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Would you buy a 10 year old motorcycle with under 1000 miles? Login/Join 
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Picture of dwd1985
posted
In the market for a specific bike and found one on CycleTrader from a dealer in TX that is a 2014 but only has 844 miles on it. This tells me it has sat the vast majority (99.9%) of its life which is obviously not great for a bike. Dealer told me “ The customer traded it and his wife's bike in and bought a bike for them to ride together since she didn't ride as much as they expected”

The exterior condition is, as you might guess, about brand new. I definitely have concerns about the tires having sat so long, the fluids having not been circulated, etc.
 
Posts: 4449 | Registered: October 28, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Shall Not Be Infringed
Picture of nhracecraft
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Look INSIDE the tank! Wink


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Posts: 8785 | Location: New Hampshire | Registered: October 29, 2011Reply With QuoteReport This Post
His diet consists of black
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Picture of egregore
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How was it stored? If it was at least in a garage, that would be one thing, but outside, with at most a cover over it, is another thing altogether. The gas might be stale. If it is, the fuel tank, lines and carburetors/fuel injectors would have to be cleaned or replaced. That's just one problem you might run into. If it needs such work and you can do it yourself, it might be a good deal. If you have to pay someone, it may not be economically feasible. Definitely don't buy it sight unseen.
 
Posts: 27834 | Location: Johnson City/Elizabethton, TN | Registered: April 28, 2012Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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If its a popular bike with readily available parts, I might consider it. If it was cheap enough that I would have enough left over $$$ to rehab it.


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Posts: 16005 | Location: Marquette MI | Registered: July 08, 2014Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Thank you
Very little
Picture of HRK
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Not a bit, if it was well cared for, see if the bike has service records, I know some people buy them, don't ride much and will take into a dealer every year for service anyway.

I'd change out the tires, have it serviced as part of the purchase deal, if you can't get over to see it have them start it on a video, be aware that video mic's can amplify lot of sounds that you won't hear normally in person.



 
Posts: 23244 | Location: Florida | Registered: November 07, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Three Generations
of Service
Picture of PHPaul
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What Yooper said. It would help a lot to know the specific bike you're looking at.

I've bought, fixed, rode and sold several bikes MUCH more than 10 years old.




Be careful when following the masses. Sometimes the M is silent.
 
Posts: 15181 | Location: Downeast Maine | Registered: March 10, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Picture of sourdough44
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Likely stored under cover/garage in TX. As long as the price is in line, no problems here.

The older son is looking at enduros & ‘adventure bikes’ right now, often used bumps close to new prices. I realize you are likely looking at a specific model not made currently.
 
Posts: 6132 | Location: WI | Registered: February 29, 2012Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Savor the limelight
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The tires, battery, and fluids need to be replaced. But otherwise, I'd have no problems with a bike that sat if the price was right.
 
Posts: 10823 | Location: SWFL | Registered: October 10, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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It wouldn't bother me. My motorcycles sit for six months out of the year just about every year. I would change all the fluids, put a fresh battery in it, empty the tank and put fresh gas in it and then pull the plugs so you can squirt a little WD-40 down each cylinder BEFORE you fire it up.
 
Posts: 3875 | Registered: January 25, 2013Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Picture of Perception
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New tires, new fluids, and ride.

If it looked good and started and ran fine I would have no issue buying that bike.




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"It honestly doesn't occur to them. They've all got the vote, so they all pretty much assume that the government they've voted in more or less approximates the government they want."
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Posts: 3509 | Location: Two blocks from the Center of the Universe | Registered: December 30, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
The Quiet Man
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Make sure the tank isn't corroded (it probably isn't if it was stored with even a modicum of care) replace the tires, battery, and fluids, and if the price is good I'd not have any hesitation.

Tires are a must though. After 5 years rubber starts getting hard. You don't want that to happen when your contact patch is only a couple inches wide in a turn...
 
Posts: 2590 | Registered: November 13, 2003Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Anything that sits unused goes bad quicker than if it was used regularly. My concern would be any engine/transmission seals that may have deteriorated over time that will start to leak once you start riding the bike. Of course all fluids need to be changed, brakes as well as tires and probably the chain. Clutch and brake cables might need to be replaced especially if the bike sat outside. Any used bike could become a deep money pit so proceed with caution.
 
Posts: 1618 | Location: USA | Registered: December 11, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Shit don't
mean shit
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Wouldn't bother me one bit, especially if it starts and runs. However, I do all of my own maintenance and am comfortable doing a lot of different things to anything motorized.
 
Posts: 5734 | Location: 7400 feet in Conifer CO | Registered: November 14, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Picture of ridewv
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quote:
Originally posted by nhracecraft:
Look INSIDE the tank! Wink


I second this. Generally if there is rust in the tank it's at the bottom where water lays and I would not buy a bike with rust in the tank. The 2014 CB1100 I bought last year had very low miles and I was concerned about the tank but it was fine.


No car is as much fun to drive, as any motorcycle is to ride.
 
Posts: 7039 | Location: Northern WV | Registered: January 17, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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I just serviced a 2000 RoadKing with 4000 miles, also put new tires and tubes. Bike was in excellent well cared for condition. Have seen some with EFI or carb issues after sitting for a few years with ethanol, they needed big $ to get back on the road. I would not hesitate to buy an older low mileage bike if it was well cared for as the others have said.
 
Posts: 406 | Location: Kansas | Registered: August 28, 2020Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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If this is a japanese bike, fuel injected, change the tires, fluids and go ride for a 100K miles. Not a chance it needs seals or anything else. If its not fuel injected stand by to name the model as that may have some risk (not that you can't fix carbs but some older ones the parts aren't easily available) This from lots of practical experience. The American ones, no idea.


“So in war, the way is to avoid what is strong, and strike at what is weak.”
 
Posts: 10966 | Registered: October 14, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Thank you
Very little
Picture of HRK
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American ones are just as good, a 2014 HD will have the upgraded EFI and throttle by wire systems, Delphi I believe, the big issue will be the gas that was left in it.

If it's ethanol based and it was rarely started that can be problematic regardless of what country of origin is, or if they put Sta-Bil in the fuel, same for anything stored with todays fuels.



 
Posts: 23244 | Location: Florida | Registered: November 07, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Picture of sigcrazy7
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I have four bikes on the road. The newest is a 1982. My 1977 Yamaha XS650 is my daily driver.



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Posts: 8202 | Location: Utah | Registered: December 18, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
No More
Mr. Nice Guy
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No.

If you are a solid motorcycle mechanic or pay one to inspect the bike, maybe. But I would expect extensive work needs to be done, even if an inspection doesn't uncover much.

BTDT with a bike for my daughter. Shortly after starting to use it, a bunch of little things started going bad which became expensive. Fork seals, all the rubber hoses, turn signal switch, wheel bearings, etc etc.
 
Posts: 9399 | Location: On the mountain off the grid | Registered: February 25, 2002Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Picture of Krazeehorse
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In a heartbeat. If it's at a dealer I doubt they are going to sell it without going through it.


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Posts: 5681 | Location: Ohio | Registered: December 27, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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