Dealer dilema

[Sibbo]

It's enough to keep me from buying a new vehicle. OK, I guess that was never going to happen anyway. It still sucks, what people have to go through just so that I can get used vehicles much later.

There is another factor stopping me buying a new vehicle , it's called depreciation .

[Zombie Master]

It's enough to keep me from buying a new vehicle. OK, I guess that was never going to happen anyway. It still sucks, what people have to go through just so that I can get used vehicles much later.

There is another factor stopping me buying a new vehicle , it's called depreciation .

Fact is, where I live motorcycles are cheap. When I buy a bike it's not for an investment. I bought my 1984 R100S new. It's worth more than I paid for it and I never had to deal with it being pre-butchered. Bike runs beautifully. I bought my Yamaha Super Tenere new at a big discount, rode it for 9 years then sold it for a $2500. profit. When I buy a bike it's not for selling, it's for riding. I like fresh brakes, tires, and knowing there is no hidden damage. Value means different things to different people.

[Steve in Golden]

Indeed, there is something to be said for riding an unmolested motorcycle that has not been ridden, farkled, maintained, had bolts over or under-tightened, oil over-filled, abused, fucked up, etc by anyone else. I am the one and only who has ridden or worked on my GS, since I bought it new. Well except the 600 mile service was done by the dealer. And they overfilled the oil when they did it.

The depreciation doesn't bother me - it's only money.

[Sibbo]

It's enough to keep me from buying a new vehicle. OK, I guess that was never going to happen anyway. It still sucks, what people have to go through just so that I can get used vehicles much later.

There is another factor stopping me buying a new vehicle , it's called depreciation .

Fact is, where I live motorcycles are cheap. When I buy a bike it's not for an investment. I bought my 1984 R100S new. It's worth more than I paid for it and I never had to deal with it being pre-butchered. Bike runs beautifully. I bought my Yamaha Super Tenere new at a big discount, rode it for 9 years then sold it for a $2500. profit. When I buy a bike it's not for selling, it's for riding. I like fresh brakes, tires, and knowing there is no hidden damage. Value means different things to different people.

Here bikes are expensive, a lot more than the US.

The BMW 650 Cross Country I'm interested in will cost me $6500 secondhand, 2009 model with 20,000 km , it was $13000 new. The same bike was listed at somewhere near $7500 new in the US. For me depreciation is a big factor as is first price.

[SteveD]

Bikes, including second hand bikes, can be so relatively expensive here that there are people importing eligible bikes from the USA and selling them on.
These days, I think eligible means built before 1989, but I'm unsure how long it's been like that! They're still making money even after the costs involved are factored in. It's always been the way, but is popular now as our $ has been strong.

Way back in the '80's, I knew a guy that took his business plan to his bank manager. Basically, go to LA, buy as many used HD's that he can fit into one container, ship to Oz and sell for profit. Bank manager thought it was a great idea, he got the money and made a $squillion, enough to start buying industrial properties to make even more! On one of his trips he even bought a Corvette from the '50's and a Fiat Spider. The Fiat cost him as much as a set of tyres here!


In the 1980's we could buy a BMW, to order, collect from the factory, ride it around for a month or two, return it to the factory for shipping then fly home. That holiday, including bike purchase could be done for the price of buying the bike here!

The second R100RS I had was a 1981 model. The receipt from original purchase was $6995, but it was second hand to me. The R65LS I bought in 1982 was $6100 rrp. I didn't pay that as the haggle was to my advantage. The dealer had been open a few weeks and hadn't sold a single bike. I paid under $5K. What might they have sold for in North America?

Yep, bikes can be expensive here.

[enigmaT120]

My R65 was 500 bucks about 6 years ago.

[Sibbo]

Agreed on all points Steve, the question is WHY!! Every bloody thing in Australia is expensive.

I just bought a set of handlebars for my ST, $42 from MotoBins, $130 from Munich!!! The same bars... I just paid the postage from the UK and they're still cheaper by $20. Is this just some huge conspiracy between every importer into this country to double or triple their purchase price? Or are there duties and charges I haven't heard of ?

[Chuey]

Agreed on all points Steve, the question is WHY!! Every bloody thing in Australia is expensive.

I just bought a set of handlebars for my ST, $42 from MotoBins, $130 from Munich!!! The same bars... I just paid the postage from the UK and they're still cheaper by $20. Is this just some huge conspiracy between every importer into this country to double or triple their purchase price? Or are there duties and charges I haven't heard of ?

Does it have to do with your excellent social services structure? Or, perhaps you have that because you don't spend it all on military?

Chuey

[Chuey]

Depreciation is not so much keeping me from buying new bikes as it is making it possible for me to buy old ones.

It is only money. And, they are only machines, with the possible exception of Stan.

I don't really fret over the dumb things that have been done to my bikes or the used cars I buy. I just accept that there will be a certain amount of things that need fixing. I buy machines that I like well enough to put the time/money into them. Of course, the fewer bodges, the better and you can tell a certain amount of that when you're checking out a vehicle to buy.

I have no problem with people who need to buy new. I notice hair dressers drive new Honda cars mostly. I get it. I wouldn't buy a newer used Honda car, though. They don't depreciate enough for me.

Also, I'd like to say that I feel I missed out a bit (but caught up tonight) on this thread. I enjoyed the heck out of Ed Miller's posts.

Also, it seems to me to be ludicrous that KTM would/could void your warranty for doing as their policy requires. I can't picture that! At least I can't picture that holding up in any court of law.

Chuey

[enigmaT120]