A bike is mostly the first actual ride of most of us as it is affordable, easy to ride and above all very easy to maneuver in the traffic. The bike is a ride of students and youngsters, who want a ride for daily commute from college/university or their jobs. Furthermore, there is a huge number who use the bike as a mean of earning. Hence, all in all, motorcycle is a necessity for everyone.
Then, many of us buy second-hand bike as it is mostly available in reasonable prices. And just like cars, there are some important steps one should follow before buying a used bike. In this article plus guide, we will share some important points for the process of buying a bike. We hope that these suggestions will help you in purchasing a bike.
1. Decide Your Budget
Always decide your budget before starting the process of buying a used bike. This is most important because it will set a clear goal about what you need and how much money you want to spend. The set budget will help you in searching because now you know what are you looking for, price wise. You know what you can afford and what you cannot. So, you start searching online or ask your friends about. If you are looking online, PakWheels Used Bike section will be a great help for you because we help you in searching a bike in a specific budget, set by you.
2. Look For Latest Model
After setting a budget, always try to look for the latest model. For example, it is better to buy a Honda CD70 2010 model compared to 2003 model. And the reason is simple, there is a life of an engine and older the model, older the engine which will cause issues for you and a lot of your time will be spent at workshop. We know it may take sometime in searching but it is better to wait before buying a used bike than facing serious hassle after owning it.
3. Research on Maintenance/Spare Parts Availability
This is a very important aspect, not at the time of purchase but after becoming an owner of a bike. Do your research beforehand on the maintenance cost of the bike because sometimes you love the bike but it is an imported one or not so common one in the market. Hence, its maintenance cost could be high because its filters and oil would be specific ones and may hard to find in the local market and available at very high price.
Also, check whether its spare parts are easily available in the local market or not. Sometimes, you love the bike but its spare parts are not available or are very expensive or you may have to import them. Such bikes are good for a hobby not for daily use. As mentioned earlier, a bike means an affordable ride for masses, and that is why its parts and maintenance should be very reasonable.
And finally, do check whether the manufacturing company of the bike is here to stay or not. Because in case the company wrap its operations in Pakistan, it means a lot of issues in availability of spare parts or maintenance.
Inspect Bike Parts
You can either take a friend with you who knows a thing or two about bikes or you can check some major parts yourself. This brief checking will tell you about the condition of the bike, instantly. A bike is not much complicated machine and most of its parts are exposed and easy to check.
There are some parts you must check and they are:
- Body Rust – Check the whole body, engine, silence and panels for any kind of rust. If there is a lot, think before buying it.
- Original Body Panels – This checking is very essential because several people change or replace the genuine body panels with aftermarket ones. Ask the owner about them and also check them closely. Also, some people remove the original ones and replace them with non-genuine ones and at time of selling they reapplied them on the bike to show bike is in good condition. So, check the panels from all these angles and then make a decision about buying it.
- Oil Leakage – Spend some time with the bike and park it at one spot and then check any possible leak from the engine. Also, graze fingers across the engine and other points related to oil and see whether they are leaked or not.
- Oil Condition – Open the Mobil Oil screw and check the condition and color of the oil whether it is black or honey colored. This will show the condition of engine and how it is working.
- Check for Carbon/Smoke – Start the bike and put your finger inside the cylinder to check whether it is black or not. If it is black and emitting smoke, it means the fuel average of the bike is not good or carbon is present there. And if you buy the bike you have to take to the workshop.
- Ask for Stock Parts – Before completing the purchase, ask for stock parts of the bike including side mirrors, mainly because many people remove them after buying the bike. These genuine parts increase the value of the bike and they are more reliable compared to aftermarket parts.
Also Read: How To Maintain Your Bike – A Complete Guide
Take a Test Drive
Take the bike for a ride because it will tell you the real condition of the bike. During the ride concentrate on engine vibration, suspension or sound from the shocks, smoothness of gear shifting, the speedometer’s functioning, seat cushioning whether it is comfortable or not, headlight whether it is working or not, brake light, and indicators. You can check all these components even during a small ride and as we commonly say, the bike will talk to you. And if you don’t know, again, take a friend who understands bikes because an issue in above-mentioned parts, especially engine, will cause serious problems for you.
Payment Method
It is the most crucial point and you must follow some steps before handing over the money to the seller. First, if you are dealing in cash always chose a place with rush because it will be safer, and take a friend or two with you for obvious reasons. If you are buying it from a dealer, always take a receipt, even if he is your friend or you know him beforehand.
However, the best channel to exchange/send payment is online because it is safe, secure and transparent. You will have proper record of the transaction.
Check Documents and Transfer on Your Name
After buying, do this very quickly because it will be a serious issue for you. And after launching of biometric system in Punjab, it has become more essential. So before buying a bike, especially from a dealer, make sure the previous owner is available so that you can take him to Excise office or nearby Easy Paisa shop to get his biometric to transfer the bike to your name.
Never buy a bike on Open Letter because the previous owner can file an FIR of theft and it will be authentic because bike is still under his name. Also, before buying, check the documents properly including Registration Book, Sale Receipt and Transfer Letter. Never buy the bike if documents are not complete. Also, check the status of bike from MTMIS on Excise Website. This will quickly show the ownership, registration year, and token paid of the bike and it is very easy to use. These steps will make sure that you are buying a right and legal ride.
Also Read: Documents To Check Before Buying A Used Bike
Take it to Workshop, Right Away!
It is for your own peace of mind so after completing the purchase, take the bike to your mechanic. Replace it Mobil Oil, Oil/Air Filter, Check the Spark Plugs, and ask the mechanic to do its proper tuning. And finally, give it a wash and the bike will be ready for the use.
We hope that this guide is helpful for you. Happy Buying!
