Best time to buy a bike?

RuggedResearc... · Derestricted Danger Joined: 10 Sep 2011 Karma :

I passed my test a few weeks back and I am currently looking for my first big bike. Thinking along the lines of a Honda Hornet.

Anyway when is the best time to buy a bike? We're coming into winter soon so I doubt that it will get ridden too much but on the other hand do prices fall when there's less demand or do you tend to find that there aren't many bikes for sale in the winter as people hold on to them until the sping when they think they can get a better price?

P. · Red Rocket Joined: 14 Feb 2008 Karma :

Anytime from now is good to buy/bad to sell.

Seen a few bikes I was looking for beginning of the year... gone from around £3k to £2k ish now.. more my range Laughing

Still not buying another, but colder weather and run up to christmas is cheap time.

Pie-Roe · World Chat Champion Joined: 05 Feb 2007 Karma :

I noticed beginning of December last year there were loads of bikes on ebay quite cheap, people wanting money to give their families a good xmas presumably, bikes are a large expensive toy for a good number of people.
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Rogerborg · nimbA Joined: 26 Oct 2010 Karma :

On the other hand there are still fewer for sale then in the Spring, and (IME) the sellers can develop Actually Mate Syndrome and don't really want to sell at the price they asked.

Dealers seem to go into hibernation and survive on selling neck warmers and gloves until the Spring, rather than drop their prices. Heck, my local independent was listing used Suzukis for more than the brand new price last month when Suzuki had a deal on. Rolling Eyes

Anyway, I guess the answer is that the best time to buy is when the bike you want comes up at a price that you like from a seller who actually wants to shift it. Keep the cash to hand and get in quick when you see a good 'un.
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GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

Tenko · Could Be A Chat Bot Joined: 09 Jul 2011 Karma :

If you shop around at the moment (MCN etc) you can pick up loads of bargains secondhand. The country is skint and people are selling their toys to pay for food... Spring tends to be more expensive as demand goes up again...