What to look for buying used bike

I bought a 2009 KX250F for $2,500 and it is a great bike. The power and suspension is good. I felt that I didn't get a great deal but I don't feel like I was ripped off either. I once bought a 1999 RM125 for $700 and it blew up the second ride. I am now a firm believer in you get what you pay for. I wouldn't take any shortcuts if I was you. Best of luck.

Check out how clean the air filter is. Pull the spark plug, particularly on 2-stroke. Check condition of chain and sprockets to see how well the bike was cared for in general. I would never buy a bike with shot chain and sprockets because you can assume they didn't take care of rest of the bike. Ask in person how often they cleaned the filter and changed the oil.

I prefer to buy from a racer because they typically take care of their bikes. Vet racer or dad taking care of his son's bike. Who wants to pay all that money to race and then dnf due to the bike?! And of course make sure you start it!

Put your hand on the wheel and try to move it side to side. If it's wobbley then the wheel bearings need to be replaced, easy fix, but common on old bikes.

Looks for oil leaks from the motor and any abuse. The more the bike looks "beat up" then less id be interested in purchasing.

Look at the frame under the motor or if it has a skid plate look at it for abuse.
Ask a lot of questions, where did it get ridden, are you the 1st owner, what oils and ratio did you run (2stroke obviously), have the cases been split for repairs if so who did the work on the motor.
Extras ... if the person is getting out of riding see if they have any bike specific tools or items they want to get rid of as well, Ratio Rite's, tire spoons, cable lubers. It may sound silly to ask for that stuff but if he throws it in on the deal it's money saved.

Almost forgot, if you see odd welds on the cases where there shouldn't be any .... big red flag. Better to avoid that bike altogether.

Start with questioning the owner, how long have you had it? How often was the oil/filter replaced? Air filter? How many hours total on bike vs hours on engine. Has it ever been rebuilt? If so who? Has the suspension ever been serviced?.. But be prepared that everyone you talk to might not have an answer or they will tell you what you want to hear.

What to look for on all bikes
-chain and sprockets
-ask them to pull the seat and look at the filter
-check the wheel bearings
-oil leaks?
-check out the bars and plastic for "road" rash
-make sure the suspension doesn't leak
-make sure the bottom out bumper on the rear shock is still there.
- put the bike on a center stand and lift up and down on the back wheel, does it have play? If so then it needs linkage bearings.


On 2 strokes
- how old is the top end?
- what premix do you run? What ratio?
-start it and have them ride it, watch for excessive smoke and black oil dripping out of the pipe. (This means it is very rich or has a problem with a crank seal or case gasket.


On 4 strokes
-how many hours? Has it been rebuilt? Again, by who?
- look around the engine for leaks.
-start it and listen for engine noise, knocking, hard time idling, poor throttle response etc.
-check the oil level and smell it. Is it burnt?
-check the coolant. Is it burnt?


These are things I look for when buying a used bike. Just remember that a 2 stroke is cheaper to maintain and rebuild. But if you find a bike that is in good running shape that need a little work, don't be scared to rip it apart and work on it. Besides internal engine work and suspension rebuilding, anything can be done with every day tools and a weekend.

I hope this helps, if you find a bike and you're not sure about something just ask. Good luck!!