5 Things to Check Before Buying a Used Motorcycle
Buying a used motorcycle can be brilliant value — you avoid the depreciation hit of a new bike and there are some fantastic machines out there at sensible money. But you need to know what to look for. I’ve been buying and selling bikes for years, and these are the five checks I do on every single one. Miss any of these and you could be in for an expensive surprise.
1. Service History
This is the big one. A bike with a full service history — stamped book, receipts, or dealer records — is worth more than one without, and for good reason. It tells you the bike’s been looked after, that the oil’s been changed on time, the valves have been checked, and nothing’s been neglected.
No service history doesn’t automatically mean the bike’s been thrashed, but it does mean you’re taking a gamble. If someone can’t prove they’ve maintained a bike, ask yourself why. At the very least, check when the last oil change was and whether the major service intervals have been done.
2. Tyres and Brakes
Tyres are your only contact with the road, so they need to be right. Check the tread depth — the legal minimum is 1mm across three-quarters of the width, but honestly you want more than that for proper grip. Look for cracking on the sidewalls too, especially on bikes that have been sitting around. Old rubber goes hard and loses grip even if the tread looks fine.
For brakes, squeeze the front lever and push the rear pedal. They should feel firm and progressive, not spongy or pulling to one side. Look at the brake discs — are they scored or lipped? Check the pads through the caliper. If the pads are thin or the discs are worn, that’s a negotiating point or a reason to walk away if the seller won’t budge on price.
3. Frame and Forks (Crash Damage)
Get down low and look along the frame rails. Are they straight? Any dents, cracks, or repair welds? Check the fork tubes by running your hand along them — they should be smooth and shiny with no pitting or scratches. Push down on the front end firmly and watch the fork seals. If oil weeps out, that’s a seal replacement at minimum, and possibly scored fork tubes too.
Look at the bar ends, levers, and footpegs. Scuffing here is the classic sign a bike’s been dropped. A low-speed tip in a car park isn’t the end of the world, but heavy rash on one side suggests a faster impact. Check that the handlebars are straight by looking at them from the front — even a slight bend means the bike’s hit something.
4. Electrics
This one’s boring but important. Turn the ignition on and check every single light: headlight (both dipped and main beam), tail light, brake light (both lever and pedal), indicators all four, and the number plate light. Flick every switch — horn, kill switch, high beam flasher.
Electrical faults are a nightmare to diagnose on motorcycles. Corroded connectors, bodged wiring, and aftermarket accessories that have been spliced in badly can cause intermittent problems that take hours to track down. If the electrics are playing up when you view it, imagine how much worse they’ll get.
5. HPI Check
This one isn’t something you can see by looking at the bike, but it might be the most important check of all. An HPI check (or equivalent vehicle history check) will tell you if the bike has outstanding finance on it, if it’s been reported stolen, if it’s been written off by an insurer, or if the number plate has been swapped.
If there’s outstanding finance, the finance company technically owns the bike, and they can repossess it from you even though you bought it in good faith. That’s your money gone. A stolen bike can be seized by the police. A write-off category might affect your insurance. The check costs a few quid and it’s money well spent.
The LozMoto Guarantee
Every bike we sell at LozMoto has been through all five of these checks — and more. We do a full HPI check, inspect the mechanicals, verify the service history, and give every bike an honest description. If there’s a mark on it, we’ll photograph it and tell you about it upfront. No surprises, no comebacks.
If you’re buying privately, take this checklist with you. And if you’d rather skip the worry altogether, come and see what we’ve got in stock. Every bike we sell is ready to ride with confidence.
