In India,nearly 10 million bikes are being manufactured and sold annually.Most of the new bikes comes to used bike market in 3-4 years.There are no organised players in India for selling used bikes.Hence only unorganised players play a major role in the used bikes sale.It is a tough task to buy an used bike as it requires more verifications before purchase.Buying an used bike obviously carries a certain degree of risk.The maintenance cost of used bikes is higher and old tyres, battery, clutch plate etc., are have to be replaced.They also have low reliability and are exposed to breakdowns often.Here are some useful tips that can be noted before purchasing an used bike.
Tips to be followed for buying an used bike
Budget
The first important thing that has to be decided is the budget for the bike that is going to be purchased.You must have a rough idea about the amount you can offer to buy an used bike so that you can avoid the budget crossing your estimate.You must also take insurance for the bike that you are going to buy.
Choosing the right bike
You cannot buy used bikes as fast as a new bike as there are many things to be checked before buying an used bike.You should not be stubborn with one specific model with a particular colour and specifications.This will not lead to a wide range of options of bikes for you to choose.Instead consider bikes which are similar to your need so that you can have more choices that will make your job easier.
Document Checking
Once you choose the bike,the next important thing that has to be done is to check the documents and verify the references of the previous owner.Check thoroughly that whether the documents are not duplicates as many people sell the stolen bikes with duplicate documents.The registration paper confirms you about the number of previous owners and if the number is more than two then you have to be alert in buying that bike.The following items have to be checked properly in the process of Document checking:
Registration Certificate / RC Book - It shows the date and address of registration and it is issued by the RTO.It also holds the record of the vehicle's owners.You can verify the engine no and frame no of the bikes for sale with this RC book.You can also note the new frame no of the bike in the RC book if it met with an accident.The state of registration is also very important and hence you ensure that the seller transfers the registration to the state in which you plan to use the bike.
Tax Certificate / TC Book - This shows the particulars of the tax that was paid by the previous owner of the bike.Check whether the tax have been paid without any balance or otherwise you will have to suffer by paying the balance amount along with your tax amount.
Insurance - You must demand on the insurance papers as they are mandatory for any transfer by the RTO.You have to check the due date of the premium and also assure transfer of the insurance papers to your name.
Invoice - The original invoice of the bike contains the details like engine no,frame no,date of delivery, delivery dealer and also whether the bike was financed or not.So you should never forget to get the original invoice of the bikes for sale from the original owner.
PUC Certificate - PUC certificate is necessary for a bike which is valid for a time period of 1 year and a certificate has to obtained every six months subsequently.
Examine the bike thoroughly
Once you fix the bike by thoroughly checking the documents,you have to examine each and every feature of the used bikes for sale as much as possible.The following things are to be kept in mind while checking the bike.
The condition of the engine should be good and it should work smoothly without exhausting black smoke during acceleration.
You have to check the condition of the battery.
Check the alignment of the wheels properly.
Check whether all the headlights and indicators are in a good working condition.
Check whether all the body parts are of same colour and also note that whether it has been repainted again and again.
Finally, to know whether the bike has met an accident or not you must inspect the frame number of the bike.
Test Drive the bike
Undergoing test drive will make you sure that whether the bike will fit for you or not.While test-driving the bike, check the handle bar, brakes, cornering and handling at speed. Also check whether it has any vibrations.
Look out for the following things while taking a test drive:
Before starting your test drive,you must note that the wheels should not move before the tyres start to run.
The engine should asleep smoothly without making any noise or unwanted sounds.
Check the condition of clutch plates.
Test the brakes properly and you must note that when putting sudden brakes,the bike should stop immediately without any vibration.Also ensure that the pedal feel should be smooth and you should not offer a huge effort to stop the bike.
If all the above conditions are satisfied by the bike, then there will be no worries to buy the bike that you have choosed.
Negotiate and finalize the deal
You can start negotiating with the cheapest possible price.Keep in mind the condition and the performance of the used bikes for sale and if the bike requires some immediate repairs such as change of battery, replacement of tyres, wheel alignment, suspension etc then reduce the price of the bike accordingly. If the seller does not agree with your price,slightly increase the price of the bike.If he is not satisfied again,then you make your final offer and stick on to it.Your final offer must be the price that lies within your budget.If the seller agrees with your final offer,then buy the bike.Otherwise go to the next bike option by keeping in mind the tips which are mentioned above.