Downsizing

Author
Discussion

horsemeatscandal

Original Poster:

1,483 posts

111 months

Friday 5th April
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Afternoon all,

Long story short, I'm moving house and the new place needs work. I'm considering selling my Husky, getting something cheaper (~50%) and putting the equity into the house. I would want something newish which inevitably means downsizing cc. I've not really looked too much into it yet but I'm currently liking the look of the Royal Enfield Scram, for example.

I don't ride in winter anymore and the kind of riding I like is just pootling around on back roads, though yes I would probably miss that extra power.

We've got plenty of money on the mortgage for doing the house, but more won't hurt.

Am I an idiot?

Ta.

snagzie

553 posts

67 months

Friday 5th April
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Not at all, but it would help to know how much cash you'd have available for the new bike and a bit more about the current one

Marquezs Stabilisers

1,577 posts

68 months

Friday 5th April
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Frankly, yes. It's only going to release about £1,500 or so into your pocket. I can appreciate not wanting to put it onto the mortgage and paying it off FOREVER, but is there a bigger haircut your family finances can have? What car do you run?

horsemeatscandal

Original Poster:

1,483 posts

111 months

Friday 5th April
quotequote all
snagzie said:
Not at all, but it would help to know how much cash you'd have available for the new bike and a bit more about the current one
I think £6k for my bike in a private sale is realistic. And then max. £3.5k for the new one.

horsemeatscandal

Original Poster:

1,483 posts

111 months

Friday 5th April
quotequote all
Marquezs Stabilisers said:
Frankly, yes. It's only going to release about £1,500 or so into your pocket. I can appreciate not wanting to put it onto the mortgage and paying it off FOREVER, but is there a bigger haircut your family finances can have? What car do you run?
I'd like to be at about £2.5k, which admittedly doesn't go far these days. Plus the associated savings on fuel and what have you.

Mortgage amount is staying as is.

Car's also staying. Not had it long and I love it. Probably £10-12k but it's got to be a no. We could do with one car to be fair, I cycle to work and partly WFH, she's largely WFH. I would sell both cars and just get one that we both like but she loves her car too so it's a dead end.

Lifestyle changes are always on option of course but all things considered our house/mortgage is not expensive and that's a deliberate choice so that we don't have to make lifestyle changes. Also, that doesn't put cash in the bank short term, which is what I want so that we an get the work done ASAP/don't have to deal with tradespeople for too long.

Also, new shiny thing.

trickywoo

12,307 posts

237 months

Friday 5th April
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Downsizing doesn't mean you will be having any less fun.

Personally I think I need at least 70 bhp for how I use a bike but I wouldn't be having twice the fun with 140.

I'd much rather downsize substantially than go to no bike at all.

snagzie

553 posts

67 months

Friday 5th April
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Well, you've answered your own question really. If you can buy a bike for £3.5k that you're happy with, no problems. If not.....

KTMsm

27,675 posts

270 months

Friday 5th April
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Pootling around the back roads, new ish circa £3500

500 Caballero (I haven't ridden one but the reviews are great) just about in budget with a haggle


MDUBZ

925 posts

107 months

Friday 5th April
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2.5k really doesn't go very far in a renovation and you dont need the cash immediately so it sounds like you just want a new bike. Why not buy the new bike without selli g the old one and see how you get on with it and then decide to keep them both. 😉

You can always free up the cash later if you need it...

horsemeatscandal

Original Poster:

1,483 posts

111 months

Friday 5th April
quotequote all
MDUBZ said:
2.5k really doesn't go very far in a renovation and you dont need the cash immediately so it sounds like you just want a new bike. Why not buy the new bike without selli g the old one and see how you get on with it and then decide to keep them both. ??

You can always free up the cash later if you need it...
It doesn't. Don't think it's new bike want, an RE would be way down the list if it was just new bike want. It's more "how can I free up some cash and still have a bike I like".

After thinking it over, I reckon I'd be quite happy to do it. But I'm not going to unless I have to.

FNG

4,380 posts

231 months

Friday 5th April
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I think I’d rather go a bit older and stick around the 90-100bhp mark than get newer and have half the amount of power that I’d call adequate.

I potter around most of the time too but when you need a bit of poke to overtake or have a mad moment you really appreciate having it.

Also a 3.5k older bike has a lot less depreciation left in it than a Royal Enfield will see within a couple of years, even.

horsemeatscandal

Original Poster:

1,483 posts

111 months

Friday 5th April
quotequote all
FNG said:
I think I’d rather go a bit older and stick around the 90-100bhp mark than get newer and have half the amount of power that I’d call adequate.

I potter around most of the time too but when you need a bit of poke to overtake or have a mad moment you really appreciate having it.

Also a 3.5k older bike has a lot less depreciation left in it than a Royal Enfield will see within a couple of years, even.
That's a very fair point, thanks. I prefer trouble-free motoring and can't be arsed tinkering away when there's better things to be doing, but doesn't have to be the case with an older bike if you buy right.

croyde

23,933 posts

237 months

Friday 5th April
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Aren't the early Triumph Street Twins that kind of money.

I bought a Speed Twin 900 (same bike really) after lots of sporty stuff and I'm loving it. Use it more often, only 65bhp but the power is easy and you can be silly or just cruise.

guitarcarfanatic

1,792 posts

142 months

Saturday 6th April
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I have a 135bhp triumph 1200 tiger, and bought a brand new RE Himalayan for £4k. I use the RE all the time, and triumph has been out once! My only concern is a big trip to Spain in September - considering chopping the Triumph in for a midweight bike to give me an alternative.

But try the RE Scram - such fun bikes!

Steve_H80

376 posts

29 months

Sunday 7th April
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Stop talking cobblers, this is all about new shiny isn't it wink

carinaman

22,064 posts

179 months

Sunday 7th April
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croyde said:
Aren't the early Triumph Street Twins that kind of money.

I bought a Speed Twin 900 (same bike really) after lots of sporty stuff and I'm loving it. Use it more often, only 65bhp but the power is easy and you can be silly or just cruise.
While they can look pretty, the silver with black and orange stripe looks good to me, the 2019ish revamp with better brakes and other improvements were deemed much better in reviews. Weren't the pre 2019 revamp ones 10bhp less?

Are RE still doing deals? Leaving the local cornershop yesterday morning a red and white Himalayan turned into the road. The RE colour schemes look good to me. The thought did cross my mind that I could sell my bike and get an 350-400cc RE and a used sports bike but I hardly use the bike I have having done <1900 miles in 11 months. I had a hoot on a Meteor 350 loaner last summer.

Biker9090

1,135 posts

44 months

Sunday 7th April
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There is an RE dealer who is doing unbelievably cheap deals on the whole range at the moment. Something about ordering too much stock.

gareth_r

5,971 posts

244 months

Sunday 7th April
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RE used to import to the UK via Motogb, but have now decided to set up an in-house operation. That led Motogb to discount the Enfields they had in stock, and there are plenty being advertised. I collected a Himalayan last week, which will be my bike for crappy, salty roads next winter.

Current "Motogb" price for a 2023 Scram on eBay is £3699 + 200 on the road, although the Motogb web site is only showing the £100 more expensive paint jobs, so the basic models must all be with (other) dealers. Same with the 350s, 650s, and the Himalayan.

horsemeatscandal

Original Poster:

1,483 posts

111 months

Saturday 1st June
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Well think I came to a decision on this if anyone's interested. Gonna sell the current bike and remain bikeless for the foreseeable.

Few reasons. Basically any time I get a day free on a sunny weekend I go for my bicycle over my motorcycle, every time. I now also commute by bicycle. It just sits there for weeks on end and I haven't ridden it for pleasure since last summer.

I said I prefer to knock around country lanes but I think actually the bike prefers to do that. I think I'd prefer to do that kind of thing on a bicycle then use a motorcycle for a couple of longer trips every year. I've done that on the Husky and managed but it's not ideal. Genuinely can't see when I'm going to have time AND want to go out on it any time soon.

So I'm gonna give it a wash, stick a new rear on and sell it. I can use the money on the house if I need to, but otherwise might save what I can and use towards a comfier, touring-oriented bike next year. I'll probably miss it as it is very good but my hobbies and needs have changed.

Krikkit

26,997 posts

188 months

Saturday 1st June
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Sounds like a sensible plan, have a few months off and see how you feel, you might fancy something completely different for next year