Buying back old bikes
Discussion
A speed triple has come up for sale near me, I’m 99% sure it’s the one I bought new in 2007 and traded in 2010.
When I did it I’d done about 15k miles, it’s only on 21k now!
It’s the only bike I regret selling.
I currently have 4 bikes, no where to store it, a wife that would kill me and no spare cash or time.
But it still looks amazing! Rose tinted glasses are strong in this case.
How do others get on with bikes they’ve had before?
When I did it I’d done about 15k miles, it’s only on 21k now!
It’s the only bike I regret selling.
I currently have 4 bikes, no where to store it, a wife that would kill me and no spare cash or time.
But it still looks amazing! Rose tinted glasses are strong in this case.
How do others get on with bikes they’ve had before?
Edited by Speed addicted on Saturday 21st January 12:07
I remember that the vast majority were sold for good reason.
BMWs - appalling reliability and corrosion
Triumph - third world electrical work
Aprilia - thirst for fuel
Albeit, the only one I regret selling completely is my RS125 I passed my 33hp A2 on. Couldn't afford to keep that and the S4 at the same time.
BMWs - appalling reliability and corrosion
Triumph - third world electrical work
Aprilia - thirst for fuel
Albeit, the only one I regret selling completely is my RS125 I passed my 33hp A2 on. Couldn't afford to keep that and the S4 at the same time.
CheesecakeRunner said:
I’d love to have had my old GXSR1000 back. When I sold it in 2013 it was five years old, completely standard, utterly mint and on 10,000 miles.
Looking at the MOT history, by the following year it was f
ked, on 20k and it never had another MOT after that, so either written off or tracked.
I guess that’s what happens when you sell a bike like that to a 21 year old who’s just passed his test. Shame.
That said, the market was so strong then, I bought it new in 2008 for £8000, sold it five years and 10k miles later for £6500. Those were the days.
They’re still worth nearly that now .Looking at the MOT history, by the following year it was f
ked, on 20k and it never had another MOT after that, so either written off or tracked. I guess that’s what happens when you sell a bike like that to a 21 year old who’s just passed his test. Shame.
That said, the market was so strong then, I bought it new in 2008 for £8000, sold it five years and 10k miles later for £6500. Those were the days.
Funny enough I was talking with the Mrs about this yesterday. I like to keep tabs on a few of my old bikes to see if they are still on the road every now and then, after a few years off road my very first road bike, a 29 years and 7 month old CG125 is back out there (albeit its lost nearly 120K miles since it was last MOT'ed) - It raised the question - if I saw it for sale - would I want to pick it up for my eldest to learn on in a few years.
However tempting it would be the thought of putting him out there on something with drum brakes front and rear, horrid suspension, and thin spoked wheels doesn't appeal... but I might be tempted to have it as a green laner!
Other than that though, they have all been sold for a reason so wouldn't really take any back on.
However tempting it would be the thought of putting him out there on something with drum brakes front and rear, horrid suspension, and thin spoked wheels doesn't appeal... but I might be tempted to have it as a green laner!
Other than that though, they have all been sold for a reason so wouldn't really take any back on.
lukeyman said:
I keep an eye out for my old R1 but it was on 40k last time it got MOT'd in 2020. Double what I sold it at.
How much did you sell that for? It does look great!
I’ve no idea, it was traded in against a 1050 tiger in 2010. How much did you sell that for? It does look great!
I’d been doing a lot of touring (like 3k mile 8 day trips around Germany) and was feeling the need for a screen.
When I actually picked up the Tiger I remember thinking I’d done the wrong thing, it’s a feeling that stayed with me!
Obviously the sensible thing to do is nothing, we’ve been renovating our 1850s farmhouse and it’s obliterated my finances.
I have an outbuilding that will become a bike garage once I get a new roof on it but right now they’re stashed in a 20ft container because my lovely planned 3 car garage was a victim of cost runaway on the house. Materials tripling in price plus lockdown really didn’t help.
But it’s nagging at me. It’s funny as I’ve had a load of cars and only ever got attached to one, but every bike has been like a faithful dog.
Speed addicted said:
A speed triple has come up for sale near me, I’m 99% sure it’s the one I bought new in 2007 and traded in 2010.
When I did it I’d done about 15k miles, it’s only on 21k now!
It’s the only bike I regret selling.
I currently have 4 bikes, no where to store it, a wife that would kill me and no spare cash or time.
But it still looks amazing! Rose tinted glasses are strong in this case.
How do others get on with bikes they’ve had before?
I'd get that bought if you're seriously thinking about it. At least if it doesn't work out you could sell it again in the summer for what you paid for it. When I did it I’d done about 15k miles, it’s only on 21k now!
It’s the only bike I regret selling.
I currently have 4 bikes, no where to store it, a wife that would kill me and no spare cash or time.
But it still looks amazing! Rose tinted glasses are strong in this case.
How do others get on with bikes they’ve had before?
Edited by Speed addicted on Saturday 21st January 12:07
Speed addicted said:
I’ve no idea, it was traded in against a 1050 tiger in 2010.
I’d been doing a lot of touring (like 3k mile 8 day trips around Germany) and was feeling the need for a screen.
When I actually picked up the Tiger I remember thinking I’d done the wrong thing, it’s a feeling that stayed with me!
how did that swap go? I'm thinking of going the other way and chopping my Tiger Sport in for a Speed Triple. Tiger great bike but lacking in that last bit of excitement that makes all the difference. Is touring bearable on the Speed triple? I’d been doing a lot of touring (like 3k mile 8 day trips around Germany) and was feeling the need for a screen.
When I actually picked up the Tiger I remember thinking I’d done the wrong thing, it’s a feeling that stayed with me!
Speed addicted said:
I’ve no idea, it was traded in against a 1050 tiger in 2010.
I’d been doing a lot of touring (like 3k mile 8 day trips around Germany) and was feeling the need for a screen.
When I actually picked up the Tiger I remember thinking I’d done the wrong thing, it’s a feeling that stayed with me!
Obviously the sensible thing to do is nothing, we’ve been renovating our 1850s farmhouse and it’s obliterated my finances.
I have an outbuilding that will become a bike garage once I get a new roof on it but right now they’re stashed in a 20ft container because my lovely planned 3 car garage was a victim of cost runaway on the house. Materials tripling in price plus lockdown really didn’t help.
But it’s nagging at me. It’s funny as I’ve had a load of cars and only ever got attached to one, but every bike has been like a faithful dog.
Not sure where you are in the country, but I'm not far away from the bike for sale(~40 Miles). More than happy to go for a look at it on your behalf if you would be distance buying. I’d been doing a lot of touring (like 3k mile 8 day trips around Germany) and was feeling the need for a screen.
When I actually picked up the Tiger I remember thinking I’d done the wrong thing, it’s a feeling that stayed with me!
Obviously the sensible thing to do is nothing, we’ve been renovating our 1850s farmhouse and it’s obliterated my finances.
I have an outbuilding that will become a bike garage once I get a new roof on it but right now they’re stashed in a 20ft container because my lovely planned 3 car garage was a victim of cost runaway on the house. Materials tripling in price plus lockdown really didn’t help.
But it’s nagging at me. It’s funny as I’ve had a load of cars and only ever got attached to one, but every bike has been like a faithful dog.
I've only had 5 bikes total in my time.
1997 600 Bandit - Sold, lovely bike but no particular want to buy it or similar back
1999 GSXR750 SRAD - Written off when taken out by a blind old duffer. I've just bought a very similar model to make mint and hark back to my 30's
2004 R1 - Again, written off when I was taken out by a car. Keep looking at them with a view to buy a similar replacement.
2002 ZX7R - Still got it
2011 Reiju 450 Marathon enduro - Still got it.
Having bought the GSXR, it's far more rusty than I remember my original being but that's just the passage of time and the elements.
It will be mint, but will take a bit more effort than I first thought.
Just get it done and enjoy them.
1997 600 Bandit - Sold, lovely bike but no particular want to buy it or similar back
1999 GSXR750 SRAD - Written off when taken out by a blind old duffer. I've just bought a very similar model to make mint and hark back to my 30's
2004 R1 - Again, written off when I was taken out by a car. Keep looking at them with a view to buy a similar replacement.
2002 ZX7R - Still got it
2011 Reiju 450 Marathon enduro - Still got it.
Having bought the GSXR, it's far more rusty than I remember my original being but that's just the passage of time and the elements.
It will be mint, but will take a bit more effort than I first thought.
Just get it done and enjoy them.
I bought back my first 'big bike', a GS1150 for no other reason than it was a gentle thing to ride, was still in mint condition and it had done virtually zero miles in the three years since I sold it thanks to COVID. Pure sentimentality on my account, I don't need it, I rarely ride it but it looks shiny, always starts first time, unlikely to depreciate and it makes me smile.
clive_candy said:
Sold my GS500 to Queens Park Motors in Salford back in I guess 1990. Saw it a few years later in a bike shop in Bury (or somewhere like that) with a fairing on it.
Was amused to see that in the years between my selling it and my seeing it again it had somehow done c5k fewer miles.
Reading about Queen's Park Motors brings back some old memories. We always drove past on the way to see grandma and they always seemed to have child-size bikes in the window. I never succeeded to convince my parents to buy me one. But I did buy my AP50 from there when I reached 16.Was amused to see that in the years between my selling it and my seeing it again it had somehow done c5k fewer miles.
leighz said:
Speed addicted said:
I’ve no idea, it was traded in against a 1050 tiger in 2010.
I’d been doing a lot of touring (like 3k mile 8 day trips around Germany) and was feeling the need for a screen.
When I actually picked up the Tiger I remember thinking I’d done the wrong thing, it’s a feeling that stayed with me!
how did that swap go? I'm thinking of going the other way and chopping my Tiger Sport in for a Speed Triple. Tiger great bike but lacking in that last bit of excitement that makes all the difference. Is touring bearable on the Speed triple? I’d been doing a lot of touring (like 3k mile 8 day trips around Germany) and was feeling the need for a screen.
When I actually picked up the Tiger I remember thinking I’d done the wrong thing, it’s a feeling that stayed with me!
The Tiger was better for what the touring I was doing at the time, more comfortable, better for luggage. Plus it had a windscreen which kept you dry as well as deflecting the breeze.
The speed triple was a far more exciting bike though, better for screaming round the place, firmer suspension and a more aggressive throttle.
It depends entirely on the type of touring you do, for example we did 3k miles around Germany in 8 days, everyone else was on super bikes while I was on the Speed triple. 130-150mph was common on the straighter bits.
Then I came home via London and rode to Aberdeen in one day. I couldn’t turn my head for a couple of days!
If you ride at more normal speeds it would be ok, maybe a bit cramped. Luggage was an issue (teeny back seat) until I discovered Ventura racks.
The Tiger was far more suited to the big distances, more so if the weather wasn’t nice. But it didn’t have the fun factor somehow, maybe too rounded.
I went from the Tiger to a VFR1200 but had self control issues with riding around at mach 3 all the time so bought the 1200 Explorer that I’ve had since 2015.
The 1050 Tiger was a great all rounder, it did everything well. But I don’t miss it.
13 years on I’m having bad thoughts about buying my old speed triple!
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