Bonneville America Forums Forums Off Topic Discussion Forums Lounge Advice for a nubie on buying that 1st bike?

Howdy all and glad to be a newbie member of this forum. I am seeking some advice. I have had my eye on a 2002 Triumph America that is for sale in my area and he just lowered his price. Having never owned a motorcycle before as well a being mechanically retarded... Could anyone suggest what to look out for as far as signs of abuse or neglect beyond the obvious? I have ridden many bikes over the years and have successfully and safely rented several harley's to the tune of sporties, lowriders, and various dyna models. I have some extra cash burning a hole in my pocket and would like to finally pull the trigger on owning my own ride, but I am leary of buying someone elses headache and/or money pit. any advice would be greatly appreciated...

Bird.

What's the mileage? Has it ever been dropped? Is there a service record? How does it run? Does it have any mods done to it, cosmetic or performance? It is clean? How are the tires? How many owners since new? Was it garage kept or otherwise? Why is it being sold? What's the asking price? City ridden or highway? Does it come with any extras? Does it fit you? Was it ridden solo or two up?

Just a few questions to get a better idea of what you are looking at.

More info on the bike would be nice. These bikes are pretty tough, maintenance is fairly easy, the Triumph community is second to none.

wow, thank you for the quick response... the bike add reads: "2002 Triumph America 2-Tone, Saddle Bags Windshield Engine Guard New Front Tire and Front Brakes" that's all I know about it. and 10k miles. I will be sure to ask about service records and receipts, owner's manual, etc. also am thinking of doing a vin. number check to verify it is accident free. the only photo of the bike on the post looks pretty good. But there is only 1 photo.

the reason for this post is some help on what to look for when I go to see it in person, and/or questions I should ask. I just don't want to look and or sound like the neophite that I am, nor do I want to get stuck with a money pit. Thanks again gang!

Bird.

how much do they want? 10,000 miles, it's a baby

Jay, you are user 7777.... cool

name your new America 'Old Time No. 7'

wow, 7777 that is cool. maybe my vanity plate... lol. originally was asking $3500. now asking $2800. i think the price is right if the bike is sound. I know where to put the gas and where to check and put the oil, but that's the extent of my mechanic ability. I'm just afraid of it costing me a lot more in "deferred" maintenance. I am sure I will learn a lot about the parallel twin after owning one for a while.

Maybe I'm trying to know the unknowable. I like the bike very much and would love to be her new owner, I'm just afraid I may be biting off more than (my wallet) can chew if there is mechanical issues lying just below the surface.

And yes. 10k miles on a 10 year old bike does seem attractive, but in the back of my mind I'm thinking this thing could have been wrecked and collected dust for several years till the OL finally had enough and made him fix it up and get rid of it...

Bird.

Get it.

If it don't work out I'll give you a solid $1500 and cover shipping.

Because I'm good like that!

yep, that thing should be in your garage right now... for that price you can do a little maintenance

28 hundred is a good price... and it has low mileage. If the bike checks out just know that these bikes (Americas and Speedmasters, or Triumphs in general) are nice reliable rides. You should not have to throw much money at it except for the normal stuff like tires, chains and sprockets and oil changes. Speaking of tires... the ones on that bike are probably original (Bridgestone). If so you will need to change them because they are old and they were pure crap. Maybe you can use this a bargaining tool to get the price down a bit more.

Are the tires original, if so, maybe weather checked (age cracks)? If so, will need replaced. Ride the bike, how's the clutch and where on the let off , does it engage, chain and sprockets(if poorly aligned, can already be shot), does it track through corners properly (feel right), do the forks leak, run smooth through all throttle positions. Ask to examine the title (salvage), so no surprises after you hand over the $$$. 28 hundy is a GOOD price at the beginning of riding season, for a Great bike, but, you still want to be informed as to what and how much to properly square it away. Every machine requires maintenance, it's unavoidable. We (BA.Com community) will help you with any issues that you can not resolve yourself. Go forth make a decision.

I'd say go see it in person, let the guy know your serious and take it out for a spin if he'll let you. That is an awesome price. Wish I could get it myself. BTW if you pick her up and stay around here long enough your bound to learn a few mechanical skills, I can already tell you got some smarts after riding them dang ole HD's and now wanting to BUY a Triumph!

SpeedBird where are you located? There might be a member close by that could check out the bike.

It is only fair to warn you of a few issues regarding about these bikes Jay. Please consider these prior to making the purchase.

First, they are extremely dependable so if you buy one you may not be able to wear it out.

Second, you are almost guaranteed to develop an irresistible urge to enhance/personalize/tinker with it. The heartiest among us have suffered from this affliction.

Lastly, be prepared to discuss the bike with total strangers. For some strange reason people tend to gravitate to these bikes.

If you thing you have the resolve to deal with these known issues then you may be the right kind of person to own an America.

BTW, I have a 2002 America as well.

I suggest you list your location and perhaps a local member could assist you; someone with an eye to mechanical stuff and more experience. With modern motorcycles, 10K miles really isn't much but keep in mind that with the age of the bike, it well could have been poorly serviced and the fluids may need to be changed (oil, fork oil, brake fluid, etc), the brake pad wear needs to be checked and cables lubed. You should service the bike fully as soon as you buy it due to the age. My last piece of advice is to NEVER NEVER NEVER believe the PO about anything. They will tell you that the oil was changed the day before and the bike was ridden by a little old lady. Assume any of this info is, well, incorrect. Take someone who is motorcycle savvy. The WORST thing a new rider can do is buy a sportbike with a lot of plastic which when broken, costs more to replace than the bike is worth. The America will make a good first bike as the power is moderate and the bike seems easy to ride except for being a bit floppy at very low speeds due to the rake of the front end.

In all seriousness Jay, everything contributed here is good advice. Look at the tires, check for leaks, evaluate the general condition of the bike. If it looks like someone has been paying attention to the details, like a clean chain, rims, lower motor, etc., chances are pretty good they also have taken care of the innards. Really doesn't take a great deal of work to do that since these bikes are pretty solid to begin with. If you're not overly familiar with Triumphs don't be alarmed with the engine 'chatter' whe you fire it up...a certain amount is normal. If you get to ride it check out the shifting, steering, any rattles or loose feeling stuff. And like everyone has said, $2800 for a bike with 10K on it, even if it is 10 years old, is a steal.

Bike looks pretty good.

In bought a 2002 in 2010 for $7500(Canadian), and even though it may have seemed allot the bike only had 2200 km as well as nubies on the tires! 2 years later and I still love the bike! The guys here at Bonnieville America forums are so helpful, so you wont be alone! Another quick tip in buying used would be always check the gas tank with a flashlight and make sure there isnt any debris(flakes of rust) floating inside. All in all 2002 rock! Good luck!

Only "advise" I can add is when you test ride it make some tight figure eights, if you can do that smoothly then you will love the fast stuff.
I just bought an '02 BA with 12,500 miles(and spend nearly twice what you are looking at, but I'm in NY and it seems everything in freakin' NY is through the roof)
This is a great bike, I'm a semi- mechanical retard myself, but have already had the fuel tank and seat off so I could mess with the wires for a light bar...no sweat.
Good luck with your purchase.
repo

I also bought my '02 used, in '06, and it had 3400 miles on it. I got it for $5500 which I thought was a good price since it came with a ton of extras. You're looking at half the price for a bike with only 7000 miles more, you should be owning that thing already. First bike, it's a good price, don't worry about the rest of the stuff if you like it, it's okay to put a few bucks into it.

thanks everyone! great advice. I called the PO and am going over to look at it on tuesday. I have an old poker buddy that holds an engineer degree from MIT and works at a local custom bike shop. I'm going to ask him to ride with me to look it over...

ljpm that's her! the only pic of her but you found it!

philwarner , your BA looks awesome! love the back rest the missing passanger foot pegs! beautiful!

ok, so i talked to the guy. he's had it since feburary... says he lives in a condo with no parking so he's kept it at a storage place for safe keeping. and says it's becoming too much like work having to go drive to get it, ride it, put it back, drive home, etc. He bought it knowing it needed a new front tire and breaks. factored that into the price and had the work done right after he bought it. says he changed all fluids too but...

clear title, no crashes. he did say he gently set it down on its left side in the parking lot at the hd dealership. hit the front break with the wheel turned in a parking spot and couldn't hold it up. some scratches on the mirror but other than that...

also she's sportin the dreaded bridgestones...

I feel much more confident from your words and support. I can't thank all of you enough! I will see her on tuesday (wish it was monday night now... lol) and I'll go from there.

Thanks again Mates! and I'll let you know how it went!

Bird.

P.S.

I live in Naples, Florida. and work at:

http://www.naplesfortmyersdogs.com/

in the poker room if anyone is in the area this area. Also i looked it up. this might be the "southern most" Triumph in the country. lol. nearest T dealership is about 50 miles north in fort myers or on the other coast in ft. lauderdale.

Bird.

The biggest Red Flag on any used bike is Crash Damage.
I don't know what accessories it has on it, so just ask
yourself, "What parts look like they would hit the ground 1st it fell over?"
Look at those spots. Do you see any scratches, or flat spots where
scratches have been polished out?
Look for turn signal stalks bent, handlebar tweaked out of
place, wheels out of line, mirrors, hand levers, footpegs, brake pedal, shift lever bent or scratched.
If the bike passes this, you're good.
But as others have said, it's a good idea to bring another
Motosapien with you. Can't beat experience.

My suggestion is to let the seller know a day or 2 before you are going to look at it, that you want the bike to be stone cold when you arrive. Feel the pipes to make sure it is indeed cold, then ask him to start it for you. Stand behind smell the exhaust and look for oil smoke for maybe 30 seconds or so, then stand next to it, see if there are any weird noises, then take it for a spin.