20 Years Ago

Sadlsor said:
Still to this day, I always buy used bikes.
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I am the opposite. Having worked in the MC industry for 17 years, I've seen how people treat their bikes, how they treat it while riding, and the rigging they do, especially electrically, and know that I rarely want a bike owned by someone else, so I almost always buy new unless I personally know the owner and know how the bike was treated.
 
the Ferret said:
I am the opposite. Having worked in the MC industry for 17 years, I've seen how people treat their bikes, how they treat it while riding, and the rigging they do, especially electrically, and know that I rarely want a bike owned by someone else, so I almost always buy new unless I personally know the owner and know how the bike was treated.
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Same!
The ones who take care of their vehicles/bikes have them for an extremely long time and get to enjoy the "fruits of their labour"
Buying used is always a gamble and not knowing the history makes your most times expensive investment, a real big gamble.
 
Kevcules said:
Same!
The ones who take care of their vehicles/bikes have them for an extremely long time and get to enjoy the "fruits of their labour"
Buying used is always a gamble and not knowing the history makes your most times expensive investment, a real big gamble.
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I've no doubt that *some* purveyors of used bikes have bought the proverbial pig in a poke, but I have 100% success with 5, no make that 6, used bikes.
There's no secret I hold, but I ask a lot of questions of the seller, and not just about the bike. When he is willing to patiently answer all my questions, and is comfortable I'm a serious buyer with cash in hand, is candid and forthcoming, then I have had good experiences. I suppose I have a healthy, finely-tuned and functional BS meter, so I buy the seller first, and then the bike.
It helps to adequately research your prospects, so it's easier to discern when he's blowing smoke. Virtually every bike I know of has a dedicated online discussion board similar to (but usually nowhere as good as) st-owners.com.
It's easy to discover any bike's common weaknesses and workarounds, and proceed well-armed with knowledge.
A clear title, current registration and insurance and all that, means it's at least been recently ridden. I've never looked at a genuine garage queen or "collectible" (except for the 1978 CB750/4 with 1750 miles), only reasonable sellers and "ordinary" motorcycles.
So yeah, it "can" be a gamble, but there are ways to stack the odds in your favor, too.
 
Sadlsor said:
...So yeah, it "can" be a gamble, but there are ways to stack the odds in your favor, too.
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You offset the gamble by purchasing the bike at a lower price than a new one.

I'm one who recommends to buy used...my 2005 Subaru Outback XT is a good example of that. But as I look back on my motorcycle purchases, of the 9 motorcycles I've purchased, only the first two were used, and my 2014 BMW F800GT was used. The others were new. If I had to give a reason why, it is because I couldn't find what I wanted on the used market. The latest BMW F900 XR is a good example. I looked around on Cycle Trader and other places for one. There weren't too many choices, and when I included the cost of airfare and motels to get one from say, California, the cost was getting real close to what a new one would cost locally. Add in the 3 year warranty, and the used XRs would cost more than the new one I bought.

I think there are pros and cons to either choice.

Chris
 
I bought my 2005 ST1300 on 2/04/06 and a week later joined ST-O. Most of the places I have ridden to since then and some of the people I met there were because of ST-O. I've learned a lot and tried to help some.
 
I've had very good luck buying used bikes, but I also have a good B.S. filter and I trust my gut. I bought the ST a couple of months ago from a guy who I just felt I could trust and I didn't even test ride the bike. I just got a heck of a deal, paid the man, and rode home. But it was an ST after all.)
 
I am coming up on 20 years having joined after owning my second 2003 ST1300A for a year. A wayward deer took out my first ST1300 on 11-20-03 and I bought another low mile ST1300A. The second ST hit a concrete paver in the roadway and I bought a used 2004 ST1300 which was ridden for several, uneventful years.

I’ve owned several Yamaha S10s since their US arrival in 2012……among other bikes along the way.
 
November 20th, 2005, which means, this month marks 19 years for me. Right after I bought my first (2005) ST1300. Actually it was my brother Dave, that got me on a ST1300 and on this site.

Since then, I've had 5 ST1300s that I have ridden over 400,000 miles on. I still own two of them.

Also, I've had five broken ST1300s that have gone thru my hands (one of which is on the road in Montana) that I never put a mile on (when I owned it, I have put about 200 miles on the Montana bike! ;)

Dave still has his original 2005 with about 55K miles on it. But he can't ride anymore, due to health conditions. He keeps telling me, he's going to sell it, but hasn't yet.
 
I just saw this "thread" today and I had a similar remembrance of what happened in October 20 years ago. I had just gotten my 2003 Honda Valkyrie in June 2003. I had put some miles on it but no real trips until 2004. It is still with me. And, if you don't mind, I will just tell you (well show you), what it was like.

It was October 2004. I had gotten my 2003 Valkyrie in June of 2003, trading in my 2001 Honda Shadow (it had an issue). I did some riding in 2003 but in 2004, I took three trips. I took my first trip to the Florida Keys (March) and another trip to the InZane Valkyrie Get Together in Paducah, KY (June I think) and then, in October, the trip described below..

You can see from the map the route I took. Among the things I visited were Natural Bridge, Alabama, The Cross Roads in Clarksdale, MS, the Natchez Trace (Just the portion south of Tupelo), Graceland, and Cotton Eyed Joe’s in Knoxville, TN .

I have included some images and a link to a video I made of the trip. I cannot tell you for sure how many miles I traveled but it was a fun, fun trip.

A map showing the trip

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Crossroads, Clarksdale, MS
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Elvis’ Home in Memphis, TN
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Me at Cotton Eyed Joes
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Odometer - You will note the Odometer says about 29,000 miles. That was about 15 months of riding at the time.

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And a video of combined images from the trip.

Bluz Crus October 2004
 
Sadlsor said:
What did the paver do to that ST?
Forks and wheel, or...?
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It destroyed both wheels, calipers, the lower fairing, front fender, and lots of other stuff to the tune of about $7000.00 damage or so. I did not crash or go down as the deflated tires spun on the broken rims. My wife suggested that silver was not a good color for me as both crashes were on silver 2003 ST1300 bikes. My insurance company surcharged me 10% for the next three years after paying out over $20,000 in about 18 months!
 
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