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

chuck356
Posts
74
Joined
1/27/2019
Location
Danville, IL US
11/21/2019 9:07am
As a dealer for 40 years, I have seen everything you guys have posted, and then some. I am in Illinois, so the title is very important here if you are a licensed dealer, or if the bike is new enough, the buyer finances the unit, it will need a title. MX bikes also have a nasty habit of running great one minute, then blowing up the next minute, I have seen it many, many times. We will not trade in used MX bikes as a rule for that reason unless we know the bikes history well.
2
1
526
Posts
1681
Joined
5/4/2009
Location
Colgate, WI US
11/21/2019 9:47am
A Roached out looking bike with BRAND NEW factory OEM plastic on it.
2

The Shop

ctbale
Posts
1088
Joined
1/4/2014
Location
Gustavus, AK US
11/21/2019 11:47am Edited Date/Time 11/21/2019 11:50am
chuck356 wrote:
As a dealer for 40 years, I have seen everything you guys have posted, and then some. I am in Illinois, so the title is very...
As a dealer for 40 years, I have seen everything you guys have posted, and then some. I am in Illinois, so the title is very important here if you are a licensed dealer, or if the bike is new enough, the buyer finances the unit, it will need a title. MX bikes also have a nasty habit of running great one minute, then blowing up the next minute, I have seen it many, many times. We will not trade in used MX bikes as a rule for that reason unless we know the bikes history well.
The title thing is good piece of mind but ALSO a revenue generator for each state. Only required if big brother says its required.

Oh, my lawnmower dont have no stinkin title, should I be worried? Smile
2
Jordan421
Posts
1905
Joined
12/5/2007
Location
Lakeland, FL US
Fantasy
2594th
11/21/2019 12:09pm
Purple power bands. We all know if you have a red one, you are way fast, true story
loftyair
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2769
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7/3/2009
Location
riverside, CA US
11/21/2019 12:58pm
Dude selling weighs 400#, no thanks.
Jardo
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336
Joined
11/21/2019
Location
Visalia, CA US
Fantasy
2053rd
11/21/2019 2:45pm Edited Date/Time 11/21/2019 2:46pm
You snobby A holes are the reason the sports dying. You probably sit on your tailgates at the track with your "perfectly maintained bikes" sitting on the stand, meanwhile laughing at beginners too.
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7
Jardo
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336
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11/21/2019
Location
Visalia, CA US
Fantasy
2053rd
11/21/2019 2:47pm
but yeah painted plastics for sure.. haha
2
11/21/2019 3:14pm
Jardo wrote:
You snobby A holes are the reason the sports dying. You probably sit on your tailgates at the track with your "perfectly maintained bikes" sitting on...
You snobby A holes are the reason the sports dying. You probably sit on your tailgates at the track with your "perfectly maintained bikes" sitting on the stand, meanwhile laughing at beginners too.
I`m with you, i`ve bought more than 30+ used bikes over the years, and probably have got 2 lemons total. If I see some of the stuff people on here have peeves about, that is just a bargaining point. Spoke skins come right off, a full set of new plastics is cheap, a full set of proper screws are cheap, tires, cheap. I`m glad ya`ll pass on all these deals, while I pick them up for nothing, fix them and ride or sell them for a nice profit.
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captmoto
Posts
5139
Joined
4/22/2009
Location
Rancho Cucamonga, CA US
11/22/2019 8:38am
ctbale wrote:
The title thing is good piece of mind but ALSO a revenue generator for each state. Only required if big brother says its required. Oh, my...
The title thing is good piece of mind but ALSO a revenue generator for each state. Only required if big brother says its required.

Oh, my lawnmower dont have no stinkin title, should I be worried? Smile
There are so many stories here of stolen bikes without a title. Quite a few threads of people asking how to secure their bikes IN a garage too. I have to title my bikes but I also can insure them for theft. Just because it gets stolen from your garage doesn't make it a homeowners insurance claim. The title costs me $60 every 2 years.
TXDirt
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7399
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7/29/2015
Location
Plano, TX US
11/22/2019 2:48pm
Look out for Supreme stickers.
Ken202
Posts
286
Joined
8/16/2006
Location
Houston, TX US
Fantasy
1476th
11/23/2019 6:58pm
Spotted this one in the wild just today.The posting read as follows: [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2019/11/21/386191/s1200_LOL_a_real_craigslist_add_pt_2.jpg[/img] 2001 Suzuki RM80 with good motor and transmission, oil changes regularly and runs...
Spotted this one in the wild just today.The posting read as follows:

2001 Suzuki RM80 with good motor and transmission, oil changes regularly and runs and works great. great for beginner riders and getting started in the moto x scene. New rear tire and rim clamp. stock exhaust with FMF Gold series fatty pipe. water cooled head. replaced all the fuel lines from carb. little spray paint to make it look like blood splatter. excellent price for the bike and I'm firm on 650 but might be willing to negotiate if its a good offer. txt or call me.

“little spray paint to make it look like blood splatter.”

-LMAO‼️
2
mgtkr1
Posts
126
Joined
4/18/2014
Location
GB
11/24/2019 5:03am
any bike that has spoke skins, all the perfectly good enough levers/hose retainers ect replaced for no reason with chinese crap such as apico ect. if its to replace a damaged part then fair enough, if its to bling it up then its naff. id rather buy a completely oem bike thats been maintaned properly. i also think its easier to hide problems if the bike is littered in anodised crap.
the location and general description of the bike. a favourite among our version of trailer trash is ''loves the back wheel, not for the faint hearted and pointing out its had new sprockets/chain as if its some sort of huge overhaul. the fact you need to make a point of fitting a new chain/sprocket set on a motocross bike is worrying.

energy drink logo's on custom made graphics. if its a replica from a factory bike fair enough.

rear tyre thats worn from endless runs up and down the council estate

half arsed attempts at cleaning the bike
1
Looby321
Posts
540
Joined
12/23/2018
Location
NY US
11/24/2019 5:59am
RCF wrote:
Why do you think it's stolen weren't they selling those for 5500 brand new. I know a guy that had a year old one was only...
Why do you think it's stolen weren't they selling those for 5500 brand new. I know a guy that had a year old one was only used at Loretta's and he had to sell it for 4000 nobody wanted it.
Well the thing is in a beat apt hallway. Has a Yosh exhaust that isn’t even mentioned in the description, the bent up clutch lever that has asphalt on it. The wording seems off as well.
yz25
Posts
521
Joined
1/12/2011
Location
Trussville, AL US
11/24/2019 6:22am
Watch the public place play.
Sold a bike. Met the guy and his dad in a Target parking lot. Mind you it was during Xmas shopping rush hr. Packed! The buyer and his dad thought it would be a good idea to do hot laps in the parking lot. Weaving in and out of shoppers etc. believe I seen everyone I know that day. Freaking embarrassing. Already had cash in hand so eased out of the situation. Still get friends asking if me and my buddies are going riding at Target.
3
FWYT
Posts
3308
Joined
5/25/2014
Location
San Diego, CA US
11/24/2019 7:54am Edited Date/Time 11/24/2019 8:19am
Jardo wrote:
You snobby A holes are the reason the sports dying. You probably sit on your tailgates at the track with your "perfectly maintained bikes" sitting on...
You snobby A holes are the reason the sports dying. You probably sit on your tailgates at the track with your "perfectly maintained bikes" sitting on the stand, meanwhile laughing at beginners too.
I`m with you, i`ve bought more than 30+ used bikes over the years, and probably have got 2 lemons total. If I see some of the...
I`m with you, i`ve bought more than 30+ used bikes over the years, and probably have got 2 lemons total. If I see some of the stuff people on here have peeves about, that is just a bargaining point. Spoke skins come right off, a full set of new plastics is cheap, a full set of proper screws are cheap, tires, cheap. I`m glad ya`ll pass on all these deals, while I pick them up for nothing, fix them and ride or sell them for a nice profit.
I don't think anyone actually means that spoke skins and stuff will cause them to pass entirely on the bike. It is, just like you say, a bargaining point. Hell, my current fave bike is my '95 YZ250 that was just a pile of shit that I turned into something that just rips.

Though I will say for me, being in California where we have to ( or are supposed to) register our bikes, and I do like to keep things legal, that if the registration is really sketchy, and that is always my first question on a bike, I will pass on it for sure.
sandman768
Posts
6071
Joined
3/21/2014
Location
Saratoga Springs, NY US
11/25/2019 5:20am
Crushed bottom frame rails turn me off... along with “new top end” when the owner has the year of the bike listed wrong....
1
11/25/2019 1:30pm
Jordan421 wrote:
Purple power bands. We all know if you have a red one, you are way fast, true story
The older I get, the more I prefer the blue ones...
zippytech
Posts
1127
Joined
9/8/2018
Location
Bethesda, OH US
11/25/2019 2:06pm
First thing I look at is the foot pegs and frame.
mgtkr1
Posts
126
Joined
4/18/2014
Location
GB
11/25/2019 6:46pm
powerband in every gear is another favourite
euffeh
Posts
31
Joined
9/3/2018
Location
SE
11/26/2019 7:52am
"Previous owner did the top end, not sure when though but it runs great"
seventeen
Posts
359
Joined
2/25/2019
Location
Port Saint Lucie, FL US
11/26/2019 10:41am
The fact that it is "used"
1
Manbearpig
Posts
913
Joined
10/8/2008
Location
Edgewood, TX US
11/28/2019 7:37am
When the seller can't even wash the damn bike.
1983YZ125
Posts
350
Joined
2/18/2018
Location
Gulf Shores, AL US
Fantasy
1568th
11/29/2019 9:40am
Went and looked at a bike in about 20F temps one evening a couple years ago.

Seller comes out on crutches and couldn’t be more than 21.

Hits the e start and immediately starts bouncing it off the rev limiter.

Bike had other minor issues but was priced right to overlook. Minute he revved the crap out of freezing cold engine I noped right out of there.

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