Buying a new bike - Advice

Originally Posted by Lozzo

You're not allowed to own a VFR800 until you can grow a grey beard and you smell of stale p155.

The smell of stale wee I can sort out easily, and probably throw in some other smells for good measure. I got acces to some great stinks in the lab

as for the beard...well, it takes me a week to get 5mm of average hair length on my face

Manly I am not

Anyway, the VTEC system does worry with regards to valve clearances, but I know that the V4 engines has proven reliability. Build quality, from the varying VFR's I have seen, is always quite good. The worst I have seen is some corroded fairing fastners on one model and some rusted downpips on another. Bot nothing to jump up and get all scared about.

The 800i IMO has the easiest-to-live-with engine, but is the worst looking. The current VFR looks great. I dont mind linked brakes so much, they could be usefull when filtering and I am only covering the rear brake (using the hand for the throttle). ABS on the newer bikes means I wouldnt have to worry about locking the wheels either if I just stamp on the rear brake when Mr Twit pulls out unnanounced.

I'd like a triumph tiger, but I think that would detract too much from the "sports" side of sports-tourer. And I'd need war staroies in addition to the wee smell and the long greay beard if I owned one

I've bought all three of my bikes new on pretty good deals. The SV was 3900 brand new on 0% and the ZX6r was £5500 on 0%

I bought the strom on finance at X% (cant remember now) but thats cos I just wanted it. If I traded it now i'd lose money (didnt lose much at all on the others in fact nothing on the ZX6) but I know im going to keep it for a long itme and i really like it. If you really want one and will keep it just do it, have fun now, pay later. lol

[Biker Biggles]

Thats a lot of money for a bike that isnt as good as previous models IMO.I really wouldnt entertain it in the current economic climate either.Now is not the time to spu6k dosh on consumer luxuries when a fraction of that amount would still buy you a very nice bike.
God Im a misery arnt I?

Originally Posted by Scoobs

Look at the owner history on the V5. If it is pre-registered then that is one owner...! Quiff just picked up a tidy VFR800 on a 56 and that had something like 1300 miles on it. It is very unusual to find this type of bike with such low mileage. It is not what they do. Not necessarily a lemon though. Give it a good look over, go for a test ride, get a warranty from Dobles.

yes I did... but I am lucky- I rub myself for luck every day


Matt , its all exciting new bike etc.. but take it from me

it wears off.. and fact hits home mate..

its a lot of money over a looong time.. and it WILL hit you..

every month..
christmas time.. still got to be paid..

in a few years you and Maria may be married and then kids.. and you be committed to a £££ expense each month that could contribute to rent/mortgage..

do a little projection..


best advice.. speak to your dad - believe me- they been there and done it and it aint til you get old like me you realise they know what they on about them dads.


whatever you decide.. good luck

Thanks quiff; thats a good peice of advice. I know I can afford it, but you can never plan in full for the future.

As for my dad, I know he's always right, whenever he says "trust me" i know to trust him I'll get on the blower to him today, maybe he'll meet me somewhere and acompany me on a test ride (I dont want to go alone lol)

Oh yea, one more thing; regarding that "its new and shiny, you'll be upset when it gets a scratch"...well, since the new / next bike will be used day in, day out, I'm going to have to allow for a certain amount of scratches to occur. A bit of T-cut will remove some, carefull touching up with paint will remove some others. I can't treat it with kid gloves all the time, else I'll nver get anywhere

So I dont mind buying new then getting a mark on it at the end of the first week, providing the mark isnt provided by some douche pulling out on me.

[fizzwheel]

Originally Posted by Alpinestarhero

Oh yea, one more thing; regarding that "its new and shiny, you'll be upset when it gets a scratch".

I bought my GSXR new, every scratch on it, I've put on it, every scratch has a story behind it as to how it occured.

The first scratch is annoying, after a while they dont bother you anymore...

Bike is a tool, a machine something you derive pleasure from by riding, not by keeping it shiney and never using it.

IMHO.

Originally Posted by Alpinestarhero

I'm really really considering getting a brand new honda VFR800, and take advantage of the free luggage offer honda are doing until the end of september.

I'm worried by the interest though; I'd have to pay on finance, and the interest would be 6% (work out something like 15% apr over 24 months). In total, I'd be paying about £9200 for a bike costing about £8500. Is this a reasonable deal? Repayments would be about £260 per month, which I can afford (I think I can affrod up to £300), and I can get a good price for insurance.

Should I take the plung? An attractive part of having a brand new bike is that I take full control of its servicing history.

Help me out .org, I would really like a VFR800, its the bike that promises to be the bike to do everything I want from a bike...

Matt

sounds good to me ! my ex had a vfr loved it !!!

I haven't read all the posts but I have been there done that and wouldn't buy new again.

Have you checked honda dealers for their 0% APR loans? http://www.portsmouthmotorcycles.com/ have a fireblade and a CBF1000 on offer for 0% finance.

Originally Posted by lozzo

you're not allowed to own a vfr800 until you can grow a grey beard and you smell of stale p155.

pmsl!!!