Buying used bike - Advice on price re service history

Hi,

I'm currently looking at buying an 04 SV650S which the current owner has at the high end of the used price guide £1950. The bike however does not have any service history. How much could I barter the current owner down on price due to this fact (obviously depending on if the bike is in good condition when I go to see it)?

thats not too high end, brought my 03 pointy for £2400. maybe just pick small things and see if you can get him down to £1800 ish

Cheers for the help, I was thinking of around £1800, so I'm happy to see that I was in the right ballpark. I think the problem is; I got my last SV, also an 03 pointy, for £1850 with FSH a year and a half ago. However, that one had a few scuffs and it had been dropped once from standing, so I need to keep that in mind.

[Bibio]

service history means absolutely nothing. unless you specify to the service centre what extras you want done then they will just do basic servicing.

things service centres don't do unless customer asks:
strip and grease all rear linkage/swingarm bearings.
strip and grease headstock bearings.
TB/carb balance.
Valve check.
fluid replacement (brake and coolant)
strip and service brake callipers.
Air filter replacement.
spark plug replacement.

most service centres will only do a basic service which is oil and filter, grease linkages and inspection.

most people wait till things break before fixing instead of maintaining.

one thing to remember about the SV is that it's regarded as a stepping stone bike so most owners are usually first time and or young riders so the bike tends to get abused and servicing funds neglected in favour of aftermarket tat. the more owners the more chance of neglect.

[jambo]

Originally Posted by Bibio

service history means absolutely nothing. unless you specify to the service centre what extras you want done then they will just do basic servicing.

things service centres don't do unless customer asks:
strip and grease all rear linkage/swingarm bearings.
strip and grease headstock bearings.
TB/carb balance.
Valve check.
fluid replacement (brake and coolant)
strip and service brake callipers.
Air filter replacement.
spark plug replacement.

most service centres will only do a basic service which is oil and filter, grease linkages and inspection.

most people wait till things break before fixing instead of maintaining.

one thing to remember about the SV is that it's regarded as a stepping stone bike so most owners are usually first time and or young riders so the bike tends to get abused and servicing funds neglected in favour of aftermarket tat. the more owners the more chance of neglect.

That seems quite a sweeping view.

Back when I had bikes serviced by dealerships such items as plugs, air filters and fluids were changed if they were due according to the service schedule (I often checked when I had time). Carbs were balanced as well, valve were checked if needed. If I bought a bike that had just had a major service I would expect those items to have been done. Of course you hear horror stories of dealerships doing next to nothing and charging the earth, but that is not what is supposed to happen, or the norm.

I would expect any dealership to complete the work scheduled by the manufacturer as needed doing unless something more, or less was agreed with the owner.

The points about new owners, however, can be very valid. I remember what I was like with my first bike and the ticking off I got from the dealer that did the service!

Jambo

I've just put my 04 plate pointy k3 naked on the market at £1800. It's in very very good condition and has been extremely well looked after it has carbon hugger Piag screen virtually brand new battleaxe front tyre 60 % rear tyre iridium plugs and has been serviced meticulously by sport and custom motorcycles in manchester! I've been offered £1600 px for the bike by a main dealer who told me to sell it private if I could as it was worth more than the £1600 he could pay, it has just 22000 miles on it. Looking at what mine is worth I think £1950 for an s is about right.

[Bibio]

i agree, get the right dealer doing the servicing and it's worth it but the price also goes up as in to what need done at any certain interval and a lot of people just opt for the basic service due to cost.

personally if i were to buy a bike that has service history i would want to see the works schedule of the services but these are often not given out by the dealers at the time of service and instead all you get is a stamp in your booklet which TBH is no guarantee that the work has been done.

[jambo]

I understand what you're saying. Work can be left out at the request of the customer (usually there will be a note to that effect in the service book to cover the dealer). Bad dealerships can miss it out to maximise profits. However, the paperwork should back up a service history and the parts & labour bills would give further weight to the idea the work had been done.

It is possible to buy a badly maintained bike with full service history, and a well maintained bike with none. But I think it's worth considering the likelihood that most dealers do most of the work most of the time.

Jambo

The only real way to ensure that everything is done and done properly is to do it yourself. Unfortunately some jobs are beyond the reach of many people with ordinary tools so we are in the hands of dealers and need to be able to trust them to do what they say they have. In our increasingly litigious society most dealers would consider the risks of not carrying out requested work too great so would complete the work in order to avoid the possible (expensive) consequences.

Thank you all very much for the advice, you have given me much to keep in mind in the future.

Went to see the bike last night, was in very good condition (owner had a number of bikes and was restoring one of them so I'm confident in his servicing abilities), only 10k, heated grips, adjustable bars and got it with a Givi rack and the Maxia top box (which the seller wanted £100 for), all for £1950.

I'm happy with that and I can't wait to get back out on the road!