Hotmetal

Totally agree, especially with how much some new bikes depreciate in the first year. Although that gap has closed with production shortages pushing used bike prices up.

I usually just buy new if I can’t find a used model in the colour/model variant I want. The warranty is also a nice bonus. Although most manufacturers sting you for a first service after you’ve barely ridden it home these days so that’s another £250 to add to the cost!

Our current car’s first service was due at 12,000 miles or two years (we haven’t even done 12,000 in three years) and I think my Bonneville was 500 miles…

    Trouble is, £10K only gets you a 600cc these days and they’re more interested in selling £18-25K 1000cc+ bikes. The manufacturers are still feeling the effects of loss of production from COVID/Ukraine too.

      Covid tax down under.
      It is almost impossible to buy a new car/bike/jetski/caravan etc.
      With covid stopping interstate and international travel, those with $$ have raised the prices of used models above that of new ones as the new ones are unavailable for up to 2 years.
      Car yards are almost empty, numpty salespeople don’t have to work for a sale.

      -Mac indeed, I suppose £10k isn’t a lot of bike money these days.

      I noticed Harley’s Lowrider ST (which MCN surprisingly quite liked!) is £20,000 in its base spec… I notice their CVO Road Glide starts at £39,000…

      I would say that’s car money but the Road Glide basically is a car.

          Yeah, but Harleys aren’t about the bikes themselves (Milwaukee pig iron), it’s about the perceived lifestyle of non-bikers ;)

            -Mac

            I can laugh at this now I’m no longer a Harley owner!

            It’s true though, I remember the big London showroom, you’d almost see more worsted-wool coming through the door than leather. Still, that’s probably because bankers are the only one’s who can afford them.

              Ernie1 IMHO, it’s partly envy and blind prejudice…. For me, ever since seeing Easy Rider at an impressionable age, always desired a Harley.

              I’ve owned over 50 motorcycles in my past, from a 1949 Matchie 500 (First bike, barn find) through a host of Japanese, several boxer twins and a couple of Harley’s - an evo 1200S and a customised Evo Springer, the only bike I’ve ever enjoyed doing the speed limit on. Corners how I like them were just off the menu, but while all my mates rode HDs, I could cope. When they all started giving it away bought a 1200 Bandit, which was a lovely bike, but a licence killer. Last bike was a monolever R100RS which I ended up trading for a boat (beach life)..

              Gave it all away years ago and although I do miss the fun, getting too old and rusty and sure don’t miss the rest.

                  CafeNoir

                  Sounds like you’ve had some great bikes!

                  Did you ever own or ride an FXR? The Evo is the one bike I regret selling and if I spot an 84ish FXR for sale I’d probably not hesitate. Definitely not sports bike handling but about as close as you’ll get from a Harley.

                    Some good, some bad and some pretty average, but it was a helluva lot of fun.

                    Regards the FXR, nice bikes, huge custom potential but not that common in NZ. Rode just evos - Sporties, Softtails,Dynas, FL series.

                    Iron heads were for the impoverished or the technically minded who weren’t in a hurry and enjoyed a challenge. The Twin Cam motors were still new and really for the very well heeled when I lost interest.

                    I went the Softail route because the Sportster wasn’t a great fit and nearly all my mates had softtails. (Peer pressure? Surely not?) My Springer was a very pretty bike at a very good price with a heap spent on bling and performance. Once I fitted an FXR pulley and belt, it stopped bouncing off the rev limiter in top, too…. lmfao!!

                    Never really settled on any particular style, had a bunch of two strokes, RD400, T500, RZ350, TS400 ( most slightly modded, cough!) fair few inline 4’s - CB750 (Sohc and Dohc), CBR600, GSX750, Bandit 1200, XJ650….

                    My favourite bike I think was the Yammie SR500 - not fast but sheer fun. Had 2 of those. The R100RS was beautiful but a little too Teutonic for me…..(never was the most rational of people then). Happy days, shame about all the injuries, lol

                    What a selection! Great to hear you’ve ridden so many styles of bike. Always good to ride bikes because they’re fun or quirky and not just because they’re rocket ship fast!

                    My transition to the big-twin was much the same as yours. I absolutely love the looks of an Evo Sporty when parked up, and the Northern California style Ironheads of the 60s-70s too but at 6’1, I looked like the elephant in the circus when I caught my reflection in the window. And then two-grown adults on a Sportster!! What a sight!

                      Hanging my head in shame…

                      Ernie1 lol!! Exactly. Whilst only average height 5′10″, I love doing weights and was around 105-110 kg most of those years. On the Sportster always felt like I was riding a minibike, lol.

                        2 months later

                        Took delivery of the Street Scrambler last week… lovely looking bike but SMALL and the 900 feels hugely underpowered. I wasn’t able to test ride one due to lack of availability so it was quite the shock when we (6’1 and my wife 5’9) got on and felt like the elephant riding the bicycle at the circus.

                        Fun little bike and probably great for shorter riders doing city commutes but coming from multiple 1200cc+ bikes to a bike that’s very tamely tuned felt like a huge step backwards.

                        Fortunately the dealer was understanding given a lack of test ride and I’ve just ordered a Scrambler 1200 XE. The bike I should’ve bought in the first place.

                        Will post some pics when it arrives!

                        I fancied the Scrambler 1200xe but my whole rationale for chopping in the Street Triple was pillion comfort and the salesman said he thought the high exhaust would be an issue for her at some point. Not sure I’m ready for a T120 yet, I fancy the Speed Twin more, but again, it’s barely better for pillion than the Streety. Might save up a bit until next year and see if there are any used Tiger 900s. I have a nagging feeling I will miss the immediacy and instant grin of the Street Triple though if I go all comfort-oriented. Mrs might prefer the Tiger though. I want to go abroad on the bike again, haven’t done so since taking the Fazer 1000 to the Nürburgring and the WWII battlefields. I think the Street isn’t quite comfy enough for a trip like that now I’m 10 years older, and I’m not convinced it won’t break down either, 13 years old.

                          Hotmetal
                          I took my Speed Triple for a tour of Tassie last February.
                          The other blokes were all on adventure bikes, three of them on new Tigers.
                          I love my Speedy but those Tigers are awesome!
                          Fast, comfy, lots of luggage, heated seats and grips, cruise control, abs, traction control.
                          I am seriously considering spending the $20k aud to trade up.

                            Still awaiting the delivery of the XE. Should be here early next week, can’t wait!

                            Totally understand the reluctance on moving away from the faster bikes. I had a Street Triple and a fair few Speed Triples on loan while it was being serviced. They’re incredible bikes for sure, after a 20mph crash I was still lucky to walk away from (non-fault!!) and two speeding tickets I figured my time on fast bikes is probably best nipped in the bud. Just too tempting to twist that throttle! Also after years of riding Harleys the 1200 Bonneville feels like a rocket anyway!

                            The Tiger is by far the more ‘sensible’ and ‘better’ bike for bells and whistles comfort touring but I’ve always been looks first, sensible second and to me the XE has the right balance of looks and spec.

                            I’ll be using mine for 2-up probably 50% of the time so will report back on how it handles it. I can assure you I’ll be the first to know if there’s any comfort issues from the pillion 😂. The exhaust gets warm for sure but I’m seeing it as a welcome heater for 90% of the year in the UK.

                            Will report back next week!

                            I’m sure you will enjoy it.
                            I stable one of my mates bikes while he works in South East Asia.
                            I have ridden his Legend TT and 900 Scrambler over the last few years and while they were fun, they were under-powered and under-braked.
                            To complicate my situation I am putting my 1980 GS1000st Wes Cooley replica back on the road.
                            My missus hasn’t sat on any of the bikes I have had since I mothballed it in 1996.
                            She reckons my pillion seats have gotten smaller as her bum has gotten bigger.

                              Amberale

                              Nice bike! They got a lot right about bike design in the 80s.

                                4 days later

                                The XE arrived. What an absolute treat! Loads of fun, loads of torque and feels incredibly planted. Great for two-up also, the other half approves.