Buying A Used Motorcycle From A Dealer EXCLUSIVE
Not just for Missed Connections between swingers and cannibals, Craigslist is a valuable tool you can use in your next motorcycle purchase. Set by geographic region, Craigslist offers you the opportunity to purchase from your local community and see the motorcycle in person before any cash is exchanged.
buying a used motorcycle from a dealer
With the function of mapping out those offerings within a radius of 5, 10, or more miles, Marketplace offers a lot of the same information that Craigslist does but does so in a more tactical way. You can find motorcycles in your own neighborhood, your city, or the surrounding area, making viewing, mechanical inspections, and test rides simple. It also reduces the chances of tire kickers from all over the state.
One of the oldest used motorcycle classifieds around is Cycle Trader. What started as printed (yes, on real life paper in the real world that someone could touch) has since transformed those same classifieds into Web2.0 formatting for all to peruse.
Horizontally grooved tires can indicate that the seller was fond of burnouts, and other seemingly minor disfiguring like pilling or feathering can tell you that the bike was used at the track. You may still want the motorcycle if you see these things, but they may help you change the price and get the bike for a lower offer. They can also help you get a better idea of what to ask about other potential problems.
A GDN is the basic dealer license that allows a person to buy, sell or exchange the type of used vehicle for which the GDN is issued. GDN licenses are divided into several categories. When applying for license, you must select one of the independent license types on the application. If you wish to have multiple types, you may submit multiple applications.
Independent Motor Vehicle - May buy, sell, or exchange any type of used cars, trucks, motor homes, and neighborhood vehicles. May buy, sell, repair, or rebuild salvage motor vehicles and nonrepairable motor vehicles. May use dealer's temporary tags, buyer's temporary tags, and metal dealer license plates on motor vehicles only. Must provide a bond.
Independent Motorcycle - May buy, sell, or exchange any type of used motorcycles, motor scooters or ATVs. May buy, sell, repair, or rebuild salvage motor vehicles and nonrepairable motor vehicles. May use dealer's temporary tags, buyer's temporary tags, and metal dealer license plates on motorcycles, motor scooters or ATVs only. Must provide a bond.
Travel Trailer - May buy, sell, or exchange used travel trailers. May buy, sell, repair, or rebuild salvage motor vehicles and nonrepairable motor vehicles. May use dealer's temporary tags, buyer's temporary tags, and metal dealer license plates on travel trailers only. Exempt from the security requirement.
Trailer/Semitrailer - May buy, sell, or exchange new or used utility trailers and/or semitrailers. May buy, sell, repair, or rebuild salvage motor vehicles and nonrepairable motor vehicles. May use dealer's temporary tags, buyer's temporary tags, and metal dealer license plates on trailers/semitrailers only. Exempt from the security requirement.
Wholesale Dealers - May sell or exchange vehicles only with other licensed dealers. Are NOT required to have a five-vehicle display area. May NOT sell vehicles to retail purchasers. Wholesale vehicle dealers may buy, sell, or exchange used vehicles, including motor vehicles, motorcycles, and travel trailers. May buy, sell, or exchange new or used trailers and/or semitrailers. May use temporary tags and metal dealer license plates. Must provide a bond.
If you are going to be buying a new motorcycle you should definitely research it as much as possible that way you are armed with all the information that will keep lots of money in your pocket. Researching what people think about various dealerships will also save a lot of headaches by avoiding the dealerships that have poor customer service.
I have personally purchased every motorcycle I have owned used. In my opinion the thousands of dollars that you will spend by buying a new motorcycle are not worth it, even though you do get the peace of mind of knowing that no one has mistreated the motorcycle. The first place to start now adays is on the internet.
Assuming you have already done the research on picking what motorcycle you want, the next part should be fairly simple. I highly recommend www.craigslist.com especially if you live in the California Bay Area, or some other large city. You can find great deals especially from motivated sellers that just need to get rid of the motorcycle as fast as possible. This usually leads them to lower the price hundreds, if not thousands of dollars!
Whether you're a beginner trying to buy a motorcycle for the first time, or a seasoned rider looking to invest in something completely different, who may still find yourself asking "how much does a motorcycle cost?" The solution is easy, buy used motorcycles. Here's why.
Examples of some motorcycle dealership fees you can expect to find include 1) doc fees which can range anywhere from $1 to $999 depending on the state where the dealership is located; 2) destination charges that are determined by the value of the bike, almost like a tax; 3) freight, setup fees, and temp tags, which are a state-specific fee, and many more.
When you buy pre-owned, on the other hand, a quality pre-owned motorcycle has already instantly depreciated when it was purchased new. Whether it has two miles or two hundred miles on it, a used motorcycle is solid on its value and does not depreciate the moment you ride away.
When is the best time to buy a motorcycle? Whether buying new or used, the colder months are when the best deals can be found. Motorcycle dealerships need to sell excess stock to make room for the new Spring inventory which can mean lower prices.
For those of us looking for a bargain, this is great news as there is serious money to be saved by waiting for the warmer months to end and buying a barely used motorcycle instead of pre-ordering at retail prices from a dealership.
The longer a pre-owned motorcycle sits in the showroom the more it depreciates and the less money the motorcycle makes the company, so if cash flow is tight or sales are slow, dealers will reduce the prices to get them sold while they can still turn a profit.
It is also worth knowing that some motorcycle dealers will have multiple franchises within their showroom such as Kawasaki, Suzuki and Ducati. If this is the case, they may have targets set by the manufacturers that they have to register X amount of motorcycles per quarter/year.
Discounts from dealers on pre-owned motorcycles however, are more common as the margins are greater and dealers are more likely to be lenient from their end; as they have options available to write off profit from one bike and finding it elsewhere in another part-ex that they take on.
If your used purchase was any time after 1st October 2015, you have 30 days to reject it and get a full refund under the Consumer Rights Act. If you are going down this path, you must stop using the motorcycle immediately, write a dated letter and post it, recorded delivery to the company you bought the bike from. Also make sure you call the dealer and make them aware of the issue as soon as you can. Document all correspondence.
Different dealers will offer different levels of warranties. If you buy from a main dealer, you will usually pay a higher purchase price, but the bikes will have lower mileage and usually come with a 12-month warranty.
Hi Bought my used bike from a main dealer on July 11th with 3 month warranty / 1000 miles and the suspension collapsed tonight on my ride home on the motorway. I am still within the 3 months period but have exceeded the mileage. I have also emailed the dealer straightaway so he has been notified of the defect.
Much like with cars, people looking to buy motorcycles often find the used market difficult to resist. Depreciation\u00a0hits vehicles with two wheels just the same as it does those with four, which makes a lot of used bikes incredibly affordable. Even used, though, motorcycles tend to be fairly reliable and inexpensive to insure. Especially for beginning riders and riders who want to maximize the amount of bike they can get for their money, buying a used motorcycle is often the best way to go.\nIf you\u2019re fairly new to the process of buying a used motorcycle, it can be a little bit overwhelming when you consider how many different bikes are out there and how many directions you could go. Breaking any complicated task down into a series of steps usually helps simplify it, though, so here are 7\u00a0steps for buying a used motorcycle.\nSource: Yamaha\n1. Assess your situation\nHow much you enjoy a new bike is going to depend on how well it fits your lifestyle. If you\u2019re looking to use your motorcycle as your daily commuter, you\u2019re going to want to buy something different than if you intend to use it as city transportation. Bikes that are great fits for either of those two scenarios probably won\u2019t be what you want if you\u2019re mostly going to be riding in the mountains on weekends.\nThe type of bike you buy isn\u2019t the only part of your situation that you need to consider. What\u2019s your financial situation? Are you capable of doing your own repairs? What\u2019s your experience level? Depending on how you answer those questions, you may want to change which motorcycles you look at buying.\nMy Honda Shadow 750 didn\u2019t exactly light my heart on fire, but at the time, I needed a bike that would comfortably handle a 90-mile daily commute while returning respectable gas mileage. Money was also tight, so I needed something that may as well have been guaranteed to never break down. My Shadow fit exactly that description, making it the best choice for me, even if it wasn\u2019t the most inspiring.\nIt\u2019s certainly possible to road trip a standard, commute on a sport bike, or enjoy a cruiser in the mountains, and if it\u2019s worth it to you, I don\u2019t see a problem with doing so. You may also be able to get away with riding a powerful bike without having much experience, and even if money is tight, you might be willing to skimp on meals to work on an unreliable bike you love. It\u2019s just important to go into a purchasing situation aware of how your needs and wants are going to have to be balance.\n\nSource: Honda\n2. Research everything\nGetting the most out of your purchase is going to require you to make informed, educated choices, and the best way to do that is to do as much research as you possibly can. At the very least, you want to know what a fair price range is for each bike you\u2019re considering buying, and you want to make sure you\u2019re aware of common problems you\u2019ll have to look out for.\nIf there is a particular part that wears out quickly, you want to know about that. If a bike is notorious for corrosion and rust, you want to know about that. If the one you were initially interested in isn\u2019t the best value for your money or if a competitor fits your lifestyle better, you want to know that.\nAs in most areas of life, the more you know when it comes time to start looking at motorcycles, the less likely you are to get taken advantage of. You\u2019re also more likely to end up being happy with what you buy if you\u2019ve thoroughly researched your purchase ahead of time. Avoid becoming so obsessive that it takes all the fun out of the whole process, but rushing into a decision is a great way to end up owning an expensive garage decoration.\n\nSource: Harley-Davidson\n3. Weigh buying private party versus at a dealership\nIn general, you\u2019ll pay more money for a motorcycle at a dealership, but the purchase will probably be less risky. A private party sale will probably save you money, but the risk level is significantly higher. Those aren\u2019t hard and fast rules, nor is one better than the other. Much like choosing which motorcycle to purchase, it\u2019s smart to make sure you know what you\u2019re getting yourself into.\nIf you\u2019re shopping at a dealer, it will be exceptionally important to already be knowledgeable about the bike you want to buy before you walk through the doors. You won\u2019t look like a sucker, and you\u2019ll be more likely to end up paying a fair price. You\u2019ll also already know what a fair price is, so if the dealership is within that range, you\u2019ll know it.\nIf you decide you don\u2019t want to deal with the hassle of a dealership and that buying private party is worth the risk, having done your research will help you mitigate that risk. It will be easier\u00a0to spot a reasonable seller, you\u2019ll have a better idea of what you\u2019re looking at, and again, you\u2019ll be more likely to get a good deal.\n\nThananuwat Srirasant\/Getty Images Sport\n4. Test and inspect the bike\nEven if you find the exact motorcycle you want for what looks like a steal, it\u2019s incredibly important to make sure that you\u2019re buying something in good condition. You\u2019ll want to visually inspect each bike for worn out parts, rust, corrosion, or cracks, and you definitely want to check the oil.\nWhat you feel is also just as important as what you see. Always ride before you buy, and if a seller doesn\u2019t want to let you take a test ride, move onto one who will. It\u2019s reasonable for sellers to be concerned that you may wreck their bike and then disappear without paying for it, but if you\u2019re willing to address those fears, it\u2019s entirely reasonable to expect a test ride.\nOn your ride, you\u2019ll want to make sure the major mechanical components are all still in good working order, but how you fit on the bike is equally important. If it feels too big, too small, or too uncomfortable to fix with some minor adjustments, go ahead and find a different bike. You can tailor the riding position on most bikes, but if it\u2019s clearly uncomfortable to ride in the first few minutes, there may be nothing you can do.\nIf you can, consider talking to the seller about taking it to a mechanic for a professional inspection. It will probably cost you $50 to $100, but even $100 is worth the peace of mind that comes with knowing your new purchase is in good condition.\n\nSource: Victory\n5. Request relevant documentation\nEspecially in private party sales, the most important document you want to see before you agree to buy a motorcycle is a title. Without a title, you can\u2019t register your new bike. If you\u2019re buying an motorcycle that\u2019s more than 25 years old, though, look up title laws in your state because older bikes may only need a bill of sale to be valid.\nIf a bike is new enough to need a title, don\u2019t hand over cash\u00a0on the promise that a title will eventually appear.\u00a0The seller\u2019s uncle\u2019s cousin might really have accidentally taken the title to Canada on vacation, and he might really be mailing it back in the next few days, but you need to be able to register and insure your new bike, and that means physically having a title to change over.\nYou\u2019ll also want to ask to see what kind of service history the owner has on hand. It\u2019s not the end of the world if there isn\u2019t a lot there, but the owner who pulls out a file folder with extensive documentation of service and repairs is more likely to be selling a quality bike. Even if the owner has what looks like the vehicle\u2019s entire history documented, it\u2019s also smart to run a VIN check to give yourself even more information.\n\nSource: Harley-Davison\n6. Negotiate on price\nWhether you\u2019re buying private party or at a dealership, there\u2019s going to be room left in the price to negotiate. A Craigslist seller may tell you the price is firm, but as long as your counter offer isn\u2019t insultingly low, it probably isn\u2019t. Don\u2019t just throw out an offer or sheepishly ask if the seller will take less than their asking price. Take the time to explain the reasons you\u2019re offering less than it was listed for, and phrase your offer as a statement instead of a question.\nIt\u2019s incredibly important to know what a fair price is because that information is going to influence just how hard you negotiate. It can\u2019t hurt to go lower if the price is already low, but if the seller pushes back don\u2019t get greedy. On the other hand, if the price is fair for a bike in excellent condition, but the bike itself ends up only being in fair condition, you want to walk away if the seller won\u2019t work with you.\n\nSource: Harley-Davidson\n7. Enjoy your new ride\nOnce you come to an agreement, make sure everything is signed and\u00a0put everything in writing, then hand over your money, take your new keys. It\u2019s time to enjoy your new ride. You will, of course, have to arrange insurance for your bike and make sure you register it, but that stuff isn\u2019t exciting.\nDo you know what is exciting? Zipping up your jacket, strapping on your helmet, and taking that bike out for a ride is exciting. Be safe, and be responsible, but motorcycles are meant to be ridden, and they\u2019re meant to be enjoyed. Hopefully you were able to find exactly what you wanted, which will lead to many miles and happy smiles over the next few years\u00a0\u2013 until you decide it\u2019s time to buy another one and start the process all over again!\nCheck out\u00a0Autos Cheat Sheet on Facebook\nFollow Collin on Twitter @CS_CollinW\n","ptime":"2017-04-13T14:40:00","custom_date":"","custom_datedesc":"","author":"name":"Collin Woodard","slug":"collin-woodard","url":"https:\/\/www.motorbiscuit.com\/author\/collin-woodard\/","twitter_link":"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CBWoodard","facebook_link":null,"linkedin_link":null,"instagram_link":null,"comment_count":0,"review_schema":"\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@type\":[\"NewsArticle\",\"ItemList\"],\"mainEntityOfPage\":\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.motorbiscuit.com\\\/7-things-everyone-needs-to-do-when-buying-a-used-motorcycle\\\/\",\"headline\":\"7 Things Everyone Needs to Do When Buying a Used Motorcycle\",\"description\":\"Buying a used motorcycle is a great way to save money on fun and efficient transportation. We break down the process simple and straightforward.\",\"articleBody\":\"Source: Harley-Davidson Much like with cars, people looking to buy motorcycles often find the used market difficult to resist. Depreciation\\u00a0hits vehicles with two wheels just the same as it does those with four, which makes a lot of used bikes incredibly affordable. Even used, though, motorcycles tend to be fairly reliable and inexpensive to insure. Especially for beginning riders and riders who want to maximize the amount of bike they can get for their money, buying a used motorcycle is often the best way to go. If you\\u2019re fairly new to the process of buying a used motorcycle, it can be a little bit overwhelming when you consider how many different bikes are out there and how many directions you could go. Breaking any complicated task down into a series of steps usually helps simplify it, though, so here are 7\\u00a0steps for buying a used motorcycle. Source: Yamaha 1. Assess your situation How much you enjoy a new bike is going to depend on how well it fits your lifestyle. If you\\u2019re looking to use your motorcycle as your daily commuter, you\\u2019re going to want to buy something different than if you intend to use it as city transportation. Bikes that are great fits for either of those two scenarios probably won\\u2019t be what you want if you\\u2019re mostly going to be riding in the mountai