Used motorbike buying guides

Our expert guides to the best used bikes are your ultimate shopping companion. We pick the sector and pricepoint, then guide you through the models you need to know about, and what to consider when buying one on the second hand motorcycle market. Don't forget, the best place to start shopping is with MCN Bikes for Sale.

Year: ALL

I think the Suzuki GSX-R750 is a legendary bike. Here are some of my favourite iterations

Yesterday 15:50 by Bruce Dunn

The Suzuki GSX-R750 was the original road-going race rep and pretty much dominated racing until the late 90s. But when WSB rule changes ushered in the modern 1000cc era in 2000, the GSX-R750 became...

I remember watching these bikes win World Superbike titles, and now you can buy one from just £3800!

18 December 2024 by Jon Urry

Rather than exotic prototypes, the ethos behind World Superbikes was the fact that you could ride to the circuit to watch bikes very much like the one you arrived on. During the 1990s the series’...

This list of my favourite used middleweight sportsbikes prove you don't need to be rich to have fun!

18 December 2024 by Jon Urry

This year has seen the launch of the Suzuki GSX-8R as well as the Triumph Daytona 660, two brand-new easy-going middleweight sportsbikes that join the Yamaha R7, Aprilia RS660, Honda CBR650R and...

I reckon these bikes really changed the game. Here's my pick of the pioneers of motorcycling

18 December 2024 by Jon Urry

This week we are celebrating pioneers of the two-wheeled world, bikes that pushed boundaries and introduced some future tech first. Angle-responsive ABS arrived on the KTM 1190 Super Adventure in 2017...

All superbikes should offer blistering performance but I think the great ones have something more...

18 December 2024 by Jon Urry

Riding a bike shouldn’t just be about headline power figures, it needs to be about how the machine feels, what it responds like and even how it sounds. And on this front, these five used bikes are...

As a road tester I love the legendary RD350LC, but for £12k how about these ace used retros instead?

18 December 2024 by Jon Urry

Nostalgia sells. But there is a problem with nostalgia – in fact there are several. For starters older classic machines are now becoming very expensive. You are looking at over £12k for a mint Yamaha...

As a road tester, used V-Stroms don't tug at my heart strings, but they always manage to impress

18 December 2024 by Jon Urry

Suzuki’s V-Strom adventure bike range has often been a case of function over form, and the very early versions quickly gained a reputation for challenging styling but excellent practicality. As...

Thumping big V-twin nakeds are full of character and make a brilliant used buy. Here's my top five

18 December 2024 by Jon Urry

Nakeds are always popular but not everyone wants a full-on super-naked. So how about a cool-looking ride with a bit of soul thanks to a thumping V-twin engine? The good old V-twin is something of a...

The late '90s and early 2000s were a fantastic time to buy a sports tourer. Here are my favourites

18 December 2024 by Jon Urry

Want the perfect blend of fun and practicality? You’ll be needing a sports tourer. And in the late 1990s and early 2000s, that’s exactly what the buying public were seeking. During this period...

There used adventure-sports heroes will do it all, and I've found five bargains for less than £4k!

18 December 2024 by MCN

Adventure-sport bikes are supposed to give you the best of several worlds; the ability to cope with our potholed roads like an adventure bike, handle the daily commute as practical workhorses and even...

Learners might love 'em, but I reckon there's more to the humble 125... check out my top used picks!

18 December 2024 by Neil Murray

It’s a mistake to dismiss all 125 motorbikes as mere learner fodder: A decent 125 makes a perfect urban commuter as let’s be honest: battling through stalled city traffic on an R1200GS or Panigale is...

Fancy a Bonnie on a budget? Here are some of my favourite used options out there!

18 December 2024 by Neil Murray

There’s a story that a journalist went to Triumph’s Hinckley plant and somebody at the factory was careless enough to leave one of the pre-production 790 Bonneville prototypes parked outside.

Need a second bike for the commute? I've picked these five used maxi-scooters you'll want to look at

18 December 2024 by Neil Murray

What makes a scooter a maxi-scooter? Basically, big engines (300cc+), lots of weather protection, big seats and somewhere to stash loads of luggage. The result is great commuters often bought by...

I've sold loads of Yamaha R6s and in my opinion, these are the best you can buy second hand

18 December 2024 by Saul Towers

Yamaha were on the crest of a wave in the late nineties, capturing the imagination of the sportsbike-buying public with the inception of the space-age R1 in 1998, then again the following year with...

These secondhand A2 superstars for less than £3k prove you don't need unlimited funds to have fun

18 December 2024 by Jon Urry

If you’re 19 years old or more then after CBT, theory test and two-part practical test, you can gain an A2 licence, which allows you to ride a bike with up to 46.6bhp without L-plates. Bikes built...

Fancy a used hyperbike? Here are my tips, with a few wildcard superbikes thrown in for good measure

18 December 2024 by Bruce Dunn

Suzuki’s Hayabusa has long been the king of speed. From 1999 to 2018 and then from 2021 to today, the superfast Suzuki dominated the hyperbike niche and still has a massive cult following but that...

Middleweight twins are among the most popular used bikes. Here's why I think that is...

18 December 2024 by Jon Urry

A BMW K1600 will blitz you, a passenger and more luggage than you can stuff into the boot of a sportscar across a continent in comfort. But supertourers like the Beemer can be… well, a bit unwieldy...

Yamaha's naked MTs are serious fun, and a good used pick is under £4k. Here are my best buys...

11 December 2024 by Jon Urry

Yamaha’s naked MT range, which stands for ‘Masters of Torque’ kicked off with the MT-09 in 2013 and have been a big hit, equating to the majority of Yamaha’s European sales. What’s the secret? As well...

Heading off the beaten track needn't cost the earth. Check out these used adventure bike heroes!

09 December 2024 by Craig Fowell

Ever since the surge in popularity of adventure bikes in the early Noughties these two-wheeled SUVs have grown ever-more sophisticated, versatile… and expensive, with BMW and KTM’s latest now easily...

These digital superbikes were the first of their breed, and I reckon they're now ballistic bargains

06 December 2024 by Jon Urry

Nowadays it is impossible to buy a top-end sportsbike that doesn’t come with a huge array of electronic assists. Items such as ABS, traction control and power modes are the bare minimum while...

Parallel-twin nakeds aren't new, and you don't have to spend big on a new bike! Just £4k will do it

20 November 2024 by Jon Urry

Back in the ’90s and early Noughties, if a manufacturer wanted to build a competitive middleweight, the usual route was to take an older supersport inline four, retune it for extra midrange and then...

Can you have more fun than riding a good middleweight naked bike? I really don't think so...

15 October 2024 by Jon Urry

Boasting quality chassis components, these sporty options seriously up the fun-factor in naked biking. Entertaining on a B-road if the mood takes you, these five are also more than happy to line up on...

Clutch levers are going out of fashion for some but the idea isn't new and these bikes prove it

07 October 2024 by Jon Urry

BMW have recently displayed systems that aim to remove that tiresome clutch lever from the bars and minimise the requirement of moving your left foot while Honda have also just released their new...

These aren't just superbikes... they're my list of DREAM superbikes that you can buy used right now

13 September 2024 by Jon Urry

What would be parked in your dream garage? It’s a typical pub conversation and for some a dream ride might be an iconic Harley cruiser, a classic two-stroke or even a top-spec adventure bike but as so...

Give me 150-ish bhp and fewer electronics any day of the week | Expert guide to analogue sportsbikes

28 August 2024 by Jon Urry

The 1990s and early 2000s were a golden era for sportsbikes. They were exciting, great-looking and had performance figures that were much more accessible for road riders than some of the power#2;laden...

Comfort and joy! Sports touring in style and effortless comfort needn't break the bank...

26 August 2024 by Jon Urry

Sports-tourers are the jacks-of-all-trades of the two-wheeled world. More than happy to load-up and take you and a pillion around Europe, they are equally pleased to just be rolled out at a weekend...

We can't all be MotoGP superstars - but you can buy one of these used V4 sportsbikes!

20 August 2024 by Jon Urry

If you look at the current crop of MotoGP bikes and dive under the weird aero fins, there is a common theme. Honda, Aprilia, KTM and Ducati all run a V4. And in WSBK it is a similar story with...

Trackday fun for less! Scratch that short circuit itch with a used speed-seeker from £800

14 August 2024 by Jon Urry

Of course you could pitch up at your very first trackday with a spanking new Panigale, tyre warmers and all… but you are putting a load of pressure on yourself to perform and what if it all ends up in...

Let's go retro - from £2500! Head old-school with one of Yamaha's big-value used naked beauties

06 August 2024 by Jon Urry

When it comes to spirited retro motorcycles, Yamaha have nailed the brief. OK there have been a few bumps along the way (did someone say SCR950?) but in general they seem to be able to hit the...

Sub-£5k superbikes: they might break the speed limit, but these sizzlers won't break the bank

30 July 2024 by Jon Urry

Sales of new sportsbikes may have dwindled but the used market is as hot as ever – and that’s no surprise given the range of quality machinery on offer. Look in any dealership and super sport 600...

Taking on the French TET with a purpose-built KTM 690 Enduro R | The ultimate adventure bike?

25 July 2024 by Michael Guy

Welcome to the fourth episode of MCN Sports Editor, Michael Guy’s video series on buying and adapting the perfect adventure bike. Watch the previous episodes: Michael chooses, buys and modifies...

Fancy an old-school four? These are the used buys our expert reckons should be on your shopping list

22 July 2024 by Jon Urry

There’s no more definitive genre of motorcycle than the naked, big-bore, twin shock, retro-style Japanese fours which proved hugely popular between the mid-1990s and mid-Noughties. Bikes like...

Let it all hang out! Prepare for high-octane thrills on five of the best big-cc naked bargains

17 July 2024 by Jon Urry

The popularity of naked bikes has been on the rise ever since our sports bike infatuation started to wane. And is it any wonder? On a naked the exposed and upright riding position not only puts...

True sporting icons: the GSX-R range defined Suzuki for generations. So which to buy?

15 July 2024 by Jon Urry

It’s a rather sorry state of affairs that now, in 2024, Suzuki only have two GSX-R models in the range – and one is a GSX-R125! There’s the new GSX-8R too, of course, which had won fans thanks to its...

Maximum fun on a minimum budget - MCN's expert guide to used bikes to enjoy year-round

29 April 2024 by Jon Urry

Shopping on a budget for a bike you are going to use 12 months a year, whatever the weather – rather than tucking it away in the garage for sunny use only – doesn’t mean that you have to put up with...

Weird yet wonderful: not every Bologna-built bike was an instant beauty...

05 April 2024 by Jon Urry

A company known for beautifully-styled bikes, Ducati’s models have often crossed the boundary between art and transport. But every now and then designers go a bit rogue and the results are bikes...