealers will try to sell motorcycles as private people instead of presenting themselves as a small general dealership. Watch out for them - they often have bad quality motorcycles. Make sure you know who you are dealing with.

When buying a used motorcycle always check the registration. Make sure the engine numbers match, the owner's name matches and the place you are visiting matches that of the registration papers. You don't want to end up with a stolen motorcycle!

Very generally speaking its best for a novice to buy a four stroke instead of a two stroke engine. Four stroke engines generally give fewer problems.

Remember you always have the option of having the motorcycle tested for a new road-worthiness check.

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