Buying Motorcycle

If you're looking to get on a motorcycle for the first time then you're bound to need a bit of advice on motorcycles, helmet, insurance and allsorts so we've pulled together some key tips you'll need to buy your first motorcycle.

Motorcycle

What type of bike do you want/need?
Shop around
Take somebody who knows their stuff
Budget
Choose the right motorcycle kit
Test ride your motorcycle
Haggle
Get the motorcycle checked out
Get the best insurance deal
Don't get carried away
Ask an Expert

What type of bike do you want/need?
This is a very important question to ask yourself. If you live in London and you're only going to be commuting everyday you don't want a Ducati 1098 or something similar. An upright, reliable, naked bike would suit your needs much better.

Try to narrow your choice down from the beginning, to save you time looking at bikes you can't afford or don't need.

• Let MCN and user motorcycle reviews help you decide

Shop around
Once you know what type of bike you want, have a good look around your local dealers, on the internet and in classified sections like MCN's Bikemart.

If you're buying from a dealer don't go for the cheapest price straight away. Look at what they're offering you. Are they offering 0% finance or free insurance for a year? The price may look more expensive initially but deals like this could save you a lot of money in the long run.

• Choose from thousands of motorcycles for sale

Take somebody who knows their stuff
Don't walk in to a dealers on your own and tell them you're new to motorcycling. Most of them will be honest and try to help you, but some may try to fleece you.

Take a relative or friend who knows about motorcycles. They can check things you may not know about like tyres and chains. They can also be consulted and they may stop you from making a rash decision. Alternatively chat to people on the MCN forums who will be more than happy to offer you advice

Budget
Bear in mind that you're not just budgeting for the expense of the motorcycle. You also need to have enough money left over to pay for insurance, tax and possibly kit.

Choose the right motorcycle kit
The general feeling is that 10% of your budget should be spent on helmet, clothing, gloves and boots, so making sure you stick to your budget is important. Try some stuff on in store then browse through our Shopping section to compare prices.

The old saying of 'You get what you pay for' applies here. If you buy a £50 helmet from your local supermarket chances are it's not going to be good.

Just buy the best kit you can within your budget. Like motorbikes, there's nothing to stop you upgrading when things get old and tatty.

• See the SHARP helmet safety test results before you decide

Test ride your motorcycle
If you're not able to take the motorcycle for a test ride then at least have a sit on it to make sure it's not too big or small.

Don't just sit on the bike for a minute or two, either. If the salesman is with you stay sat on the bike in the riding position while you're chatting to him.

Needless to say, if it's possible to take a test ride, do it. Half an hour on a bike could bring up some interesting things you wouldn't have found otherwise.

Haggle
Everybody enjoys the thrill of a bit of haggling, especially the buyer when they achieve a price they want.

You don't have to haggle for more money off the price of the bike. If you're a new rider and need to buy motorcycle kit as well, see if they will throw some gear in for a reduced price. Remember: Don't ask, don't get.

Get the motorcycle checked out
If the bike is second hand then make sure you get it checked out properly. Make sure it has an MOT and a full service history, if not then a partial service history is better than none at all.

Also get a History check with MCN Bikecheck. If you're not sure of the history this could be valuable, as it will tell you if the bike has been stolen at any point and the last time it was insured.

Get the best Insurance deal
Get a quote from our Compare Insurance section, but don't jump at the cheapest motorcycle insurance option. Look at what they're offering you. Some may offer insurance cover abroad for your motorbike, while others may not.

Try and check everything you can because there'll almost always be something in the small print that you didn't expect.

Don't get carried away
When you've purchased the bike there's no doubt you will be over-joyed, but don't get too carried away and drop it in the forecourt.

It may sound daft, but it's an easy mistake to make.

Don't forget, if you've got a more detailed question then why not use our Ask an Expert section to get the advice you need.