What immediately throws you off when looking for a used bike?

GoonRider93 9/15/2019 9:21am
9/15/2019 9:21am
Loves the back wheel
Not for the feint of heart
Wants for nothing
2
-MAVERICK-
Profile picture for user -MAVERICK-
Posts
68066
Joined
3/26/2015
Location
Ontario, CA
-MAVERICK- 9/15/2019 9:34am
9/15/2019 9:34am
Missing/stripped bolts
Zip Ties holding on the plastics
Warped wheels/Missing spokes
Shot sprockets
Pictures of the bike not being clean/full of dirt
Wrong description of bike
2
Tarz483
Profile picture for user Tarz483
Posts
6344
Joined
2/25/2009
Location
Mankato, MN, USA
Tarz483 9/15/2019 9:35am
9/15/2019 9:35am
Here in Minnesota it's always a turn off when I see them throwing in Ice racing tires , or parts for ice racing or any mention of it , Just because most bikes here aren't ridden year round and you can find some low hour garage queens, and that tells me this bike has had a lot more use.
3
mx216
Profile picture for user mx216
Posts
818
Joined
3/21/2009
Location
Portland, OR, USA
mx216 9/15/2019 9:38am
9/15/2019 9:38am
When looking at a used bike, all you need to do is remove the seat/ask for a picture of the airbox. If the inside of the airbox is dirty has a layer of filter oil/grease, even if the filter is clean, it shows how meticulous they are with maintenance and care of the bike. Spoke skins..... immediately run, fast and far.
14

The Shop

See All »
Sheriff245 9/15/2019 9:39am
9/15/2019 9:39am
Needs nothing. Doesn’t start. Carb needs a cleaning, otherwise runs perfectly
18
Vet57
Profile picture for user Vet57
Posts
2574
Joined
12/13/2010
Location
BRO Town, MA, USA
Vet57 9/15/2019 9:50am
9/15/2019 9:50am
When there isn't a Dairy Queen in town. Might be a true story...
1
1
Barrett57
Profile picture for user Barrett57
Posts
2270
Joined
8/31/2010
Location
GB
Barrett57 9/15/2019 10:11am
9/15/2019 10:11am
Certain locations, some places you know the bike will be stolen and or a pile of shite.
1
JOE_SPROCKETS#1 9/15/2019 10:11am
9/15/2019 10:11am
New “Breaks” instead of brakes. and agree with spoke skins.
4
UpTiTe 9/15/2019 10:37am
9/15/2019 10:37am Edited Date/Time 9/15/2019 10:37am
I personally dont get turned off on any thing if its the right price because I'm going to go through the bike anyways.

Most used bikes I buy are beat early 80s models anyways.
10
Rab
Profile picture for user Rab
Posts
398
Joined
3/16/2015
Location
Ok, OK, USA
Fantasy
1465th
Rab 9/15/2019 11:32am
9/15/2019 11:32am
Stripped oil drain bolts!
3
Hallzilla
Profile picture for user Hallzilla
Posts
937
Joined
1/21/2011
Location
Langtown, CA, USA
Hallzilla 9/15/2019 11:42am
9/15/2019 11:42am
LOW HOURS
Grenader26
Profile picture for user Grenader26
Posts
241
Joined
5/17/2013
Location
Denton, TX, USA
Grenader26 9/15/2019 11:49am
9/15/2019 11:49am

4
Knobbyjake
Profile picture for user Knobbyjake
Posts
806
Joined
8/16/2006
Location
West Middlesex, PA, USA
Knobbyjake 9/15/2019 12:18pm
9/15/2019 12:18pm Edited Date/Time 9/15/2019 12:23pm
Couple of these things bother me. My bike (450 KTM) HAS been trail ridden only and only with my wife and daughters. It's never been raced. Maintenance is excellent because I am a mechanic and because of my former racing days. I don't have a title because the one I got from the original owner (bike had 2 hours and was spotless when I got it) never had the taxes paid in full which I
couldn't tell because he did give me the title. The state patrol took my title and tried to force him to pay but he didn't so they kept the title. Now I have to take the bike for an inspection and pay for that then pay the full amount of tax due. I'd rather just give a bill of sale. And why the hate for spoke skins? Just the look? I got a set from somewhere but never put them on. I think they look pretty good on bikes I've seen them on. Just sayin' some folks do tell the truth. Cool
2
3
McG194
Profile picture for user McG194
Posts
4140
Joined
9/7/2017
Location
Palm Coast, FL, USA
McG194 9/15/2019 12:33pm
9/15/2019 12:33pm
omalley wrote:
-Paddle Tire -Anything repaired incorrectly (non-factory bolts, mismatched plastic, anything that looks like it was a trailside repair that never got fixed). -187, 420, 911, etc...
-Paddle Tire
-Anything repaired incorrectly (non-factory bolts, mismatched plastic, anything that looks like it was a trailside repair that never got fixed).
-187, 420, 911, etc on the number plates...
-no title/bill of sale
-anyone who won’t meet at a police station or other public place for the sale
-anyone who advertises “fresh rebuild” unless they can show receipts for a professional shop. I’d rather buy a bike with runout engine that’s never been opened up. At least I know that some booger eater hasn’t used a screwdriver as a case splitter and a Stanley 12’ tape as a feeler gauge.
Couple of them close to mine but you have to throw the number 69 in there as well. An "I Eat Ass" swingarm sticker doesn't help either.

Another one that does it for me is an add that says never raced followed by a picture of a bike with a zip code number with an a, b, or c after it.

As far as not meeting at a police station or public place I always tell people that it's for their protection not mine. No reason someone has to die because they want to steal a couple thousand bucks from me.
2
Rab
Profile picture for user Rab
Posts
398
Joined
3/16/2015
Location
Ok, OK, USA
Fantasy
1465th
Rab 9/15/2019 12:37pm
9/15/2019 12:37pm
McG194 wrote:
Couple of them close to mine but you have to throw the number 69 in there as well. An "I Eat Ass" swingarm sticker doesn't help...
Couple of them close to mine but you have to throw the number 69 in there as well. An "I Eat Ass" swingarm sticker doesn't help either.

Another one that does it for me is an add that says never raced followed by a picture of a bike with a zip code number with an a, b, or c after it.

As far as not meeting at a police station or public place I always tell people that it's for their protection not mine. No reason someone has to die because they want to steal a couple thousand bucks from me.
Lol
Knobbyjake
Profile picture for user Knobbyjake
Posts
806
Joined
8/16/2006
Location
West Middlesex, PA, USA
Knobbyjake 9/15/2019 12:39pm
9/15/2019 12:39pm
"As far as not meeting at a police station or public place I always tell people that it's for their protection not mine. No reason someone has to die because they want to steal a couple thousand bucks from me."

Lol, good one, gotta use that. Cool
1

Pit Row

See All »
geeZ177
Profile picture for user geeZ177
Posts
210
Joined
7/3/2019
Location
Western NY area, NY, USA
geeZ177 9/15/2019 12:47pm
9/15/2019 12:47pm
When the seller lists, doesn't run right, just needs a carb rebuild. Lack of paperwork from dealer on major repairs or lack of parts recipes if work was done by owner. Miss matched parts and overall lack of care/maintenance. Not that this would be a deal breaker for me but miss matched aftermarket parts like a FMF pipe and a pro circuit silencer drives me nuts as much as those spoke covers.
1
philG
Profile picture for user philG
Posts
11213
Joined
5/12/2012
Location
GB
philG 9/15/2019 1:35pm
9/15/2019 1:35pm
GoonRider93 wrote:
Loves the back wheel
Not for the feint of heart
Wants for nothing
People who use 'Faint Hearted'
mingham97
Profile picture for user mingham97
Posts
854
Joined
7/16/2013
Location
AU
mingham97 9/15/2019 4:06pm
9/15/2019 4:06pm Edited Date/Time 9/16/2019 3:12am
If it’s a 4 stroke, any more than 20 hours turns me off.
If it’s a 2 stroke, any more than 50 hours. If it has more than it better be priced cheap. Just a personal philosophy.
1
10
Kelz87
Profile picture for user Kelz87
Posts
1382
Joined
7/21/2018
Location
Phoenix, AZ, USA
Fantasy
1657th
Kelz87 9/15/2019 4:16pm
9/15/2019 4:16pm
Splooge on the swingarm (usually 2t)
Blurred photos
Pics of rider on bike with mismatched gear Tongue
1
Fabtechprerunner 9/15/2019 4:33pm
9/15/2019 4:33pm Edited Date/Time 9/15/2019 4:58pm
FerCzD wrote:
Metal Mulisha stickers or a bunch of non-moto related stickers on the front and rear plates (like rock/punk/metal bands). Also having all the energy drink brands...
Metal Mulisha stickers or a bunch of non-moto related stickers on the front and rear plates (like rock/punk/metal bands).

Also having all the energy drink brands logos on one the same bike, that screams cero maintenance to me.
Lol, M/M, Skin industries, black plastics "murdered out", lame stickers as a "make shift decal/graphics kit". All warning signs of "Bro" owners! Huge red flag. These are the "bros" that maintain nothing, bike is all stock, beat to shit, and their "fmx/track riders". 🤣🤣😂😂🤣

If you ever go to look at one, look around at the surroundings, dead giva away. Shitty unorganized garage/house, cars, M/M clothing, flat bills etc are all dead giveaways as to Who your dealing with and you should runaway immediately. Will be noticeable once they start talking, as then the real suprised comes out. Uh bro I don't have a title, can I uh.. do a bill of sale? Uh bro, sorry theirs no reg, uh..... uh... Yeah, uh...
This is when you say I have to run to the bank, leave and don't come back.....


909 area code, 909 area code, 909 area code!!!!!!!
2
Drop-Bear
Profile picture for user Drop-Bear
Posts
143
Joined
7/27/2019
Location
AU
Drop-Bear 9/15/2019 4:36pm
9/15/2019 4:36pm
toostroke wrote:
Mine has to be Spoke Skins, different color plastics, and certain locations.
10 hours on top end.
2
Ebs
Profile picture for user Ebs
Posts
847
Joined
6/1/2014
Location
USA
Ebs 9/15/2019 4:49pm
9/15/2019 4:49pm Edited Date/Time 9/15/2019 4:53pm
'Fresh oil change' is code for this thing never saw oil changes so I feel this is a special thing I need to talk up.
'Over half tread left on tires' = I have no clue that these things are roached but I still see some bumps on the tires.

That listing is commonly paired with some sort of description of how fast the bike is and what bikes it has proven to be faster than in a drag race.
8
lukemoto
Profile picture for user lukemoto
Posts
256
Joined
8/8/2018
Location
Mukwonago, WI, USA
lukemoto 9/15/2019 4:54pm
9/15/2019 4:54pm
has a street tire on the rear and knobby on the front
Natester551v
Profile picture for user Natester551v
Posts
996
Joined
1/11/2015
Location
St. George, UT, USA
Natester551v 9/15/2019 5:11pm
9/15/2019 5:11pm
Doddy wrote:
Background.The stuff in the background can tell you a lot of things if you know what to look for in my experience.
The mobile meth lab parked outside can be disconcerting...
2
Uncle Tony
Profile picture for user Uncle Tony
Posts
4149
Joined
6/30/2014
Location
New York, NY, USA
Uncle Tony 9/15/2019 5:18pm
9/15/2019 5:18pm
New top end
1
MPJC
Profile picture for user MPJC
Posts
2083
Joined
5/18/2017
Location
CA
Fantasy
215th
MPJC 9/15/2019 5:35pm
9/15/2019 5:35pm
Ad says "motorcross" instead of "motocross", low "miles" instead of "hours","driven" instead of "ridden". What are the chances that someone who writes such things in an ad has any idea how to properly maintain the bike (i.e. by putting proper oil in it instead of the oil that they also put in their car)? Now I only buy used bikes from people I know.
2

Post a reply to: What immediately throws you off when looking for a used bike?