When you purchase any type of vehicle it’s important to think about how many miles it has done. In general, the higher the mileage the more likely it is you’ll have issues with the vehicle. This is simply because the parts will all have suffered from wear and tear.
When it comes to dirt bikes, whether you’re looking at the best KTM dirt bikes Sydney or something else, 15-20k miles is generally considered high. But, there is more to it than mileage. Before choosing the perfect dirt bike you need to consider these points:
Servicing
A dirt bike is ridden hard in poor conditions. They ride across mud, water, and a variety of other surfaces. Most of the terrain is not beneficial to the bike. Dirt and water are particularly bad for the chain life.
If the bike isn’t well looked after then the engine and associated components are likely to encounter issues long before 15,000 miles. If you’re looking at buying a dirt bike make sure it has been serviced very regularly.
Of course, many dirt bike owners do the servicing themselves. But, even if this is the case, they should have receipts for the parts purchased.
Cleanliness
As mentioned, a dirt bike lives and works in extreme conditions. The best idea is to wash it down properly after every ride. That helps to prevent the dirt from becoming encrusted into the machine and causing an array of issues.
Anyone selling a dirt bike will probably have washed it to help it look its best. But, if you look more closely, a poorly kept one will have signs of dirt-encrusted in the hard-to-reach places. That tells you it’s not been properly maintained and it isn’t likely to survive until 15-20K.
In short, it either needs to be a great price or you’re looking for something to rebuild.
How It’s Been Ridden
Another key factor is riding style. A Dirt bike owned by someone that competes every weekend may have done fewer miles than the one that is used a couple of times a year for competitions and just for fun the rest of the time. However, it could well be in better condition and likely to last longer than the lower mileage version.
It’s essential to consider who has owned the bike and what it has been ridden like before you make a decision whether to buy, it or not.
Don’t forget, you can ask the owner about how they ride their bike, how often, and where. You can then look at the bike to see if their stories check out.
Age
It could be considered ageist but, in general, older riders don’t push their bikes quite so hard and take more time looking after them.
While you can’t use the age of the owner as a deciding factor, it can help you to make a decision regarding the authenticity of the bike. Of course, any possible purchase should be decided after you test ride the bike.
