5 Common Mistakes When Buying a New Bike

By Amos

It’s not just buying a new motorcycle that’s exciting. Merely entertaining the idea of getting a new set of wheels under you is enough to give you goosebumps. Upgrading to a new bike or adding one to your growing stable is enough to keep you up at night (in a good way, of course), and if you’re anything like us, you put together spreadsheets, put stacks of brochures on the kitchen table, join even more motorcycling forums for advice and change your wallpaper to show your dream bike. But there are other bumps involved aside from the goosepimple kind, and it’s wise to approach your new potential purchase with patience, wisdom and copious amounts of research. Here are five common mistakes made when purchasing a new motorcycle. Learn from our collective blunders here at RA and go into your next purchase like a two-wheelin’ Yoda.

Buying Way Above Your Skill Level

This might be the single biggest mistake new buyers make. Whether buying used or new, it’s easy to get in over your head because we all like to think we’re more capable than we actually are in real life – like guys who put 300 lbs of plates on the bar for the bench press just because they can knock out 50 pushups. Wrong. It’s hard to leapfrog levels, like going from a very manageable, very comfortable Yamaha SR400 to a mad BMW R 1200 R instead of something like a Triumph Bonneville. It doesn’t mean it’s not possible to manage it if you’re a cautious and safe rider – but as is more often the case than not, too much motorcycle is just too much motorcycle. Just like a car, it’s better to drive a slower car skillfully than a supercar like an idiot. Build up your skill level before you jump up to the upper echelons of skill and motorcycle type. Riding a 500cc roadster and then hyper-advancing to an insane sport bike like a Ducati Panigale R is not wise at all.

Buying Without First Riding

You won’t know if your next motorcycle is right for you by reading up on it and staring at photos constantly. You need to ride it. Ideally, it’s a good idea to ride the bike in a comfortable and safe environment, so if you have a generous buddy who owns the motorcycle you want, ask him to let you ride it on a low-traffic street. If it’s a dealership, just know that they will ask you to sign and show proof of insurance. Show up with safety gear on so you don’t look like some irresponsible dolt. Then, get a feel for it to find out if it fits your physique comfortably. Familiarize yourself with every aspect of the bike before you set out to ride. Can you easily reach everything including brakes, clutch, etc? How is your riding position? These are all important factors when first trying it out. Ride as long as they will let you so you know if the bike is within your skill level and comfortable. Don’t be too excited to buy and be patient.