Leaving the country for 3 years: Sell or store the bike?

[firg]

I managed to get the job I've been after for ages. It's in Denmark, who have horrific vehicle import charges so the bike isn't coming with me. I'll be there for 3 years.

I'm trying to work out whether I sell my bike now (I leave in about a month) for a few grand and then buy a different used bike once I return to the UK, or if I put it in storage for the next 3 years (probably coming to about £1k storage fees).

Has anyone had any experience with putting bikes into storage like that? Any suggestions or advice?
____________________
Ex-'96 Bandit 600S -> '99 Bandit 600 -> K7 V-Strom 650

[Ste]

What possible benefit is there for paying £1k to store it?

[firg]

[Az]

Makes no sense to store the bike away, it will only cost u unnecessary money because of storage fees & depreciation of bike value.

If you like ur bike, sell it and buy exactly the same model when u return for cheaper.

[P.addy]

If you wanted permanent storage, probably worth finding a friend with a garage, or loan to a friend to actually ride it.

Sell it if neither apply, never pay to keep something that is depreciating.

[firg]

Alright, fair enough I'm not thinking straight am I

I'll get it cleaned up and list it for sale. See if anyone wants it before I go.
____________________
Ex-'96 Bandit 600S -> '99 Bandit 600 -> K7 V-Strom 650

[Ste]

[Skudd]

Have you not got a relative with spare room? Plus are you going to pop back and need transport?

Selling is a good idea, but will you be able to buy one again when you come back, I know I couldn't afford to buy mu bike again so it would be stored by a relative somewhere.
____________________
Famous last words of Humpty Dumpty. " Stop pushing me "
Petty Anarchists look at "1984".............. The Visionary looks at "Animal Farm".

[Itchy]

I stored my CBR600FX for 3.5 years. I removed the front wheel and forks and the top fairing to make it smaller.

When I came back...

The tyres were rotten. (£230 replacement)

Chain had dried out and was full of tight spots (£90 replacement).

The brakes had seized and rotted (£7 for pistons + seals x 9)

The bearings all needed replacement (wheels/swing arm/ headstock)

The exhaust had rotted at the collars (and it was stainless!)

It also ran like a dog presumably as all the oil had settled at the bottom of the sump.

It was covered in speckles of paint, and some of the grease around the bottom had hardened.

A lot of the rubbers went hard and the carb inlet rubbers were cracking.

The paint on all the pattern parts (brake levers, bar ends, mirrors and engine covers) all flaked off as well.

The coolant also turned to goop a thick green slush.

Many of the electric connectors also went green.

I sold it to a bloke from Poland, we wheeled it into the back of a truck and I got a fist full of notes.

Best option? Sell it and buy a new one if you return.
____________________
Spain 2008France 2007Big one 2009 We all die. The goal isn't to live forever, the goal is to create something that will. In the end, your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it is worth watching.

[firg]

Good points Itchy. It'll be buggered after 3 years sitting.

Skudd also has a fair point. It will be a pain having no transport when I pop home but if the bikes going to be in a terrible state due to sitting for months at a time then I wouldn't be happy riding it anyway.
____________________
Ex-'96 Bandit 600S -> '99 Bandit 600 -> K7 V-Strom 650

[dydey90]

I'll look after it for three years and pay your depreciation if/when you return, if it hasn't been crashed or stolen in that time, in which case I'll forward the insurance settlement.

Or... Tree fiddy ponds.
____________________
This post is probably not serious and shouldn't be taken literally.
Past: CBR125,ER6f NINJA 650, ZZR600 Current: VFR750

[Ste]

The £1,000 storage cost would cover plenty of hire vehicles on the occasions you do pop back.

[Ste]

Also, re the possibility of not being able to afford a bike when you return in three years... if you put the cash from selling it into storage then you will be able to afford a bike when you return in three years.

[firg]

Will get it all cleaned up this weekend, post up adverts on Monday I reckon.

Here, V Strom UK Owners Forum, MCN, Autotrader bikes... anywhere else?
____________________
Ex-'96 Bandit 600S -> '99 Bandit 600 -> K7 V-Strom 650

[Ste]

eBay classified ads.

[MarJay]

You're going to wreck it by storing it, so why not sell it now, and then buy another when you get back?
____________________
British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F; Cheap project: CBR900RR FireBlade
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[ride_to_die]

Gumtree?
____________________
I'm not here for a long time, I'm here for a good time.

[duhawkz]

[stevo as b4]

You can store a bike long term if you go to massive lengths to properly protect it and prepare it.

Ideally I would store a bike dry of all fluids except engine oil, or use silicone based brake fluid instead of Dot4 or Dot 5.1 etc.

Things will perish in storage and you'd have to come back expecting to replace things like tyres, hoses fluids, and sometimes brake system components, calipers and seals.

I think bikes should ideally be stored with no weight on the wheels, and after a large overhaul of things like suspension linkages and re-greasing of them and steering head bearing etc.

Trying to keep a bike that's in long term storage easy to re-commission and start is a mistake, and also are the people that think a stored bike should be started up and run for 10min's every few weeks and left running in the garden, as this causes all kinds of problems!

If I was to store a bike for a year or more, id make sure it had no coolant in it, and no fuel in the tank or the carbs either. I'd also douse all the rubber parts and hoses with a silicone rubber spray, and oil all cables and grease everything that moves too.

[eddypeck]

I disagree with the depreciation comments. Bike prices are getting silly, the last few bikes I've had I've owned for a 2-3 years each, put 20,000 miles on them and still sold them for pretty much what I've paid.

What you could buy 3 years ago for a £1500, you'd be lucky to get the equivalent now for 3 grand.

But if it's an average bike then sell it, but if the bike is special to you or a sought after/popular/modern classic, retro or iconic model (and if you don't need the cash) then store it. You'll kick yourself forever more if you let it go now.

If put in to storage properly it should be fine.

Think about what it's worth today. Imagine what it will be worth in this condition with mo more miles added in 3 years time. Chances are it would have gone up in value more than or at least equal to the storage cost.

[Clanger]

[dydey90]