Ok, let’s see if the collective wisdom of Londonbikers can help or will I just get abuse.
I’ve got a bike itch at the moment. Not a serious one but I am getting jealous of photos and being on the forum when buggers like @Jay and @Panagiotis are buying shiny Supermotos… Here’s the background facts
Financially, there is money for a bike. However
I have a one year old so unlikely to have more than a couple of hours every other weekend (if that).
I’m not hugely enjoying my job and the long term may be that my job is cut. Unlikely to happen until about Q4 this year and may not happen at all but have to plan for these things, especially given Corona
I need to keep a pot of savings in cash for various bureaucratic stupidities (not spend it, just prove I have it).
Next year we want to move from our flat to a house
Towards the end of its tenure with me, my last bike started costing me beaucoup bucks in servicing. I don’t want to have to go through that again
I don;t have a garage but the bike is kept covered in covered car park, though open from the sides. Rust could happen from prolonged winter exposure.
I don’t have time for much servicing on my own.
All of the above mean I don’t want to tie up any significant pot of money on a machine I will use on those very rare days and then have to constantly shell out for servicing etc.
So, my dilemma…
Just give up and wait until things settle down
Fuck it, splurge and deal with shit when it hits the proverbial fan
Find a very cheap runner
On that last point, what bike would satisfy my itch but not fall foul of the above ‘facts’? I was thinking an old CB500 but they are pot luck to find one in ok condition and their age means they end up needing money thrown at them continuously?
I don’t need something shiny… just something that I can jump on for an hour or so (on or offroad) and forget about shit.
that’s a tricky one as only you know your financial situation and work circumstances, but here was my thinking re said Sumo purchase.
I had some money saved in the bike fund and wouldn’t be taking a loan to get one - I was never going to buy new
Kids will always need money and time spent on them, but I could make the time (especially with WFH more permenately)
The cost of the bike I was looking was low and wouldnt make a difference to a house deposit
I had space in the garage
YOLO!
Regarding your situation
If you had a garage I would say def get a Sumo or something like your old KTM that again!
Without a garage insurance might be prohibited, might be worth looking at that first.
Now is also the right time to buy used as people unfortunately need the funds. So you could find a good deal that means if/when you need the money back you should be able to get most of it back.
Could you get a GSR again? we know it can handle off road!
I would think that if you give up riding for a while, that being you sell the bike and don’t replace it, then there will always be reasons to not buy a bike again and that could turn out being several years.
That was my experienc when I gave up being a DR (despatch rider) in 1988, to take on career in IT and an initial massive drop in salary. I then bought a house and took on a mortgage, and did not buy a bike for ten years.
Keeping a bike on the road, even if only a small one, means you keep any earnt NCB for your insurance. If you let that lapse for over two years, you lose it all.
It’s also about finding that elusive “work/life balance”. Part or who I am is a motorcyclist. Not motorcycling is not fully enjoying my life. Sometimes, the financial cost of something is worth it to continue to be fully alive, and not exist. I’ve had it with well paid jobs that I didn’t enjoy doing too, and have changed jobs, taken a lower salary, but that had improved my life.
Have to say this for me. If you have the passion it is worth it. I am on my bike every day, I do track days, do 1000 km euro trips and commute on it. I honestly can’t imagine my life without it and even when I had a big crash and was plastered up I was in show rooms and bought my current Hornet after a test ride with my arm still splinted.
In that case if the brief is cheap as chips I got this 2006 Honda CBF1000 A-6 as a stop gap between Triumphs, it became a keeper and now I’m sold on Honda. It’s proper easy to maintain for the DIY home mechanic and requires no special tools or software either. There’s much hype about the reliability issues surrounding the stator and yes I replaced mine at 31,000 miles but I just put that down to the cost of motoring. They’re ULEZ compliment too once you’ve registered the Certificate of Conformity and V5 with TfL in case you’re thinking of BM Wednesdays.
If a sports tourer would float you’re boat the Honda CBF1000 ticks many boxes. If not maybe look at a Honda Africa Twin which I’d have in a heart beat if it was a little shorter or I was a little taller. Boris told me if I ever got one I’d be cheating by having a bike designed to go to the places where I take my bikes…
You should see the crimes people have done to hornets on eBay.
I forgot to mention my last fear… The last bike I bought I closed my eyes to issues and had to pay quite a bit of money to get it up to scratch. Whilst I’d like to think I’ve learned, it scares me shirtless buying from independent again which obviously puts price up.
I would say buy a vfr, but the battery would always be flat.
CBF600 is a good shout but hornet is better.
My pegaso trail seems pretty alright, has a yamaha 660 engine. I’m being taken up a dirt track with it on Sunday, I’ll let you know how it is off-road.
Start of a slippery slope. If you don’t get it then the next step will be giving up biking ‘temporarily’ then when your kids are grown up you’ll regret giving up riding.
