pan or drag?- updated got the pan!

[dansrockin]

hi, i have put my zxr750 on ebay and had a few offers for it which is good, but ive got a few options for what to go for after.
my manager at works cousin has offered me his s reg yamaha dragstar 1100 for £1500, im going to look at it tomorrow, but its got low mileage, only done 2k in the last 2 years. as far as i know its in very good condition, only letting it go cheap as he doesnt use it and its to a friend of his cousin.
but i just had another offer of a swap for a 1993 pan european with 43k. part service history, the owner is a bike mechanic and did the last two himself. he said the only real problem is the fork lowers are flaking paint and could do with a respray. he fitted a stereo and is going to send some more pics so i can see it in detail.
he said the value is around £1500-1700 but would do a straight swap if im interested.
what would you lot do if you had the choice of both bikes?
its going to be my only transport, i travel 20miles each way to work in all weather. my girlfriend will occaisionally be going pillion so i want her to be comfortable on the back.
any ideas on what either bike will be like for regular use, fuel economy, servicing, and also future resale value, etc?
ive had harleys before so im not adverse to cruisers in anyway, so please no knocking the dragstar just because its a cruiser!
cheers
dan

[dansrockin]

just spoke to the guy with the pan, he wants to swap as his girlfriend has just passed her test so he wants a sportsbike to keep up with his mates now and doesnt need something so comfy for the pillion.
its got 6 months mot and 8 months tax, it was fully serviced when he got it, and he has done the oil and filter again since then.
he fitted a stereo from hein gericke last month, its got air horns and an alarm, but he pulled the fuse from the alarm as it keeps going off.
he said i could go there or he could come to me, and as i dont fancy a ride down to bristol from banbury, he is coming to me on monday to have a look at each others bike.
anyone think i should hold back on this or would it be a good deal?
dan

[panrider_uk]

The Pan is a good all rounder and will handle surprisingly well once its moving - it is quite heavy to paddle around though

Mine's a '95 model which I bought when it was 2 years old.

I had the same problem with the forks starting to look shabby. I decided to replace the forks as I couldn't be arsed getting then stripped and resprayed.

The main areas to look for on a used one are the swing arm (they collect all the crud thrown up by the back wheel and tend to rot after about 10 years) and the exhaust if it has a Honda mild steel one fitted.

At 43k the rear shock will have seen better days. I replaced the Honda original with a Hagon unit.

Parts from David Silver aren't too expensive.

Mark
____________________
Current bikes: Honda ST1100 Pan European. Moto Guzzi V85 TT Travel

[dansrockin]

thanks for that mark,
is the swing arm easy to get at? it looks like its got a bit of body work in the way on the pic he sent me.
how much did the forks and shock cost you to replace?
whats it like as a day to day bike? the guy said it has a 30 litre tank and should easily do 300 mile to a tank!
at 43k is it coming up for any big servicing jobs or should it have had any thing big done?
he has also just text and said its got a full motad system, fender extender and has had 3 owners including him.
almost sounds too good to be true! very rare i get lucky like this!
cheers
dan

[P.addy]

[panrider_uk]

[dansrockin]

[Pete.]

I'd take the Pan over the dragstar without even thinking about it.
____________________
a.k.a 'Geri'

132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good

[dansrockin]

[Pete.]

Because if you look at Yammy's recent history of V-twin cruisers you'll see that the only thing that's quicker than the speed they rot at is the rate at which they depreciate.
____________________
a.k.a 'Geri'

132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good

[dansrockin]

here's a pic of the dragstar, its on a x plate with 9k on the clock.
https://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y234/dansrockin/DSC00725.jpg
tax and mot have just run out but he says it will pass mot no problem.
it will need a newsubframe, mudguard and seat to make it usable for a pillion though, but he has done alot ofwork to it including adjustable height shocks, plus everything else you can see.
im still going to go for the pan if its everything he said it is but if that falls through then i really think i'll go for the dragstar.
any opinions
dan

[SamJL]

I am finding hardtail bikes seriously cool recently

That is awesome, get the dragster, be different!
____________________
2009 CBR1000RR
2004 KTM 200SX
2004 KTM 65SX

[Tristan.]

[dansrockin]

its not a hardtail, its a softail with hidden suspension made to look like a hardtail.
he hasnt mot'd it as he hasnt used it. he has had it 6 years and only done 1k miles, he has old mots to prove it. the last one ran out a week ago, and he wasnt going to do it as its just sitting in his garage. he had planned on keeping it for a few more years til he can afford to trike it but he heard i was looking for a bike and said he'd rather it go to a good home and get ridden than left to rust in his shed. fair enough i suppose.
i must be honest i really do like that style of bike, my last harley was similar, but as far as practicality goes, its really no good at the min and would need a fair whack spending on it to make it usable for a pillion.
dan

[SamJL]

It looks cool, buy it
____________________
2009 CBR1000RR
2004 KTM 200SX
2004 KTM 65SX

[dansrockin]

if i was going with my heart then i would have that without a thought, but then i'd have a bike that only i can ride, and the whole point of changing is to get a suitable bike for my missus to go on the back!
having said that if the pan falls through tomorrow i'll be getting it and i'll be on the look out for a new back end!

[dansrockin]

well i got the pan! he came up as planned and i have to say i definitly got the better deal! the bike is spotless apart from the flaking forks, the swing arm looks good, and its got a mud flap over it to stop all the crap getting thrown on it.
the stereo is loud! but i think i might take it off and sell it as i dont think its something i'll use much! its also has a nifty little switch on the dash that turns on a blue strobe light in the headlight! im never going to get stuck in traffic again!
i took it for a quick spin and its so comfy, and the riding position is really relaxed, it felt like id had it for years! i cant wait to put some mileage on it!
https://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y234/dansrockin/Pan1.jpg

[Chris750]

Looking at the pic and was just wondering-where the hell would the reg plate go on that dragster?

[Paulington]

[dansrockin]

its got a sidemount plate on the left side of the swing arm.

[panrider_uk]

Looks good.

Mark
____________________
Current bikes: Honda ST1100 Pan European. Moto Guzzi V85 TT Travel

[MarkJ]

[dansrockin]

thanks, i definitly got the better end of the bargain! my zxr was a good bike but needed cosmetic work to make it look good, this bike is perfect. i reckon its easily worth £1800-2000 which is over 500 more than my zxr was worth on a good day!
fair play though, he got the bike he wanted and i got the bike i needed.
dan

[dansrockin]

[Kris]