Jeremy Clarkson's reviews on Driving.co.uk
Are you in the market for a used motorbike? Love spending your Sunday mornings on the open road? Prefer the convenience of two wheels when tackling commuter traffic? Then you’re in the right place. Auto Trader’s handy used bike search tool can help you find an excellent range of secondhand bikes in your area.
It doesn’t take long to start searching. Simply enter your budget, the type of motorbike you’re interested in and your postcode. You’ll be given a list of adverts from your local area, and can arrange to view and test ride at your leisure.
Start your search with Driving.co.uk and Auto Trader to find the motorbike you’ve always wanted.
With the Auto Trader search tool you can find a range of fantastic secondhand motorbikes in your area. You’ll be able to make appointments and take the bike for a test ride before deciding if it’s right for you. However, it’s best to know exactly what you should be looking out for before arriving. Follow this handy checklist:
You don’t want to be travelling halfway around the country in pursuit of your next bike. So enter your postcode and make sure you’re only looking at adverts from the local area. Choose your distance and arrange an appointment to test ride.
As with any car, all motorbikes need to be legally safe to be on the road. This comes in the form of an MOT test, completed annually on all bikes over three-years-old. When you make your appointment, ensure the used bike has a valid and in-date certificate to prove it’s roadworthy.
You should also check any service history, ensuring the stated mileage matches what’s displayed on the clock. A bike with an extensive service history will typically have been kept in a better condition than one without.
Other things to check when viewing:
You can also run a HPI check on the motorbike to determine if it has previously been written off or stolen. This check will also inform you if there’s finance remaining on the motorbike.
For any motorbike lover, it’s important for the paintwork to be in an almost pristine condition. While you may forgive the odd chip and ding, scratches and dents are a sign of mistreatment.
For that reason it’s imperative you give the paintwork a close inspection, looking out for any imperfections that catch your eye. Remember the wheels too – checking for rips, tears, scratches or scuff marks.
You’re not going to take the owner’s word that their motorbike rides like a dream and without a hitch. This is when the test ride is crucial and something to take seriously – this is your chance to find out how well it rides.
Before heading out for your first ride, check the suspension by bouncing the motorbike on each wheel in turn. Also remember to start the engine from cold. This will help you spot any initial starting faults.
When you’re out on the test ride:
Don’t rush the test ride, and spend a good amount of time trialing the bike. This is the only chance you’ll get before making the purchase, so it’s vital to test everything. Ideally you’d spend 20 to 30 minutes out on the road.
The price of a used bike isn’t set in stone. This means there’s often room for a little haggling, so why not try to negotiate some money off the price? If you’re paying cash, especially for a private sale, the chances are the seller will meet you at a lower amount, so it’s worth trying.
