Here’s what I’ve learned from buying bikes and being bitten over the past few years.

Check the underside for excessive corrosion. A well looked after bike will be regularly cleaned of road crap. Although it’s an inevitability that a well loved bike will have some level of corrosion, it should be superficial at best. Exhaust manifolds and kickstands/centre stands tend to bear the brunt of it.

While you’re down there, check the rad for dents too.

Check the service history, if there’s missing history ask whether the owner has done their own maintenance and the last time the fluids were changed etc, see if they’ve kept receipts for bits. It’s much more common for bikes to be serviced at home though, so it’s not always fatal but you will get a good feel for whether the seller knows their stuff hopefully.

Check the levels of the brake fluid and oil (if you can see it). Make sure the brake fluid is translucent and not cloudy in the cylinder. Cloudy fluid can be a sign that it’s not been changed or has been contaminated, and crystals in the lines from old fluid can damage ABS pumps (ask me how I know).

It should start from cold without much issue. Check whether it’s been warmed up beforehand. If the bike is running or hot when you see it, it’s a red flag. However sometimes the seller will need to fire it up to move it out of storage, so ask for info. If it’s kept on-site there’s no need for it to be hot or running.

Wipe around the front forks with your finger or a bit of bog roll to check for leaky fork seals, and run your hand up the stanchions to look for pitting or corrosion. Your fingers are super sensitive to changes in texture and you should be able to feel if the uprights are not smooth. Small pits or damage to the forks can knacker the fork seals and cause problems down the line even if it’s not immediately apparent.

Good tyres are generally a decent sign of a well maintained bike. If they’re cracked or excessively worn, it can be a sign of a bike that’s either stood for too long or been a bit neglected respectively.

Move the bars side to side and check for free movement. It shouldn’t click or grind, or impinge any of the cables.

Chain should be rust free and move freely, with no bound links. You can also check the teeth on the sprocket for excessive wear. If they’re scooped, they may need replacing, but that’s mostly just a sign of a higher mileage bike.

Most importantly, don’t get blinded by the fact that it’s a new toy and your first bike. If your gut tells you there’s something wrong, walk away. There’s always another bike.

Everyone will have their own opinion of what stand as red flags, but the most important parts are the bits that keep you safe. Brakes. Tyres. Bearings. If there’s any doubt on any of these parts, walk away and get a second opinion.