How to Buy a Used Dirt Bike on Craigslist in 10 Steps


Craigslist is considered the best site today to buy used dirt bikes. It has a very large variety of good and honest sellers who sell dirt bikes; however, it can be tricky to use craigslist, especially for people who want to buy from there for the first time.

I personally for the first time bought my first dirt bike on craigslist, and then, I was very confused because I did not know what to buy and what ads are the best for me to buy from. But over time, I gained experience and came to the conclusion that I have to write this guide.

In this post, I will show you how you can buy used dirt bikes on craigslist in 10 simple steps.

So, let’s get started.

How to buy a used dirt bike in craigslist in 10 steps

Step 1. Be sure you really want to buy used dirt bikes on craigslist.
Step 2. Know what kind of dirt bike you want.
Step 3. Get started on Craigslist.
Step 4. Make sure the ad is full of details.
Step 5. Get feedback on the ad.
Step 6. Choose your ad and contact the seller.
Step 7. Know how to argue the price.
Step 8. Meet the seller.
Step 9. Do a test drive.
Step 10. Buy the dirt bike successfully.

Need dirt bike safety gear? Click here to buy safety gear for dirt bike riding on amazon , or go check my sales pages of recommended safety gear page click here to view.

biker making a stunt and jumps in the air

Step 1. Be sure you really want to buy used dirt bikes on craigslist

Before I even begin to show you the steps and process of buying used dirt bikes from craigslist, you first of all need to be sure that you are really willing to spend money and time buying because you have to understand that buying the dirt bikes also costs money even though they are used. I personally know lots of people who don’t take this into account and thought they could take out a loan to buy the dirt bike, so it’s important to be aware of your bank account status.

In addition, it is important to know that buying on craigslist is also not easier and more complicated than buying new dirt bikes, so if you decide to buy from craigslist, take this into account and be ready to spend more time.

Step 2. Know what kind of dirt bike you want

What a lot of people miss out is that they don’t know what kind of dirt bike they want. Knowing the type of dirt bike you want, even including the price range, will save you tons of time because you can filter your search on Craigslist to get the results that suit your needs and no other results that are likely to confuse you.

In general, these 2 steps are all the things and factors you need to know and consider before you even sign up on to Craigslist and I recommend that you list them on the page.

  • Where are you ready to go to meet with the seller – You have to decide the places you can sacrifice to go to meet the seller while taking into consideration the amount of fuel you will spend, and of course, the best thing is to look for a place that is closer to your location.
  • Know which dirt bike model you want – Of course, at first, you have to know exactly which model you want while this may also take time because figuring out and choosing which dirt bike you want is not a simple task, so take your time.
  • Know what price you are willing to buy – It is important that you also understand your limits and what your final budget is for buying a bike because if you do not know exactly what your final budget is, you will not know how to bargain with the sellers on the price which will later result into the seller winning you. So, know what your final price is and try it as little as possible.
  • Know what condition you are ready to get the used dirt bike – You have to understand that most used models are not sold in the best condition while it is even quite rare to find a used model in very good condition, so consider this and understand exactly what you are ready to get from the used dirt bike. This is categorized into three as listed below:

In bad condition (dirt bike will be sold very cheap)

In a fair condition (dirt bike will be sold at a lower price than the original price)

In an amazing condition like a new one (dirt bike will most likely be sold for a few hundred dollars than the original price)

  • Know whether you want a riding test or not – This is very important in the purchasing process because the dirt bike may not be the type of model you want and will save you time knowing if the seller offers a riding test or not. Most people buy the dirt bike only after a riding test and you will understand that too if you are ready to get the used model with riding test or not while making sure you have CY Endorsement because there are sellers who do not allow a riding test without it.

Step 3. Get started on Craigslist

Once you’ve figured out what model you want and what your limits are, it’s time to start looking on Craigslist for the best-used model that suits you while considering it’s a process that takes time.

Here are all the steps you need to take to find a deal that’s right for you:

Open the site – You get it probably? Just before you enter craigslist.org to start searching.

Choose your country, city or town – After opening craigslist, choose your country first, followed by your city or town. You can also select other cities near you which you can easily travel to, to meet with the seller.

Choose a category or search for dirt bikes – Use Craigslist’s search feature and type dirt bikes. From there, it will give you all the results of used models for sale near your area while if you want to get a more accurate search, I highly recommend using Craigslist filters, which would even shorten your searching time for a few hours or even days. In general:

  • You can reduce the number of ads when you set your price.
  • You can limit newer and not older posts because chances are that over a year ads on Craigslist have already been sold.
  • You can also list all the cities and areas you would be willing to go to buy the dirt bike.
  • If you have a specific dirt bike model that you have recorded to buy, it will significantly shorten your search time.

Step 4. Make sure the ad is full of details

It is very important to make sure that the ad you have chosen is a quality one and from a reliable seller by checking if it has enough details about the dirt bike and the seller as well as a clear picture of the dirt bike. If the ad does not have all these things, then for sure, the seller is unreliable. Also, know that there are lots of people selling stolen dirt bikes very cheap, and to get rid of them fast, strictly use all these features and buy from only a reliable seller.

Step 5. Get feedback on the ad

If it is your first time buying from craigslist and you are not sure it is worth buying from a seller that is relevant to you, I would highly recommend consulting your friend who may probably have bought on Craigslist to give you an ad that is very reliable.

In addition, you can also get feedback from people that have bought on Craigslist through forums and they would be very happy to help you. In fact, through forums is the best way to tell if the ad is from a trusted seller or not because a lot of people in the forums have experience and bought on Craigslist, which I am sure some have experienced scams and know what ads are reliable or not.

Enduro bike rider on action. Turn on sand terrain

Step 6. Choose your ad and contact the seller

Once you have chosen the ad that looks best for you, it is time to contact the seller to meet with him. This is a very important and a long step, so you have to fully understand this part and be very careful.

First of all, it is important that you contact the seller by calling him and not sending messages because few people will take you seriously by sending messages. Then during the call, I recommend that you check by your first impression how sound and trustworthy the seller is, or if he is the type that wants to sell you a stolen dirt bike. So, listen very carefully to yourself and know what you think about the seller.

In addition, it is important to know that you do not buy from youth because there are higher chances that the dirt bike is stolen, and even if you would buy from a youth, do not buy from a youth under 18 and meet with the person only in a public place. I even recommend you bring a friend who really knows about dirt bikes.

Ask questions

Before you call the seller, there are some important questions you will need to ask him on the phone.

  • Are there any damages to the dirt bike?
  • In what condition is the dirt bike?
  • How long have you been riding the bike?
  • Do you agree to take a riding test?
  • How often has the oil been replaced?
  • Do you love the dirt bike?
  • Can I see the title of the dirt bike?

Again, you need to make sure that the seller is a good and honest person and does not sell you a stolen bike. Regards this, I would highly recommend you read a detailed guide I wrote on how to know if the used model you want to buy is stolen or not click here to view the guide.

Step 7. Know how to argue the price

You must be able to argue the price while the negotiation of the price should happen on the phone before meeting each other. You both must agree on the price, and you should always try to lower the price in the cheapest way.

For example, let’s say the seller wants to sell at a price of $3,000 and you want to buy at about $2,700, tell the seller can only buy at $2,500. With this, there are chances that the seller will compromise and give you a price of $2,700, which is a win-win for both you and the seller.

In addition, no matter what, do not pay more than the price you set for yourself, no matter how much you may have. I am serious about this; if the seller does not agree, try to find another deal and do not compromise while reviewing all the relevant options and ads for you before applying for one ad and contacting the seller.

Step 8. Meet the seller

Once you and the seller have agreed on a price that you know it worth the bike, it is time to meet the seller while this is a very important step because you will only have to meet the seller in a public place and not in his home. I recommend you meet each other in the morning and in a place where there are a lot of people and you should also take a friend along to help you check out the dirt bike.

In addition, I highly recommend that you take along a friend who is a professional and knows much about dirt which would be a plus should in case the dirt bike has any problems and defects such as leaks, tire wheels and all other parts in general. If you want to see the full list of parts you need to check when buying a used dirt bike, I encourage you to click here.

Step 9. Do a test drive

It is very important to do a test drive and ask the seller to do it first. I believe most sellers will let you do a simple test drive and make sure the seller gives you the go-ahead while being careful not to hit the dirt bike when riding. Test all parts of the bike very well and see how they work.

Step 10. Buy the dirt bike successfully

After testing the dirt bike and you are satisfied, then buy the dirt bike but there are three important things you need to do and are:

  • Get the title – Ask the seller for a title and change the title to your name so that there won’t be any problems.
  • Buy insurance – It’s important that you also have insurance and there are lots of insurance companies. Just choose one and arrange in case there is damage to your dirt bike.
  • Register your bike in DMV.

Well done, you have successfully bought a used dirt bike on Craigslist.

Need dirt bike safety gear? Click here to buy safety gear for dirt bike riding on amazon , or go check my sales pages of recommended safety gear page click here to view.

For any questions, you may have or opinion on the article, feel free to write us a comment, and we will get back to you within 24 hours.

Thanks for reading, until the next post.

Rob

I’m Rob, the owner of RX Riders Place. My family and I have a long history of riding dirt bikes and ATVs and want to share what we have learned.

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