Great write up. When I bought my first bike, I rushed into it and did not know what to look for. If I had read something like this I would have known to walk away. Thumbs up

 

Couple of easy things to look for -

- clean/lubed chain
- fork seals
- chain slack

I personally look at the above two listed initially, then check for other things like rusted bolts, other seals, coolant used (be wary of water wetter users, unless the person really knows what they are doing). Always check the basic maintenance stuff, if the person isn't willing to do the basic stuff, then you can imagine how they do in the other areas.
Just like a car, most good owners keep a maintenance log.

Be patient, you can always find a gem out there, since most riders around here are vanity riders. Mileage isn't a huge factor, so long as it has been properly maintained - remember, valve checks are very important since most I4's these days rev to no end.

 

Very helpful, thanks for taking the time to write this up

 

Thanks for posting this. I'm looking at getting a bike after this lawsuit finally goes through and I get PAID! lol