[RockyImminence]

I'm a college student looking at getting a dirt bike (I've never ridden before), and despite there being almost nothing available right now, I found a guy selling a '09 CRF230F. After I looked at it and told him I'd think about it, he let me know that he also had a '09 CRF230L that he would be willing to sell. I don't have a reliable way of transporting the bike, so a street legal one would be a plus. He sent pictures and the only thing that concerns me is the oil on the engine in this picture. Is that normal for this bike? Is there anything else I should look for? The L has 17,000 miles on it. He wants about $200 more for the F, but its my understanding that the L is worth more. A friend who is more mechanically inclined towards bikes looked at the F with me and says that its it good condition. Any advice is welcome and appreciated, even if it's suggestions for other bikes to consider. Thanks!

[JimDirt]

Welcome to the site !!

Looking at that pic , I would say it is either a valve cover gasket leaking , or the round cam gear cover leaking , or a head gasket , only way to really know for sure is to pressure wash the engine and run it for a while or even a day or so and see where the oil is specifically coming from ..... if the current owner is honest , he will agree to taking it to the car wash and cleaning it , and either allow you , or himself to ride it to see where the leak is originating ...

If it is just a valve cover or cover gasket , it is no biggie and can be easily resealed , if it is a head gasket , then the top end needs to come apart which means the cam and everything above the cylinder has to be removed , including the gas tank , etc.. so the amount of work needed depending on the issue is a major factor , especially if you are on a budget , if you have to pay a shop to repair it , the cost will really go up , so all that is a factor , if he is not willing to clean it and test it to confirm the leak location , I would question why , or you could ask him to have a motorcycle shop (dealership preferably) check the bike out to determine if it has a issue with the head gasket or that it is just a leak that can be sealed easily .... then you can either negotiate on the price , or choose the other bike , or that one , or something else completely if you do not feel comfortable going thru with the sale ..... bikes do leak from time to time , the issue is , what exactly is leaking and why ?? ... ...