Whats the worst unseen damage that can happen when you lay down a bike?

Posted on December 31st, 2009 by admin in unseen | 13 Comments »

I am looking to purchase a motorcycle and I want to know what I should be looking for.

Broken or bent frame is about the most serious and common unseen damage.It can be hard to spot and even a bent frame will not always be apparent even with a test ride.When you do a test ride always make sure you try all the gears and at some point loosen your grip on the bars and see if the bike still tracks ok.Look at the bottom corners of the engine cases for road rash which would be a clue it has been on the ground

13 Responses

  1. sonti mama Says:

    foot rest.fuel tank
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  2. Ed F Says:

    Bent frame.The wheels won’t track straight or the swimgarm might be tweaked.
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  3. wiggysan Says:

    I once broke my pinkie toe.
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  4. Domoe Says:

    twisted frame, throw the rake off, broken bones
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  5. Low_Jac Says:

    The pebbles inbedded under the skin….

    Your gf who fell off and is crawling to the side of the road with broken ankles…
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  6. Andy F Says:

    Broken or bent frame is about the most serious and common unseen damage.It can be hard to spot and even a bent frame will not always be apparent even with a test ride.When you do a test ride always make sure you try all the gears and at some point loosen your grip on the bars and see if the bike still tracks ok.Look at the bottom corners of the engine cases for road rash which would be a clue it has been on the ground
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    longtime biker

  7. crash Says:

    just about any damage will show.
    look for scrape or scuff marks anywhere besides the ends of the foot pegs, a few scrape marks on the peg ends is normal.
    a bent frame will be obvious to anyone riding or driving behind you when your going straight down the road.
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  8. BRP Says:

    If it looks like it was laid down avoid it.
    Bent frames are hard to fix without tearing the bike apart and putting it into a frame jig to straighten it.

    Monor scuffs are normal but scrapes and gouges are not.
    Unless you have experience in working on bikes leave repairing them to the experts.
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  9. guardrailjim Says:

    Be on alert if the bike has brand new parts installed, or some parts look super dirty compared to the rest of the bike.
    Brand new parts are a sign that the bike was damaged and the owner did a quick fix before selling it.
    If, say a rim, part of the frame, or plastics, had some excess oil, mud, grease, or dirty chain lube on it and the rest of the bike looked spot less like it was just washed – the dirt can be covering up a crack or dent and the owner was trying to conceal it.
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  10. Don E Says:

    You could die and total the machine.How fast are you planning to go?
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    DE

  11. tomcotexas Says:

    Andy F and Guardrail Jim are doing well, others better look closer. Major engine damage can/does occur on a lay-down, if the engine keeps running, and the bike is on its side,where the oil pickup is clear of oil in the pan. This can/has occured, mostly on fuel injected bikes. It will run longer on the fuel in the injector system than it will without oil.

    Tomcotexas.
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  12. Mighal62 Says:

    While not the worst damage possible, a fractured battery cell is very possible. I had this happen on a race bike during a high speed low side. Not much damage to the bike but it kept missing when I put it back on the track. With a new battery the problem disappeared totally.
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    27 years riding

  13. reddishpa Says:

    DEATH
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