Moneyyyyy!!! Bike!!!!

Hi all

Ive been doing some sums...it seems i'll have enough money this summer to do my bike training, then get an SV650s after.

I'll only have 2 grand tops to spend on the bike, so i guess i'll have to settle for a high milege 99/00 model...that dosnt bother me, i like curves! are there any things to look out for in these models?

Hoping that i'll have some money left over (lets say 300quid after bike and insurance if im mega-lucky) what mods does anyone recomend? first on my list are heated grips and crash mushrooms, but does anyone know what this would cost? (i'l be riding in winter...eeek!)

god im excited! Ive wanted a bike ever since i saw a ducati 916 on the front of MCN (back when it was a good read) in 1994 or something. The girlfreind seems pretty enthusiastic too!

Hope everyone is coping well with the cold weather if you are riding in it - i remember how horrible it is to arrive at your destination with no heat left in your body!

Matt

My 2000 SV650S cost me £1300, 29000 miles, with Scorpion can, scottoiler, datatool alarm etc and needed new tyre, service etc.

So in total cost me around £1700.

Make sure you check the head bearings! My mate bought a bike only to find the head bearings were fecked, and the cam chain, which cost him a bob or two to say the least!

Um... fork seals... leccys... all that jazz I guess. I'm sure there's specific things to check for on the SV though.

Just keep your eyees open and bargains are to be had.

Both my 2003 K3 SV's were under £1500.

One had been thrown down the road a few times but was going to be a road bike so it didnt matter and the other one only needs a new foot brake lever front fairing and headlight which is easliy avaliable from ebay for about £250.

You just need patience

[rictus01]

If (as you sig suggests) you're in the South east, get yourself down to one of the meets, the guys there will put you right.

Soho, Selkent,Guildford or Essex.

Cheers Mark.

[northwind]

Motosliders crash bungs from the States are great value, they're around £50-60 IIRC for a pair, and very solid. (I got a complete set of bungs, a set of spares, and a set of swingarm bungs for £90!) Heated grips are around £40-£50. Better bulbs, Silverstars or similiar, would be a good investment for a winter ride too. Scottoiler if you can stretch to it, they're like chain voodoo Save you money in the long run, as well as time.

You ought to get a really good SV for your price range... Don't worry about mileage too much, a high miler that's been cared for will be better than a low miler that's been abused, every time.

[jambo]

I know it's easy to overlook in the rush to cash up the bike but the following are seriously important:

1) Budget for decent riding kit! A £50 Lid and winter gear mainly based around your Dad's Wax jacket will leave you cold, uncomfortable, wishing you were somewhere else and can leave you much worse off if you have even a minor acccident.
2) Take someone who really knows what they're looking for when you buy a 2nd hand bike, and never buy the 1st one you see, however tempting without checking out atleast one other.
3) Leave a bit of your budget back for "unexpected screw ups" such as buying the bike, thinking all is well and then discovering that it needs a new rear tyre & chain a month down the line, if anything looks worn when you're buying the bike haggle like mad. If you don't know what to look for see point 2!
4) Spend a day phoning insurance compainies, the first few will quote you stupid money, don't be disheartened, just keep calling, I have neer paid more than 1/2 my most expensive quote, and often pay a lot less.
5) Budget for security, when you're broke £100 seems like a lot on a chain, but you'll feel sick if you get up one morning to find the bike's wandered off to make a new life without you, or your consent!