The pandemic has shown us that having your own transport has become a necessity. Having a two-wheeler that is easy to maintain, affordable to operate and park is often better than owning a car.

The next question is whether to buy a new bike or scooter or a second-hand bike. Lured by commercial advertisements, people race into buying new bikes and often end up compromising on the model or brand to fit their budgets. A more sensible decision would be to look into the second-hand market and buy the brand or the model of choice. Second-hand buying offers numerous benefits for buyers. Let us examine a few of these reasons here.

• A wide range of options - You can find many options in second-hand two-wheelers. New vehicles are available only in a single condition and at a single price. With second-hand bikes and scooters, however, you will encounter many different options at the same price. This is because the price is dependent on several things,including age, number of kilometers on the odometer, number of owners on the registration certificate, the condition of the bike/scooter, whether it requires replacement of parts like tires, etc. You might find a premium touring motorcycle, a large commuter motorcycle or an almost-new scooter put up for sale at a good discount. Another factor worth noting is that new vehicle dealerships are single-brand dealerships, Not only does this mean that you need to spend more time and effort to look at various options from different manufacturers, but also that you will not get the opportunity to look at the options at the same time.

  Depreciation is the enemy of a new vehicle - what this means is that once you register a new vehicle, its value has decreased even before you drive it out of the showroom. In addition, its value decreases with every passing day and kilometer. As a second-hand bike or scooter buyer, you get the benefit of that depreciation. This benefit also appears when you’re ready to move on from the second-hand bike you purchase; you avoid the big depreciation hit of a new two wheeler when you’re ready to move on from your second-hand scooter or bike.

• A wide range of options -

  You can find many options in second-hand two-wheelers. New vehicles are available only in a single condition and at a single price. With second-hand bikes and scooters, however, you will encounter many different options at the same price. This is because the price is dependent on several things,including age, number of kilometers on the odometer, number of owners on the registration certificate, the condition of the bike/scooter, whether it requires replacement of parts like tires, etc. You might find a premium touring motorcycle, a large commuter motorcycle or an almost-new scooter put up for sale at a good discount. Another factor worth noting is that new vehicle dealerships are single-brand dealerships, Not only does this mean that you need to spend more time and effort to look at various options from different manufacturers, but also that you will not get the opportunity to look at the options at the same time.

• Zero waiting period -Any new purchase involves you going to the dealership, choosing your vehicle, making the payment, and submitting your documents, then waiting for delivery after the registration is done. When you buy a second-hand bike or second-hand scooter, you can test ride it, pay for the vehicle and immediately ride it home. You can deal with the transfer of documents in the days after the purchase, but there is no waiting period as with a new two-wheeler.
• You can now get a warranty and free services even with used bikes -These are features usually associated with new bikes. But second-hand bike platforms like BeepKart are able to offer you the confidence which you are used to getting only with new two-wheelers so far. BeepKart runs RTO background checks, refurbishes the second-hand vehicle to make it as good as new, provides buyer assured transfer of ownership and three free services for a year at the buyer’s residence!

  There are useful listing platforms like OLX Bikes and Quikr Bikes. They offer a very vast range of vehicles to choose from. But typical listing platforms don’t verify the seller or the vehicle’s legal documents, there is no vehicle inspection report, no reliable fixed price and no vehicle assurance or after-sale services for the buyer.

There are some special cases like high-value, high-performance second-hand bikes that also need to be addressed. As with any premium vehicle, the depreciation on them is also a lot, meaning you can have a barely-used vehicle for a fraction of the new price. However, always remember that they need quite a lot of investment as well – for example, large-capacity motorcycles can chew through their tires in as little as 4000 km, and a new set will cost you roughly Rs 30,000-40,000, if not more. Plus, with the pandemic, there is the question of the availability of spares. Make sure you know all the positives and negatives before you take the leap.

Buying a second-hand bike can be a very rewarding experience provided you buy it from a trusted brand. Purchasing from an unverified individual or corner-shop can land you a non-performing lemon that risks your money and safety. But if you get your second-hand bike from the right place, you will reap all the benefits. Websites like BeepKart offer assured quality second-hand bikes and scooters at fair fixed prices along with the comfort of 3 free services. You can order a free test-ride at your home or visit their yard to see multiple options.