Noob with question

Hey guys, great site you got going here. ive been in the market for my first used bike over the past 4 months and ill prolly have the proper funds by the time february/march rolls around. ive been lookin around on cycletrader, craigslist, and the for sale section on here. but havent actually looked at any bikes in person yet. once i get the funds ill be doing that. my question is what are some basic things to focus on when looking at a used bike?

Q 1: Do you know how to ride, and what sort of experience do you have?
Q 2: Where do you plan on riding?
Q 3: What is your planned budget, for bike and gear?
 
 
 

if you've got any friends that have owned or ridden for a few years try to take them with you
 
but otherwise just check the frame and fairings for any sign of having been down
have the previous owner keep the bike cold until you get there, if anything is wrong with the bike it'll normally show up whent he motor is cold...not starting, smoking etc
look under the bike for any oil and let the bike warm up completely to see if it is burning off anything ie exhaust
check all the teeth on the sprocket, if any are pointy or broken then the owner didn't keep the chain lubed properly
and that generally means other maintenance might not have been done

i dont have any experience. im goin to be getting my license soon and then take the safety course. i have about an hour commute to work everyday so i was generally going to use it for highway and then a liitle bit around town at night and on weekends. my planned budget right now for bike and gear is about $5500. i already know what type of bike i want, thats not really what im asking about. i just was asking about specific areas to look at on a bike when im actually going to check it out in person. thanks for the input guys i appreciate it. i got a few buddies i can prolly bring along with me

Hello & Welcome!!
 
Smart idea taking the course...sit on a few at dealerships and see what feels most comfortable to you. In buying anything used...looks for problems.

I would say take a friend that has a bike and has been riding for a few years...they will probably know what to look for, and better if they can test ride for you...good luck!

yea get a friend that has experience and knows what theyre doing. i agree with bwayers. pretty much check the bike from front to back including tires. warm it up and take it for a ride. what kinda bike are you looking at? obviously it should be a honda so thats a good start. haha...

i really like the 03'-04' cbr600 RR's. if anyone knows of anyone selling one in the nj/ny/pa/ct area let me know haha.
i know alot of you guys will criticize me for picking this as my first bike but ive wanted one for years, they're within my budget, and ive been doing alot of research on them so that i am pretty informed about them once i get it. im not a noob 100%, ive rode quads and dirtbikes before so i know how to ride and all ive just never rode in traffic. thanks for all the help though guys i appreciate it.

Dirtbikes and quads are quite a but different than sportbikes.  So be careful when you start riding in traffic. I would take the bike to a parking lot first and do some cornering at different speeds for a while before you consider heading into taffic.  Oh yeah and the 03-04 RR is an awesome bike I have an 03.

I did the exact thing that champ24 is talking about.  No doubt it helps out.  Practicing can only better your abilities of course.  I havent got into much traffic yet myself but than again there really isnt too much traffic around here.  Im without a doubt getting more comfortable on my bike now but sucks that it is now winter.   
I think any Honda is a good choice.  All the years that I have seen are bikes I would get.  I'm just afraid of buying used.  I've had one too many bad used vehicles and didnt want my bike to have ANY probs at all.  To reedirate what everyone else says, take someone who knows what they are looking at.  Or if you cant get a friend to go have someone or even a dealer give you hints on what to look for in used bike.  Well anyway good luck with yourself.

thats not a bad bike to start with
IMO it's uncomfortable though, so if you haven't sat on one i'd recommend trying it and some other bikes on at a dealer
i did this and cut the rr out of my choices
 
and i agree to take it to a parking lot first
a 600rr is very different from a quad or dirt bike
it's like comparing a camaro to a monster truck...well maybe not quite that bad

quote:

ORIGINAL: jersey8
my question is what are some basic things to focus on when looking at a used bike?

Welcome to the freak show!
 
There is no one area to focus on....the entire bike is the focus...front to back...both left and right sides...everything is the focus.
 
I agree with the others to bring someone with you that knows their way around bikes.  If you can't then here's a basic list of what I check:
 
Make sure all the buttons and lights function properly.  Surprises during inspection sucks.
 
All rubber components for cracking (Fork dust boots; wheel bearing seals, everything rubber...intake boots; overflow lines...I mean everything)
 
Check for scoring on the forks
 
Leaking fork seals
 
Check brake pads and scoring on rotors
 
Condition of the chain/ sprockets (make sure there isn't any "waving" of the teeth)
 
Check the conditon of the fluids (especially brake fluid...for some reason no one changes their brake fluid)
 
Check inside the fuel tank for excessive corrosion
 
Check for crash damage on the engine cases, up underneath the cowlings, check the frame and sub frames such as the upper fairing mount for anything that looks bent or if the paint is chipping from being bent.  Typically it's crash-related but quite often it's the result of a driveway tip over.
 
Look for anything that appears to be "too clean"...chances are it is for a reason...find out why.
 
If there are accessories such as aftermarket turnsignals check to see how they're wired into the factory harness.  Re-wireing someone else's hack-job can be a real pain.
 
Look for any excessive seepage around gasketed or mated surfaces (mostly motor)
 
And speaking of the motor, someone said make sure it's cold when you arrive to look at it...-->YES. 
Make sure you are clear that you want the thing stone cold and if it's not, turn and walk away.......well that's just me and what I do.
 
Be wary of every seller.  In general.  Not to hijack, but I need to make a point of this...My 929 was described as "never been down".  I drove an hour one way to find out the bike had been down, not once, but twice!  Both from tip-overs so the damage was minor, but still existed...the bike was down once on both sides and I let the seller know it....it helped with the final price because I was able to lay the bull$#!+ card on him with how he described the product and my travel time.
 
Sorry for the novel but I just hate reading about people getting shafted and then having to post up on forums asking if anyone can fix <fill in the blank> or knows what <added doohickey> is/ does.
 
Good luck and I hope you land a sweet one.
 

If I had $5k to spend on a bike, I'd be checking this guy out, but maybe only offer $4700 so you have money left over for registration and insurance.
 
http://newyork.craigslist.org/que/mcy/503445365.html
 
If it has to be an RR, you'll find something a little older, with higher miles.

awesome. thanks for the heads up ill def haveta give him a call. would you happen to know what year that is? just curious

and big thanks to everyone elses posts. all your input will definitely help when i finally buy a bike.