2018 Guide to buy used bikes in India

By Team BikeJinni, 19 February, 2018

Welcome, happy to know that you are deciding to Buy Used Bikes. In next few minutes, we will make you aware enough to choose the best suitable pre-owned bike for your needs.

Whether you are first time buyer or an experienced buyer, buying a used motorbikes has to be carefully reviewed when you are out in the unorganised Indian used two wheeler market.

 

We have prepared a comprehensive guide to buying used bikes that will help you at every step of bike buying and make your buying experience an enjoyable one.

 

1. Decide new Vs used bikes:

First thought that comes to mind is, should I go for a buy used bikes or buy new bikes. Even though buying second hand bike can be little less straining on your budget, as buying a new bikes comes with their set of advantages.

Buying a new bikes will mean a lower chances of breakdowns, the feeling of scratch less new bikes in garage and sharing shiny new bikes pictures on Facebook will make it exciting. But should you decide to buy a new bikes instead of a used one, you shall be ready to accept the fact that new bikes lose at least 25-50% of their original value in just a year’s time.

 

So, buying used bikes is a much smarter choice if you have basic knowledge about motorcycles and a bit risk taker. Buying second hand motor bike for the same amount of money that you want to spend on a new bikes comes with many added advantages. Simply your budget purchase value is increased by 15-40% automatically to own a higher specification bike. You can afford a higher capacity engine with more power and more features when you buy a used motorcycles or scooter instead of a new one. You can even spend some spare money on the customisation of the used motorcycles, and that will look way better and cooler than a new bikes.

 

Based on the merit and demerits of New Vs Used bikes, make a clear decision. If you find the advantages of a second hand bike over a new bikes exciting, we should tell you that buying used motorcycles or any two wheeler is not that tricky as it seems. We have carefully done market research and have a vast knowledge on used two wheeler market to share with you. , so you can sit tight and read on.

There are more than 25 manufacturers present in the Indian bike market as of now. These manufacturers have over 400 new bikes model variants on sale in India. The Indian used two wheeler market is even bigger as there are several old bike models in offering that have been produced in last 15 years. To help you to get your first perfect used motorbikes, this 2018 used bikes buying guide will help you choose the best one in the market.

 

2. Know your need: purpose & use of bike

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To buy the perfect used motorbikes matching your needs, you have to spell out your requirements & purpose of usage clearly. A different set of conditions has different set of bikes in the market. Before settling on a bike, you need to decide few factors first.

What is your used bikes budget? This basic question about the budget will help you a lot to choose one motorcycles out of the lot. Set a budget in your mind and then explore.

Who is going to use this used bikes? Are you buying the bike for sole use purpose or another member of the family will use it too? Will this bike be operated mainly by the female family members, or elderly person?

What is your daily bike usage? If daily usage is very high, then you should go for the brands with good fuel economy. A bike with lower mileage and higher daily running will cause huge impact on your pockets.

Solo bike rider or pillion passenger: Riding solo vs. riding with pillion passenger often can be a deciding factor while choosing the used bikes. Picking a bike which has uncomfortable pillion passenger seat can prove to be an uneasy and tiresome journey for you and the pillion passenger.

 

Bike fuel economy vs performance: For youngsters, performance is a good base to choose the used bikes but fuel efficiency is equally important. Bikes are an economical way to travel around in India, if it has a very low mileage rating then the fuel costs go up dramatically. Also, a slow motorcycles that does not thrill you is not an excellent idea. You should choose whatever is more important to you wisely. To check detailed insight and actual customer feedback & bike rating on various parameters, read actual user reviews

 

 

To summarise:

Decide your Budget first, then what will be the primary use of the bike - commuting short distance, travelling long distance, weekend fun racing, touring etc?

Will this used bikes be a family vehicle or it will be used solo by a male member or female member?

Do you want to look cool with the bike or bike design does not matter so much?

What monthly fuel & running expense you will spare for bike? These are few questions that need to be answered before you go further?

 

3. Choose the bike segment wisely, Two wheeler segment classification in India

Two wheeler market has a huge number of segments to choose from. You will have to decide the best bike segment that is suited for you and your needs.

Bike segmentation is largely based on the body shape, size, usage and engine size of the bike, type of fuel. Broadly, the two-wheelers can be divided into Scooters, Motorcycles, Superbikes, Electric bikes and Off Road All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs).

Below is the body type segmentation of the two-wheelers in India.

Scooters: Indian used two wheeler bike market has a lot of scooters on sales. Scooters are lightweight and are preferred mostly by the females, first-time riders and people who look for comfort during their daily rides. The unique shape of the scooter helps female riders to mount and dismount the scooter while wearing traditional Indian attire like Sari or Salwar-Kameez.

The scooter is also very easy to ride by elderly persons. They provide good comfort to the rider and also a lot of space to carry goods. Most of the scooters also come with automatic transmission, making them much easier to ride around the city than the geared motorcycles. Example: Preferred Used Scooters on sales -Honda Activa, TVS Jupiter, Hero Maestro, Yamaha Fascino

Motorcycles: The motorcycles are preferred by long distance riders, long distance daily commuters, touring enthusiasts and performance seekers. Motorcycles are preferred mostly by the male riders. Used sports bikes are in good demand by youngsters, while second hand commuter motorcycles are preferred by practical middle aged persons. Example: Preferred Used Second hand Motorcycles on Sales are Bajaj Pulsar, Hero Splendor, Honda CB Shine , Hero Passion, Bullet Classic 350

Superbikes: The high-performance, expensive bikes are often used for leisure riding on the weekends. Many enthusiasts also buy superbikes for the track-racing  purpose. Superbikes are very high-performance motorcycles and should be ridden by only experienced riders. Example: Preferred Used Superbikes are Suzuki Hayabusa , Harley Davidson Iron 883, Triumph Thruxton . Some people look for imported used superbikes sale in India also.

Electric bikes: The convenient battery operated e-bikes & e-scooters come at a reasonable price due to government schemes for non polluting means of transport.

Example- Preferred Used Electric Bikes are Hero Electric Wave, Yo Spark

ATVs: The All terrain vehicles are mostly used for recreational purpose. The ATVs are not road-legal in India and cannot be registered. The ATVs can be used for special purposes where there are roads or to reach some very remote place without any roads.

The above-mentioned segment can be further divided into sub-segments based on their engine power, body-type, seat configuration, towing & features. Example: Preferred Used ATVs are Polaris RZR , Nebula

Below is a table that further divides the Two wheeler segments into the sub-segments.

To explain the above two segment image table, we can take the example of motorcycles. The motorcycles segment can be further divided into a commuter, sports, naked sports, half-fairing, fully-faired / racing, cruisers, adventure and touring motorcycles sub segments.

Choosing a used bikes becomes very easy when you have decided the purpose of the motorcycles. To simplify it, if you are looking for a second hand used motorcycles that you will purely use for daily commuting purpose, specific commuter motorcycles like Hero Splendor, Honda Dream Neo, TVS Star City, etc. will make a perfect bike for you.

 

If you want a used sports bike for daily use , you can choose from the motorcycles like Honda Hornet 160R, Bajaj Pulsar 150, Yamaha FZ, TVS Apache etc . If you like to ride fast or race, you should go for fully faired racing motorcycles as they provide protection against wind resistance. Fully faired sports motorcycles like Bajaj Pulsar RS200, Suzuki Gixxer SF, Yamaha R15, KTM RC390, etc. are the race spirited products you should choose from.

If you want to ride laid-back or relaxed and looking to buy something that you would want to take to the highways occasionally, motorcycles like Bajaj Avenger, Harley Davidson, Royal Enfield, Triumph , Indian bikes will be the best choices.

For adventure seekers, motorcycles that can tackle a lot of bad terrains and carry a lot of luggage is a must. Motorcycles like Royal Enfield Himalayan, Triumph Tiger or BMW R1200GS will make perfect sense for such riders.

Managing off road recreation, fun and surveillance etc, all terrain vehicles are useful.

Choosing the right bike segment based on your needs and purpose is very crucial and essential to enjoy the biking experience fully.  

4. Best places to buy used bikes, Search online bike web portal first:

 

There are many places from where you can search your used motorbikes. Searching for a second hand bike online is the easiest way to know the variety of options in advance in your planned budget. There are many unorganised multi brand used bikes dealerships in the markets and also manufacturer dealer supported used two wheeler sales outlets. Before going to them, It is better to know the expected prices and options Online. As used two wheeler bike market is highly unorganised, the multi brand second hand motorcycles dealers do not provide extended help or often do not give you a fair price.

There are many online bike portals where you can find used bikes.  Some multi product popular online portals like Quikr , OLX also deal in used two wheelers, but they do not give required special treatment to the used motorbikes & its customers. Instead, they treat the used motorbikes as any regular household items. Such Online used items portals do not differentiate between a bike and a sofa, or a table lamp may not give you essential information about the bikes. Motorcycles are much more sophisticated and superior technology than general household stuff, and they should be paid special attention.

It is always advisable to buy used bikes from exclusive online used two wheeler portals. Do not have a casual approach while buying a second hand bike online, always make sure you choose from the trusted online bike sellers only. Search ‘ India’s most trusted used bikes Online portal “ You may find Droom , Zigwheel , BikeJinni  portals . One Good online portal that is focused on all kind of used motorcycles , scooters, superbikes in India is BikeJinni.

Such online bike portals have a vast number of second hand bikes for sale and also offer various tools that will help you to narrow down your search based on your budget, bike segment, bike age, features, kilometres used, condition, etc. Also, you may type the preferred Brand or Model in search – for example Honda used scooter bikes, KTM used motorcycles, Harley used cruiser bikes etc.  The online bike web portals  BikeJinni also offer you unique exclusive features to shortlist your bikes and compare the bikes side by side.

 

 

5. Compare the shortlist best used bikes options:

 

While making search online, It is better to make a shortlist the bikes that are appealing to you. Compare them using the Online compare bike tool and see which bike is more closer to your requirements and fits well in your budget.

 

Bikes are machines and do need repair & maintenance over time. You should always physically check a motorcycles before buying it. Whether you buy from individual seller or from a used bikes multi brand dealer, it is better to test ride your shortlisted bike and make detailed physical inspection with expert eyes.

 

6. What is the fair price to buy used bikes? Re-sale price calculator tool.

 

 

Just like all other machines, bikes also go through depreciation over time. Some factors decide the re-sale value of the second hand bike. These factors depend on the bike age (year of manufacture) ,kilometres used, bike condition, insurance, the number of ownerships, place of registration of bike etc . Also, the price of a second hand bike depends on the popularity of the model, and current demand in the market. The used bikes with higher demand & in regular production will sell for more price than the discontinued or older outdated models.

Many online used motorbikes marketplaces like BikeJinni have incorporated unique tools to do price valuation of used bikes. Such tools like Bike Jinni Price Meter take on all the factors and give you the tentative price range of the resale price of second hand bike to buy and sell. Such bike prices are indicative and help users to find out the best bike deals in the market.

It is really good to check the bike valuation prices of main models of Honda, Bajaj, Hero, KTM, Kawasaki, Yamaha bikes in Jinni Price Meter tool.

 

7. Physical check the condition of used bikes, Test ride the bike.

After you have decided on the bike that you want and have decided a fair price on it. It is important for you to check the used bikes physically. Along with physically checking the bike extensively, there are few other things that you should check for.

If you’re going for a motorcycles that has been out of production for quite a time now, make sure that you check in the market for availability of spare parts. Finding spare parts for old discontinued motorcycles can be a difficult task. Ask a local mechanic or the motorcycles spare parts dealership for spare part information. Spare parts are very important for maintaining the motorcycles in its prime condition for a long time.

Also, avoid accidental motorcycles. Such motorcycles have gone through huge repair job and yet; they cannot be as good as they had come out of the manufacturing line. Always check the insurance claim and motorcycles service history to know all about the accidental claims.

Mechanically, the motorcycles should be up to the mark. Bike engine, gearbox, body, suspension, clutch, brakes etc shall be in good operating conditions and there shall not abnormal noise, leakages, accident etc .If the used bikes comes with vibrations or abnormal noise , engine white smoke, accidental marks etc and you are not happy with it, please do not choose it.

The engine should be well-maintained too. You shall check the engine area, Oil shall not be leaking, and there should be adequate good quality engine oil in it. Ride the motorcycles for a while and check for the engine harshness. Also, change the gears and see if they are skipping and are not working properly. Good transmission is very important for a trouble-free bike.

Other important things that should be checked are the tyres and the battery. Tyres should not be too old and should have a good amount of rubber tread on it. There should not be too many punctures as leaks make the tyres weak. Make sure that the battery is not older than two years. Old batteries tend to cause starting trouble specially in cold start or morning times . If you find the used motorcycles or scooter good enough and at a fair price, do not think about the small scratches on the body or seat, they can be mended cheaply.

 

8. Certified Used bikes:  A motorcycles is a important machine that carries human lives over it and has a lot of moving parts. Some of these parts in a second hand bike have worn to a considerable level. You can be assured of the quality if you get the certified motorcycles. Certified used bikes are tested through various parameters and there is assurance of certain level of quality. For example- BikeJinni certification is done by trained professionals over 100+ quality points of the used motorcycles before issuing a certificate. In used motorcycles bike, Quality is one single most important thing and so buyer shall give immense importance to certified bikes.

 

9. Where to buy used bikes : Find bike seller or dealers nearby:

You may buy your shortlisted used motorcycles or scooter directly from individual seller, but do check multi brand second hand bike dealers near by . You will have more options, but we recommend you to always buy your second hand bike from a responsible used two wheeler  dealership.

Reputed multi brand used bikes dealerships will support in providing documents transfer, share the bike details , negotiation support while buying the bike. If you do not know many dealerships in your locality that may offer good quality motorcycles, you can browse through network of dealerships on Online web portal . BikeJinni has listed multi brand second hand two wheeler dealerships across various cities in India that can help you choose the best used motorbikes available in the market. Check the nearest multi brand used bikes dealer in Delhi here http://www.bikejinni.com/bajaj-used-bike-dealers-delhi

10. Bike document transfer - Change of ownership of used bikes :

Normally second hand bikes are sold with simple agreement to sell in the market. However, it is recommended that you get the ownership changed to your name in Registration transport authority office (example - Pune)  as soon as possible after taking the delivery of the used bikes. Make sure that there is no pending loan against this purchased used motorcycles bike. If there is a loan against the bike taken by seller, ask the used bikes seller or the selling agent to get No objection certificate (NOC) from the bank. Changing ownership in a legal way is better and would not cause any trouble in case of any future incidence or accident for insurance claim purposes.

 

11. Still need assistance in purchase of used bikes, connect BikeJinni.com:

BikeJinni is here to help you at every step. If you are facing any difficulty while you are in mood to buy a second hand two wheeler, you can contact at http://www.bikejinni.com/home/contactus or contact listed multi brand dealer or drop a message on 9953034040 . Bikejinni.com team will be glad to support you for getting your dream used motorbikes.

Hope you like this “2018 Guide to buy used bikes in India”, do like and share this to your friends.

Happy Buying and Happy Biking.

 

Cheers !

BikeJinni Team

http://www.bikejinni.com/

 

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