Right Sir. Before you even look at the bike. Make sure the sellers actual name (Drivers-license) is on the title. The VIN is a match and it's not a flood swimmer.
Sean; You guys do more to help us bikers than any other dealer that I have run across. Your content was great and very informative. THANKS! Hay bikers, don't forget the things that are considered obvious, like tires, oil, chains & sprockets, especially if you have to drive the bike a long way home.
several good points to consider there; you mentioned several things that are "no big deal." Suggestion for another video: when to walk away...what are the things that are a deal breaker, and just take that off the shortlist....I think that would be super helpful....
baznitchandsons what if someone has already acquired a bike with that problem ? Maybe as a cheaper purchase, or a gift. Are there product to put in the tank that would "flush" it out ? Do products like 'seafoam' work for bikes (carburetors) ?
well, that depends on the deal. I have a 300 dollar honda shadow, that came with rust in the tank. Shake and bake in that situation. Clean the carb, a little extra work for a good deal is a great deal. Now if you're in the market for get on and go, I'd honestly buy from a dealers selection, at least you knew they ran before they got there lol
Going on three years later and the bike is running great for me. Replaced the fuel pump at about 40k but other than that just routine maintenance which most of it I do my self. Also did some accessory ad on's, USB hookup, cell phone holder, highway pegs, sissy bar bag, mustang seat rider and passenger with riders back rest. Did put some white walls on the bike as well as I like the look. SRK took pretty good care of me with this bike!
Look for blued exhaust pipes. If the exhaust pipes are blue, then the engine was overheated (probably from the prior owner habitually "snapping the throttle").
Don't buy from someone you thinks lying to ya... There's a phrase in the legal world "Falsus in uno, Falsus in Omnibus" If they'll lie once they'll lie every time
you request a cold start in the morning ..... if they wont agree move on to another moto! dishonest seller traite... another "you break it you buy it!" narcissistic traite,.. they are not concerned about you... move on! at this point i am concidering buying my bucket list bikes from SRK cycles ..... my new beater moto any good bike will work!!
partially wrong on the fuel turn off. if its a vacuum petcock, absolutely leave the fuel on. but a regular petcock should be set to off when not running. its not really that necessary for some bikes BUT some carbs do not like it and may seep. had a sporster that seeped gas out the air cleaner if i didnt turn petcock off
On the subject of fuel cut off, a carb bike has a float, a float even when new could get stuck with minute dirt particle which would allow fuel to still flow. If it does this it can not only drain the tank but fill up the crankcase with fuel or spill out on the ground. Cutting the petcock off whenever you are leaving the bike unattended is what you are supposed to do, as a safety measure. If the fuel line to carburetor begins to leak from age or some other factor and the petcock is still on, then all the fuel will be drained onto the bike and ground, this is another safety reason to shut off the fuel at the tank. A fuel injected bike has no float to get stuck and when power is off, fuel to injectors will not flow because there is no power to pump the fuel.
Luckily, my current bike, '99 Vulcan 1500, has one carb! My first bike, '91 Katana 750, had 4, paid $900 for it, and with all the problems it had, it wasn't worth fixing. The guy ripped me off, knowing I really didn't know much about bikes. So, I just rode it until it stopped working, and traded it for a non-running car, which I got working!
Hi Sean! Looking to change from a naked bike to a cruiser in the future... marauder 800, shadow 600 or 750, intruder 800, dragstar 650 or vulcan 800? What's an overall better bike? (90 something-2000 models)
Heh bike I’m riding won’t idle without the choke atleast half way on. Then if I stand it up off kickstand I have to put it more towards 3/4 choke or it’ll just end up dropping rpm until it dies. But while actually riding it does fine without choke, just can’t idle without it
I've bought several "new" cruisers over the years. I won't buy a "new" bike anymore. You can find used motorcycles with very low miles and like new at much lower prices. I've seen bikes that retailed at $28,000 new and sold used a year later with less than 5000 miles on them for around $20,000. It would be smart to shop for a nearly new bike. Wish I would have done that. At 5000 miles a bike is just starting to get broke in.
Yamaha Raider handlebars must be tougher? I hit a deer at 65mph bounced across 3 lanes of traffic with the bike ending up upside down in the ditch. It broke one mirror but did not bend the bars.
Nope Sharkroad megaphones I believe. I have the same model and changed my pipes to that. They sound mean and people love them, I get compliments all the time.
Srkcycles Back in the day you were supposed to turn off the fuel so the lines and carbs weren't always filled with fuel. My understanding is that the old rubber fuel lines would start to get hard and crack and the old floats would eventually fail. I have never left the fuel on to find out nor did I know anybody who has, but the manuals for the old bikes warned against it. Maybe it was bs, but I'm not one to take chances.
WHen I took the Basic Rider Course I believe they said for carb flooding. I had a dealer tell me it doesn't matter unless you're not going to ride for a week or more.
I have been riding and wrenching for almost 30 yrs and if the bike doesn't have a vacuum operated petcock you most certainly need to shut it off. Maybe not for a fuel stop but after each day of riding ends. I have a 1978 CB 750 SOHC and the carbs are like new and every float is adjusted perfect, yet it will seap gas down if you don't shut off the petcock , and your crankcase will fill up with gas. Not sure if you mentioned it or not, never buy a a bike unless YOU cold start it . Feel the pipes and the engine to verify that it is a true cold start.
And do research before even deciding to go look at a bike. Look at reviews. Search for problems eg uncomfortable, thirsty. Get familiar with technical specs eg injected or carb.
First things on my list would be check drive chain for slack, rear sprocket, leaks, melted connectors under the side covers, listen for loud ticking from the fuel pump, brake reservoirs for leaks, smell the air filter for gasoline if possible, look at color of coolant, condition of oil, inspect the cables, observe the color of the exhaust fumes and as commented below, check that VIN #. All these observations can give you a wealth of information about most bikes.
How about rust? I saw a cheap bike with rusty engine bolts, and a little rust on the engine itself. The garage said it was probably from being stored outside. It's cheap, but I don't want something that's going to break.
@The Screaming Chicken Harley is different than any other bike because it uses a single carb, much simpler. Which leads me to believe the mechanic I hired was probably an idiot. Most mechanics in commiefornia do not understand basic mechanics. I took my Porsche in because the oil pressure was reading high. The mechanic did not understand how high oil pressure could be bad for an engine...
I had a Honda 2005 VTX 1300 w/ a single disk on the front wheel. I hadn't dropped it or anything, but there was a problem with the handle bars not being square with the front tire assembly. I thought it was from the unequal torque caused by only one disk on the wheel. I figured that one of those fork brace items that fit near the fender would have been a help but off loaded it on another bike before that happened. Also when I took it to the Honda dealer they said there was no problem with the steering. They were wrong, but they were also where I bought the unit ... so there's that. What do you think? Have you ever encountered this sort of thing before?
Don't forget to check for rust. Look in the engine compartment and non-obvious places for rust and signs that the bike has been left out in the elements and not taken care of in general. Also make sure to check all electric components turn signals Etc.
another thing to check i didnt see on a previous video i watched was bearings. wheel bearings, swing arm bearings. cant think of what its called but the neck, triple clamps forks bars meet, bearings in the neck there.
I’m really stuck between buying a Indian scout or a Honda interstate which one would be better? I love how they both look one is way bigger then the other and this would be my first bike
I got a 1300. The VTX is a nice bike. But I want something bigger now so get what you want. This was my first bike also so if you are not comfortable with a bigger bike then I would look at a shadow 1100 first. They look like the vtx only a little smaller
The only problem I have is that every other sentence when he ends sounds like he's smacking his lips. Like he's gathering saliva so his mouth doesn't get dry from speaking.
Thanks for the video. I have a one question. I'm looking at 2008 honda shadow spirit 750 to buy. It is shaking a lot (Gas tank) while it is idling. Is it normal? The owner told me that it is vtwin engine and it is normal.
Thanks for reply. I'm a new to bike and just passed the msf course. This bike shakes excessively (especially gas tank) more than the bike I used in the class which was more older.
palanangel If you've got the slightest doubts, walk away from it. There are plenty more out there. If your a new ish rider and your not happy to start with then you'll be looking for the slightest problem while you're riding. You don't need distractions while you're getting used to its performance characteristics. If your determined you like it then either take someone with you that knows bikes or get an independent report from a bike mechanic. you might end up paying for the report but it's going to be a lot cheaper than huge bike repair bill's later.
Iv owned a shadow spirit 750 c2 for 3 years and it should never do that. Something is obviously wrong and if you do buy it it's worth taking it in for a service to get that checked.
hey man, thanks for the video, is really good!!!!, i have a question, my friend and i are planning to buy our first cruises motorcycles, i really don't like the small cylinder bikes actually small size bikes but i know i cannot start with a big bike because is gonna be my first and actually I am in the leaning process of how to ride, I'm having in my mind a 650cc Yamaha/Honda/Kawa.. but of course a second hand and I really do not want to spend more that 2.5k, any recommendations? PLEASE READ AND ANSWER THIS BECAUSE I KNOW YOUR EXPERIENCE WILL HELP US A LOT!!!!!!!
I gotta challenge your "it's obvious if the bike has been laid down" comment. I crashed my bike (07 Vulcan 900) and it slid all the way across the intersection and the only evidence is a slightly scratched handlebar cap. It slid on the slide guards on the pegs. I've had multiple friends look it over and they can't tell I laid it down. I might be rare, but just to keep in the back of your mind.
“If it doesn’t have a motor on it then you should be asking questions. It’s not a deal breaker but something to consider”
and also don't forget to check the VIN number to make sure it matches the title before you give him the cash
+007 BOND great tip I will add that one in my next video. I have made that mistake before
And to make sue its not Stolen. Or a Flood/Salvage. Like after Hurricane Sandy in NJ
Right Sir. Before you even look at the bike. Make sure the sellers actual name (Drivers-license) is on the title. The VIN is a match and it's not a flood swimmer.
Even some bikes new today are still carbureted:
Suzuki Dr 400 : 🙄
Sean;
You guys do more to help us bikers than any other dealer that I have run across. Your content was great and very informative. THANKS! Hay bikers, don't forget the things that are considered obvious, like tires, oil, chains & sprockets, especially if you have to drive the bike a long way home.
several good points to consider there; you mentioned several things that are "no big deal." Suggestion for another video: when to walk away...what are the things that are a deal breaker, and just take that off the shortlist....I think that would be super helpful....
Tip for all bikes mostly older; check inside the gas tank for discoloured gas or rust, if there is any walk away
baznitchandsons great tip
baznitchandsons what if someone has already acquired a bike with that problem ? Maybe as a cheaper purchase, or a gift. Are there product to put in the tank that would "flush" it out ? Do products like 'seafoam' work for bikes (carburetors) ?
vinegar or some other rust dissolver
Take off the tank and put ice in it and shake it up. Rinse and repeat........
well, that depends on the deal. I have a 300 dollar honda shadow, that came with rust in the tank. Shake and bake in that situation. Clean the carb, a little extra work for a good deal is a great deal. Now if you're in the market for get on and go, I'd honestly buy from a dealers selection, at least you knew they ran before they got there lol
So your tips boil down to make sure the bike runs well and is not cosmetically damaged?
Dude, you should do a video on a minimalist tool pouch. What's needed and why.
Yes
Going on three years later and the bike is running great for me. Replaced the fuel pump at about 40k but other than that just routine maintenance which most of it I do my self. Also did some accessory ad on's, USB hookup, cell phone holder, highway pegs, sissy bar bag, mustang seat rider and passenger with riders back rest. Did put some white walls on the bike as well as I like the look. SRK took pretty good care of me with this bike!
Nice bike! I have the same one but its a red/black two-tone 2007 model. I even have the same aftermarket exhaust. It sounds mean.
Good content yet again. How about a ride report on that Royal Star you got there...
Look for blued exhaust pipes. If the exhaust pipes are blue, then the engine was overheated (probably from the prior owner habitually "snapping the throttle").
It means it was running lean.
Get a lav mic bro. Whatever equipment was working in the background was making it difficult to understand you.
Don't buy from someone you thinks lying to ya...
There's a phrase in the legal world "Falsus in uno, Falsus in Omnibus"
If they'll lie once they'll lie every time
you request a cold start in the morning ..... if they wont agree move on to another moto! dishonest seller traite...
another "you break it you buy it!" narcissistic traite,.. they are not concerned about you... move on!
at this point i am concidering buying my bucket list bikes from SRK cycles ..... my new beater moto any good bike will work!!
Any specific year or model used Harley I should avoid? My budget isn't huge. Under 10 grand.
partially wrong on the fuel turn off. if its a vacuum petcock, absolutely leave the fuel on. but a regular petcock should be set to off when not running. its not really that necessary for some bikes BUT some carbs do not like it and may seep. had a sporster that seeped gas out the air cleaner if i didnt turn petcock off
On the subject of fuel cut off, a carb bike has a float, a float even when new could get stuck with minute dirt particle which would allow fuel to still flow. If it does this it can not only drain the tank but fill up the crankcase with fuel or spill out on the ground. Cutting the petcock off whenever you are leaving the bike unattended is what you are supposed to do, as a safety measure. If the fuel line to carburetor begins to leak from age or some other factor and the petcock is still on, then all the fuel will be drained onto the bike and ground, this is another safety reason to shut off the fuel at the tank.
A fuel injected bike has no float to get stuck and when power is off, fuel to injectors will not flow because there is no power to pump the fuel.
Luckily, my current bike, '99 Vulcan 1500, has one carb! My first bike, '91 Katana 750, had 4, paid $900 for it, and with all the problems it had, it wasn't worth fixing. The guy ripped me off, knowing I really didn't know much about bikes. So, I just rode it until it stopped working, and traded it for a non-running car, which I got working!
It's not the guys fault that you didn't know anything
Hi Sean! Looking to change from a naked bike to a cruiser in the future... marauder 800, shadow 600 or 750, intruder 800, dragstar 650 or vulcan 800? What's an overall better bike? (90 something-2000 models)
Best way is to first give yourself knowledge of as many choices that u can then.....and only then....u may act accordingly
Heh bike I’m riding won’t idle without the choke atleast half way on. Then if I stand it up off kickstand I have to put it more towards 3/4 choke or it’ll just end up dropping rpm until it dies. But while actually riding it does fine without choke, just can’t idle without it
wear a mic hard to hear ya. especially when ya turn away from thw camera
I want a cruiser under 5 grand that’s in decent cheap is that possible
I've bought several "new" cruisers over the years. I won't buy a "new" bike anymore. You can find used motorcycles with very low miles and like new at much lower prices. I've seen bikes that retailed at $28,000 new and sold used a year later with less than 5000 miles on them for around $20,000. It would be smart to shop for a nearly new bike. Wish I would have done that. At 5000 miles a bike is just starting to get broke in.
Thanks for the tips! Keep up the great content man :)
That bike sounds like a beast!
Ne0c225 It's a Royal Star. It has a V4 engine. I like the sound too
Yamaha Raider handlebars must be tougher? I hit a deer at 65mph bounced across 3 lanes of traffic with the bike ending up upside down in the ditch. It broke one mirror but did not bend the bars.
That thing sounds great! Is that stock exhaust?
Nope Sharkroad megaphones I believe. I have the same model and changed my pipes to that. They sound mean and people love them, I get compliments all the time.
I will point something out. While you shouldn't HAVE to turn the fuel off you are supposed to.
+Devon Riley why ?
Srkcycles Back in the day you were supposed to turn off the fuel so the lines and carbs weren't always filled with fuel. My understanding is that the old rubber fuel lines would start to get hard and crack and the old floats would eventually fail. I have never left the fuel on to find out nor did I know anybody who has, but the manuals for the old bikes warned against it. Maybe it was bs, but I'm not one to take chances.
WHen I took the Basic Rider Course I believe they said for carb flooding. I had a dealer tell me it doesn't matter unless you're not going to ride for a week or more.
I have been riding and wrenching for almost 30 yrs and if the bike doesn't have a vacuum operated petcock you most certainly need to shut it off. Maybe not for a fuel stop but after each day of riding ends. I have a 1978 CB 750 SOHC and the carbs are like new and every float is adjusted perfect, yet it will seap gas down if you don't shut off the petcock , and your crankcase will fill up with gas. Not sure if you mentioned it or not, never buy a a bike unless YOU cold start it . Feel the pipes and the engine to verify that it is a true cold start.
I know almost exactly where to shut my fuel off. I always run it dry. I might not be able to ride for a week due to work travel.
And do research before even deciding to go look at a bike. Look at reviews. Search for problems eg uncomfortable, thirsty. Get familiar with technical specs eg injected or carb.
Say if I bought this same cruiser for 2.1k used. How much would it be to refurbish it as much as possible to peak condition?
First things on my list would be check drive chain for slack, rear sprocket, leaks, melted connectors under the side covers, listen for loud ticking from the fuel pump, brake reservoirs for leaks, smell the air filter for gasoline if possible, look at color of coolant, condition of oil, inspect the cables, observe the color of the exhaust fumes and as commented below, check that VIN #. All these observations can give you a wealth of information about most bikes.
What about buying an older bike; say an 02 or 03?
Its pretty much the same, but also look for rust on the frame, dont want to buy a bike thats completly rusted out
How about rust? I saw a cheap bike with rusty engine bolts, and a little rust on the engine itself. The garage said it was probably from being stored outside.
It's cheap, but I don't want something that's going to break.
I spent $400 for a mechanic to work on my carb. I should have just bought an aftermarket carb. Stupid.
@The Screaming Chicken Harley is different than any other bike because it uses a single carb, much simpler. Which leads me to believe the mechanic I hired was probably an idiot. Most mechanics in commiefornia do not understand basic mechanics. I took my Porsche in because the oil pressure was reading high. The mechanic did not understand how high oil pressure could be bad for an engine...
I had a Honda 2005 VTX 1300 w/ a single disk on the front wheel. I hadn't dropped it or anything, but there was a problem with the handle bars not being square with the front tire assembly. I thought it was from the unequal torque caused by only one disk on the wheel. I figured that one of those fork brace items that fit near the fender would have been a help but off loaded it on another bike before that happened. Also when I took it to the Honda dealer they said there was no problem with the steering. They were wrong, but they were also where I bought the unit ... so there's that. What do you think? Have you ever encountered this sort of thing before?
Don't forget to check for rust. Look in the engine compartment and non-obvious places for rust and signs that the bike has been left out in the elements and not taken care of in general. Also make sure to check all electric components turn signals Etc.
another thing to check i didnt see on a previous video i watched was bearings. wheel bearings, swing arm bearings. cant think of what its called but the neck, triple clamps forks bars meet, bearings in the neck there.
I’m really stuck between buying a Indian scout or a Honda interstate which one would be better? I love how they both look one is way bigger then the other and this would be my first bike
Isn’t that a touring bike? Thought you said cruiser bike.
What would cause a bike to have a rub when you turn on a 1500 kowisoki Vulcan classic
Thank you
Can you find me a late model low mileage stock FatBoy or Street Glide for around $10k ? I’ll come get it.
How are the Honda vtx I’m looking for a cheaper but reliable bike I heard the vtx are good but is there anything to look out for
I got a 1300. The VTX is a nice bike. But I want something bigger now so get what you want. This was my first bike also so if you are not comfortable with a bigger bike then I would look at a shadow 1100 first. They look like the vtx only a little smaller
1983 Yamaha Virago 750 for 1200 obo? 20,000 miles?
Today is Feb 16 2019.
Good price
Very nice very very nice video:D
Hoping for more!
The Royal Star is beautiful
Meh, well next week I might buy a bike from u guys. I got to get rid of my POS magna
sounds like a plan
The only problem I have is that every other sentence when he ends sounds like he's smacking his lips. Like he's gathering saliva so his mouth doesn't get dry from speaking.
i like this bike very
great video, these are the kind of videos we need - more tips for new riders plz!
i like your videos how about waiting for Jose to finish cutting your lawn before making a video
Such a devilishly good video my like was number 666 lol keep great vids and words of wisdom God bless Srk Team
A pretty girl standin next to that bike in this video would have been nice. Just throwing it out there.
Thanks for the video. I have a one question. I'm looking at 2008 honda shadow spirit 750 to buy. It is shaking a lot (Gas tank) while it is idling. Is it normal? The owner told me that it is vtwin engine and it is normal.
palanangel a shadow 750 shouldn't be shaking a whole lot. They shake but not excessive it's only a 750.
Thanks for reply. I'm a new to bike and just passed the msf course. This bike shakes excessively (especially gas tank) more than the bike I used in the class which was more older.
palanangel If you've got the slightest doubts, walk away from it. There are plenty more out there. If your a new ish rider and your not happy to start with then you'll be looking for the slightest problem while you're riding. You don't need distractions while you're getting used to its performance characteristics. If your determined you like it then either take someone with you that knows bikes or get an independent report from a bike mechanic. you might end up paying for the report but it's going to be a lot cheaper than huge bike repair bill's later.
MrLTD1100 Steve. I think you are right. Thank you very much for your advice.
Iv owned a shadow spirit 750 c2 for 3 years and it should never do that. Something is obviously wrong and if you do buy it it's worth taking it in for a service to get that checked.
hey man, thanks for the video, is really good!!!!, i have a question, my friend and i are planning to buy our first cruises motorcycles, i really don't like the small cylinder bikes actually small size bikes but i know i cannot start with a big bike because is gonna be my first and actually I am in the leaning process of how to ride, I'm having in my mind a 650cc Yamaha/Honda/Kawa.. but of course a second hand and I really do not want to spend more that 2.5k, any recommendations? PLEASE READ AND ANSWER THIS BECAUSE I KNOW YOUR EXPERIENCE WILL HELP US A LOT!!!!!!!
You gotta stop the mouth clicking thing man. I enjoy your videos but that annoys me so bad. Every other sentence you do the lip smack . Please stop.
i do that too lol
Fuck. I didn't notice till I read this comment now that's all I see...
Maybe it's an uncontrollable tick? You ever stop to think about that ya douche? No probably not.
What a shitty comment.
Wow what a sensitive dude man I bet you swing both ways you are so sensitive like you notice these things Wow
I gotta challenge your "it's obvious if the bike has been laid down" comment. I crashed my bike (07 Vulcan 900) and it slid all the way across the intersection and the only evidence is a slightly scratched handlebar cap. It slid on the slide guards on the pegs. I've had multiple friends look it over and they can't tell I laid it down. I might be rare, but just to keep in the back of your mind.
Hey brother that is a Vulcan custom not a classic. Great video
Beard and Hair a little on the messy side!
Maybe you could start buy trimming the beard. Dude this is public relations job. That overgrown beard thing went out like 30 years ago
He is making hard work of it not good