Used motorbike buying guides from the experts at MCN

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

Amazing bikes at sensible prices! Just how far does £2500 get you in today's used bike market?

06 May 2025 by Mike Armitage

Let’s be honest, these days two-and-a-half grand doesn’t go as far as it used to. But it also happens to be the natural cut-off point for an awful lot of desirable, capable, fabulous bikes built in...

I think these cruisers are classically styled, laid-back legends. After reading this, you will too!

23 April 2025 by Mike Armitage

Cruiser. It’s not a word you’re likely to spot in any brand’s current model line-up. The idea of feet-forward riding positions, chrome sissy-bars and lace-up leather strides doesn’t cut it in 2020.

Get some HP sauce! With High Performance comes a high price – but I think you’ll be well rewarded

18 April 2025 by Jon Urry

In late 2005, BMW revealed a new range of HP models. The HP bikes (High Performance) were to be a limited-run that were a cut above the rest. The first was the HP2 Enduro (with the two signifying twin...

I think these secondhand 400cc screamers are as exciting as they are iconic

14 April 2025 by Mike Armitage

Compared to the latest bikes, a 400cc sportsbike no longer appears revvy, light or high-tech. Time and technology have moved on. But find a good example of the diminutive four-cylinder 400 and the...

Expert guide to £1500 brilliance! Astounding bikes and ownership pride for not much money at all

11 April 2025 by Mike Armitage

What can you get for £1500? You could buy a pointlessly-large TV, a flash watch or an iPhone Xs Max (yes, folk really pay £1500 for a phone). Or you could buy an amazing motorbike. There’s not really...

These are my favourite adventure bikes from the 'Big Four' Japanese manufacturers

08 April 2025 by Phil West

It’s common to associate the leading European bike brands with adventure bikes. After all, BMW’s GS is a perennial best-seller, KTM’s V-twin Adventures are the benchmark for off-roading and Ducati’s...

Extra-special Ks! BMW’s division of distance destroyers has something for everybody

04 April 2025 by Jon Urry

BMW’s K-series (the K stands for Kraftrad, or wheel power) were Germany’s response to the ever-increasing performance offered by Japanese touring rivals. The first Ks, the K100 and faired K100RS,...

Flying under the radar: These used bikes were never a hit in their day, but I think they're awesome

27 March 2025 by Jon Urry

Not every bike can capture the headlines. Maybe they were launched in the same year as a more appealing model or possibly they just flew under the radar undetected due to their subtle nature.

There have been loads of mega MT models, but these used Yamaha Masters of Torque are my favourites

25 March 2025 by Phil West

Yamaha’s MT models are a family of naked motorbikes almost as well known and loved as the YZF sportsbike moniker. Although debuting on the 2005 MT-01 oddball, the ‘Masters of Torque’ moniker came...

If cleaning chains isn't your bag and shaft drives are complicated, check these belt-driven bargains

21 March 2025 by Phil West

As bikers, we’re accustomed to our bikes having a chain. We’re used to having to adjust them, lubricate them, clean them and, eventually, replace the darned things, too. Of course, shaft drive does...

Grab a slice of Noale naughtiness with my pick of the best used Aprilias you can buy right now!

17 March 2025 by Mike Armitage

About 25 years ago a mate bought a used Aprilia. It was great… or it was until bothersome niggles and dire parts supply kept it off the road for 12 months. Such tales still affect the firm’s...

Honda's latest CBR is brilliant, but earlier ones are fantastic too! Here are my top used buys

11 March 2025 by Jon Urry

Honda have revived the CBR600RR for Europe, but do you need to pay something like £11,000 to own a CBR? Of course not… The CBR has been around since 1987 when the CBR600F-H ‘jelly mould’ first...

Modern adventure bikes regularly top £20k brand new, but these used bargains for £3k get my vote

10 March 2025 by Jon Urry

Tall, upright and comfortable, adventure bikes make for great tourers – and that’s the secret of their enduring success. If you are after a bike to carry you and a pillion on a tarmac trip away,...

These discarded delights are victims of Euro5+ regs, but I reckon that makes them epic used buys!

04 March 2025 by Jon Urry

With the introduction of Euro5+ emission regs, manufacturers are cutting the dead wood from their ranges. Amid a tough new bike market, models that aren’t selling well simply don’t warrant the...

Spring is in the air! Time to buy something special for the sunny season? Here are my top tips...

01 March 2025 by Jon Urry

What better way to celebrate the arrival of spring than by buying your next used bike? It certainly beats winter’s darkness. Related: Great riding gear for sportsbikes There is nothing...

My list of mega middleweight mile-munchers prove you can go touring on a tight budget!

27 February 2025 by Jon Urry

Traditionally, touring bikes tend to be big and heavy but there is no set rule that says you need a big capacity model to rack up the miles, especially if you plan on doing it solo. Middleweights make...

These oddballs are proof that bike firms don't always get it right... I think they're fascinating

21 February 2025 by Jon Urry

Sometimes a manufacturer releases a bike that is, well, just a bit bizarre! It doesn’t happen all that often but when it does you have to stand back and admire the willingness to push boundaries and...

These used middleweight adventure roadsters offer marvellous value and do-it-all ability

19 February 2025 by Jon Urry

Middleweight adventure bikes make for brilliant do-it-alls. With tall, upright, riding positions ensuring the rider is placed in a comfortable stance, plus long tank ranges, these bikes are more than...

Secondhand starters: Here are five feel-good first bikes I reckon a learner will love, for only £2k!

12 February 2025 by Jon Urry

Buying your first big bike can be a daunting experience. These five machines make for handy ‘first big bikes’ that have enough power to ensure you won’t be left lacking should you wish to embark on a...

My pick of five sizzling secondhand supermotos that will make you grin from ear to ear!

10 February 2025 by Phil West

If you’re after raw, adrenalin-packed wheelies and skids, no road-legal bike is better at delivering than a supermoto. Originally mongrel race bikes created by fitting MX bikes with street wheels,...

Want to go anywhere for a £3k budget? These adventure legends would be my pick!

07 February 2025 by Jon Urry

Once you have sampled an adventure bike, it is hard to resist sticking with this genre of motorcycle. Practical, easy-going, rugged and great for pillions, adventure bikes really can offer the best of...

Forget parallel-twins, these are the proper headbanging supersports I'd buy for less than £4k!

04 February 2025 by Niki Spreng

Some say the days of the midrange sportsbike (or traditional supersport) are numbered as sales of new models slide down the charts and race championships start to question the capacity’s relevance...

Nearly new bikes are a total bargain right now. Here are five middleweights I'd take a good look at

31 January 2025 by Jon Urry

Next year sees the introduction of Euro5+ regs, a move that has forced manufacturers to update their ranges. This has resulted in a huge array of ‘new for 2025’ models that are all cleaner-running,...

Fancy a bike to pop to the pub on? Look no further than my five favourite Sunday superstars!

28 January 2025 by Jon Urry

In the modern high-speed world, it is all too easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life and forget to take a step back and relax. And what better way to do this than on a retro bike,...

Chasing cheap speed: Let me show you how to get mega mph motorbikes for Mondeo money!

23 January 2025 by Jon Urry

A major draw of motorcycles is the fact that when it comes to cheap speed, they simply can’t be beaten. If you buy a modern sportsbike it will merrily top 170mph (on closed roads or German Autobahns)...

Get down and dirty with these five mega mud-pluggers! I know you'll agree they're used bargains

20 January 2025 by Jon Urry

Winter is a time when you can’t help but question the logic in taking a bike out of your garage. The roads are so full of grime that you spend as much time cleaning your bike as you do enjoying it! So...

They say there's no replacement for displacement, and I agree! These used brutes prove it

17 January 2025 by Jon Urry

To some riders, big is most certainly better when it comes to engine size. And you can’t get much bigger than this week’s selection. Powered by monster motors, these five used bikes prove the old...

Shrink the globe, not your bank balance with these do-it-all tourers for under £5k!

16 January 2025 by Neil Murray

Guess what are the top three most popular used touring motorcycles, according to a recent insurance survey? (Hint: they’re relatively cheap, to keep down insurance.) So no, not the latest BMW R1250RT,...

I reckon these big-bore bruisers won't break the bank or let you down. They're do-it-all heroes

10 January 2025 by Jon Urry

Can you imagine hammering a Panigale V4 through driving rain? No, neither can we! How about a good old‑fashioned big-bore workhorse of a bike, such as the five we have picked to feature in this week’s...

A used supersport 600 could be your route to a summer of fun. I'd pick these with a budget of £4k...

07 January 2025 by Jon Urry

When it comes to used supersport bikes, there is a definite sweet spot in the market and a budget of £4000 puts you right in it with some fantastic models falling within your scope. Related: Best...

In search of pillion perfection? I reckon these used bikes have everything you need for two to tango

02 January 2025 by Jon Urry

If you are looking at a spot of two-up touring, the comfort of the pillion should be your number one priority. Why? There is nothing worse than a grumpy pillion and if you arrive at your destination...

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

20 December 2024 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...