New versus Near New

[Easy-X]

Setting aside the bragging rights of having Current Year on the numberplate (which I'd happily bin for slightly lower insurance premiums) what are people's opinions on new bikes versus pre-registered and near-new ex-demo?
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Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[stinkwheel]

A new bike is just as likely to break down and when it does, it's more of a pain in the arse to get it fixed because you're entirely at the mercy of when a main dealer can be bothered to do it.

I'm personally all for getting a low mileage example which has just gone out of warranty. By then any manufacturing fuck-ups will have been found and sorted and you're free to work on any other problems that crop up in your own way and have the money you saved over buying new with which to do it.

It was like that with the older enfields. They run a floating bush big end and the quality was variable. If it's bad, it'll go bad quite quickly, certainly within a couple of thousand miles and then it's an engine out and split job. If it's good, it'll last the lifetime of the bike as long as you don't run out of oil. So the smart money was on a used one that had 1,500/2,000 miles on.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Villers]

For me bikes are more of a toy and I don't need one for any particular reason. I have bought new in the past, and we are talking probably 2006 or 2004 here but in my time away new prices for anything I find reasonably interesting have become eye watering and the only way I'd pick one up now was if it was a very good 0% finance deal.

That's not to knock anyone who does. Im a fond believer in do whatever makes you happy. I realised 10 years ago when I sold my RSVR that the more expensive and shiny the toys got the less I rode them and the more I worried about them.

I'm now at the age where the questions I used to ask myself before buying a bike no longer really apply, I'm old enough not to worry about insurance, I have more than enough to buy them and I have plenty of space to keep them, but I just don't have the want in me for a new bike - as beautiful and technological as they are it would be a bit of a waste.

As I type, I'm watching a bloke on YouTube fixing up a crash damaged Fireblade SP with a whole host of toys on it like keyless start, which I would love, but in the garage I have a 20 year old budget Suzuki with 30k on the clock and nothing but an MOT certificate to its name.

I certainly wouldn't be spending 10k plus on a piece of machinery for anyone else's benefit though!
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RS125 > CBR6 > SV650S > ZX636R > GSX1300RZ Hayabusa > 06 RSVR Mille > SV1000S > Street Triple 765 RS

[Easy-X]

Well I've gone for something fairly new (~1000 miles on the clock) that's just had its first service, already has a few of the mods I would have done anyway - de-cat, tail tidy and err.... bar end mirrors - and two bags less than retail.

I'll post more when it's actually delivered.
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Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[Freddyfruitba...]

Is ex-demo a good idea though? I've always been put off by the thought of a succession of would-be Rossis thrashing the pants out of a brand new engine
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KC100->CB100N->CB250RS--------->DL650AL2->R1200RS->R1250RS

[Easy-X]

[Polarbear]

[grr666]

[BRUN]

I bought an ex display model when I got mine, hadn't been rode just sat in the showroom

The price of that was good at the time, and when I was looking, near new bikes were very similar in price to a new one, like something 6-12 months old were only like a couple of hundred cheaper at the very most

[Skudd]

Just bought new. Only the 4th bike in 40 years of riding, the rest have been second hand. It is nice to be the first, I keep hold of my bikes for a long time, so depreciation in value doesn't come into things. As for breakdowns, yes any bike can breakdown, but warranty and a service package looks after that for a while and then you are in the same boat as anyone else, but you know the history of every bump, scratch or ticking noise. This will probably be the last bike that I will buy and it should last me well until the daisy scenario comes calling.

For those who chop and change their bikes yearly or so, then the second hand market is ideal for you as it is for those with shallow pockets and cut their suits according to their cloth.
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Famous last words of Humpty Dumpty. " Stop pushing me "
Petty Anarchists look at "1984".............. The Visionary looks at "Animal Farm".

[to v or not to v]

[WD Forte]

[Easy-X]

[WD Forte]

[Easy-X]

Similar. Probably get it repainted pretty quickly.
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Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]

[A100man]

[A100man]

[MCN]

Near new comes with the added bonus of less marlet price depreciation next time its sold.

Warranty should still cover the beast (within OEM T&Cs).

Avoid a vanity crash if the model hasn't been massively updated.
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Disclaimer: The comments above may be predicted text and not necessarily the opinion of MCN.

[Easy-X]

I'm in two minds over the XSR. It's a great bike but it's just way more than I need right now. And a change is as good as a rest.

There's not much in the way of luggage options that I've seen in the European market but loads more if one takes a gamble on imports from China/India/Thailand. For example, Givi don't do any official top box rack but I turned up one on AliExpress that looks like wot Givi would have made:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004765591185.html

BTW this second hand 401 I'm getting has had the "tail tidy" treatment but all the original parts come with it... including the conventional mirrors
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Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[grr666]

I don't understand the hate for bar end mirrors. The stock mirrors on my MT10 were awesome. For looking at my own
elbows. The Oberon bar end mirrors on there now give me a great vibration free view behind, my only criticism is that
they are a bit stiff to fold up and down which I have to do to get the bike through my back gate.
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Currently enjoying products from Ford, Mazda and Yamaha
Ste wrote: Avatars are fine, it's signatures that need turning off.

[Arfa__]

Probably depends a lot on what deal your dealer can offer you. My wife bought an ex-demo Street Twin a couple of years back, the current year's reg plate and about 400 miles on it. It wasn't the colour she initially had hoped for, but it was about a grand cheaper than a brand new one, had 2 year warranty and came with £500 of accessories - the deal they were doing for any new bikes.

Given that second hand prices for the same model were hardly any cheaper (literally a few hundred quid at best), it was a no brainer. Just piece of mind with the warranty and half a grand on accessories cinched it. She's still got the bike and has no plans to sell it, but the later year on the reg plate should help value a little, over an older model.
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Beginner Biker Adventures Blog
Yamaha FZ6 S2 2007

[MCN]

[Easy-X]

I have to have my bike under a cover in the front garden. Maybe if I stick with the clip-ons the Vitpilen could fit down my side alley

Anyhoo, conventional "antler" mirrors, pillion pegs, stock numberplate... all things that get tangled up with a cover. The absolute best I managed was flipping the mirrors on the Keeway under the handlebars (Harley style is thru-holes rather than threads for mirrors) no elbows, great view, no clutter.
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Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[Easy-X]

FWIW the remnant of the original eBay listing is still available:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/22-Husqvarna-VITPILEN-401-/276001992084
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Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter