Where'd all the cheap bikes go? A rant as much as question!

[c_dug]

My VFR sold last night, the hunt for a replacement for under £1500 is on - ideally less than £1000. No problem I thought, not so fast says life!

In 2008 I bought a 1998 GPZ500s on 28,000 miles for £400 in very good condition. Today the nearest I can find for age, mileage and condition is a long way over £1000!

In 2009 I bought an NTV600 Revere on 73,000 miles, in reasonable condition for £300. Today I can't find anything similar for less than £850, and often way over £1000.

In 2010 I bought a very clean 1999 ZZR600 on 29,000 miles for £1000 on the dot. Today they're all double that mileage and way worse condition for anywhere near that money.

In 2011 I bought a clean 1993 CBR600F on 25,000 miles for £1000. Today I can't see much similar this side of £1500!

2012 I bought a Diversion 900 - £950 - not fantastic condition, but far from a shed - panniers included. 27,000 miles. Today they're all double that mileage at that price.

You get the picture.

I know it's spring and so prices (supposedly) go up, but seriously are people insane?

My search circle is basically 75 miles from Charing Cross, I've been looking for over a week now. Yeah I'm looking in London or thereabouts - but that's always been where I've bought before and the prices evidentially have never been so mad.

I found a single 1998 ZX6r on 25,000 miles for £1000 which looked tidy in the pictures - Spot on I thought - a test ride said otherwise.

There are bikes around, but they generally look shagged, or have issues, or are getting on for 50,000 miles. £1000 allowed a decent selection less than 10 years ago.

So a genuine question of sorts - what has happened? Where did this pool of bikes vanish to?

And a rant - because I'm properly bikeless for the first time since November 2006 and that makes me ratty!

Edit: - just to add - My criteria is basically anything 400cc or over, reliable enough to be able to do another 10,000 miles without too much trouble and with some sort of pillion provision. That's basically it. I prefer fully faired bikes as a rule, but beggars and choosers.
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I am a bellend, I am a man of constant sorrow, I am a gummy bear, I am a rock.

[woo]

you need to search uk wide and be willing to jump on the train/or mates car with opinion to buy and only walk away if said bike is suspect in any way!

i live in london and have travelled all over the uk to buy my bikes and ride them home

dont limit yourself as there out there
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Elen sila lummen omentielvo!

[Wafer_Thin_Ham]

All the cheap ones ended up in Europe when the exchange rate was in their favour.
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My Flickr

[andys675]

[wr6133]

Expand beyond London. A quick look on ebay shows no shortage of ZZR's and CBR's in your price range

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HONDA-CBR600-F3-1996-16000-MILES-/301912020964?hash=item464b5bd7e4:g:lWAAAOSwBnVW-VGp

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2000-HONDA-CBR-600-F4-MOT-08-04-2017-/322071175152?hash=item4afcf01ff0:g:V4kAAOSwGYVW~Dvm

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Kawasaki-ZX600-zzr600-zzr-600-sports-tourer-motorcycle-/322073185104?hash=item4afd0ecb50:g:RnAAAOSwiYFXF2Fb

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Kawasaki-ZX600-zzr600-zzr-600-sports-tourer-motorcycle-/321824259594?hash=item4aee387e0a:g:XHYAAOSw~gRV6wtC

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Kawasaki-ZZR600-/111966373754?hash=item1a11b7477a:g:QNoAAOSwP~tW5r4x

Sub £1k though is getting lucky and responding fast on gumtree or buying a "project".

[Blah blah]

If all the cheap, good bikes have gone, why am I having such trouble selling a low miles, 1996 CBR600 in original, clean condition for around £1000? Apart from it being near Redruth in Cornwall, but couriers are cheap...

They are around, just need to look for them.

Shameless plug for my sale ad on here / eBay ad...

[ReadySalted]

I've noticed this and not sure exactly, but my theory is that in the last say - 6 or 7 years the view of what is high mileage has changed somewhat. About six years ago I remember the general consensus being that much north of 30,000 miles on a bike was high mileage and therefore bikes with more than that seemed drop alot in value.
Now that is much less the case imo. People seem to be happy with a bike up to more like 50,000 miles before they consider it high mileage and so bikes hold their value longer and people are willing to pay comparatively more now than then. Maybe because of more faith in build quality or perhaps because touring is more popular now that ever, so bikes generally rack up bigger miles. Another symptom of this is how sports bikes are hugely less popular now and touring bikes, particularly adventure tourers seem to saturate the UK bike market.

Of course this is all my speculation so liable to be complete bollocks.

[c_dug]

My problem is that I really don't have money to waste, so travelling to Cornwall, or Liverpool, in search of a bargain quickly becomes false economy if it turns out to be a Lemon upon a test ride.
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I am a bellend, I am a man of constant sorrow, I am a gummy bear, I am a rock.

[JoeDaStudd]

Weather is starting to pick up so more people are wanting bikes from now until August early September.

[Robby]

It does seem hard to find something for under a grand now, but two grand seems to buy a lot more than it used to.

Also consider that the bike buying demographic has shifted towards A2-compliant things. This means fewer newish interesting bikes, so people are more likely to hang on to what they have.

Fancy a much older, less competent VFR?

[GSTEEL32]

I think it's down to simple demand and supply. Back in 2006 & 2007 credit was still rediculously cheap so the second hand market was boiuyant with part ex's and the like.

Fast forward 5 years with no credit and a shift towards "touring" bikes, the second hand "sports" market looks a different beast.

I agree with you, during that time you had a good choice of decent bikes at £1k. Have you also noticed how many bikes are sold as "future classics " with a 30% uplift in asking price?

[Blah blah]

[.Chris.]

An unfortunate combination of:

The collapse in new bike sales around the time of the recession (only really recovering in the last year or two) meaning there's a big 'hole' in the secondhand market

The aforementioned European takeaway when the £ tanked, leading to further depletion

Increased interest in classic bikes, the transition of some formerly cheap old models into the realms of classic-dom, plus sellers getting wind of this and think that some rotten old GT550 is a 'rare appreciating classic investment', priced accordingly .

I'm hoping that when the current crop of PCP bikes end up on the secondhand market, it might help restore some sanity.
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Chris
1985 Kawasaki Z550F

[Rogerborg]

[M.C]

[Pigeon]

[Billy Balthorpe]

I'm not saying these are perfect for you but there are some bargains here, all of these have sold on ebay so I hope the links still work.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Honda-VFR-800-1998-/121957349790?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&nma=true&si=DScsSOITPkC5ikIj53zSnS5h4m0%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/YAMAHA-FZR-600-/272212198040?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&nma=true&si=DScsSOITPkC5ikIj53zSnS5h4m0%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Yamaha-Fazer-FZS-600-Y-registration-/262387394837?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&nma=true&si=DScsSOITPkC5ikIj53zSnS5h4m0%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

This is a good one
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Honda-VTR-1000-Firestorm-/152053375923?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&nma=true&si=DScsSOITPkC5ikIj53zSnS5h4m0%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

Want to go on a long trip?
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Yamaha-FJ-1200-/152047775791?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&nma=true&si=DScsSOITPkC5ikIj53zSnS5h4m0%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc
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M.O.B. Successfully taking the piss since 2014.

[Billy Balthorpe]

A ZZR600 for you, a '98 with MOT and 46K, looks nice for £860
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Kawasaki-ZZR600-Burgandy-Silver-1998-R-reg-/201554729234?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&nma=true&si=DScsSOITPkC5ikIj53zSnS5h4m0%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc
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M.O.B. Successfully taking the piss since 2014.

[c_dug]

Definitely does seem to be much more available within my budget further afield.

I agree on the £2,000 thing, but I'm not sure solicitors will accept pictures of pretty bikes in liue of £500!
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I am a bellend, I am a man of constant sorrow, I am a gummy bear, I am a rock.

[redeem ouzzer]

You can buy Ashley's Gayzor for 300 quid. I know where there is an engine for £150.
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Be a REAL MAN!

[groovylee]

there are a few bikes up near me dude, and if you need to borrow a trailer just let me know its not the prettiest, but its functional
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Past - 1988 honda revere 600, 1996 kawasaki gpz500s, 1999 Yamaha R6

Current - 2002 Aprilia RSV1000R & 1999 Kawasaki ZX6R

[groovylee]

oh, and I may know of a minty thunderace up here that might be in budget. i woud just need to see if he still fancies selling it. i had a look before i bought the R6, but decided it'd probably kill me lol
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Past - 1988 honda revere 600, 1996 kawasaki gpz500s, 1999 Yamaha R6

Current - 2002 Aprilia RSV1000R & 1999 Kawasaki ZX6R

[c_dug]

I've actually fancied a Thunderace for a while but have always been put off by the guzzling oil stories! If it's within budget and ready to ride away then I'll certainly consider it.

I've accepted the fact that I'll have to look further afield, also Gumtree seems to have stolen the budget market from eBay.

The search continues!
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I am a bellend, I am a man of constant sorrow, I am a gummy bear, I am a rock.

[andym]

Depending on how much work you want to do.... still got the CBR I'm willing to let go cheap

[woodyeee]

Also...............
A. Your money is not worth what it was a few years ago.
B. Better investment than putting money in the bank.
C. That's why shitters are still for sale.
D. Advertised price is not always the actual sold price.
E. Travel for a good deal.
F. Stop selling a good one when you buy it.