Buying a Motorcycle: How to Buy the Best Bike

There isn’t much in life that can give you the thrill of cruising the road on your own motorcycle. Sure, they can be dangerous, but they also offer a sense of freedom and excitement that you just can’t get in a car.

Riding a motorcycle requires skill. You need quick reflexes, a keen mind, and the ability to handle scary situations. Because of these challenges, it can be difficult to get into riding.

That’s why we’re here. We want to make one aspect of getting out of your cage and onto the road just a little easier. Read on to learn more about the basics of buying a motorcycle.

Take a Class

Similar to buying a boat before you even think about stepping foot into a motorcycle dealership, take a training class. The Motorcycle Safety Foundation is the top standard of rider training, and a lot of states no require new riders to take an MSF course to attain a license. A lot of insurance companies give discounts to people who take them, too.

No matter how well you think you might be able to handle a motorcycle before you get on one, you need to learn how to do it. It takes a skill set you just can’t learn in a car.

We won’t lecture you on this anymore. But seriously. Take a class.

Do Your Homework

Motorcycles are a lot more specialized than cars. You can take a tiny sports car down a gravel road and likely still get where you’re going. But if you take a sportbike down a dirt trail, you’re going to regret it.

Before you can buy a bike, you need to decide what you’re going to use it for and find a bike that is designed to do that.

No matter what kind of bike you choose, you need to also do your homework on the brand, model, and dealer you’ll take it to for servicing and parts.

Google is a great resource. You can search for the bike and read reviews and forum threads to find out what the general attitude around the bike seems to be. If you see one negative review, don’t be quick to change your mind. But if a lot of places are talking about a specific kind of failure, there’s your sign.

Road tests of new bikes that you can read online are useful, but not what you should base your final decision on. Just like with everyone else, no two motor journalists are the same. Their tastes and opinions differ and might not match up with yours.

Also, don’t buy more bike than you will actually use. A 600cc bike has a lot more power than even experienced riders can use. So you won’t have to go that high to get a good starter bike.

Start on a smaller bike and trade up when the time comes for something bigger.

Make Sure it Fits

Cars have adjustable seats and steering wheels. Motorcycles absolutely don’t. In fact, they don’t have much adjustability at all for the rider or the passenger.

For the most part, you just sit in the position that the bike tells you to.

Sportsbikes and cruisers are extremes. Sportsbikes have their riders leaning forward in a fetal crouch and cruisers offer a laid-back slouch. But which one suits you isn’t something you can figure out right away.

What felt nice in the showroom might not be great after a few hours on the road.

So when you’re just starting out buying a bike, look for the seat height. For new riders, being able to plant both of your feet firmly on the ground is a good way to build confidence.

Weight is also important. Your weight usually goes up the higher the displacement of the bike, but this isn’t always true. You don’t want to purchase a bike that is too heavy for you to handle or pick up should you lay it down.

Now that you have an idea of the kind of bike you want, let’s talk about how to go about buying it.

Get Insurance Quotes

A lot of people will focus on the cost of the motorcycle, the ear, accessories, and parts they want. But you need to research insurance costs before anything else.

If you’re financing a new bike, you will need full coverage. And for younger riders or riders with violations on their record, this will be expensive.

To keep your costs low, consider lower displacement engines and MSF courses like we talked about above.

Financing

There are both advantages and disadvantages to financing your motorcycle. There are different options available, but if you manage your debt responsibly it doesn’t have to be a bad thing.

For younger customers, borrowing for a bike and making the payments on time can establish credit and boost your score.

Just like everything else, it’s a good idea to shop around for financing options. Your dealer will offer to finance and that could be your best bet, especially if there are incentives that go along with it. But in some cases, you might get a better deal from your bank.

Regardless, look past the monthly payment and recognize the commitment behind them. Three months without payment sounds great, but you’ll be charged interest for those months.

A good way to determine if your financing option is a good deal is to find out how much you will have paid in total after interest.

Choose a Dealership

A good price for a bike doesn’t always make a good dealer. Before you buy, you need to look around. Search for the dealership’s reputation, reliability, and their service rating.

Dealerships tend to be communities. You want to know what community you are buying into before you purchase your bike. So spend time there, watch the employees, and show up for events that the dealership is putting on in your area.

Are the employees kind? Do the customers return? Is there mutual respect there? All of these things can tell you what kind of dealership you’re buying your bike from.

Also, you don’t have to go back to your dealership for parts and service. But doing that usually gets you the best deals and treatment.

Browse

By now you should have narrowed down your list of potential purchases. But it never hurts to look around a little too.

Walk around the dealership floor. This can show you what your options are for features and styles that you might not have thought about before.

Don’t be afraid to ask if you can sit on the bikes. All of your research couldn’t ever tell you if you’re comfortable with the position of the handlebar, the seat height, and the footpegs. A good salesperson should be fine with having you sit on the bike.

This is the time you need to ask questions. Seriously, ask all of them. Bring a list of questions you thought of before.

That’s what the salesperson is there to do, so don’t be bashful. You won’t get answers if you don’t ask the questions, and in the end, this will make sure that you’re happy with your decision later on.

Cars offer you the chance of a test ride. For the most part, though, motorcycles do not. Especially if you’re a new rider, you probably won’t get the opportunity to test ride at your dealer.

There are a few ways you might be able to test a bike before you buy it. If your dealer has dealer demo days, you might be able to get some ride time that way.

Manufacturers also have demo fleets that they take to events like rallies and shows. You should get there early to sign up for the bike you want to buy.

But, usually, people wind up buying a bike they’ve never ridden. There just aren’t a lot of ways around this.

Price It

Despite popular opinion, dealers don’t usually make a ton of cash on new bikes. Entry-level mikes have pretty slim margins. Because of that, there might not be a ton of room for negotiation.

You can still save money by buying an older model and asking if they will throw accessories into a bundle to sweeten the deal.

In addition to the cost of the bike, you need to pay for the destination fee, sales tax, registration, title, and other things. The dealer will handle this for you, so make sure you understand what you’re paying for.

Complete the Sale

Here comes the paperwork.

It doesn’t matter if you’re paying cash or financing your bike, you need to sign a lot of paperwork.

But once it’s done, you’re the proud owner of a new bike! You probably want to hop on your bike and ride into the sunset, but before you do, there are a few things you need to do first.

Have the salesperson walk you through all of the features of your specific bike. Have them show you how to use the signals, traction control, ride modes, and where the toolkit is. It’s important, so be thorough no matter how lame it might seem.

Then have your salesperson show you the service department. These are the people that you will interact with the most.

Now you just have to get the bike home. If you’re not confident that you could or should ride your bike home, consider asking if it can be delivered or bringing a trailer along. Another option is asking a friend who has a lot of experience to ride your new bike home.

If you’re fine with taking the bike home the old fashioned way, now is your chance for that sunset ride. Have fun!