Introduction: Purchasing a bike is a desire rather than a necessity since it conveys a sense of speed, independence, and travel. There is a lot of excitement and enthusiasm when someone considers purchasing a bike for the first time, but there are also questions like which bike is best, how much mileage it will typically get, whether maintenance will be too much, whether it fits within my budget, what my family will think, whether the sale price is good, whether people will notice, whether my friends will be impressed, and whether I will need to buy riding gear. These questions are only addressed when we make a decision based on our needs, preferences, and budget. These days, bikes are more than just a mode of transportation; they are an integral part of who we are. Let's find out how to purchase the best affordable bike.
1. Purpose of buying a bike: The objective of knowing why you want to get a bike is crucial before making the purchase. The following list includes typical reasons for purchasing a bike:
a. Daily commuting: For everyday commuting, choosing a bike should be practical. This means that you should consider your daily usage, costs, maintenance, and comfort while making your purchase rather than merely the bike's appearance or style.
photo credit: carandbikeThe bike should be serviceable and have a service center close by, and there should be less maintenance required so you don't need to visit the workshop as often.
The bike should be comfortable, easy to maneuver in traffic, and smooth to ride. The bike should be within budget but not too costly. For the bike to endure everyday strain, its construction should be robust and long-lasting.
b. Long rides and touring: You need a bike that is comfortable, robust, well-built, and dependable if you currently have one for everyday commuting and enjoy long rides, weekend trips, or highway touring. Long rides are not appropriate for daily commuting cycles, so having a bike with features tailored for touring is crucial.
photo credit: bikewalec. sports bike riding: if you enjoy riding in a racing fashion and are a speed and excitement enthusiast. A sport bike with strong acceleration that passes other bikes. A sports bike is the best choice for you if you want a performance pickup, but there are a few things you should consider.
A sport bike's disc brakes with ABS are essential for controlling high speeds. It brakes quite quickly and sharply. On a sport bike, wind tires offer superior grip for cornering. Advanced digital meters seen on the majority of sports bikes contain features including gear indicators, lap timers, RPM meters, speed alerts, Bluetooth connectivity, and several settings.
For sports riding, it is crucial to wear riding gear. To see why this is the case, click here.
d. Family use: If you intend to ride with other family members, including your mother, father, wife, brothers, sisters, and grandparents, in addition to your normal employment, you need a bike that is reliable, pleasant, and safe.
For family use, a bike is required that has safety features like tubeless tires (which can reach home safely even in case of puncture), CBS (combined braking system), better braking control, or good headlamp visibility (for night rides).
If you have to carry some luggage in your daily work, then rear carrier and hook options in the bike are helpful in special scooters.
2. Decide on a budget: Determine your maximum budget before purchasing a bike, and then choose whether you want to pay in full now or in installments. You should determine how much you can invest comfortably by taking a look at your monthly income and costs.
The on-road price, which includes RTO registration fees, insurance, road tax, and extras (such as a helmet and leg guard), is different from the showroom price. Example: If the showroom price of the bike is 85000, then after including the above-mentioned charges, the on-road price can be 95000 to 100000.
If you want to consider the EMI option, then the more down payment you make in the EMI option, the lower the monthly EMI will be. Before considering the EMI option, you must compare loan interest (bank vs. showroom finance). Don't just look at the price of the bike but also look at its mileage, servicing cost, and spare parts cost; sometimes long-term maintenance of a cheap bike is more expensive.
3. Secondhand bike: Before buying a secondhand bike, definitely check these things.
Condition: Check the overall condition of the bike, like whether the engine sounds are smooth or not. If there is an unusual sound coming from the engine, then there may be a problem.
Also check if there is any leakage (oil or fuel) in the bike.
Check if there are many dents/scratches on the body of the bike and also check the condition of the tires, as old tires have less grip.
Check the odometer reading of the bike to see how many kilometers the bike has run. A bike that has run for 20000 to 30000 km is generally considered safe if it is properly maintained. This gives an idea of the wear and tear of the bike.
Check the service history of the bike. Whether the bike has been serviced regularly or not and in which workshop the service was done, it is also good to ask; if the service record is available, then it is best.
Documents: Check the legal documents of the bike, like the RC (Registration Certificate), which should be original, and the name should be transferable.
The bike should have valid papers or third-party full coverage insurance.
The bike's PUC certificate (pollution) should be valid.
Confirm that there is no loan on the bike and that there is no pending loan.
Test ride: Ride the bike and see if the gear shifting is smooth or not, if the brakes are feeling proper or not.
Feel the bike's acceleration and handling to see if there is any unusual vibration or problem.
Ownership history: bike ki ownership history check kare or ye check kare ki bike pehle kitne logo k nam pe thi try karo ki 1st and 2nd owner wali bike lena 3rd or 4th owner wali bike jyada use ho chuki hoti hai.
Price Compare: It is very important to compare the price of a secondhand bike with similar bikes on online portals (like OLX and BikeDekho) and understand the market resale value of the bike.
RTO work: Once the deal for the bike is finalized, get the name transfer done properly in the rates. Some dealers or agents handle this process by taking a charge.
Bonus tip: If after buying a secondhand bike you get a full check-up done by a mechanic once, then long-term problems can be avoided.
After-sale service: After-sales service means that after buying the bike, what kind of service is being provided by the company or dealership that is providing support of maintenance service?
For example, the service center of the brand of bike you are buying should be easily available in your area.
If any part of the bike gets damaged, it is very important to get original spare parts quickly. If parts are not available in the local market, you may have to wait.
A bike with low maintenance cost is more practical. For example, in every service of the bike, you have to get things like engine oil, filter, brake check, and chain lubing done. Their cost should be reasonable.
New bikes have a manufacturer warranty of 2-5 years, and 3-4 free services are available; during this period, servicing is quite affordable.
If there is any problem with a new bike, the company's long free support, complaint handling, or service booking process should be smooth.
Resale value: Resale value means how much market value is left at the time of selling the bike; if your bike is in good condition and is a popular model, then you get more money.
Resale value advantages: Popular brands like Hero, Honda, Bajaj, and TVS have good resale value because their demand is high, parts are easily available, and maintenance is low.
Value of high mileage bikes, like if your bike is fuel efficient 60+, then buyers take more interest in it.
The condition of the bike also matters a lot, like if the bike's maintenance record, servicing is done on time, and the engine is good, then the resale value automatically becomes high.
Scratch-free body, smooth engine, and clean papers increase the resale value of the bike.
Resale value disadvantages: If you have any changes in your bike (silencer, body parts, lights), then the resale value can fall. Buyers prefer original condition.
The age and driving kilometers of the bike matter. If a bike is 1-3 years old and has less than 30000 km, the resale value of the bike is good.
The value of a bike that is 5 years old or has 60000 km falls.
The documents of the bike must be complete, and the RC, insurance, and pollution certificate should all be updated.
There should be no pending challans or RTO issues on the bike; only then will you get a good rate in resale.
