Trade in? more like giveaway!

Ulsterkiwi Mon 23 Nov 2015, 3:53 pm

This will sound like a rant but it isn't.

I bought my 1250FA in September 2014, it was new April that year and when I got it, there was a skorpion muffler fitted and a scott oiler with one of those big reservoirs.
I gave them my 1998 BMW F650 with $8500NZ.

Since then I have had the bike serviced every 6000kms with the same dealership as per the schedule, bought my tyres there and generally been a loyal customer with other bits and bobs, including some gear for my wife.
The bike now has 31500kms on it.

I have added the following:
Fenda extenda
Rad Guard radiator guard
Suzuki touring screen
Oxford hot grips
Full givi luggage (top box and V35 panniers)
Custom saddle
Nitron R2 shock.

The shock was the single biggest outlay as I had the top box and got a set of pannier racks second hand.

Anyway the bike was in for the 30k service and the owner of the place said hi, wanted to know if I was being looked after and did I want to take anything for a test ride. He showed me a 4 month old Honda VFR1200X with 3000kms on the clock. Next thing I was away for an hour long test ride.
Lovely bike but the fueling was shit, really really shit. Surging all over the place until I was over 70kph. I have heard about fly by wire throttles taking some getting used to, hence my persistence with it but it really spoiled my experience on what was otherwise a lovely machine. heaps of power, smooth, great brakes and quite flickable for such a tall heavy bike. It suited my 1.96m frame.
Back to the dealership. Asked by the service manager what I thought. I explained my issue with the fuelling, he replied it was just that the bike ran leaner than my FA and I should feather the clutch until I get used to it......at 70kph?????

Anyway the sales guy got in touch with me by email. Said as I was such a good customer they could push the boat out and give me $8.5k trade for my FA. I feel so blessed.
Isn't it good I didn't really want to change my bike?

Look I know I will lose money on the thing and I know dealerships need to make money and I know the whole Bandit line is getting "tired" in comparison to many models but honestly I was a bit miffed. I had been thinking about getting the front end of the bike rebuilt with proper springs and valves to suit my weight better and match up to the Nitron shock a bit more. Compared to dropping another $9k along with my own bike to get one that has 50000% more complicated shit to go wrong the experience has made my decision pretty easy lol.

Bosco15 Mon 23 Nov 2015, 4:48 pm

previousThe fa is definitely a bike that can be picked up for a bargain price, well sorted by the previous owner.
They were cheap when brand new, so don't expect great resale.
On the other hand, they are a bike that is easily sorted for not a lot of cash. After having fettled the bike to your liking, they should give a few hundred thousand trouble free km, when maintained properly.
Hold on to the big girl and save pennies by servicing yourself.
Buy a second and third bike with the money you save, to scratch around the twisties or do track days with.
He who dies with the most toys, wins.

Ulsterkiwi Mon 23 Nov 2015, 4:49 pm

small addenum, apparently the workshop had also identified an issue with the ECU causing problems with the fuel map, it was all sorted, did I want another test ride?

Ulsterkiwi Mon 23 Nov 2015, 4:51 pm

Bosco15 wrote:previousThe fa is definitely a bike that can be picked up for a bargain price, well sorted by the previous owner.
They were cheap when brand new, so don't expect great resale.
On the other hand, they are a bike that is easily sorted for not a lot of cash. After having fettled the bike to your liking, they should give a few hundred thousand trouble free km, when maintained properly.
Hold on to the big girl and save pennies by servicing yourself.
Buy a second and third bike with the money you save, to scratch around the twisties or do track days with.
He who dies with the most toys, wins.

see, you should be right there when I am making my case to the central bank of wife.

Bosco15 Mon 23 Nov 2015, 4:55 pm

Just to qualify my post.
Sv 1000 with all the bells and whistles. $5000. Great V twin monster cor when I feel like a hoon.
Trx850 a rapidly growing investment that I punt around the track. $3500.
There's your $8500 & they're not going to devalue like the new trade.
Just my 2c worth.
Better yet, buy the missus a bike. Big brownie points. Twisted Evil

Ulsterkiwi Mon 23 Nov 2015, 5:00 pm

Bosco15 wrote:Just to qualify my post.
Sv 1000 with all the bells and whistles. $5000. Great V twin monster cor when I feel like a hoon.
Trx850 a rapidly growing investment that I punt around the track. $3500.
There's your $8500 & they're not going to devalue like the new trade.
Just my 2c worth.
Better yet, buy the missus a bike. Big brownie points.

already done, a 2007 Suzuki S40, she is loving it!

Yep, I have been toying with the idea of an older bike I can tinker with and ride on easy Sunday afternoons.

Ewok1958 Mon 23 Nov 2015, 5:39 pm

Ulsterkiwi wrote:small addenum, apparently the workshop had also identified an issue with the ECU causing problems with the fuel map, it was all sorted, did I want another test ride?

It was interesting that the bike shop initially dismissed your criticism and said that it was something you'd have to get used to, and then checked and found a fault - that sort of approach doesn't give me confidence at all.

Upgrading does cost many a $$$ and when a mate upgraded his Bandit I thought to myself (as I was thinking of an upgrade myself) "I can do a few mods to the old girl for a lot lot less". That's when I bought the Ohlins rear shock (having already modded the front suspension with Racetech springs and gold valves for $400, inc labour). That kept me happy for 12 months and just recently I've replaced the headers with Delkevics at $440 (no labour as I did it myself). That made a big difference and although I've still got a 2010 1250S with its inherent faults (eg crap headlight, hardish seat) it's not too bad as having already put a Yoshi carbon can on it (over 70,000kms ago), it has lost around 14kg in weight through replacing the full exhaust system. So now I'm happy again as I don't find its limitations are slowing me down - more like my abilities are doing that.

Maybe I'll be talked into some further mods but at the moment I like it just how it is. Ask again in another 12 months!

cheers

gus Mon 23 Nov 2015, 7:51 pm

Trouble is ,with another 20,000 kls ,its worth a LOT less .Its just as GOOD, but worth less .

2wheelsagain Mon 23 Nov 2015, 10:21 pm

Buy/ride the bike/bikes that put a smile on your face and change when they stop doing that.

reddog Tue 24 Nov 2015, 9:08 am

Ulsterkiwi, you will get nothing for all the after market parts so strip them off and sell them.

I for one would buy the shock from you.

Hammy Tue 24 Nov 2015, 9:45 am

Ewok1958 wrote:
Ulsterkiwi wrote:small addenum, apparently the workshop had also identified an issue with the ECU causing problems with the fuel map, it was all sorted, did I want another test ride?

It was interesting that the bike shop initially dismissed your criticism and said that it was something you'd have to get used to, and then checked and found a fault - that sort of approach doesn't give me confidence at all.

Upgrading does cost many a $$$ and when a mate upgraded his Bandit I thought to myself (as I was thinking of an upgrade myself) "I can do a few mods to the old girl for a lot lot less". That's when I bought the Ohlins rear shock (having already modded the front suspension with Racetech springs and gold valves for $400, inc labour). That kept me happy for 12 months and just recently I've replaced the headers with Delkevics at $440 (no labour as I did it myself). That made a big difference and although I've still got a 2010 1250S with its inherent faults (eg crap headlight, hardish seat) it's not too bad as having already put a Yoshi carbon can on it (over 70,000kms ago), it has lost around 14kg in weight through replacing the full exhaust system. So now I'm happy again as I don't find its limitations are slowing me down - more like my abilities are doing that.

Maybe I'll be talked into some further mods but at the moment I like it just how it is. Ask again in another 12 months!

Speaking of seats Dave. The Bandit only needs re foaming and re moulding to make it very comfortable. After I got mine done by John Moorehouse up here, (He does mail order), I rode up to Rockhampton in a day. About 750kms with no problems at all. I remember John saying that the Bandit seat was too wide for starters.
If you have no one handy down there then post the front section up to me and we can get it done for ya.

Ewok1958 Tue 24 Nov 2015, 1:22 pm

Thanks Hammy. There is a bloke in Pambula apparently but I've not yet talked to him. But I'll keep John in mind if I'm not confident with him. Cheers.

palexxxx Tue 24 Nov 2015, 1:48 pm

Hammy wrote:
I rode up to Rockhampton in a day. About 750kms with no problems at all.

750 kms from The Rock to Rockhampton?? I thought it was more like 1600.

Hammy Tue 24 Nov 2015, 3:02 pm

palexxxx wrote:
Hammy wrote:
I rode up to Rockhampton in a day. About 750kms with no problems at all.

750 kms from The Rock to Rockhampton?? I thought it was more like 1600.

Depends which Rock.

gus Tue 24 Nov 2015, 4:06 pm

I bought this for $550 . Came with 2 springs and a receipt for $450 for a service to make it top spec .
The guy had sold the bike and knew he would get nothing extra for it .
Trade in? more like giveaway! DSCN0942_zpspup06zvp

madmax Tue 24 Nov 2015, 5:27 pm

reddog wrote:Ulsterkiwi, you will get nothing for all the after market parts so strip them off and sell them.

I for one would buy the shock from you.

So true, aftermarket parts only make the bike attractive, more salable, they do nothing really for the price

palexxxx Tue 24 Nov 2015, 7:37 pm

Hammy wrote:
palexxxx wrote:
Hammy wrote:
I rode up to Rockhampton in a day. About 750kms with no problems at all.

750 kms from The Rock to Rockhampton?? I thought it was more like 1600.

Depends which Rock.

and you're just going to leave it at that? When I type in 'The Rock' into Google Maps it only give me the one in NSW (1600 kms) or one in W.A. I think the W.A. one would be even further.

reddog Tue 24 Nov 2015, 8:46 pm

gus wrote:I bought this for $550 . Came with 2 springs and a receipt for $450 for a service to make it top spec .
The guy had sold the bike and knew he would get nothing extra for it .

If one comes up for that price for the Bandit let me know please Smile

good work finding that Gus. I think Karma for you comes from helping people with Bandit fuel pump problems.

Chook Tue 24 Nov 2015, 8:50 pm

palexxxx wrote:
Hammy wrote:
palexxxx wrote:
Hammy wrote:
I rode up to Rockhampton in a day. About 750kms with no problems at all.

750 kms from The Rock to Rockhampton?? I thought it was more like 1600.

Depends which Rock.

and you're just going to leave it at that? When I type in 'The Rock' into Google Maps it only give me the one in NSW (1600 kms) or one in W.A. I think the W.A. one would be even further.

There's probably heap more but here's a start

Ayers Rock
The Rock
The Rocks
South West Rocks
Secret Rocks
Jip Jip Rocks
Couta Rocks
Hanging Rock
Moorine Rock

jaba01 Wed 25 Nov 2015, 12:40 am

The Bandits respond well to a couple a upgrades - remembering that you are starting with a fairly budget package to begin with. Add a Power Commander or Dobeck unit (fueling), headers / muffler (drop around 10kgs off the tare weight) and it will breathe, upgrade the front & rear ends and it will go around corners fairly well for a heavy bike. Brakes - upgrade the pads and they will improve but are never going to be great. Tops it may set you back around a couple of grand but you will have a cheap bike with stump pulling low & mid range torque.

Jimcoleman Wed 25 Nov 2015, 6:15 am

Its a depreciating asset you lost around 2k a year, thats not bad and as every one says your accessories dont count.

Ulsterkiwi Wed 25 Nov 2015, 6:33 am

Jimcoleman wrote:Its a depreciating asset you lost around 2k a year, thats not bad and as every one says your accessories dont count.

which is why I said it wasn't a rant, honestly I do get I will lose money on it and was not expecting anything different.

The price of the bike originally was $12.5k. I got it in September 2014, the offer of $8.5k was made in Nov 2015. So thats a bit more than 2k a year. I am not miffed at losing money, I am surprised it was so much. Maybe I paid too much to begin with?

No matter. Basically I was commenting on a couple of things, their response to my criticism of the Honda I tried and my decision to hold on to a bike I am really enjoying, now its set up for me, being made easier.

Not the first time I have been told returning a bike to stock for resale is good way to go. I held on to the original screen and shock without being sure why, now I know lol. Laughing

Jimcoleman Wed 25 Nov 2015, 6:38 am

I ll buy your shock

paul Wed 25 Nov 2015, 11:20 am

Bandits have always been worth bugger all as a trade in , & unless you have Harley , accessories aren't worth much money at resale either .............only for appeal . If you can afford to , put it back to standard , & whack it in storage ...................eventually the value will go up not down ( you may have to wait a while though ) . Either that or try to sell it privately & you may get more for it .

Ulsterkiwi Wed 25 Nov 2015, 12:45 pm

Jimcoleman wrote:I ll buy your shock

the stock one?, sure if you are keen, I have no idea what its worth. Shipping from NZ might be the kicker

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