Buying a motorcycle from dealership

[Fat Angry Scotsman]

I've never bought a proper big bike before and it's different to whenever I have bought a car. With cars, I have always been 100% sure what I want to get and going to the dealership and doing the dance on prices and terms was just a formality as I was always going to take the car.

However, when it comes to motorcycles I simply don't know what I want. There are a few bikes I want or think would do me. My primary concern is commuting: it is what I will be doing most days on the bike - driving the 18 miles (each way) on mostly motorways. Hopefully the bike will be adaptable enough that I can go a weekend blast and do a few hundred miles on it comfortably. I also want to be able to take a pillion once in a while.

So I was thinking of the following bikes (in order of appeal to me):

1. Suzuki Katana (some have said it's too big for a first real bike, others have said it's fairly manageable if you respect it),
2. Ducati Supersport,
3. Yamaha Tracer 9 GT,
4. Triumph Tiger 900 GT,
5. Suzuki V-STROM 650 XT.

So can I just roll up to a Suzuki dealer and be like "well there's two bikes I would like to try here but I've still got to go see Ducati, Yamaha and Triumph after this"? In Glasgow I think the Triumph and Ducati dealerships are the same people as they are right next to each other and the Harley dealership. Suzuki is done by Mickey Oates and Yamaha I think I need to drive out to Edinburgh for Saltire Motorcycles.

I don't know which I would want to go with first, I am going to have more than one bike in the fullness of time but I am thinking the first will have to be a bit of a jack-of-all trades. Is test-riding a thing so dealers just expect it? Do I let a dealer know I am looking at other bikes or are they going to give me shite about possibly not buying a bike. Totally new to this.

Also, what's the typical deposit to put down on a bike? Is it like car finance where you can typically get a point or two knocked off the APR?
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PRESENT: 2018 BMW S1000XR SE Sport.
PAST: 2009 Kawasaki ER-6F. 2021 Zontes ZT-125U.

[ThunderGuts]

No don't tell them you're looking at other bikes (or at least not until after a test ride) - they may lose interest. Bikes are a different kettle of fish to cars; bikes generally sell themselves, cars less so. Don't be surprised to get a tepid response from salespeople (not all are like this of course). Also don't be surprised if they want money for you to do a test ride (Triumph ask for £15 or £25 or something, or at least the dealership around here does). Probably work out which would take this attitude and go there last. Lastly, don't expect to negotiate much if anything off the price. It's a totally different world to cars. You might get your documentation fee and perhaps a tank of fuel. That's probably it, unless the dealer is desperate to shift the bike.

If they're asking for money for a test ride, you could try it on and say if they don't cover the cost you'll test ride other bikes elsewhere first and may buy them instead (as a first big bike purchase, you're quite likely to be won over by the first bike you ride and they'll know this) but I wouldn't hold your breath.

I'd do all your research first, then sit on the bikes (to gauge fit and feel) then look at test rides last.
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TG.

[Easy-X]

Forget test rides for the moment just sit on as many bikes as you can get away with. Static ergonomics will whittle down your list in short order.
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Royal Enfield Continental GT 535, Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[Fat Angry Scotsman]

[wr6133]

With a brand new licence you might find some dealers won't give you a test ride.

If you are doing PCP read the terms, the mileage allowances on bikes can be pretty low.

Consider slightly used examples of your list. Not only the depreciation thing but likely the first owner will have changed the shit euro-compliant exhaust and maybe fitted other goodies saving you a fair chunk of cash straight away.

[Fat Angry Scotsman]

[Robby]

You're coming off a 125, so any big bike is going to feel like a rocketship that doesn't want to go round corners.

I personally wouldn't go for a 900 or litre bike. This is not for safety reasons, but for future-boredom reasons. It is hard to step down to a slower bike after a quick one.

For motorway work, some kind of fairing is necessary. At least a screen, or it gets very tiring, dull and noisy to sit at motorway speeds for any length of time.

Otherwise, pick whatever you like the look and feel of. They will all be powerful enough for your requirements. Consider residual value, because you are highly likely to be changing bike in 2-3 years. Also consider aftermarket parts/accessories support. You will make changes. It's nice to have choice, otherwise you may get stuck with only one manufacturer making an exhaust/luggage/seat/screen and having to pay premium prices for mundane things.

Finally, it looks like most of your list is pretty expensive stuff, apart from the V-strom. You may well get just as much enjoyment out of much cheaper stuff, and less of a depreciation hit. I would consider RE interceptor, Guzzi V7, Yamaha MT-07.

[ThunderGuts]

To add, out of the last unless you're short I'd go for the Vstrom. The 650 isn't mega fast, but it's fast enough as a first big bike, has a bit of fairing, good seating position for commuting and won't look daft with a topbox (should you wish to carry your sarnies).
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TG.

[Polarbear]

[SirFallalot]

[Robby]

[ThatDippyTwat]

Above all... be prepared to walk away. If something doesn't feel right, walk away and think about it. You can go back later on.
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'98 VFR800 (touring) - '12 VFR800 Crosrunner (Commuting) - '01 KDX220 (Big Green Antisocial Machine)

[Keithy]

I’m nine months ahead of you, bought my first ever bike in September last year.

I went to a bike ‘supermarket’ so I had a selection to hop on and off. It’s better than trying to remember what something you sat on yesterday felt like compared to what you are sitting on now.

Looking at bikes my main thought was, “I’m a berk, a noob and a fat useless arse and I can’t believe I got my Mod 2 so if I get a litre sports bike I’m dead”. I also remembered how often I dropped the F750GS doing my Pre-test so wanted to make sure what I had was lighter and I could get my feet down. Looking at my last 1,500 miles that was a good decision, even wrestling the thing out of the garage on a couple of occasions a bigger bike would have hit the floor. Needless to say crash bungs were an added bonus.

I had a lot of flip-flopping between ‘I can get something nice’ and ‘why buy something nice as (see para 3) and I’m going to drop it’. In the end I went cheaper because you get a lot of bike for relatively little money.

Don’t expect to get ‘money off for cash’ or big discounts. You have AutoTrader and e-bay so you know what stuff is worth and most places are competitive.

You say ‘I am going to have more than one bike in the fullness of time’ and half the fun is the hunt, so don’t blow your whole wad now on something big & expensive, go middleweight and ease yourself in, drop it (or not) get used to it and start the hunt for number two a couple or three weeks after you have bought number one.

I have deferred number two until ‘at least 5k on this one’ but hey, I’m a liar and easily swayed

As the guys on here will tell you, not like cars, you can chop and change.

[Fat Angry Scotsman]

[UncleFester]

Dropping is something you can do irrespective of height.

You need to do it a couple of times to remind yourself of this and then you'll do it less
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2017 Z1000SX

[Fat Angry Scotsman]

[Easy-X]

Larger dealerships often carry some second hand / trade-in stock. Stick with the plan and sit on (or test ride) a load of bikes. Once you've settled on a short list of models then just scout out the best deals from dealers/ebay/facebook/etc.

If I were you I'd seriously consider a dealer S/H one as they usually throw in a few months warranty and, with all due respect, you've not been lucky so far

Shock news! Bikes are not cars. I've been driving the same shitty Skoda for the last 10 years and it'll get replaced when it dies (Viking funeral in a housing estate most likely.) But I've had a full bike licence for ~2 years and the signature below is nothing special so don't fret about getting the perfect bike on the first attempt!

tl;dr it's a continual process.
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Royal Enfield Continental GT 535, Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[UncleFester]

CB500/ER5/ER6 - something where parts are cheap and plentiful.

That said, you might never drop it so there's also an option to just buy what you want.

If you care about what you do buy then look at what might get damaged in a drop and get the relevant protectors if available.

Most common is disk lock left in place or for me, pushing around with the side stand down and it catching or not being down fully ... i would not like to explain how i know this ....
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2017 Z1000SX

[Polarbear]

[Fat Angry Scotsman]

[ThunderGuts]

[ThunderGuts]

[Keithy]

[Weisse Schlange]

Davey at Saltire is a great guy.

I've just dealt with Kirckaldy Kawasaki and Cupar Suzuki (same company) and could recommend them highly.

I'd also recommend the Katana and the Z900rs

They will all give you a test ride but you will need to book it in advance.
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Hing Oan

[Fat Angry Scotsman]