Need some help please

I'm in the market for a BRP.
http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/mcy/2172917268.html
http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/mcy/2205711868.html
http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/mcy/2199161124.html

What should I be really wary of?
Good questions to ask?
What to look for?

These are the bikes I'm looking at, what should I be most concerned about?

Just my 2c's as to what I always do when buying 2nd-hand:
- In general, make sure that you do not need to buy ! ! ! There always are alternatives, also in this case. Forced buys always backfire.....
- I make an appointment to visit the seller. I instruct him not to start the engine as I need it stonecold - and will feel if it is! If it is not I walk away, there's zero excuses valid for having let it run beforehand, after all we had an appointment.
- Visiting the owner & vehicle face2face, in his yard/home, will tell you a lot for starters. Does he look after his yard/garden/house/kids? If not he won't his vehicle either.
- I must know what the chap does. An accountant (no offence pls) is less likely to spanner himself, but a fitter will. Who maintained the thing, and how often? If himself, I need to see his shed/workshop/tools etc.
- Why does he want to sell, and this I ask face2face only! Someone lying I'll notice, and invariably you'll learn something from the answer.
- How clean is it? If it is presented 'spotlessly clean' look at those places where oil likely will be (around/below the drainplugs (2!), around the front sprockets etc. Someone who really cleans here I'm more tempted to trust then someone using a pressure cleaner & a wet wipe only.
- Also, the carb & valve-cover are least accessible: really clean? If so then the chap takes the tank off regularly, I'd say a good sign.
- Chain & sprockets: clean? adjusted? worn? Case-protector 'used' at any stage? The latter would be a real negative, if cracks in the casing a costly one too.
- If not clean this will tell you more, and makes it more difficult. Would you offer a filthy piece?
- In the Pig's case I'll want to take the airfilter out, quick & easy. The state of this will tell you a lot, and any filth here (if he says he maintains it well) won't do then. Also, there MUST be sealing grease there, if lacking/dry I'd know enough.
- If he's got a bike stand/lift put it on. Get on the bike, stand up, and check the alignment of the forks visually. Nothing less than deadstraight/square will do.
- Then feel for play EVERYwhere! Headstock, races, wheelberaings, swingarm, linkage, kickstarter, footrests, levers, switches, wherever you fancy. Any play discovered on links/bearings (not the levers of course) will drop the price, kickstarter ditto. And no, you will fix it, not him!
- If it's been visibly dropped: this is a dirtbike, I'll drop it too. Decide for yourself if/how it affects you.
- Scuffmarks ditto, I actually know very few barefoot riders
- Ask for the (known) history. Any major repairs? If not, and you discover that the cases/cylinder/top have been off this would be a dark mark in my book. But, as I'm handy enough, this might not be a killer, only the price has fallen steeply.
- Push by foot - not kick - on the kickstarter, slowly crank it quite a number of times. First of all no funny noises should emerge, but also the compression must feel good. Do not pull the decomp-lever unless really required - and this last bit is a must in this case.
- Then open fuel tap, keep the choke OPEN (!!), proceed to cranck it a few times (with decomp), and start it according to how you must do it (read up on this, or ask if you dunno). I this won't work try next with the choke, however I'd prefer the thing to at least cough without choke.
- Make a note how long the choke is required 'on'. My experience is this is seconds only, but this may be longer when quite cold.
- Do NOT rev the thing not even once, let it idle, hand OFF the throttle. The owner will feel embarrassed when it dies (affecting his self confidence), and you will be told by him what you must do - and this is what you're after! Next let him do it. If he revs the cold thing to shits you'll know enough how he handled it, and take it/the price from there.
- Zero funny noises may emit, and also check (quickly, it's still cool) for exhaust leaks. Oil leaks too, but this I'd not expect.
- Let it run warmish, walk/look around, blip it a bit, and take notice. Then kill it.
- Next kit yourself up, start it yourself and ride it slowly. Brakes, clutch, gears, try all. Oh, knowing how to ride helps here
- Next ride quicker, ask more from it, and try to find some incorrect behaviour... as this will affect (lower!) the price.
- If nothing found you may want to make a fuss out of other things, depends on you or the seller.
But if basically you're happy now the haggling starts - and I've never ever paid the asking price, not even for new vehicles.

I'm sure I forget a few things but this is basically what I do.
I actually sure others have similar things or repertoires, and pls let us hear them here? Will help Troop probably but others too.

Here's where I am, today the first guy I spoke with who has a 2003 BRP with an actual 236 miles, factory uncorked (dealer) for 2800.00.
Another guy has a 2003 BRP with 6-7 100 mile rides on it, it is bone stock, not uncorked. Niether have had the first valve adjustment, this guy also wants 2800.00
I am leaning towards the first bike because I will uncork it anyway and the owner weighs 170lbs so I am sure the suspension has not been taxed. The second bike with the 600-700 miles has been ridden also very little but is bone stock with the owner weighing in at 250lbs.

The guy with the uncorked bike will give me all the stock jets and manuels and anything else he has with it and I can get it next Tuesday.
Niether one of these guys wants to negotiate much as their bikes are pretty much unmolested and as sound as they come used.
I am going to go for the uncorked bike with 236 miles, what do you think Bump?

A) Uncorked, an alleged 236 miles only, from a dealer, 2.8K
b) Stock, ~700 miles offroad, private, 2.8K

First off, how do you verify these mileages - got proper speedo/odo's or only the tripmeter?
But a good indication will be the tyres, especially the A-bike, and also the scuffmarks will tell tales.
That dealer must give some guarantees or some form of warranty - you asked?
A private seller also may have to 'warrant' something, depending on local legislation - or is it sold "as is"?
Both bikes are getting 8 (E I G H T !) years old..... you're sure you want this? All grease and fluids (forks, shock, brakes!) are this old, and finding a newer model will reduce this by quite a bit.
And this fact I'd use as leverage to haggle the price - remember, they' they're offered for sale, their owners want to sell.... surely that means something? If anything a negotiable price, pls keep that in mind.

No-one will help you here Troop, your gutfeel will tell you best. But I'd target the dealer-offered one by the sounds of it - that is, if I'd not find a newer model. Offer him 2.5K by fax and leave him alone (he'll refuse I presume), and search for newer? If he comes back & accepts.... smiles?

The bike I originally spoke of in my first post was at 278 miles according to the odometer that came stock with the bike. This is the same guy who called me two hours later and said he changed his mind about selling it. Well, he called me back and after speaking with him he said the OD actually reads 236 miles, and I meant the bike was uncorked at the dealer, not being sold by the dealer...sorry for the mix up.
To answer your question , "how do I know for sure about the miles"? I don't for sure, just going to go with my gut. The original ad had two bikes for sale, one BRP and one crf230. He was asking 3200.00 for the Brp, I tried going to 2500.00 but ended up at 2800.00, can you tell me the approximate breakdown of grease/lubricants that Honda uses? I know that sounds dumb...The owner said the bike has never seen mud either.
I plan to dissassemble and regrease with a good waterproof grease the steering head/neck and swingarm. Might take off the rims and get them powder coated black (like excels) put in heavy duty spokes and pumper carb, t4 exhaust with header, 3.2 ims tank, set sag/rebound for me and get some good kevlar pants.
Both bikes sound good to me but negotiating seems very fruitless beyond 2800.00 with these guys. I have found a few newer bikes but they are listed starting at 3999.99 all at dealers also.

He was asking 3.2, came down to 2.8, it's got a suspiciously low odoreading & has seen no mud.
On top of it you will do plenty to the bike, yourself I seem to read - sounds like a good buy Troop, go have a look if you haven't already.
You need to find & download the Service Manual on the net. This is a PDF file which is a copy of the Honda book, and it's here too I think (?).... somewhere, search.
In this Service Manual - a MUST have !! - you'll find anything you may ever need, pics included. Armed with this you can do/change/renew anything which needs to be done.
I have not been able to find a Owners Manual which I'd also like to have, but nobody seems to have this thing.

You're better off to that low-odo bike Troop, sounds like you may have found yourself a bike.

Burp, you are the voice of reason sir. My email is my name at yahoo dot com. Send me an email so I may send you the pics I have of the bike, I would like you to review them and let me know if anything seems wrong. He said he has a manuel with it. I spoke with him again today, sounds pretty honest. I can tell a BS'R from a mile away....I retired from San Quentin state Prison in Ca.

Yo Troop,

been crapped on by moderator Focker just now, he said I should act like a grownup & post a pic or else....
NOT, joke, he's a good lad, but herewith I'll try to post my bike:

OK, that went wrong:


Ah, this looks better I think. Done lots more since, and will still do more.
Yeah, the tyres........ I bought it like that, the chap swapped them immediately, not a dirty dud I think.

Wow, what a clean bike, is that an xr's only side plate? Do you ride on the street more than dirt? I am not going onto pavement again on a bike, had enough of that...Too many close calls by boneheads, I like the dirt better anyway....hurts less when I pile up!

Sorry for hijacking your thread Troop, had to try that.

Will throw you a mail, but your eyes will see infinitely more than mine off a pic when you go there, especially when they talk to your brain and whisper on end "buyit buyit buyit buyit...."

One thing I must admit: this is one bike I lurve, it actually is one of the very very few Honda's which have 'character' - and no, I'm not a Honda-fan by default at all, for reason they are a bit bland on average.
The Pig's no average though, it can be a handful

Wish you well when you go over to the pigsty!

Bike's new, 2007 model, bought it recently from a guy who had it in his showroom as his own. Except for the T4 pipe & tyres (still with frillies) nothing done to it. It went asthmatic like any corked Pig does, in fact I was seriously disappointed at first, but didn't know about this uncorking.
That last bit I fixed first thing, and since have done plenty. Waiting for some goodies which will allow me to put a pumper carb on, and then I'll tackle the electrics to make it fully roadworthy as it has to do a major trip next year.
And no, I've ridden it very little yet. Ill definitely wear-out those tyres before putting knobblies on, I'll have to run it in still. Once done some trips to the Leshotu Highlands are on, then more & further, as a run-up to next year.