Hi badri & msvijay
This is just a trial to help you, suggest you or some tips to both of you for buying a second hand motorbike. Also for anybody who is thinking or having a plan to buy any second hand vehicle, the following stuff may be useful!
Badri_51, you are planning to buy a second hand Thunderbird Bullet, I can only suggest you to have some views from the actual users by visiting them personally or you can try to get someone form the dealer or distributors place in ur city.ThunderBird is a costlier bullet but its fine for power seeekers.
And msvijay, if you are planning to buy a new bike, then dont get confused, though I am not so expert but can give my suggestions and tell my experince to you.if you find them useful then it will be fine. I have 2 bikes with me. first I had bought Hero Honda Splendor which needs no comments.u know d fact.spelndor being d best bike for many years.then we bought Hero Honda Passion.it is also a good bike.but we are bound to compromise with its mileage.but its fine coz of its low miantenance.Ok now suggested bikes for you and all my bike seekers.
First rating for Honda Unicorn - Best bike of the year 2005. 150 CC.good looking.fine with average.and above my next it is in my wish list.planning to buy in coming 2 3 months.
Second rating for Bajaj Pulsar DTSi 150 CC.its punch - definitely a male. is sufficient.
And if need to have some economical and executive type of bikes then u can opt for TVS apache, Hero Honda Splendor+, Bajaj Discoverer.
OK written a lot for the two guys.now for public.I mean for all the readers.
Some General Tips on Buying a Second Hand Motorcyles:
Very firstly check the year of manufacturing with the original doccuments - Registration, Road Tax, Insurance until now. Ensure that the odometer is running and the total kilometers run shown on the speedometer is correct, this can be done better by having a through check up and testing by an expert or mechanic. Only a rough judgment of the kilometers run by looking at the condition of the vehicle can be done.
It is advisable here to avoid buying bikes or other vehicles from another state. Also avoid buying vehicles that have been sold more than two or three times. Give priority to owner driven vehicles or those that have had a single user.
If possible meet the actual owner of the bike the third party dealing is not secure to some extent. watch the suitable bikes for sell in the daily newspaper and try to contact actual owners of the bikes. Better check the overall service record of the bike, if maintained by the owner.
To check the condition of the engine, you should test drive the vehicle yourself before making a decision on buying a second hand vehicle. Check smooth running, good power and pickup.
Start the vehicle when the engine is cold to check if there is a starting problem. Check whether the gear changes freely without any trouble.
Ride the bike on all the gears while you test ride. See if the engine makes any abnormal sound like knocking, crank bearing, timing chain etc. Ensure that the vehicle does not pull to any side while riding.
Check all the light switches by switching on and check whether all the lights, brake lights and indicators, horn are in working condition.
Battery is also an important thing so check the year and month of battery manufacture and test it for how many months of life are left.
Try to test ride on bad roads and see if the ride is smooth just to check the condition of the suspension. Apply the front brakes and push the front side towards the ground and see if the vehicle bounces back smoothly.
The bounce back should not be too slow or jerky. Do the same with the rear suspension. Check if both the front and rear brakes are effective and well maintained. See if there are traces of oil leakage from the engine.
Look for any cracks in the chassis or sign of rusting. You may have to spend a lot of money to get this repaired. Examine the paint and overall body condition. Check for any dents and scratches, and negotiate the price accordingly.
Also try to identify any tell tale marks of an accident. Avoid buying vehicles that have been through a bad accident, however good the appearance may be. Drive at higher speeds and see if the vehicle vibrates a lot or makes a lot of rattling noise. Check the condition of the tyres, the tread wear and the sidewalls. Also see if they are of a good make. Ensure that the price of the vehicle considers the condition of the tyres.
Check all the accessories like rear view mirrors, crash guard, saree guard, tool kit, which are supplied with the vehicle by the manufacturers. If the previous owner was given those accessories from the dealer then you are also entitle to get them from him.
Check whether all the locks are in working condition. Also make sure keys along with the duplicates are given to you. Best way to be on safer side is to change all the locks after you buy the bike.
Finally, thoroughly check all the original documents of the bike to avoid problems while selling the bikes afterwards. Check for ownership details - See if the person selling you the vehicle is the current owner mentioned on the registration certificate. See that there are no unsettled loans or police cases against the vehicle Also check whether the insurance of the vehicle is valid or not.
Thanks for reading this review, Waiting for your valuable comments!
Regards
Akash Dwivedi