View Full Version : Buying my first new bike - advice?
allantheboss
22-07-12, 09:10 PM
It's come that time in a man's life, having gone from sports bike, to a sensible more comfortable sports bike, to mid-life-crisis power cruiser, and now I'm on the comeback looking for a classic-style bike to remind me of my youth, with my 22nd birthday coming up in 6 months.
The fact that I'm ridiculously tall cuts out a lot of options for me. I want something that looks awesome, classic/cruiser, and actually fits. Rocket III Roadster is perfect but out of my budget. Jap cruisers and bigger Harleys are too blingy. I love the look of the Iron 883 but it's too small and pretty slow.
Now, here's the bit that might please a lot of people on here, being an SV forum: I fit the Triumph Scrambler very well, but I hear that it's a pretty terrible (albeit fun) bike. Which leads to to the T100. I think it's beautiful, it fits quite well, looks simple (not dripping in chrome, body infills or shiny paint) and all that. So:
TL;DR-
1 - What are y'all's opinion on it? Reviews are hard to come by for this bike, interested to hear all.
2 - I've never bought a bike new. How much play is there to get a deal? Are dealerships the best/only place to buy from? Tips on how to get free shizz?
Yay for the org
barwel1992
22-07-12, 10:26 PM
how about a norton ? not a cruiser but could be classed as a classic ps no idea of the price
Kawasaki W800, looks a damn sight better than the Triumph
yorkie_chris
22-07-12, 10:30 PM
You want something fun to remind you of your youth.
Youth, you were an incline in something of your dads when these were out so that one's ticked.
You're obviously not fussed about power, handling or reliability since you've considered a h*rl*y...
Get an RD350.
allantheboss
22-07-12, 10:44 PM
how about a norton ? not a cruiser but could be classed as a classic ps no idea of the price
Just looked - over double the T100
Kawasaki W800, looks a damn sight better than the Triumph
Way too small for my masculine frame. I sat on one a while back.
You want something fun to remind you of your youth.
Youth, you were an incline in something of your dads when these were out so that one's ticked.
You're obviously not fussed about power, handling or reliability since you've considered a h*rl*y...
Get an RD350.
I thought the power was lame, but it was incredible fun to ride! Though I now see why people can both love, or hate Harleys. I get the ever so slight impression you do not like them.
squirrel_hunter
22-07-12, 10:59 PM
If buying new from Triumph wait until the end of the month, if they haven't reached their sales target they will bend over backwards to get the sale. Even going as far as to put the order for the bike in their name so they get their staff discount on the bike to reduce the price the customer pays in order to get the sale. This information may and or may not come from a chap who works for Triumph...
STRAMASHER
23-07-12, 07:35 AM
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g87/stramasher/imagesCAMLLHLL.jpg
or SE....
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g87/stramasher/11111.jpg
Have you seen the modified swiss race W800's in ride magazine? Wouldn't normally be my thing but I think they look pretty cool. Or go 70's style retro xjr,gsx14,zrx route?
Small Clanger
23-07-12, 12:11 PM
I quite like the look of the new Bonneville type things, a 12plate one just passed me (in the Defender) on the A1 and it looked lovely. APART FROM! the rear light/rear turn signals look absolutely crap. Yes, things have moved on from the ones on my old bike, made by Joseph Lucas, Prince of Darkness. But the new ones look like they were designed by Dan Dare's ray-gun supplier. I'd like to have a go on one though. Trouble is, I've had an old one so I think they're a bit bogus.
Have you considered the next size up from a Sportster? The Dyna family. I've had an '03 FXDL Lowrider and an '06 FXD35 Anniversary SuperGlide. Great bikes and comfortable for me at 6'5"
I'd put fork springs and shocks from Progressive Suspension and some Metzelers on the FXD35 so it was pretty nice to ride too (for a Harley :D)
Attached photo's of photo's of my '66 T120 Bonneville as it was when I'd just finished it, with flat bars, and with US bars next to the bike that replaced it, a Sportster Sport. Bought the Bonnie as a basket case in about '91 and sold it in Dec '01.
ps, quiz time............it's a '66 Bonneville. What's not '66 on it?
Biker Biggles
23-07-12, 01:30 PM
I quite like the look of the new Bonneville type things, a 12plate one just passed me (in the Defender) on the A1 and it looked lovely. APART FROM! the rear light/rear turn signals look absolutely crap. Yes, things have moved on from the ones on my old bike, made by Joseph Lucas, Prince of Darkness. But the new ones look like they were designed by Dan Dare's ray-gun supplier. I'd like to have a go on one though. Trouble is, I've had an old one so I think they're a bit bogus.
Have you considered the next size up from a Sportster? The Dyna family. I've had an '03 FXDL Lowrider and an '06 FXD35 Anniversary SuperGlide. Great bikes and comfortable for me at 6'5"
I'd put fork springs and shocks from Progressive Suspension and some Metzelers on the FXD35 so it was pretty nice to ride too (for a Harley :D)
Attached photo's of photo's of my '66 T120 Bonneville as it was when I'd just finished it, with flat bars, and with US bars next to the bike that replaced it, a Sportster Sport. Bought the Bonnie as a basket case in about '91 and sold it in Dec '01.
ps, quiz time............it's a '66 Bonneville. What's not '66 on it?
Two suggestions for what is not 66 on it.Cant see clearly but are they later carbs?Also its got a twin leading shoe front brake and I think they came a bit later too?
Small Clanger
23-07-12, 01:39 PM
Give that man a ceeeegar.
Amal Concentrics instead of GP's and a twin leader front wheel from a '68. Well done. :D
Here's one of the original pistons, now a paperweight.
allantheboss
23-07-12, 05:04 PM
If buying new from Triumph wait until the end of the month, if they haven't reached their sales target they will bend over backwards to get the sale. Even going as far as to put the order for the bike in their name so they get their staff discount on the bike to reduce the price the customer pays in order to get the sale. This information may and or may not come from a chap who works for Triumph...
How late into the month? Great tip!
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g87/stramasher/imagesCAMLLHLL.jpg
or SE....
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g87/stramasher/11111.jpg
Sat on a V7 because they're so beautiful. Didn't fit:
http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/324063_10150930090520614_1719400019_o.jpg
Have you seen the modified swiss race W800's in ride magazine? Wouldn't normally be my thing but I think they look pretty cool. Or go 70's style retro xjr,gsx14,zrx route?
Nope. GSX14's aren't sold any more, don't want a sportsbike (ZX) and the XJR looks boring (but I do like them otherwise), like they're waiting to be made into something awesome.
Have you considered the next size up from a Sportster? The Dyna family. I've had an '03 FXDL Lowrider and an '06 FXD35 Anniversary SuperGlide. Great bikes and comfortable for me at 6'5"
I'd put fork springs and shocks from Progressive Suspension and some Metzelers on the FXD35 so it was pretty nice to ride too (for a Harley :D)
Too expensive. What other bikes have you fit well at 6'5"?
squirrel_hunter
23-07-12, 05:34 PM
How late into the month? Great tip!
That I don't know, didn't think to ask at the time. Might be worthwhile cold calling a few dealers to try and find out, but I would guess around the last week, they should know from their current sales what its looking like...
Small Clanger
23-07-12, 05:55 PM
The two GS12's were comfortable, both for myself and the wife on the pillion. We did major miles in all weathers on them. The R1200S was also a very comfortable bike, a superb long-legged A-road bike. Up through North Yorkshire, Northumberland, into the Borders and back down through Cumbria. 9/10 hour days in the saddle, no problems. Probably one of the best bikes I've had. I would have loved to have kept it for track-days but those two f-cking great cylinders poking out......one low-side would have written her off. I had an RT1200 for a weekend on demo, that was really uncomfortable, hated it. The 'Glide was a perfect long distance ride as well, way too expensive now though.
How about the Triumph 800XC or whatever it's called? They look quite good. GS800's are also good if you're tall but I would'nt buy one at the moment. They've just up-graded the GS650 so no doubt the 800 will be next, they'll have to keep ahead of Triumph!
I always make sure I get on friendly terms with the dealership, I run a business, so I know that everyone else who does has to make money.
When you decide what you want, use the 'net, spec it up, know what the bits cost, know what your trade in's worth, do your homework, that's part of the fun. I don't really need to ask how much a specced-up bike is going to cost when I walk into a dealership, I make sure I already know, likewise with trade-in values. Tell them what you have, tell them what you'd like, and ask for the figure it'll cost to change. That's what I do.
A quick calculation based on the miles I've covered on the bike I'm trading in tells me how much it's cost per mile. If it's not too eye-watering, shake their hand. Whatever your budget is, aim a bit higher, there's always a bit of leeway, especially if you can look them in the eye and say "include that and I'll write the cheque now"
Worked plenty of times for me anyway. :D
ZRX not zx if they still sell them. Xjr is lovely bike to ride but pegs grind easily when you start shifting.
That I don't know, didn't think to ask at the time. Might be worthwhile cold calling a few dealers to try and find out, but I would guess around the last week, they should know from their current sales what its looking like...
Triumph sales figures are taken quarterly, not monthly. An individual dealership may have their salesmen paid on commission on a monthly basis if the deal is invoiced but not all dealerships work the same way... we certainly don't work that way.
Saying a particular brand do things this way or that way shows a glaring lack of knowledge of the way bike dealerships and the trade in general work.
squirrel_hunter
24-07-12, 12:29 AM
Triumph sales figures are taken quarterly, not monthly. An individual dealership may have their salesmen paid on commission on a monthly basis if the deal is invoiced but not all dealerships work the same way... we certainly don't work that way.
Saying a particular brand do things this way or that way shows a glaring lack of knowledge of the way bike dealerships and the trade in general work.
The sales guy I was chatting with (multi-franchise dealer) only specifically said Triumph in the conversion, hence why I have been led to believe that is how Triumph operate. But that is interesting and I'll take it up with him next time I'm over there.
So if Triumph take their sales figures quarterly and if a dealership is shy on numbers given the information I have been told it could help Allan here on his quest to buy himself a new bike. Furthermore could you help Allan and maybe others by furnishing the end of quarter dates they use and maybe suggest a good time to approach a deal?
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