Buying a Used Electric Dirt Bike: The 12-Point Checklist

Buying a fairly used electric dirt bike can save you $1,500–$4,000 over new — but only if you know what to inspect. Here is the same 12-point checklist our techs run on every bike before it goes on the site.

1. Battery state of health Ask for the last full-charge capacity vs the rated capacity. Anything above 85% is excellent. For background on how lithium packs degrade, the [U.S. Department of Energy's vehicle technologies office](https://www.energy.gov/eere/vehicles/batteries) publishes plain-language explainers.

2. Cell balance A balanced pack discharges evenly. Wide cell-voltage spread = early sag.

3. Charge cycle count Under 300 cycles on a 72V Sur-Ron-class pack is basically new.

4. Controller temperature under load A healthy controller stays under 75°C at sustained throttle.

5. Motor bearing noise Spin the rear wheel. Grinding = bearings.

6. Frame welds and headstock Inspect every weld. Electric bikes take hard landings.

7. Suspension stiction If forks bind or rebound unevenly, seals are toast.

8. Brake pad and rotor wear Pads under 2mm need replacing.

9. Tire date code and tread Rubber over 5 years should be replaced.

10. Wiring and connector corrosion Green on copper = moisture intrusion. Walk.

11. Firmware version Confirm latest version for safety patches.

12. Title and serial numbers Match VIN/serial on frame to the title. Run a free [NICB VINCheck](https://www.nicb.org/vincheck) before you wire money. No paperwork, no sale.

Every bike in our inventory passes this checklist. That's why we can say "tested before sale" and mean it.