Cheap Motorcycling Strategies- New vs. Used?

BuellGrrrl · 08-08-2011, 02:56 PM

I'm retired and spend the winter in Florida so I can ride year round, and I like to ride a lot... the miles tend to pile up. My newest bike is about to run out of warranty, and my old airheads have mucho miles on them. Two possible strategies for my next bike:

1. Buy a new $5000 or so bike (DR650, KLR650, 250 Ninja, etc.), buy the warranty extension to four years, and ride the wheels off it!

2. Buy an understressed undervalued used bike for $2000 or so, the '81 and later BMW R65 comes to mind.

Different ownership strategies, new with a warranty vs. cheap old reliable. What's your opinion?

Grainbelt · 08-08-2011, 03:00 PM

I went somewhere in the middle with a three year old FZ6 with 15k miles on it.

See them occasionally for about three grand, which is peanuts for a 100hp bike that will do anything and has 26k valve checks.

bk brkr baker · 08-08-2011, 03:13 PM

I go with a cheap bike , but one that you want to ride.

Examples: I bought a '79 SR 500 Yamaha with 8000 miles on it for $275. It now has 35,000.

I bought a '92 KLR with 8000 miles, for $1100. It now has 47,000.

I bought a '81 XV-920 Yamaha with 18,000 for $750. It now has 29,000 and I'm going to ride it from Seattle to Mexico and then Ky. next month.

YMMV.

High Country Herb · 08-08-2011, 03:45 PM

There are other factors to consider. If you are buying a used bike that has a reputation for being bulletproof, or don't have a dealership nearby, it may be a waste of money to buy new with an extended warranty. You will likely perform your own work.

If you are buying something exotic or unproven, and have a dealer nearby, I would pay for the warranty.

I have always bought old bulletproof Hondas, and rarely had expensive repairs. Recently, however, I bought an Aprilia Dorsoduro with a 2 year warranty. While I didn't opt for the extended warranty, I wouldn't have bought it without having a dealer within 1.5 hours of my house. It has been good so far, but if anything goes wrong, I know where I can take it.

Looking at your list of possible new bikes, they all have reputations of being reliable. I would buy one of those used with as few as possible miles.

NJ-Brett · 08-08-2011, 03:59 PM

I have never used a warranty for anything I ever had.
Get a good used bike and learn to work on it.

dwestly · 08-08-2011, 04:03 PM

Where do you winter in FL? We've got some dedicated riders around here...

BuellGrrrl · 08-08-2011, 04:24 PM

Trailer park east of Naples.

Wolfgang55 · 08-08-2011, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BuellGrrrl

Trailer park east of Naples.

I love that one....

CrashBar · 08-09-2011, 02:42 AM

High Milage is relative. Find a 50K mile K75 and you are good for another 150. Good parts availability and lots of smart folks at motobrick.com. I'd stuck to an unfaired K bike in Florida though (and add the johnny blanket).

RideOn2 · 08-15-2011, 06:45 AM

I was going to suggest the K75 also. The other choice might be a Honda NightHawk, another bullet proof 750.

Wuwei · 08-15-2011, 10:07 AM

I don't think you can ever beat the value of lightly used. You just take too much of a hit on the value when you drive the new bike off the lot. Plus, myself I save more by just getting liability only insurance and doing most of my own work. You also save on sales tax and property tax (if your state has it). Just broken in bikes a year or two old sell for thousands less--let somebody else pay for those expensive first thousand miles.

GeneF · 08-15-2011, 10:46 AM

How many times have you really used the warranty? As long as you buy a bike that's known to be relatively reliable, IMO you would be better off just finding a trustworthy independent shop and buy something fairly new that's already taken the depreciation hit. There are plenty of used bikes in the $4-5k range that are fun to ride.

What's your "newest" bike? If it's been reliable so far and a known quantity, why not just continue to ride that?

Hair · 08-22-2011, 01:28 PM

Used, a cheap new bike will always be a cheap bike. So a used bike with a good reputation is the way to go. But do your homework. It's harder to pull one on an educated buyer. And if you know what you bought you are more likely to enjoy it instead of worry about it.

DynaSport · 08-22-2011, 02:03 PM

You already have a used bike. Why buy another one? Has it been unreliable? Do you just not like it? Are you just bored with it? If it has been reliable and you still like it, I don't understand the need to buy another bike, especially a used one, because the warranty is running out on the one you have.

Bubwheat · 08-22-2011, 02:17 PM

...consider a salvage. Amazing how many good bike are written off for what is not much more than road rash.

08-08-2011, 02:56 PM	#1
BuellGrrrl ^OP Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Jun 2007 Oddometer: 286	Cheap Motorcycling Strategies- New vs. Used? I'm retired and spend the winter in Florida so I can ride year round, and I like to ride a lot... the miles tend to pile up. My newest bike is about to run out of warranty, and my old airheads have mucho miles on them. Two possible strategies for my next bike: 1. Buy a new $5000 or so bike (DR650, KLR650, 250 Ninja, etc.), buy the warranty extension to four years, and ride the wheels off it! 2. Buy an understressed undervalued used bike for $2000 or so, the '81 and later BMW R65 comes to mind. Different ownership strategies, new with a warranty vs. cheap old reliable. What's your opinion?

08-08-2011, 03:13 PM	#3
bk brkr baker Beastly Adventurer Joined: Jul 2006 Location: The Bluegrass Oddometer: 4,160	I go with a cheap bike , but one that you want to ride. Examples: I bought a '79 SR 500 Yamaha with 8000 miles on it for $275. It now has 35,000. I bought a '92 KLR with 8000 miles, for $1100. It now has 47,000. I bought a '81 XV-920 Yamaha with 18,000 for $750. It now has 29,000 and I'm going to ride it from Seattle to Mexico and then Ky. next month. YMMV. __________________ RR's Catnip Hill to Peoria ___Loopin' Seattle to WestFest It started with some beers __1500 miles to the Dentist Skeedaddle to Seattle______ A 30 year old on a Three Flags Run

08-08-2011, 04:03 PM	#6
dwestly Refuses to Grow Up! Joined: Sep 2008 Location: Tampa, FL Oddometer: 371	Where do you winter in FL? We've got some dedicated riders around here... __________________ *Helmet laws merely delay Darwinism. I fully support an individual's right to be stupid...it eventually makes more room for the rest of us.* 2012 R1200GS Rallye Edition, 2004 Ducati 749 Dark , 1990 Honda CBR1000F Hurricane, 1990 Honda GB500 TT AMA, IBA, MSTA, BMWMOA, Ducatista, MSF RiderCoach, OEM Factory Demo Rider

08-09-2011, 02:42 AM	#9
CrashBar Just Wanna Ride Joined: Feb 2008 Location: Somerville Ma Oddometer: 125	K75 High Milage is relative. Find a 50K mile K75 and you are good for another 150. Good parts availability and lots of smart folks at motobrick.com. I'd stuck to an unfaired K bike in Florida though (and add the johnny blanket). Attached Images __________________ ....to trade in these wings on some wheels... www.tr5tadventurer.net 1993 K1100 LT (126,000 miles and counting) 1973 CB350F / 1978 CB550K / 1973 TR5T

08-15-2011, 10:07 AM	#11
Wuwei Beastly Adventurer Joined: May 2008 Location: New York Oddometer: 1,108	I don't think you can ever beat the value of lightly used. You just take too much of a hit on the value when you drive the new bike off the lot. Plus, myself I save more by just getting liability only insurance and doing most of my own work. You also save on sales tax and property tax (if your state has it). Just broken in bikes a year or two old sell for thousands less--let somebody else pay for those expensive first thousand miles. __________________ For my part, I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel's sake. The great affair is to move. Robert Louis Stevenson

08-08-2011, 03:00 PM	#2
Grainbelt marginal adventurer Joined: Feb 2006 Location: Minnyhappiness Oddometer: 25,034	I went somewhere in the middle with a three year old FZ6 with 15k miles on it. See them occasionally for about three grand, which is peanuts for a 100hp bike that will do anything and has 26k valve checks.

08-08-2011, 03:45 PM	#4
High Country Herb Olds Cool Adventurer Joined: Apr 2011 Location: Sierra Nevadas Oddometer: 2,699	There are other factors to consider. If you are buying a used bike that has a reputation for being bulletproof, or don't have a dealership nearby, it may be a waste of money to buy new with an extended warranty. You will likely perform your own work. If you are buying something exotic or unproven, and have a dealer nearby, I would pay for the warranty. I have always bought old bulletproof Hondas, and rarely had expensive repairs. Recently, however, I bought an Aprilia Dorsoduro with a 2 year warranty. While I didn't opt for the extended warranty, I wouldn't have bought it without having a dealer within 1.5 hours of my house. It has been good so far, but if anything goes wrong, I know where I can take it. Looking at your list of possible new bikes, they all have reputations of being reliable. I would buy one of those used with as few as possible miles.

08-08-2011, 03:59 PM	#5
NJ-Brett Brett Joined: Sep 2010 Location: Southern New Jersey Oddometer: 4,722	I have never used a warranty for anything I ever had. Get a good used bike and learn to work on it.

08-08-2011, 04:24 PM	#7
BuellGrrrl ^OP Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Jun 2007 Oddometer: 286	Trailer park east of Naples.

08-15-2011, 06:45 AM	#10
RideOn2 Studly Adventurer Joined: Nov 2006 Location: Concord,Mass Oddometer: 558	I was going to suggest the K75 also. The other choice might be a Honda NightHawk, another bullet proof 750.

08-15-2011, 10:46 AM	#12
GeneF What Would Ogri Do? Joined: May 2007 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio, USA Oddometer: 41	How many times have you really used the warranty? As long as you buy a bike that's known to be relatively reliable, IMO you would be better off just finding a trustworthy independent shop and buy something fairly new that's already taken the depreciation hit. There are plenty of used bikes in the $4-5k range that are fun to ride. What's your "newest" bike? If it's been reliable so far and a known quantity, why not just continue to ride that? __________________ Gene Fine 1996 Ducati 900SS/SP 1974 BMW R90/6 1970 Honda CB350 1985 Honda VF500F - Race Bike

08-22-2011, 01:28 PM	#13
Hair 10 fingers 10 toes Joined: Dec 2003 Oddometer: 12,012	Used, a cheap new bike will always be a cheap bike. So a used bike with a good reputation is the way to go. But do your homework. It's harder to pull one on an educated buyer. And if you know what you bought you are more likely to enjoy it instead of worry about it. __________________ Why are we stopping?: Wayne Weber

08-22-2011, 02:03 PM	#14
DynaSport Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Jul 2007 Oddometer: 448	You already have a used bike. Why buy another one? Has it been unreliable? Do you just not like it? Are you just bored with it? If it has been reliable and you still like it, I don't understand the need to buy another bike, especially a used one, because the warranty is running out on the one you have.

08-22-2011, 02:17 PM	#15
Bubwheat Beastly Adventurer Joined: Feb 2006 Oddometer: 1,062	There's a 3rd option... ...consider a salvage. Amazing how many good bike are written off for what is not much more than road rash.

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