New rider - bike dilemma

[JulianHJ]

I've got my Mod 2 next week, and I'm starting to consider upgrading my YBR to something bigger. I'd previously been considering either a Street Triple or MT-07, but after a bit of research I've decided a Tiger 800 is probably the best bet - I'm mainly going to be commuting, so the capacity for luggage and some creature comforts are priorities.

I popped in to my local Triumph dealer this morning to weigh up the options and get a bit more info. I previously had a budget in mind of £7-8k for a Tiger. The dealer has a few second hand options I like the look of, including a 4000 mile 63-plate example with almost all the bits I'd want. It's priced very well considering (£6.5k) and after adding a couple of bits I want, I'll be £7k all in.

The sales guy then threw in a curve ball when I said I liked the idea of a later model (XRx or XCx) but second hand models seemed thin on the ground. I'd be happy to go to £9k for one. He offered me a new, unregistered XCx that they'd had in stock for a few months for £9k. It had none of the optional extras I want, so the total cost including those would be £10.5k. Either way, I plan on keeping the bike for a while and will be putting 5-6k miles a year on it.

So, £3.5k difference for a brand new bike with all the benefit that entails, better suspension, later engine variant and traction control/riding modes - is it worth it or am I not going to know the difference once I'm riding?

[J B L]

If it was me I'd go for the cheapest option. As a new rider you won't really feel the difference but if you don't like it you won't lose as much £££ reselling it as opposed to a brand new one which will lose a larger chunk as soon as you roll out of the forecourt.

Just my 2 pence.

[curlie467]

Go for the cheaper one, 3.5k is a lot extra!

[amancalledrob]

£3.5k is a ton of money. I'm with the others. Plus how much are you really going to be chopping between riding modes or powersliding out of corners on the traction control? Then again I don't know what your commute is like, I guess

[N Dentressangle]

I think I'd want the new model Tiger with all the toys. There seem to be plenty from dealers within your budget, like this one:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Triumph-Tiger-800-XRx-wh...

although if you can get one with luggage like this:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TRIUMPH-TIGER-800-XRX-80...1cAAOSwciVXQAPY

it's a good idea - cheaper than adding it yourself.

Edited by N Dentressangle on Wednesday 25th May 17:43

[CaptainSlow]

+1 I'd go for the older model.

[skahigh]

Older one, it'll only get a bit battered if you are year-round commuting and you'll wish you hadn't done that to a beautiful brand new bike.

I'd be interested to know how models like this and the speed triple stand up to a bit of weather as my Thruxton is seemingly made of chocolate, a tiny hint of road salt not immediately cleaned off and the horn and crank case covers just disintegrate.

My old CBF500 on the other hand seems to have come through this winter totally unscathed.

[TimmyWimmyWoo]

Older one. But… take £1k of the £3.5k you're saving and use it to go around Europe for two weeks on your new toy. You'll love it, and getting some proper seat time on it will help your skills come on in leaps and bounds, while having a whale a time.

[creampuff]

JulianHJ said:

I've got my Mod 2 next week, and I'm starting to consider upgrading my YBR to something bigger. I'd previously been considering either a Street Triple or MT-07, but after a bit of research I've decided a Tiger 800 is probably the best bet - I'm mainly going to be commuting, so the capacity for luggage and some creature comforts are priorities.

What you think you like now and what you will like after you have your licence and have tried out a few bikes are entirely different things. You can do all the research you want, but you could still try out the bike post licence and know within 5 mins that it isn't for you.

More generally, bike technology doesn't change much, or at least it changes a lot slower than car technology. I'd buy the older model with lower spec if it helps your finances more. It really won't make a lot of difference.

[Mercky]

[quote=skahigh]Older one, it'll only get a bit battered if you are year-round commuting and you'll wish you hadn't done that to a beautiful brand new bike.

I'd be interested to know how models like this and the speed triple stand up to a bit of weather as my Thruxton is seemingly made of chocolate, a tiny hint of road salt not immediately cleaned off and the horn and crank case covers just disintegrate.

My old CBF500 on the other hand seems to have come through this winter totally



Horns are relatively cheap and easy to fit, but the crankcase covers must be bleeding you dry. ( unless you're very rich in which case it probably doesn't matter)

[skahigh]

Mercky said:

skahigh said:

Older one, it'll only get a bit battered if you are year-round commuting and you'll wish you hadn't done that to a beautiful brand new bike.

I'd be interested to know how models like this and the speed triple stand up to a bit of weather as my Thruxton is seemingly made of chocolate, a tiny hint of road salt not immediately cleaned off and the horn and crank case covers just disintegrate.

My old CBF500 on the other hand seems to have come through this winter totally

Horns are relatively cheap and easy to fit, but the crankcase covers must be bleeding you dry. ( unless you're very rich in which case it probably doesn't matter)

No chance am I replacing them! I have spent many hours on my knees with some wet and dry and a tube of autosol though. Can't quite get them back to their original condition but waaaayyy better than they were.

[CaptainSlow]

Or save a bit more cash and get a new Tracer 700 for £6,300.

[anonymous-user]

I would get the bike that you want. If it is purely a hobby, and you have the money, then £3.5k to feel like you bought the one you want is worth it in my opinion.

[JulianHJ]

Cheers for all the replies, particularly for the links to the XRx. I highly doubt I'll ever buy a new car, so the appeal of 'new' is relatively strong. I'm not the type to chop and change cars regularly, and it'll be no different with bikes. Whatever I buy will be well maintained, so the winter commuting shouldn't take too much of a toll.

With regard to the Tracer 700, I'd seen that and considered it; once specced up it'll be £7k, so the step up to the Tiger is not that big in my eyes.

I will probably mull it over and not make any decisions until I've passed the Mod 2.

[jcelee]

Definitely get a test ride before committing to anything. The Tiger 800 and newer variants is a pretty heavy bike and while very comfortable and silky smooth I found it too big for comfortable filtering and general low speed manoeuvring (try pushing one around as well as getting in as many miles as you can). In the end I bought an MT07 as my second big bike as it truly excels on my commute (90% of my riding in practice).

I'd also seriously think about getting something much cheaper as a first big bike - it should help you overcome fears of dropping it and the pain if you do. You may not do anything silly but if you do, its going to hurt in more ways than 1 on a 10k bike... My first bike was a 2003 Honda CBR600F and while clichéd, they are a superb allrounder and fantastic first bike.