Beginner questions
Discussion
Hi all,
I’ve been driving for 13 years but never really got on to a bike. This year I’ve decided to do a DAS (and somehow convinced Mrs Bigfoot), so the theory is booked and lessons are on order (school selected, package agreed and just need to pass my theory). Once I pass, I’d like to buy a bike. Up till now I’ve only considered a cheap second hand hack, but the bike world seems to work a little differently to the car world. I would be using the bike for pleasure only, it will be a toy for summer/dry winter weekend rides.
1. I’ve read online that bikes become cheaper in November (supply, demand and new models being announced). Would this significantly impact the second hand bike market? If so, would the savings be like 10%, I’m planning to spend about £3k - can I get anything new for around £4k in November?
2. I’d like something with ABS, but second hand ABS bikes are quite a lot more expensive than their non ABS counterparts. Is ABS essential for a new rider?
3. I’ve seen many ‘naked’ and ‘faired’ bikes, aside from cosmetics, do fairings have another purpose?
4. I’ve noticed some bikes were around £6k new, and now at 7 years old with 10k ish miles, they still command a £4k pricetag. Is this normal?
5. Why are sports touring bikes so much cheaper to insure than sports bikes?
6. A dealership told me that at 30k miles a bike is basically dead, then later in the same conversation mentioned that if I buy one of their bikes and service it regularly, it will easily to 60 – 70k miles. Sales talk I know, but which is true?
7. I’ve been told to steer clear of Chinese bikes as they have a reputation for unreliability, reliability is key for me, should I stick to Japanese?
8. Can anyone recommend a reputable bike dealer in Yorkshire (or surrounding areas)?
I don’t want to buy a bike that I’ll grow out of. I’ve been thinking of a 600 ish CC, so far I’ve considered an SV650, an ER6F and a GSR750. I’ve sat on these and the ER6F felt the lightest and most controllable. I’d like a sports tourer, any recommendations? A friend mentioned Hornets and Fazers, but these seem quite old yet still command a high price.
I know that reading this was a bit of a slog, so If you’ve got this far – Thank you!
All responses appreciated
I’ve been driving for 13 years but never really got on to a bike. This year I’ve decided to do a DAS (and somehow convinced Mrs Bigfoot), so the theory is booked and lessons are on order (school selected, package agreed and just need to pass my theory). Once I pass, I’d like to buy a bike. Up till now I’ve only considered a cheap second hand hack, but the bike world seems to work a little differently to the car world. I would be using the bike for pleasure only, it will be a toy for summer/dry winter weekend rides.
1. I’ve read online that bikes become cheaper in November (supply, demand and new models being announced). Would this significantly impact the second hand bike market? If so, would the savings be like 10%, I’m planning to spend about £3k - can I get anything new for around £4k in November?
2. I’d like something with ABS, but second hand ABS bikes are quite a lot more expensive than their non ABS counterparts. Is ABS essential for a new rider?
3. I’ve seen many ‘naked’ and ‘faired’ bikes, aside from cosmetics, do fairings have another purpose?
4. I’ve noticed some bikes were around £6k new, and now at 7 years old with 10k ish miles, they still command a £4k pricetag. Is this normal?
5. Why are sports touring bikes so much cheaper to insure than sports bikes?
6. A dealership told me that at 30k miles a bike is basically dead, then later in the same conversation mentioned that if I buy one of their bikes and service it regularly, it will easily to 60 – 70k miles. Sales talk I know, but which is true?
7. I’ve been told to steer clear of Chinese bikes as they have a reputation for unreliability, reliability is key for me, should I stick to Japanese?
8. Can anyone recommend a reputable bike dealer in Yorkshire (or surrounding areas)?
I don’t want to buy a bike that I’ll grow out of. I’ve been thinking of a 600 ish CC, so far I’ve considered an SV650, an ER6F and a GSR750. I’ve sat on these and the ER6F felt the lightest and most controllable. I’d like a sports tourer, any recommendations? A friend mentioned Hornets and Fazers, but these seem quite old yet still command a high price.
I know that reading this was a bit of a slog, so If you’ve got this far – Thank you!
All responses appreciated
TeamBigfoot said:
Hi all,
I’ve been driving for 13 years but never really got on to a bike. This year I’ve decided to do a DAS (and somehow convinced Mrs Bigfoot), so the theory is booked and lessons are on order (school selected, package agreed and just need to pass my theory). Once I pass, I’d like to buy a bike. Up till now I’ve only considered a cheap second hand hack, but the bike world seems to work a little differently to the car world. I would be using the bike for pleasure only, it will be a toy for summer/dry winter weekend rides.
1. I’ve read online that bikes become cheaper in November (supply, demand and new models being announced). Would this significantly impact the second hand bike market? If so, would the savings be like 10%, I’m planning to spend about £3k - can I get anything new for around £4k in November?
2. I’d like something with ABS, but second hand ABS bikes are quite a lot more expensive than their non ABS counterparts. Is ABS essential for a new rider?
3. I’ve seen many ‘naked’ and ‘faired’ bikes, aside from cosmetics, do fairings have another purpose?
4. I’ve noticed some bikes were around £6k new, and now at 7 years old with 10k ish miles, they still command a £4k pricetag. Is this normal?
5. Why are sports touring bikes so much cheaper to insure than sports bikes?
6. A dealership told me that at 30k miles a bike is basically dead, then later in the same conversation mentioned that if I buy one of their bikes and service it regularly, it will easily to 60 – 70k miles. Sales talk I know, but which is true?
7. I’ve been told to steer clear of Chinese bikes as they have a reputation for unreliability, reliability is key for me, should I stick to Japanese?
8. Can anyone recommend a reputable bike dealer in Yorkshire (or surrounding areas)?
I don’t want to buy a bike that I’ll grow out of. I’ve been thinking of a 600 ish CC, so far I’ve considered an SV650, an ER6F and a GSR750. I’ve sat on these and the ER6F felt the lightest and most controllable. I’d like a sports tourer, any recommendations? A friend mentioned Hornets and Fazers, but these seem quite old yet still command a high price.
I know that reading this was a bit of a slog, so If you’ve got this far – Thank you!
All responses appreciated
From my short riding time since the start of the year and riding a bike with no ABS I would say the following:I’ve been driving for 13 years but never really got on to a bike. This year I’ve decided to do a DAS (and somehow convinced Mrs Bigfoot), so the theory is booked and lessons are on order (school selected, package agreed and just need to pass my theory). Once I pass, I’d like to buy a bike. Up till now I’ve only considered a cheap second hand hack, but the bike world seems to work a little differently to the car world. I would be using the bike for pleasure only, it will be a toy for summer/dry winter weekend rides.
1. I’ve read online that bikes become cheaper in November (supply, demand and new models being announced). Would this significantly impact the second hand bike market? If so, would the savings be like 10%, I’m planning to spend about £3k - can I get anything new for around £4k in November?
2. I’d like something with ABS, but second hand ABS bikes are quite a lot more expensive than their non ABS counterparts. Is ABS essential for a new rider?
3. I’ve seen many ‘naked’ and ‘faired’ bikes, aside from cosmetics, do fairings have another purpose?
4. I’ve noticed some bikes were around £6k new, and now at 7 years old with 10k ish miles, they still command a £4k pricetag. Is this normal?
5. Why are sports touring bikes so much cheaper to insure than sports bikes?
6. A dealership told me that at 30k miles a bike is basically dead, then later in the same conversation mentioned that if I buy one of their bikes and service it regularly, it will easily to 60 – 70k miles. Sales talk I know, but which is true?
7. I’ve been told to steer clear of Chinese bikes as they have a reputation for unreliability, reliability is key for me, should I stick to Japanese?
8. Can anyone recommend a reputable bike dealer in Yorkshire (or surrounding areas)?
I don’t want to buy a bike that I’ll grow out of. I’ve been thinking of a 600 ish CC, so far I’ve considered an SV650, an ER6F and a GSR750. I’ve sat on these and the ER6F felt the lightest and most controllable. I’d like a sports tourer, any recommendations? A friend mentioned Hornets and Fazers, but these seem quite old yet still command a high price.
I know that reading this was a bit of a slog, so If you’ve got this far – Thank you!
All responses appreciated
1 Not really, they seem to go up and down a little but its more people being desperate to offload bikes when they aren't using them. I would say a good bike is worth the same money all year round.
2 No
3 Faired bikes tend to stand up to the wind better and offer a bit more protection
4 Yes, i have friends with bikes they've owned for 2-3 years and they are still worth nearly what they bought them for.
5 There's a lot more sports bike in the hedge that tourers, young people with a lack of talent tend to buy sports bikes and bin them.
6 Not really if its been looked after properly, there's plenty of 30k plus bikes out there that as long as they are looked after will probably do another 30k!
7 From what i've heard and read, the Chinese bikes are to be missed if you can, with your budget you shouldn't need to touch them
8 Pass
1. Doesn't work like that in my experience. Supply dries up and generally people hang on to good bikes until the new riding year.
2. I'd not worry too much about ABS.
3. Fairings make high speed long runs more comfortable but for the use you describe I can't imagine a naked being a problem. Nakeds tend to be a lot cheaper to insure.
4. Pretty much. Depreciation after the initial drop is pretty slow. In some ways you are better off spending a bit more for a newer bike as if you want to keep an older one in top condition suspension rebuild costs, new chains and sprockets, adjusting / greasing / replacing bearings etc gets expensive quick and can sometimes be more than the depreciation on a newer bike which hopefully won't need any of that. You just need to be smart about what you buy and when you sell.
5. probably just the type of people who go for touring over sports.
6. The engine and gearbox on a bike will last a good while with regular servicing. As point 4 there is a lot more needed on a bike than a car maintenance wise. You could buy a new car and not do anything at all to it in 30k apart from change the oil and it will be fine. On a bike you'll be through a set of sprockets and a chain, probably four sets of tyres, front brake pads, a valve clearance check and your suspension will need servicing to keep tip top. Bearings (wheels, headstock, rear sprocket carrier etc) could also need attention at this point.
7. You can't really go wrong with Japanese.
8. No idea
Z1000SX has to be worth a look for a sports tourer you won't grow out of. Should be some at the top of your price bracket.
2. I'd not worry too much about ABS.
3. Fairings make high speed long runs more comfortable but for the use you describe I can't imagine a naked being a problem. Nakeds tend to be a lot cheaper to insure.
4. Pretty much. Depreciation after the initial drop is pretty slow. In some ways you are better off spending a bit more for a newer bike as if you want to keep an older one in top condition suspension rebuild costs, new chains and sprockets, adjusting / greasing / replacing bearings etc gets expensive quick and can sometimes be more than the depreciation on a newer bike which hopefully won't need any of that. You just need to be smart about what you buy and when you sell.
5. probably just the type of people who go for touring over sports.
6. The engine and gearbox on a bike will last a good while with regular servicing. As point 4 there is a lot more needed on a bike than a car maintenance wise. You could buy a new car and not do anything at all to it in 30k apart from change the oil and it will be fine. On a bike you'll be through a set of sprockets and a chain, probably four sets of tyres, front brake pads, a valve clearance check and your suspension will need servicing to keep tip top. Bearings (wheels, headstock, rear sprocket carrier etc) could also need attention at this point.
7. You can't really go wrong with Japanese.
8. No idea
Z1000SX has to be worth a look for a sports tourer you won't grow out of. Should be some at the top of your price bracket.
1. I’ve read online that bikes become cheaper in November (supply, demand and new models being announced). Would this significantly impact the second hand bike market? Yes, but not by as much as you'd like!
2. I’d like something with ABS, but second hand ABS bikes are quite a lot more expensive than their non ABS counterparts. Is ABS essential for a new rider?
It's not essential - my first bikes didn't have ABS and I'm still alive - but it's certainly helpful and worth a modest premium. If you don't have ABS, then I'd highly recommend doing a day with i2i and they're in Yorkshire too.
3. I’ve seen many ‘naked’ and ‘faired’ bikes, aside from cosmetics, do fairings have another purpose?
Fairings make your life a lot comfier on motorways and dual carriageways.
4. I’ve noticed some bikes were around £6k new, and now at 7 years old with 10k ish miles, they still command a £4k pricetag. Is this normal?
Bikes vary hugely in terms of depreciation. You can capitalise on this, because there are hidden gems: great bikes that have depreciated hugely.
5. Why are sports touring bikes so much cheaper to insure than sports bikes?
No idea! However, there's nothing wrong with sports tourers and some might fit your bill (e.g. a used Honda VFR800 or BMW F800).
6. A dealership told me that at 30k miles a bike is basically dead, then later in the same conversation mentioned that if I buy one of their bikes and service it regularly, it will easily to 60 – 70k miles. Sales talk I know, but which is true?
Personally, I'd be happy with £30k mileage on a bike. Condition is important: full service history, garaged vs stored outside, kept pristine vs held together by rust.
7. I’ve been told to steer clear of Chinese bikes as they have a reputation for unreliability, reliability is key for me, should I stick to Japanese?
I'd steer clear of Chinese, because resale will be difficult. Triumph, new-ish Ducati, BMW or anything Japanese would be on my list. Honda has a particularly good reputation, but most modern bikes are pretty good these days.
As soon as you've done DAS, then I'd highly recommend booking yourself on a BikeSafe, IAM or RoSPA course to boost your skills and avoid those new biker accidents
2. I’d like something with ABS, but second hand ABS bikes are quite a lot more expensive than their non ABS counterparts. Is ABS essential for a new rider?
It's not essential - my first bikes didn't have ABS and I'm still alive - but it's certainly helpful and worth a modest premium. If you don't have ABS, then I'd highly recommend doing a day with i2i and they're in Yorkshire too.
3. I’ve seen many ‘naked’ and ‘faired’ bikes, aside from cosmetics, do fairings have another purpose?
Fairings make your life a lot comfier on motorways and dual carriageways.
4. I’ve noticed some bikes were around £6k new, and now at 7 years old with 10k ish miles, they still command a £4k pricetag. Is this normal?
Bikes vary hugely in terms of depreciation. You can capitalise on this, because there are hidden gems: great bikes that have depreciated hugely.
5. Why are sports touring bikes so much cheaper to insure than sports bikes?
No idea! However, there's nothing wrong with sports tourers and some might fit your bill (e.g. a used Honda VFR800 or BMW F800).
6. A dealership told me that at 30k miles a bike is basically dead, then later in the same conversation mentioned that if I buy one of their bikes and service it regularly, it will easily to 60 – 70k miles. Sales talk I know, but which is true?
Personally, I'd be happy with £30k mileage on a bike. Condition is important: full service history, garaged vs stored outside, kept pristine vs held together by rust.
7. I’ve been told to steer clear of Chinese bikes as they have a reputation for unreliability, reliability is key for me, should I stick to Japanese?
I'd steer clear of Chinese, because resale will be difficult. Triumph, new-ish Ducati, BMW or anything Japanese would be on my list. Honda has a particularly good reputation, but most modern bikes are pretty good these days.
As soon as you've done DAS, then I'd highly recommend booking yourself on a BikeSafe, IAM or RoSPA course to boost your skills and avoid those new biker accidents
Nakeds would keep your speeds down a bit as they don't offer much protection so it's not nice cruising above 70mph imo. But it depends on the journeys you want to do. If it's just a localish ride on the weekends or evenings they would be fine.
My bike has 38k and feels mechanically ok - they aren't that complex and with regular oil changes and maintenance I can't see it changing too much. It's probably going to leave me stranded now...
My bike has 38k and feels mechanically ok - they aren't that complex and with regular oil changes and maintenance I can't see it changing too much. It's probably going to leave me stranded now...
1. It's all supply and demand. Biking is more popular in the warmer months for obvious reasons, and thats also when when new licenses are acquired which helps keep prices strong during this time. In winter, there's fewer willing to brave the elements, far less newly qualified riders and therefore less demand for bikes, so you're more likely to get a used bargain from someone that needs an urgent sale. No guarantees, though, so don't wait until then expecting a bargain and potentially miss out on some good times.
2. Far from essential.
3. Aesthetics aside, fairings help keep wind and rain off legs, and a screen off the head/body, helping to keep cold and fatigue at bay. Downsides are they can be expensive to replace if damaged and make the bike less accessible to work on.
4. Just like cars, prices can vary enormously depending on a plethora of factors. Age, mileage, condition, model, etc.
5. For the same reason sports/performance cars are more expensive to insure - because they're deemed more likely to be made to perform by their owners, with the inevitable consequences.
6. Again, much like cars, depends entirely on the bike. Research the individual bike to find how durable it is.
7. There may be the odd exception to this that I'm not aware of, but objectively, Chinese bikes are of a lower quality than their Japanese counterparts. Their attractively low price tag can often be considered a false economy, as they're more likely to need fixing sooner and become worthless to all but the owner the moment it's purchased due to their reputation for quickly becoming uneconomical or difficult to repair. However, depending on your expectations, you may deem that quality to be perfectly adequate for your needs.
8. Pass.
Get your license, then concern yourself with what bike to get. You'll be in a far better position to make decisions about the type of bike you want when you've tried a few different types and understand what suits your type of riding.
Before I had my license I wanted nothing more than a Bandit 600 - a bike which many would consider a great bike and highly recommend. Thankfully, I tried one before I committed to buying one, and disliked it enormously. Lesson learned.
Best of luck.
2. Far from essential.
3. Aesthetics aside, fairings help keep wind and rain off legs, and a screen off the head/body, helping to keep cold and fatigue at bay. Downsides are they can be expensive to replace if damaged and make the bike less accessible to work on.
4. Just like cars, prices can vary enormously depending on a plethora of factors. Age, mileage, condition, model, etc.
5. For the same reason sports/performance cars are more expensive to insure - because they're deemed more likely to be made to perform by their owners, with the inevitable consequences.
6. Again, much like cars, depends entirely on the bike. Research the individual bike to find how durable it is.
7. There may be the odd exception to this that I'm not aware of, but objectively, Chinese bikes are of a lower quality than their Japanese counterparts. Their attractively low price tag can often be considered a false economy, as they're more likely to need fixing sooner and become worthless to all but the owner the moment it's purchased due to their reputation for quickly becoming uneconomical or difficult to repair. However, depending on your expectations, you may deem that quality to be perfectly adequate for your needs.
8. Pass.
Get your license, then concern yourself with what bike to get. You'll be in a far better position to make decisions about the type of bike you want when you've tried a few different types and understand what suits your type of riding.
Before I had my license I wanted nothing more than a Bandit 600 - a bike which many would consider a great bike and highly recommend. Thankfully, I tried one before I committed to buying one, and disliked it enormously. Lesson learned.
Best of luck.
Edited by CrankyCraig on Wednesday 25th April 13:11
Edited by CrankyCraig on Wednesday 25th April 13:16
Hi all,
I’ve been driving for 13 years but never really got on to a bike. This year I’ve decided to do a DAS (and somehow convinced Mrs Bigfoot), so the theory is booked and lessons are on order (school selected, package agreed and just need to pass my theory). Once I pass, I’d like to buy a bike. Up till now I’ve only considered a cheap second hand hack, but the bike world seems to work a little differently to the car world. I would be using the bike for pleasure only, it will be a toy for summer/dry winter weekend rides.
1. I’ve read online that bikes become cheaper in November (supply, demand and new models being announced). Would this significantly impact the second hand bike market? If so, would the savings be like 10%, I’m planning to spend about £3k - can I get anything new for around £4k in November?
Not really. There are small variations. Plus at "peak" time you may find you have more choice.
2. I’d like something with ABS, but second hand ABS bikes are quite a lot more expensive than their non ABS counterparts. Is ABS essential for a new rider?
Not essential if you ride sensibly. I had a bike with it and it kicked in once. Like-for-like of get ABS, but o wouldn't pay a premium for it.
3. I’ve seen many ‘naked’ and ‘faired’ bikes, aside from cosmetics, do fairings have another purpose?
Fairings keep the wind off you, especially handy over distance. If you ride a naked bike at 80, you'll know about it. But then again, is that a bad thing?
4. I’ve noticed some bikes were around £6k new, and now at 7 years old with 10k ish miles, they still command a £4k pricetag. Is this normal? Pretty much. Prices don't fall off a cliff like they do with cars.
5. Why are sports touring bikes so much cheaper to insure than sports bikes? Usually crashed more!
6. A dealership told me that at 30k miles a bike is basically dead, then later in the same conversation mentioned that if I buy one of their bikes and service it regularly, it will easily to 60 – 70k miles. Sales talk I know, but which is true? The latter. 30-40k seems to be equivalent to 100k in a car. Everybody s
ts their pants. But it's mainly fine. You may need to think about refreshing suspension though.
7. I’ve been told to steer clear of Chinese bikes as they have a reputation for unreliability, reliability is key for me, should I stick to Japanese? Yes. Chinese bikes are getting less bad but not a patch on Japanese/European stuff.
8. Can anyone recommend a reputable bike dealer in Yorkshire (or surrounding areas)?
I don’t want to buy a bike that I’ll grow out of. I’ve been thinking of a 600 ish CC, so far I’ve considered an SV650, an ER6F and a GSR750. I’ve sat on these and the ER6F felt the lightest and most controllable. I’d like a sports tourer, any recommendations?
I think you're looking in the right direction.
A friend mentioned Hornets and Fazers, but these seem quite old yet still command a high price.
Both meant to be very good. Especially the brakes on the older Fazer, they're from the R1.
I know that reading this was a bit of a slog, so If you’ve got this far – Thank you!
All responses appreciated
[/quote]
I’ve been driving for 13 years but never really got on to a bike. This year I’ve decided to do a DAS (and somehow convinced Mrs Bigfoot), so the theory is booked and lessons are on order (school selected, package agreed and just need to pass my theory). Once I pass, I’d like to buy a bike. Up till now I’ve only considered a cheap second hand hack, but the bike world seems to work a little differently to the car world. I would be using the bike for pleasure only, it will be a toy for summer/dry winter weekend rides.
1. I’ve read online that bikes become cheaper in November (supply, demand and new models being announced). Would this significantly impact the second hand bike market? If so, would the savings be like 10%, I’m planning to spend about £3k - can I get anything new for around £4k in November?
Not really. There are small variations. Plus at "peak" time you may find you have more choice.
2. I’d like something with ABS, but second hand ABS bikes are quite a lot more expensive than their non ABS counterparts. Is ABS essential for a new rider?
Not essential if you ride sensibly. I had a bike with it and it kicked in once. Like-for-like of get ABS, but o wouldn't pay a premium for it.
3. I’ve seen many ‘naked’ and ‘faired’ bikes, aside from cosmetics, do fairings have another purpose?
Fairings keep the wind off you, especially handy over distance. If you ride a naked bike at 80, you'll know about it. But then again, is that a bad thing?
4. I’ve noticed some bikes were around £6k new, and now at 7 years old with 10k ish miles, they still command a £4k pricetag. Is this normal? Pretty much. Prices don't fall off a cliff like they do with cars.
5. Why are sports touring bikes so much cheaper to insure than sports bikes? Usually crashed more!
6. A dealership told me that at 30k miles a bike is basically dead, then later in the same conversation mentioned that if I buy one of their bikes and service it regularly, it will easily to 60 – 70k miles. Sales talk I know, but which is true? The latter. 30-40k seems to be equivalent to 100k in a car. Everybody s
ts their pants. But it's mainly fine. You may need to think about refreshing suspension though.7. I’ve been told to steer clear of Chinese bikes as they have a reputation for unreliability, reliability is key for me, should I stick to Japanese? Yes. Chinese bikes are getting less bad but not a patch on Japanese/European stuff.
8. Can anyone recommend a reputable bike dealer in Yorkshire (or surrounding areas)?
I don’t want to buy a bike that I’ll grow out of. I’ve been thinking of a 600 ish CC, so far I’ve considered an SV650, an ER6F and a GSR750. I’ve sat on these and the ER6F felt the lightest and most controllable. I’d like a sports tourer, any recommendations?
I think you're looking in the right direction.
A friend mentioned Hornets and Fazers, but these seem quite old yet still command a high price.
Both meant to be very good. Especially the brakes on the older Fazer, they're from the R1.
I know that reading this was a bit of a slog, so If you’ve got this far – Thank you!
All responses appreciated
[/quote]
TeamBigfoot said:
Hi all,
I’ve been driving for 13 years but never really got on to a bike. This year I’ve decided to do a DAS (and somehow convinced Mrs Bigfoot), so the theory is booked and lessons are on order (school selected, package agreed and just need to pass my theory). Once I pass, I’d like to buy a bike. Up till now I’ve only considered a cheap second hand hack, but the bike world seems to work a little differently to the car world. I would be using the bike for pleasure only, it will be a toy for summer/dry winter weekend rides.
1. I’ve read online that bikes become cheaper in November (supply, demand and new models being announced). Would this significantly impact the second hand bike market? If so, would the savings be like 10%, I’m planning to spend about £3k - can I get anything new for around £4k in November?
2. I’d like something with ABS, but second hand ABS bikes are quite a lot more expensive than their non ABS counterparts. Is ABS essential for a new rider?
3. I’ve seen many ‘naked’ and ‘faired’ bikes, aside from cosmetics, do fairings have another purpose?
4. I’ve noticed some bikes were around £6k new, and now at 7 years old with 10k ish miles, they still command a £4k pricetag. Is this normal?
5. Why are sports touring bikes so much cheaper to insure than sports bikes?
6. A dealership told me that at 30k miles a bike is basically dead, then later in the same conversation mentioned that if I buy one of their bikes and service it regularly, it will easily to 60 – 70k miles. Sales talk I know, but which is true?
7. I’ve been told to steer clear of Chinese bikes as they have a reputation for unreliability, reliability is key for me, should I stick to Japanese?
1 I don't see you getting something new for 4K in November - you might however get one of the Honda CB500R/X range a year or two old for that kind of money in November, depending on what you want to ride.I’ve been driving for 13 years but never really got on to a bike. This year I’ve decided to do a DAS (and somehow convinced Mrs Bigfoot), so the theory is booked and lessons are on order (school selected, package agreed and just need to pass my theory). Once I pass, I’d like to buy a bike. Up till now I’ve only considered a cheap second hand hack, but the bike world seems to work a little differently to the car world. I would be using the bike for pleasure only, it will be a toy for summer/dry winter weekend rides.
1. I’ve read online that bikes become cheaper in November (supply, demand and new models being announced). Would this significantly impact the second hand bike market? If so, would the savings be like 10%, I’m planning to spend about £3k - can I get anything new for around £4k in November?
2. I’d like something with ABS, but second hand ABS bikes are quite a lot more expensive than their non ABS counterparts. Is ABS essential for a new rider?
3. I’ve seen many ‘naked’ and ‘faired’ bikes, aside from cosmetics, do fairings have another purpose?
4. I’ve noticed some bikes were around £6k new, and now at 7 years old with 10k ish miles, they still command a £4k pricetag. Is this normal?
5. Why are sports touring bikes so much cheaper to insure than sports bikes?
6. A dealership told me that at 30k miles a bike is basically dead, then later in the same conversation mentioned that if I buy one of their bikes and service it regularly, it will easily to 60 – 70k miles. Sales talk I know, but which is true?
7. I’ve been told to steer clear of Chinese bikes as they have a reputation for unreliability, reliability is key for me, should I stick to Japanese?
2 it's not essential. If you're planning to ride "routinely" i.e. when you're not absolutely paying the most attention at all times, then it can bail you out. If you're going to be paying fantastic attention, run sticky tires in dry conditions, etc. then it benefits you less. I'd pay for it, but I want it for riding home in pissing rain after work when someone steps outi n front of me, and I have to emergency stop when cold and tired.
3 drive a car at 80 - stick your head out of the window and see how much less comfortable you are.
4 rising new bike prices have effectively dragged s/h prices up
5 - people crash sports bikes - lots
6 - I've run 1 bike to 130k, one to 94k - if looked after reasonably they're OK, but are starting to feel tired at that point
7 - I'd stick to Japanese for more consistent parts supply as well.
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