When you get a new (2nd hand) bike - what do you do to it

[Ingah]

When you get a new bike (not talking brand new here. but 2nd hand -or 3rd/4th/5th etc depending on what you tend to buy), what do you tend to do to it on receiving it? Just idle wondering/curious as to what people do to their machines before they consider them "ready".

Might also be interesting to know what sort of machine/usage it is too (for example i suspect perhaps some sports bike riders will put in a power commander in straight away, and perhaps some 2-stroke owners will give it a rebuild straight away if it's not had one recently).

e.g. For my current bike (CB500), i bought it at 14 years old and high(ish) mileage, no service history. And wanting a reliable machine for use as my sole transport/commuter use (this reliable machine never materialised, but hey, it wasn't through lack of effort!) i serviced it very thoroughly ASAP (including valve clearances etc), changed the mismatched old tyres for BT45s, and added throw-over panniers.
If i hadn't needed to spend out a load on constant repairs from the get-go, i would also have uprated the headlamp bulb immediately, changed the mirrors for longer-stem ones, got a braided front hose, replaced the can, replaced the rear shocks with new Hagons and progressive front fork springs. As it is these modifications have had to wait a while and been done later on (the suspension upgrades and exhaust upgrades are still waiting 2 years down the line).
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-- Ingah

[L4Isoside]

Well, depends on the bikes current condition I suppose.

For my YBR, I did nothing. Still haven't done anything except when my mate had it, changed the tyres! I think it had 1 or 2 previous owners but only about 900mi on it.

For my SV, didn't do anything for a good while. But eventually changed the tyres after I crashed and realised that the current tyres where the originals (10 years old, 6k mi)

For my ninja, replaced a few bolts for stainless, put a tank pad on. Still plan on getting stomp grips and new tyres but not in any rush.

So was "ready" as soon as I got them home and gave it a once over.

[dodgydog]

Oil and filters, plugs.
Strip and clean the Brakes.
Chain tension, alignment, lube.

That's about it.


Dog
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I know that you believe that you understood what you think I said, but I am not sure you realise that what you heard is not exactly what I meant

[Clanger]

The usual essentials, tax and insurance...(mini service), adjust suspension to suit my needs then heated grips and possibly change tyres to suit me. Then nowt else really. Concentrate on riding the damn thing...
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Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter won't mind - Dr. Seuss

[Seb]

Oil and filters as a priority regardless of when they were last changed. Beyond that I'll check the rest of the consumables out to be sure, coolant is something that is probably wise to change as a precaution, esp in this weather but meh
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2010 Triumph 1050 Sprint ST

[c_dug]

Get on bike Ride bike.

That is all.
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I am a bellend, I am a man of constant sorrow, I am a gummy bear, I am a rock.

[truslack]

Quite often, spray it black.
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Current: Suzuki RG 125 Gamma, Honda H100, Triumph Tiger 800XC, Suzuki SV650 (minitwin)

[Teflon-Mike]

Not a chop-and-change man.
Each bike's been different.
Unless I've bought them as a fixer-upper though, I've expected them to work, at least well enough to ride home.
Job-List starts being compiled before hard-earned is handed over, noting whats good, bad, or iffy, and haggling over whatever I can!
Ride home tells me more, and the job-list starts getting added to.
Then a basic service at the earliest opportunity oto get an idea of the detail.
Then I prioratise whats most needed and start working down the list.
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My Webby'Tef's-tQ, loads of stuff about my bikes, my Land-Rovers, and the stuff I do with them!
Current Bikes:'Honda VF1000F' ;'CB750F2N' ;'CB125TD ( 6 3 of em!)'; 'Montesa Cota 248'. Learner FAQ's:= 'U want to Ride a Motorbike! Where Do U start?'

[G]

Obviously depends entirely on the bike .
Ie, if it's just had a decent service that I trust and I got it for daily use, will just start riding it.

In other cases, the last bike I bought for myself went straight in to the lock up and hasn't been touched since.

[CaNsA]

I have a good look at it before i buy it,

bearings (headstock and wheel)
pads
chain
sprocket
tyres
suspension
etc etc etc

If i buy it i'll ride it for a week and listen to all the noises and stuff and goto my mates garage and tell him what im hearing etc etc

Might change the oil, might get new tyres but i doubt it like lol

[Frost]

I basically give it an MOT and pull off any stupid or broken bits. I usually clean up any nasty bits, check the levels of consumables etc. The bike will usually get an oil and filter change very early on unless i know for a fact it's been done already. If it's high mileage i might do the clutch too whilst the oils out. At some point in the first week of ownership i'll strip down and clean the brakes as i tend to be quite a hard braker and like to have some confidence in them.

Usually the bikes i buy have running problems which will require experimentation with spark plugs, batteries, carb setup. I think it's safe to say that after i've owned a bike for about a week it'll be in good enough condition to keep running for a damn long time

[rob_scott92]

For the wee Gs it was a case of take it home on a trailer, tinker for two or three months and then ride.
This then followed by regular electrical issues spread over about a year

The 350 was just a case of pass test and ride, then fall off and discover rear shocks were knackered
Although, 7 months later and nothing else has gone wrong apart from deeed battery (tempting fate i know )
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First bike: 1982 Suzuki Gs 125 'The beast MK1' > 1988 Honda Cb 350's' FOR SPORT! (Good ol' oil burner!) > 2001 Suzuki Sv 650 's' Made it out of the 80's! > 1997 Honda Cbr 600f :p

[Dazbo666]

I've only ever bought running bikes, so it's been a case of giving each one a change of oil, filter & plugs etc
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1st bike (Sept'06 - May'10) : 1991 GPZ500S / Current bike (since Nov 2009) : 2003 Suzuki Bandit 600N
Word of the day : DILLIGAF

[hmmmnz]

i always do oil,filters, plugs, valve clearances, grease all bearings, and generally change out the head race bearings.
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the humans are dead
I kick arse for the lord
Wiring Diagrams BIDNIP it bitches

[Glenben92]

FULL service basically. Including the most thorough clean of it's life, and waterproofing all of the electrics with holts damp start.

new plugs
fresh synth oil
chain clean, lube, tension and wheel alignment
bleed brakes
check / set the brake light switches
check / set clutch cable / throttle cable
tyre pressures
oil throttle cable / choke cable / clutch cable
oil anything else that moves. steering / suspension / axles

Check for tax disc holder / tax disc, people love to leave you without 'em.

Join the owners forum.. usually comes in handy.
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57 Huoniao HN125-8 - , 97 Kawasaki GPZ500S -
99 Yamaha FZS 600 -
Mod 2 Passed - 01/10/2010

[Chalky.]

Within a week I usually drop it.

[waffles]

A service then sort out any tarty bits that may need doing. The TT had crappy paint on some of the metal bits so I took those off and got them powdercoated black which tidied it up lots. New footpegs to replace the mismatched set and new front indys. Then it got treated to a new db screen and a clean and polish including the insides of the fairings.

The xr is getting prepped for trail riding so im getting new grips (the ones on there are wearing out and ripped), handguards, spark plug and some tug straps to pull it out of anything I fall into. Other than that I am not going to bother too much as shiny new bits will get destroyed eventually.

My first two bikes I did nothing to other than check oil.
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Theory test - 19/8/09, CBT - 11/10/09, MOD 1 - 16/8/10, MOD 2 - 27/10/10
Past rides Yamaha XT125X, Triumph TT600, Honda XR250
Current rides Suzuki GSXR 600, Honda MSX125

[craigs23]

Depends on the bike.

My latest purchase had had a full service including new pads, tyres, chain and sprocket, valve clearances.

But I still felt the need to clean it, as I probably do with all my bikes (even the brand new ones I think).

Along the way that allows me to spot any other work that might need doing that I haven't felt when riding, or to gauge a sort of history of the bike or what the previous owners had been like (a sort of archeology, based on a more detailed inspection, showing up previous hidden bodge jobs, bike cleanliness, wear and tear of certain parts, etc). The bikes tend to get a liberal coating of ACF50 or a lick of paint where needed here and there. Forms a nice basis for me to start on, be it a project or even to keep the bike maintained from a certain standard.

I also spend the time working out what modifications I would add myself. Recent alterations for my latest purchase has involved a tail tidy, fender extender, rear hugger, shock protector, etc.

A trip to an online owner's forum is usually made as well scouring the internet for an online manual or similar (although I tend to do that before I pick a new bike up).

[pinkyfloyd]

[Digitalize]

For my Hornet - Strip it down, realise I've taken a massive project on, worry a lot, not do much, and start to feel bad
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1998 CB600F Hornet

[ms51ves3]

Nothing.

[The Artist]

Varies but on most bikes I ride them.

[Gone]

Kick tyres, fill tank, ride.

[ms51ves3]

[Handsome]

On my NSR I did nothing to it per-say apart from fix the thing every few weeks...

On my Zephyr I just stiffened the suspension up, oh and put a better rack on the back as I broke the home made one tightening bungie cords...

On my SV I had to unwind the rear shock and soften all the other suspension up as the bloke before me was a lanky bloke who used it as a trackday and weekend tool, this is going from the suspension set up and dyno print outs, and the tyres as the ones he had on were shit, gave me no confidence whatsoever, the Double Bubble, SV tank pad and SV rear hugger I've left on...
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Previous Bikes...Honda NSR 125 RR...Kawasaki Zephyr 550...Suzuki SV 1000 S...Yamaha FZ8...Current Bike...Suzuki GSX-R 750...