Inspecting the bike:
We’ve often heard the phrase “Love at first sight”. This phrase is not necessarily applicable only to humans, but even between you and your machine. Most times, if the bike appeals to you, the first time you see it, you will share a very strong bond.
Visual checks:
One can often know just by looking at the bike, whether the bike has been used well or abused. It is necessary to carry out all visual inspection during the day, when / where there is plenty of natural light. Since shadows can sometimes mask potential trouble spots. If you do not consider yourself an authority on bikes, then it might be a good idea to take along someone, whom you consider an expert, just for a second opinion and also to ensure that you are not biased, by your eagerness to buy a bike.
Oil-leaks:
The first thing one should look for are obvious oil leaks. If the bike has not been washed properly then these become easier to spot, whereas on a freshly cleaned bike, they might be a bit more difficult to identify.
The place to look for oil-leaks is around the engine.
Area around the plug. If this are is found to be oily you should check the oil level – if the oil level is above the “High” mark, this condition MIGHT be acceptable. However, if the oil-level is proper or less, it indicates oil is entering the combustion chamber from the valve guides or the oil-scrapper ring is not efficient. Either condition means expenses.
Around the tappet covers. This could mean either a damaged tappet cover or a bad gasket / sealant used. Either of which is not very serious.
Engine nuts or around the(head / block) gaskets. This could mean either that the gasket / sealant is bad, it could even mean a slipping nut / stud, or worse it could mean a badly faced block / head. All of these would require removal and refitting of the engine block and new gaskets.
On the clutch cover, around the opening where the alternator / ignition wires go in. This is pretty normal, and may require just a new rubber stopper, to plug it.
If the bike is NOT fitted with an oil condenser then there might be some oil on / around the breather pipe. This is normal.
Droplets of oil below the sump might be cause for alarm. From under the breather-pipe or chain area, it might not be serious.
Corrosion / Rusting:
In places near the sea, it is very likely to find rust on many parts of the bike. Surface rust(Rust which comes of easily, even by rubbing your finger against.) is not necessarily a cause for concern, but deeper rust(Rust which looks like flakes, and the metal appears corroded) may be cause for concern. If the rusty part crumbles when poked, then replacement is the only option.
Engine:
The only part of a Bullet’s engine, which could rust is the iron block, almost everything else on the engine is aluminum. Here, also if the rust is only surface rust then it is just a matter of cleaning and re-painting. However, if the rust has resulted in excessive pitting and large flaking, then it might require a block change, as the cooling would be adversely affected.
Chassis:
The entire chassis must be properly inspected for visible rust marks. Flaky paint should be inspected thoroughly. Newly painted areas should be felt for smoothness. The chassis should be thoroughly checked, as the entire bike is held together only by this. If there is a problem here, then replacement is imminent.
Other parts:
On other parts of the bike such as levers, yokes, carrier, handle, mirrors, etc… rust is not necessarily a problem, since these may only be cosmetic and could easily be replaced.
Cosmetic:
Cosmetically the bike should be as close to the original as possible, since that would ensure that the parts are replaceable if / when things go wrong. In case of cosmetic modifications(such as changing the riding position in any way, or re-locating brake / gear controls etc.), you must ensure that there should be no problem in the working or handling of the bike due to the modifications. Also ensure that in case of a collision safety has been considered. Such as when fairings are fitted, you must ensure that the fairing is made out of material which would bend on impact and not act like a knife. Any additional components should be looked at from a performance / safety point of view, rather than merely cosmetic.
However, in case of modifications, after weighing the pros & cons, the risk is completely up to you – whether to go with it or not.
Non-cosmetic:
Most bikes in busy cities like Mumbai may have their fair share of scratch marks. Some might even have taken a couple of small falls. Hence, to find scratches, scuffs, broken mirrors, broken tail-light / indicators etc. might be acceptable. However, you should check thoroughly for non-cosmetic damage like cracks or bends in significant areas such as the crank case, clutch case, gear-box etc. Since these will be expensive to rectify.
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