Cannot find a bike anywhere within 40 miles.

BikeNewbie · Scooby Slapper Joined: 04 Aug 2011 Karma :

Hello,

I have posted here previously. And Have been looking everyday for a good month now for a Geared 125cc for practice on so I can go for my full bike test next year, Im 17.

But There is none anywhere within 40miles of my location ( East Sussex ) I would like it nearby so I can view first, Dont want to travel too far just for a 125cc. It just is starting to feel like I wont be getting one this year at all. I look at Gumtree, Ebay, Pistonheads, Friday-Ad all of these I look at daily,

Anywhere else to look? My budget is about 800 but maybe a little bit more.

Thanks,

Edward.

nant · Nova Slayer Joined: 09 Aug 2011 Karma :

biketrader.co.uk ?

Bendy · Mrs Sensible Joined: 10 Jun 2002 Karma :

40 miles? I've travelled further than that for an ice cream.

Pete. · Super Spammer Joined: 22 Aug 2006 Karma :

J4mes · World Chat Champion Joined: 18 Mar 2011 Karma :

Don't be too hooked up on "its got to be within 40 miles" because some places which are maybe 50 or 60 miles up a motorway or on a direct train are easier and quicker to get to than somewhere 40 miles away down a B road or on the bus Thumbs Up

BikeNewbie · Scooby Slapper Joined: 04 Aug 2011 Karma :

I guess I could do that, It could work. I wouldnt ride it back anyway. I would get my Father to pick it up, As Im not confident to do that,

Thanks.

Edward

EazyDuz · World Chat Champion Joined: 12 Apr 2011 Karma :

I'm in the same situation, all i seem to find are Chinese bikes, there is one for £400 near me which i might buy, but that is a bit desperate

fatjames · World Chat Champion Joined: 09 Jul 2011 Karma :

BikeNewbie · Scooby Slapper Joined: 04 Aug 2011 Karma :

I wouldnt buy a Chinese bike, It will just take abit longer to find a bike than I first thought, It will be worth it in the end though! Very Happy

trikeschick · Traffic Copper Joined: 14 Mar 2010 Karma :

Motorcycle News has a good for sale section
____________________
"Light travels faster than the speed of sound, which is why some people appear bright until they speak"

Rogerborg · nimbA Joined: 26 Oct 2010 Karma :

Teflon-Mike · tl;dr Joined: 01 Jun 2010 Karma :

Right; join the club; YOU have the same problem as so many L-Plate newbies.... who want it right here, right now, gift wrapped and delivered with a kiss, without putting yourself out, or spending ANY more money then you have to.

£800 buys you, a Chinese Fake-Away, Bike-In-A-Box, not quite delivered to your door, or registered for the road, or fully assembled or operational.

So you would still have to spend more money, put in some time,. and effort and have a not wonderfully great bike, for your lack of trouble.

Elsewhere, £800 is about bottom of the market for a working, functional, serviceable and pottentially 'useful' second hand 125.

You dont get MUCH for your money in the Learner Legal market, and unlike cars EVERY one, thier wife, dog and hamster have..... motorbikes are a little less common or conventional, and you have to hunt them down a bit harder.

I'm not having a 'go' at you, but you deminished the bike as 'only' a 125 right at the beginning, and said you couldn';t be arsed to go further afield, for such a demeaning 'little' bike you have little interest in.

Fair enough; means to an endl only want it to get your tests done on; or get to and from; fine; you dont HAVE to have any enthusiasm or interest in the things.... BUT dont expect to bag a bargain, AND have it gift wrapped and delivered.....

You have basically already answered your own questions; problem is not that there are no 125 bikes out there, we all know there are hundreds; problem isn't that there aren't any 'decent' bikes out there, again, we all know there are hundreds, nor even that there aren't any decent bikes within 40 miles of you... there are bound to be dozens....

Simple problem is there are no decent bikes, in your budget, within 40 miles.

Solution? Widen your search area, be prepared to travel, and or up your budget to that needed to buy bikes local to you....

Old joke: Bloke's crawling accross the desert; sees what he thinkls is a mirage; crawls to it anyway and discovers its an actual real world BAR.... crawls up the bar and croaks "Water!"

Barman looks at him, poors a tall glass of ice water.... hands it to him.

Bloke starts drinking....

"That'll be forty seven pounds fifty please mate" Barman says, polishing a glass...

Bloke spits water back out....

"WHAT! For a glass of fucking water?!"

Barman Shrugs; "Well, you could try next door?"

Bloke looks around..... he's in the middle of a desert......
____________________
My Webby'Tef's-tQ, loads of stuff about my bikes, my Land-Rovers, and the stuff I do with them!
Current Bikes:'Honda VF1000F' ;'CB750F2N' ;'CB125TD ( 6 3 of em!)'; 'Montesa Cota 248'. Learner FAQ's:= 'U want to Ride a Motorbike! Where Do U start?'

Alex_B · Brolly Dolly Joined: 15 Jul 2011 Karma :

Before I got my bike in London I had found one in Folkstone and one in Wrexham.
Now, Wrexham was a bit on the long side (I'm in London) but I would have done it.

I tell you something though, I was sooo looking forwards to riding back the 60 odd miles on A-roads from Folkstone Laughing

Like I say, I got one in London and drove back in the rush hour, which was still damn fun Wink

____________________
My Lane Position is always AWESOME!!

Eas85 · Nova Slayer Joined: 19 Aug 2011 Karma :

The thing is, even if you see a bike say 100 miles away, you've gotta be pretty certain you're going to buy it, what if you go to look and it isn't as advertised, or there's just something wrong with it that puts you off, you will have wasted 200 miles of petrol getting there and back, or a massive train ticket, seems a bit risky?

Teflon-Mike · tl;dr Joined: 01 Jun 2010 Karma :

Eas85 · Nova Slayer Joined: 19 Aug 2011 Karma :

yes I understand this, I just want some reassurance, of which there isn't much when buying 2nd hand. I have increased my search radius from when I first started looking and have seen some bargains, so I know I will find a bike, it's just how long is that first ride gonna be to bring it home lol, and hopefully will have some friends/family to pop in on on the way back to break up the journey hehe

mike_wall15 · Two Stroke Sniffer Joined: 28 Aug 2011 Karma :

I'm experiencing the same, but I know something will come up eventually.
I'm used to this with cars...

If you search for slightly higher prices, maybe £1000, then you could probably knock the owner down closer to your intended price...

I'm currently using ebay, gumtree, this site, and MCN.

Good luck!

Mike

Quornholio · World Chat Champion Joined: 11 Jun 2011 Karma :

I love the Chinese bike knockers. All these "it won't last past rain hur lulz". I had a '97 plate Jialing Chinese bike, and in all the time I had it, the only thing that went wrong on it was the flasher relay. Changed front tyre, c&s, and front and rear shoes. Part problems? 1970's Honda XL125 parts, from Wemoto Thumbs Up