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Even though a test drive is one of the easiest ways of finding faults in a used motorcycle, there is actually a lot to learn before you make your way off the lot. While most HD dealerships will have an inspection system in place, it is always worth knowing exactly what you should be looking for. You should find that HD dealerships generally have no issue with you performing your own inspection on a bike, but just be sure to bring a long a flashlight when you make the trip, as even a bike can be a hard place to find small faults. The first place to look when you find a bike that you like at one of the many HD dealerships is the frame. This will be the main place to find any major faults on the bike, and if at all possible, you should try to remove some of the body panels or at least get in behind them with your flashlight for a better look. Any signs of warping, cracks or welding damage mean that the frame is in less than perfect condition and the bike should probably be avoided. If you are looking at a collector’s item, you should consider the cost of replacing a frame if the purchase is that valuable to you. A point for inspection that HD dealerships rarely miss, but is always worth checking in on yourself, is the chain and sprockets. While a belt driven bike is obviously easier to inspect, you will need to check the chain thoroughly. Any kinks in the chain or warping of the sprocket will need to be fixed before you ride the bike. Not only can these problems be very expensive to fix in the future, they could also endanger the safety of the rider. Also look for any wear on the teeth of the sprockets, and if there is any present, make sure that it is even. A smaller point to take note of is the state of all of the electrical connections on the bike. Any signs of calcification may indicate a bad battery or even a damage electrical rig. While it is only a small part of a bigger picture, the electrical array on a bike can be quite costly to replace if ever the need arises. Make sure that the HD dealerships have an inspection policy in place on all of their motorcycles, and you should not have to inspect them at all; you can simply rely on the dealer to do their job properly. For more information on the HD dealerships, please visit our website.
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