Buy new or buy used – what would you do? - SV650.org

KnightRider · 05-06-07, 09:59 AM

Having passed my test last week

I now have the itch to buy a new SV650 sport. Originally I was thinking that I should get a second hand SV pointy with lower fairing for around £2500 - £3000. The dilemma is that the interest free option on the SV has caught my attention and the thought of getting a shiny new SV is putting my will power to the test.

Let me know what you think I should do by voting above.

Here are the main factors influencing my decision:

Money and paying interest - I don’t have the cash now so will be borrowing money and paying interest to finance the SV (that's where the interest free option comes in).

Mileage - I will be using my SV to commute to work all year round - about 15,000 miles a year so I need something reliable.

Depreciation – do I really want to lose money when I drive off the forecourt.

Lower fairing – I definitely want lower fairing. Used bikes with lowers are a little harder to find.

Timing – Cant sign on the dotted line until the 15th June. Ideally I want to get the bike asap after that so that I can play with it when my g/f goes on holiday the week after. I did also want to go on the AR07 but that doesn’t look like it is going to happen now as I wont have had enough time to practice on it!

Risk on second hand – whilst I know my way around a used car, I have no prior experience with bikes.

The will I drop it factor – I am going to put bungs on whatever I buy but damaging a new SV might break my heart.

05-06-07, 10:04 AM

get a 2005 or something mate. You wont lose as much(depreciation) as buying a new one.

rictus01 · 05-06-07, 10:20 AM

Whilst I understand your concerns about a new bike, it sound as if you'll use it, if you view it as an investment in mobility, keep it serviced and in good condition, you should manage an easy 4 years at your expected mileage with out major issues. that's about £1k a year, even if you don't get anything back for the bike by the end of it.

If However you plan to change the bike in a year or two then a secondhand one would be a better option, just remember a dealer will offer you silly money on anything with over 10-15k miles on it.

but to be honest, if you take the most sensible of us and given the prospect of a new bike (even a second hand one, to an extent) we turn into 10 year olds the night before christmas

.

the choice is your, have fun.

Oh and don't discount the AE07, a number of us are kicking off from London, and in my case will be riding with extreme caution (not having ridden for eight months), so get along to a local meet and discuss it with the guys.

Cheers Mark.

05-06-07, 10:23 AM

Sit down and work out how much interest you'll be paying on the second hand bike with finance. It may be that it comes out more expensive than buy new with 0% (but then again it may not).

You are going to drop the bike anyway, it's almost guaranteed as a new rider, and it's going to pain you as much with a 2nd hand bike as a new one, they are both going to be your baby.

Also with you mileage, you'll want a good warranty. Although the SV is a pretty reliable bike, things happen.

And finally.... shiny is always better

05-06-07, 10:31 AM

How much interest are you going to end up paying on a second hand loan / versus how much extra capital will you pay on a new bike with zero interest? You'll probably find a second hand one will still work out a grand or so cheaper - and when you come to sell it you won't have lost another grand in depreciation.

Remember you can always add lowers so if you find the right bike at the right price you can slap some lowers on it yourself (OEM ones not cheap, though they come up second hand fairly often).

As for what to look out for, service history obviously a good start. Suzuki's are not known for their corrosion resistance, so look for furry bolts and the like, like cars, the previous owner is a good indicator - spotty oik or middle aged bloke? Where is it kept? On the road, or in a shed chock full of AutoSol? Check the hero blobs (little stalks that come out from under the pegs) - have they been scraped? Nothing wrong in scraping them, but if they're not scraped then it's not been leant over far and therefore "suggests" an easy life (unless changed of course). Double check obvious signs of racing - lockwired sump plug, shark fin rear sprocket guard etc. Has it got an aftermarket 'zorst - I'd rate this as a plus - but if so make sure it's legal/has the baffle, or at least, seller has the original.

Overall, I'd probably go for a second hand one - there are loads of good examples around in the 2500-3000 range, you'll have plenty of choice.

05-06-07, 10:38 AM

I voted new..... I like shiney new things and was in the same position as you.

do I get NEW or USED?

Well I went for the NEW option and because of the fears of "your a new rider your going to drop it" I rode very nicely and carefully so I didnt drop it. If I had gone used I might have not been so careful and may be drop it but who knows?

With the mileage your doing you should be used to the bike in no time at all and fears of droping it will be gone in weeks.

HTH

the_lone_wolf · 05-06-07, 10:46 AM

as i've just been through the same dilema i'll offer my opinions...

Point 1 - I was always taught that with the exception of a house or perhaps a car, if you don't have the money to buy something you shouldn't buy it - personally i hate being in debt, consider the result of you getting injured (ironic if on the bike) meaning you'd be unable to work and continue payments. If you have say £4k and only need to get the rest on credit then that gives you some leeway but in the end it's entirely your decision

Point 2 - Any bike without tens of thousands of miles on the clock will probably last you plenty long enough, servicing is every 4000m so if it's well maintained i can't see a used one costing that much more to run than a new one

Points 3/4 - When i bought mine, bikes with a few hundred miles on the clock were going for £3700-£4000, without lowers, a couple of thousand miles more like £3400-£3700, so although you do lose a fair percentage of the bikes value, it's so cheap that in real terms it's not a huge amount of money

Point 5 - Don't rush to buy by a certain date, patience is a virtue and good things come to those who wait etc - plus if you wait a bit you'll get the bargain that you would have missed

Point 6 - This was the biggy for me, you can check the engine over externally and ride the bike but i didn't like not knowing the bike hadn't been ragged silly during the running in period or had other things happen

Point 7 - It'll cost the same to fix a new or nearly new bike, if it's brand new you've got even more of an sentimental incentive not to let it get horizontal

one other thing, there's something very satisfying about being the first owner of a vehicle, i got the V5 for mine the other day and it's nice to have it say "no previous owners" at the top

fizzwheel · 05-06-07, 10:50 AM

I've done both.

I like buying new, knowing that the only person who has ragged the bike is me.

If your doing alot of miles I'd go down the new route, Liz bought her SV new, its done nearly 30K, only thing we've had done is tyres, chains and brake pads, bikes never missed a beat.

I bought my SV 2nd hand, Its done 36K, same sort of riding, same sort of riding conditions. Its was a pain in the butt, as it was abused by the previous owners and I didnt spot the warning signs when I bought the bike. I added up the bills for the work I had done. I could have bought a new bike for that money.

If you are buying 2nd hand, dont buy the first bike you look at. Personally the current 0% finance deal is pretty attractive IMHO and thats what I'd do if I was you.

Oh and just because you're a new rider doesnt guarantee you're going to drop it either IMHO. I've seen plenty of experienced riders drop bikes. It happens... Crash bungs are a good first addition IMHO as they will give you piece of mind, just dont buy the Suzuki ones as they are sh*t.

05-06-07, 10:56 AM

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