check the brake pads to make sure there is plenty of material left.
check the tyres for damage/tread.
look over ALL the plastics, if things are mis-aligned that might mean frame bends, or crash damage.
make sure all the plastics are the same style/colour, again this can indicate crash damage.
make sure the forks are not leaking.
check the electrics, bike should start on the button, kill switch should turn the engine off, indicators should work and cancel, check the headlights for high/low beam.
get a friend to straddle the bike, apply the front brake and then get you to lift and pull the front wheel towards you, there should be no movement front to back - can indicate that the headstock bearings are dead.
check that the mirrors, bar ends and levers are free from damage - indicates a crash.
see if the owner will remove the fairings (takes 5 minutes), make sure that all the tabs are present and undamaged.
with the fairings off look over all the bike for signs of oil leakage.
also get under the bike and give the bottom of the exhaust collector box a tap, look for signs of excess corrosion - salt water eats through them as they are made of mild steel.
check the state of the front and rear sprockets as well as the condition of the chain.
have a look inside the fuel tank for excessive corrosion.
check the front and rear disks for sign of "blueing" or scratches.
anyone else, feel free to add to this list for our new guy
