[Newbie Advice] Buying A Used Motorcycle

[Watchman]

I guess we've discussed a lot relating to things to look out for when buying a car, but I dont recall reading much on motorcylce buying advice. So I thought a new thread could be useful. In this case; for me.

I'm planning on buying a scrambler (200cc or less for now cos that's what the s'pore law says). Being a complete newbie to bikes I've joined a local forum to see what's happening in the local scene. But when it comes to mechanical advice I prefer asking a forum that I trust more cos we all know all forum's have their share of dumb-asses no matter when they joined or how many posts they have.

The local forum has a buying guide, which seems quite comprehensive but still better safe than sorry i guess. So Any general advice you guys have is most welcome. I guess I (and anyone else) can post more specific questions as we go on.

Thanks guys!

[Watchman]

After a fair bit of research and consideration I decided to go for a XR200, over a WR200 as it was a more tames and road-friendly bike with its 4 stroke engine and e-start.

And after a fair bit of searching found a nice YOM2001 specimen and went for it... that was earlier this month... and finally today got around to take a few photos of it; and thought of sharing it with you.

Thanks to everyone who helped out.. Especially ripper, for all the time i went to bug him with many a random question..

[Ripper]

After a fair bit of research and consideration I decided to go for a XR200, over a WR200 as it was a more tames and road-friendly bike with its 4 stroke engine and e-start.

And after a fair bit of searching found a nice YOM2001 specimen and went for it... that was earlier this month... and finally today got around to take a few photos of it; and thought of sharing it with you.

Thanks to everyone who helped out.. Especially ripper, for all the time i went to bug him with many a random question..

Looking nice. congrats on the buy!

I'm sure you'll have little to no trouble with this baby

I'd put larger tyres though might look nicer.

[Supra_Natural]

I Know absolutely jack about bikes but still, yours looks great man!

Congrats on the buy!

[Straga]

Nice bike man

[Watchman]

Thanks guys.. I'm totally loving and enjoying it

@Ripper: Yeah, I was thinking of changing them (to maybe a set is decent knobby wheels), but I thought I'd go with these road tyres for a while till I get a hang of the bike I have this fear or skidding in the rain and being run over by a truck... I have the driving school to than for that i guess with all the videos photos and stories of motorcycle accidents they tell/show you...

[nexus]

congratulations on your new buy Watchman that bike looks cool fella.

[Pericles]

Is there some reason you photoshopped the stand off?

[Ripper]

Thanks guys.. I'm totally loving and enjoying it

@Ripper: Yeah, I was thinking of changing them (to maybe a set is decent knobby wheels), but I thought I'd go with these road tyres for a while till I get a hang of the bike I have this fear or skidding in the rain and being run over by a truck... I have the driving school to than for that i guess with all the videos photos and stories of motorcycle accidents they tell/show you...

dont put knobbies machang!

very very poor handling on tarmac and pretty bad when you have to take turns.

they are only good for dirt trails

there are tyres that are more all terrain...

even my XR originally came with street tyres. never felt safe on them cos i'm used to having AT type tyres. But gotta say on tarmac those tyres performed beautifully.

In fact, on one of our bike trips...two of my friends were riding baja supermotards... although my XR is geared higher for street riding (6gears) vs. their bajas (5gears)...it was really tough to keep up with them on curvy roads.

Of course i made up for it once we hit dirt trails those street tyres are not match for our dirt trails!

[Thanushka]

Hi Guys,

Does any one has any experience in the brand new Suzuki GN125H imported by the agents. They say its 180k. And according to them it was assembled by Suzuki motorcycle plant in China. May be true bcoz AFAIK Suzuki Japan haulted prodution of GN series around 2004.

Does any one has any experience in this Chines Assembled bike? Is it still hold the same characteristics of Japanese bike (Suzuki GN series is one of the best bikes according to reviews) or is it another Chinese Crap?

Looking forward to your experience and comments, coz I'm planing to buy one.

[Chooti Putha]

Hi Guys,

Does any one has any experience in the brand new Suzuki GN125H imported by the agents. They say its 180k. And according to them it was assembled by Suzuki motorcycle plant in China. May be true bcoz AFAIK Suzuki Japan haulted prodution of GN series around 2004.

Does any one has any experience in this Chines Assembled bike? Is it still hold the same characteristics of Japanese bike (Suzuki GN series is one of the best bikes according to reviews) or is it another Chinese Crap?

Looking forward to your experience and comments, coz I'm planing to buy one.

I once purchased a Chinese GN 125 & it was the most useless bike. It was brand new but even before it had done 1000km most parts started rusting. I would say the indian bikes r quite good compared to the chinese bikes.

So unless u can get u r self atleast a reconditioned japanese GN i wouldnt recommend buying a Chinese one

[Chooti Putha]

After a fair bit of research and consideration I decided to go for a XR200, over a WR200 as it was a more tames and road-friendly bike with its 4 stroke engine and e-start.

And after a fair bit of searching found a nice YOM2001 specimen and went for it... that was earlier this month... and finally today got around to take a few photos of it; and thought of sharing it with you.

Thanks to everyone who helped out.. Especially ripper, for all the time i went to bug him with many a random question..

Lovely bike. Happy riding machan

[NadriquE]

nice baby u got there congrats on ur buy....need to ask if i may... why went for a XR 200cc?

[aakyl4ever]

Good luck mate!

Edited February 23, 2012 by aakyl4ever

[HardHat]

Watchman, very cool looking bike mate, congrats and enjoy the open road. The XLs and XRs are bullet proof machines you can hardly go wrong with one.

So what are the restrictions applied to motocycles there in S'pore? Are you restricted to say 250cc or less for the first year or so of your license?

Is there a max engine capacity limit?

Straga, go for a Jap bike mate, stay away from other junk. I would suggest a four stroke over a two stroke as you are going for a relatively old bike.

A Honda CD125 or CD200 will give you decades of trouble free riding but they do no look cool for a young rider

Honda CB125T, Suzuki GS125, GN125 and Yamaha SR125 are also good 4 strokes from 80'-90' era - you will have to stretch your budget a lot though

Edited February 23, 2012 by HardHat

[HardHat]

VT250 is another one these for some reason were never runway successes. might be able to pick one of for little.

Ripper, whatever happened to VT250? That was THE bike to have in SL late 80's and early 90's. I specially liked the black and red naked version. ahh.. good memories

[Ripper]

Ripper, whatever happened to VT250? That was THE bike to have in SL late 80's and early 90's. I specially liked the black and red naked version. ahh.. good memories

yeah...such a shame! You almost never see them on our roads anymore.

I too preferred the black red combo.

I think the bike was notoriously bad of fuel. at least that's what i heard.

Growing up the coolest bikes i could see was them VT's, NSR;s and the good ol XL250R-twin carb

The first big bike i got to ride was a honda MVX250. 3 pot it was i think..... ah the good ol days

Too bad that most of those large displacement bikes are not really favored by the fuel econo mined new gen bikers. Most chaps go for indian bikes these days.

Luckily cibbies and other sport, naked road bikes caught on...also the 4 stroker trail bikes

those are a sight for sore eyes in and indian/chinese dominated market.

[HardHat]

well none of them were good on fuel but who cared those days?

Eventually fuel economy was part of the reason for demise of big displacemenmt bikes in SL.

The VT was mean looking, had a distictive crisp beat and was pretty good in acceleration and handling. I think what killed it eventually were engine issues. They went off the roads as fast as they came on and soon there were many rotting at bike mechanics with heads opened up.

Yes I do remember the MVX - blue-red-white paint work, definitely 3 pot and as I remember 2 stroke. Was it a 350 though? smoked like steam trains but pretty fast ride.

cibbies were the civilized cousins of VTs, NSRs, CBRs and MVXs. My favourite series of bikes to-date and I wouldn't trade my big bad naked cibby to any plastic wrapped modern bike.

[Watchman]

Watchman, very cool looking bike mate, congrats and enjoy the open road. The XLs and XRs are bullet proof machines you can hardly go wrong with one.

So what are the restrictions applied to motocycles there in S'pore? Are you restricted to say 250cc or less for the first year or so of your license?

Is there a max engine capacity limit?

Thanks machang!

Yeah bike licenses are different here. There's three levels. 2B, 2A and 2.

As a fresh rider you can only apply for a 2B which lets you ride anything upto 200cc. After you've held that license for more than 12 months, you can apply for a 2A which will let you ride anything upto 400cc. After another 12 months you can apply for a class 2 license which lets you ride anything; and there's no import restriction on HC bikes, so you do get your fair share of them here.

[Pericles]

Thanks machang!

Yeah bike licenses are different here. There's three levels. 2B, 2A and 2.

As a fresh rider you can only apply for a 2B which lets you ride anything upto 200cc. After you've held that license for more than 12 months, you can apply for a 2A which will let you ride anything upto 400cc. After another 12 months you can apply for a class 2 license which lets you ride anything; and there's no import restriction on HC bikes, so you do get your fair share of them here.

Ummm, but the max you can register for street use is 250cc, right? So you can have a license for a bike you can't ride on the street? But in that case, you don't need a license at all, right? Geez, this is confusing!

[Watchman]

Ummm, but the max you can register for street use is 250cc, right? So you can have a license for a bike you can't ride on the street? But in that case, you don't need a license at all, right? Geez, this is confusing!

Nono, you can import+register+use any bike on the road..

[Straga]

Watchman, very cool looking bike mate, congrats and enjoy the open road. The XLs and XRs are bullet proof machines you can hardly go wrong with one.

So what are the restrictions applied to motocycles there in S'pore? Are you restricted to say 250cc or less for the first year or so of your license?

Is there a max engine capacity limit?

Straga, go for a Jap bike mate, stay away from other junk. I would suggest a four stroke over a two stroke as you are going for a relatively old bike.

A Honda CD125 or CD200 will give you decades of trouble free riding but they do no look cool for a young rider

Honda CB125T, Suzuki GS125, GN125 and Yamaha SR125 are also good 4 strokes from 80'-90' era - you will have to stretch your budget a lot though

Thanks for the reply man, bit late though Unfortunately the bike plans are on hold as im going abroad for uni in september and since no one else at home rides, the bike will just rot

[HardHat]

Thanks for the reply man, bit late though Unfortunately the bike plans are on hold as im going abroad for uni in september and since no one else at home rides, the bike will just rot

perhaps goin somewhere with no bike engine capacilty restrictions?

[HardHat]

Ummm, but the max you can register for street use is 250cc, right? So you can have a license for a bike you can't ride on the street? But in that case, you don't need a license at all, right? Geez, this is confusing!

Watchman is not in SL mate

[NadriquE]

Thanks machang!

Yeah bike licenses are different here. There's three levels. 2B, 2A and 2.

As a fresh rider you can only apply for a 2B which lets you ride anything upto 200cc.

here its 125cc upto 11kw.. so i bought this baby

[Pericles]

Nono, you can import+register+use any bike on the road..

You back in Singa? Thought you were here for good