Two-wheelers happen to be the travel lifeline for middle-class people in the urban areas. With the ever-growing population and the diminishing road space, bikes are the apt vehicle for routine travellers across the city. However, owning a brand new bike is still a far fetched dream for many people, primarily due to the sky touching prices of vehicles nowadays. In such a scenario, opting for a “second-hand bike’ is one wise and cost-effective way out.
Talking about the bike fanatics, they wish to own their dream vehicle at least once in a lifetime, but this remains a dream for the majority of them essentially because of its cost, here again, ‘buying a used bike’ comes to their rescue as owning a ‘second-hand bike’ will serve the purpose at a much lesser price.
With the never-ending list of sellers, the buyers need to make rational decisions, especially while buying a used machine.
The market for “Second-Hand Bikes” is as captivating as the market for new vehicles, fundamentally because –
∙ CONVENIENT ALTERNATIVE FOR PRICE CONSCIOUS PROSPECTS
It saves a big chunk of money when the second-hand vehicle is relatively new-old, a little age of a used bike certainly does not decrease its value, however, the only deal maker here is a well researched and mindful buying decision of the buyer.
∙ LOWER PREMIUM INSURANCE
Everything boils down to monetary benefits in the market of ‘used bikes’. Herein, the vehicle’s insurance premium is relatively less than of a brand new one. Though the cost difference may not be that great, but respectable enough for a price-sensitive potential buyer.
∙ ASSURED PERFORMANCE STANDARDS
Buying a “second-hand bike’’ in a way makes the buyer know everything about the real performance standards of the vehicle, and gives him a0 much realistic picture about the machine as compared to judging a new one through things claimed on paper.
∙ VEHICLE CUSTOMISATION
Buying a ‘used bike’ makes the buyer save a good amount of money, and hence if he wishes to, the amount saved here can be used by him to customise his vehicle as per his comfort and desires which in turn has the potential to give him more sense of belongingness towards his self-owned bike.
∙ SHORT-SPAN OWNERSHIP ENSURES EFFECTIVE PERFORMANCE
One of the most dynamic benefits of buying a “second-hand bike’” is that it can be sold again well in time to a new prospect, and hence the chain of owning a new vehicle in a short span of time ensures dynamic and exciting buying behaviour always.
∙ NO POST PURCHASE DISSONANCE
Satisfaction is the end and the most desired stage in the process of buying behaviour. Since owning a “second-hand bike” involves a lot of research, thought, product evaluation, rational decision making, the buyer is never a victim of Post Purchase Dissonance.
∙ PAY-BACK TO THE ENVIRONMENT
Apart from being the cost-effective choice, owning a “second-hand bike” aids the environment as it does not add the carbon levels into it.
∙ MINIMISED DEPRECIATION
A Bike can be the perfect blend of everything right in its place, despite that the vehicle sometimes fails to meet the expected demand in the market, the value of such vehicles drops quite significantly over time. Owning a “second-hand bike” can help the buyer avoid that hit as the “used bike” would already have suffered maximum depreciation by then and would not deflate further in the forthcoming ownership span.
∙ CHANGE IN THE MARKET PERCEPTION
Gone are those days when “Second-Hand Vehicles” were considered a mere piece of junk, today due to increased consumer awareness, and big players coming into the trade, buying and selling second-hand vehicles is an easy and wise option to opt for.
However, deciding on buying a “used bike” takes a little extra effort on the part of the prospective buyer for the barter of the affordability that it offers. The potential buyer needs to be a little more:
⮚ AWARE OF THE MARKET TREND
A prospective buyer can make a wise and rational decision while buying a used bike only when he is aware of what is floating in the market. Market research is as important as vehicle evaluation in the case second-hand vehicle trade certainly because it should be a value for money deal.
⮚ PRE- REQUISITES ARE MEANT TO BE ENSURED
For the sake of price benefit, the prospect should never compromise on his basic requirements in the vehicle.
⮚ ENSURE RESPECTABLE BIKE CONDITION
Owning a ‘second-hand bike’ is meant to give the first-hand experience to the potential buyer. However, in the buying process, the buyer needs to be extra cautious while checking the bike’s features, current condition, appearance, performance standards etc.
⮚ WARRANTY CHECKS
Buying ‘Used Bike’ from a dealer, indeed gives the warranties in some situations, the prospective buyer needs to be mindful of all the paperwork.
⮚ ENSURE LEGAL TRANSFERS
‘Second-hand vehicle’ trade involves a lot of legal formalities, assurance herein is a must.
BUYING AND USED BIKE- A WISE APPROACH TODAY
If old times were to be believed, buying an old vehicle was like ‘buying someone else’s problems’. However, today the tables have turned altogether. Today with the growing need and want for the self-owned vehicles, owning a ‘second-hand vehicle’ is much like hitting the bullseye in the world where one’s desires and its prices do not really match.
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