tried searching already...what are things to you guys look for before purchasing a used bike? is there like a carfax for bikes? TIA

 

These things give me reason to pause:

Repaired plastics. Mismatching paint scheme. Broken ignition. Stunt bars. Scraped case covers. Bent levers. Scratches/dents on the frame. Scratches/dents on the wheels. Scratches/dents on the swingarm. Fuzzy anything. The words "Kawasaki" anywhere. (j/k you Kawasaki owners...just Eric, right? )

I'm not sure if there's a Carfax for motorcycles.

 

most of the time the seller isnt going to let you test the bike out, so during the start up of the bike what should i be listening for? how can u tell if the bike is running good?

 

http://www.clarity.net/adam/buying-bike.html

 

+1

I bought my bike going along with that guide and I haven't had ANY problems yet. I've had it for right around 700 miles.

 

The bike should start up right away, or at least in the first few tries if hasn't been used recently. Some bikes are more temperamental (Ducatis) than others, and will take a little more coaxing to start.

Listen for a rattling when the bike is warmed up. If you can hear it, it could be the cam chain tensioner (CCT) is bad. That needs to be replaced immediately. The CCT is a usual suspect in almost any Honda CBR and occasionally the VFRs.

If you know someone who is a mechanic or is good with bikes, bring him/her along.

Look at the fork seals as well. If the bike is relatively new and the seals are blown (leaking fluid, for example), the bike has probably been wheelied a lot.

Check the (drive) chain if it has one and look for kinks or if it's just dirty. If the owner did not perform simple maintenance tasks like cleaning the chain, most likely he/she didn't do anything else for the bike.

Thanks EGlovr! I couldn't find that link...