Things to consider when buying a used superbike

Buying a used superbike certainly looks promising considering that the value of a used motorcycle drops significantly once it rolls out of the dealership and then depreciates based on how long it has been used.

A motorcycle ridden for nearly 12 months is likely to cost around 70% of its original value (depending on the registration year and total kilometres covered). While it does bring a lot to the table when considering the monetary part of the deal, there also are certain things you need to consider when going for a used superbike.

A pre-owned superbike does sound like a satisfactory deal but there are many factors you need to keep in mind before actually settling your mind on a bike. While the used premium bike market is flooded with a number of options from Japanese to Italian, the question you should be asking yourself is - what is the kind of bike you desire. There are many body styles to choose from - supersport, naked roadster, adventure, etc., and then you need to decide whether you like Italian, German or Japanese superbikes. Goes without saying, all the different manufacturers and their machines differ from each other based on performance, after-sales service, spares cost, and more such factors that can bring a whole lot of difference in terms of satisfaction of owning a premium motorcycle. Also needless to say, there's no point in investing a huge amount on a bike that you are unable to ride and enjoy the way it demands to be ridden.

Once you've decided what bike you are looking for, make sure that you educate yourself about its spare parts costs and availability. Because no matter how lucrative the deal may look like, if prices of its maintenance and services are sky-high, it will be a herculean task to keep the bike in a good shape in the longer run.

In order to find out if a bike is worth your time and energy, get it checked at an authorised service centre. Proper service records should be there ensuring that the motorcycle is in a good shape, if not, checking the insurance papers for 'No Claim Bonus' is also a good idea to find out that no major repair work has been carried out on the bike. This is the only way to make sure that the bike is properly used and not abused, and the kind of bill you may expect down the line.

Brands such as Ducati and Triumph already operate their pre-owned motorcycle businesses which are some of the most reliable ones to find your dream superbike. They can also be trusted to get the motorcycle checked with their pre-owned motorcycle arm.

Once you finalise your dream bike and find a genuine seller, seal the deal if you find the bike has been well kept. A seller might demand a higher price given the years of dedication and money that has gone into maintaining the superbike. At the same time, it is definitely better to always go for a well-kept motorcycle with verified service history rather than ending up with a low-cost lemon.