The first thing to inspect is the tires. If they have a lot of wear out of proportion with the odometer, you may be dealing with a bike that’s had its odometer tampered with. Uneven wear indicates that it’s been ridden with improper tire pressure and be sure to check for cracks in the sidewalls, another indicator of improper care. Your life rides on your bike’s tires and old tires are dangerous.
Spin the wheels to check if they are straight, grab the wheel and try to move it side to side. If there is movement, the wheel bearing may have excess wear and need replaced. Applying the brake quickly should not impede the spinning once it’s released or you may have a brake problem.
If it has disc brakes, inspect the pads and brakes as well as the condition of the rotor. These are expensive to replace. If there is a ridge at the edge of the rotor, it has unacceptable wear. See if you can pull the brake lever into the handlebar. If so, that means trouble. Don’t forget to see if there’s leakage from the master cylinder area. Of course, the brake lights have to work before you even take it for a test drive so don’t overlook that important aspect of your inspection. Grab the front brake and rock the bike back and forth. If you feel any play at all or hear anything unusual, the bearings in the steering head may need to be replaced or adjusted.
Pay special attention to the front forks, the front suspension of the bike. If there is oil on the brakes it most likely came from the seals on the forks. Any such leak can ruin your brake pads as well as cause dangerous handling problems. Slight bends in the forks are hard to see but if they don’t line up with each other from the side it could mean that the front end has been hit by something. Are they pitted or rusted, or is the chrome beginning to lift away? This may mean an expensive replacement.
Inspect the sprockets by looking at them sideways to see if the teeth are hooked. If they are sharp that means they have unacceptable wear. They should be flat at the end. Replacing a worn sprocket means replacing the chain as well. By spinning the rear wheel backward, you can hear if the chain is grabbing a worn sprocket. If the wheel has been adjusted back all the way or if the chain pulls back from the rear sprocket, that’s a sign that the chain is thoroughly worn.
There are many other things to check besides these basic tests of soundness. If you’re unsure of your knowledge, don’t hesitate to take your mechanic with you. Most sellers will welcome a detailed inspection.
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