WRT
9th September 2005, 11:32
Hey guys, hate asking favours of people, but I am in a bit of a conundrum and hopefully someone might be able to help. I'm currently looking for a new bike, and I've got some fairly stringent criteria at the moment. I want me one of those oh-so-sexy new shape Aprilias, in the oh-so-sexy red and silver. And I think I may have found one (http://www.trademe.co.nz/structure/auction_detail.asp?id=34560361&key=36070833) . Only one small problem, its in Christchurch, and I am in Auckland. Have spoken with the guy, and it sounds pretty good, but I would like a second opinion before I hop on a plane to go check it out.
It was supposed to be serviced at 10,000k, hasnt yet been done but he's prepared to get that sorted before selling. One thing that makes me a little nervous was that he said that the tires are only around 1000k’s old. But the bike was on 10,000k’s when first advertised on Trademe, and now its on 11,500. If he didnt spring around $350 (his estimate) for a service before advertising, would he spring $6-700 odd for a new set of Michelins? Sounds fishy (more worried that it might be alluding to bigger and more costly porkies), unless the old tires were so naffed that he wouldn’t have been able to sell it with them on. But then the pics are the same ones from the original ad, and the tires don’t look too bad, although it is hard to tell at that res. So does that mean he shoved them on 1000k before placing the ad? Which would mean they are now sitting on 2,500ks, so if you add another 1000 or so to run the bike back up to Auckland, and I’m getting close to a new set . . . sucky.
Plus I have to factor in an airfare down, a hotel for the night, gas to ride it home, ferry ticket, etc etc. The plan would be to hop on a plane first thing on a Saturday morning, hopefully sort out the purchase mid morning, then ride up to Picton for the 6:15 (I think) sailing (is this feasable? Only been to Christchurch once, and that was several years ago; on that occasion I stopped in Kaikoura over night before riding up to Picton the next day). Stay the night in Wellington, then hop on the bike again Sunday morning to trundle back up to Auckland. Otherwise, if it didnt all work out, then hope and pray I can get a flight back to Auckland . . .
Apparently the bike is in at Eric Wood M/C’s for sale on their floor on his behalf. Cant see it under their name on Bike Point (mustn’t be making enough to cover the cost of an ad). Is there any chance that someone might be in that area on the weekend, and be able to pop in and have a quick look over it for me? Naturally all advice/info would be taken "without prejudice", and in no way would anyone be held accountable for it. I will naturally enough be doing background checks on the bike before purchase, so all that sort of legal "guff" will rest squarely on my head. I'm just keen to get an opinion from someone who doesnt have a vested interest in the sale . . .
And has anyone got any input on any other aspect of it? Things I should watch out for with the RSV-R's? Even any bright ideas regarding handing over that amount of coin . . . in a timely fashion so that I can hit the road asap. Dont want to turn up with all that cash sat in my back pocket, yet dont want to have a bank transaction take days to process (weekend hours), and I would suspect that a bank cheque would reduce my negotiating ability. And what sort of times should I allow for riding each stage back to Auckland? Bearing in mind that on a new bike, I'm gonna be taking it pretty easy . . .
Thanks guys!
It was supposed to be serviced at 10,000k, hasnt yet been done but he's prepared to get that sorted before selling. One thing that makes me a little nervous was that he said that the tires are only around 1000k’s old. But the bike was on 10,000k’s when first advertised on Trademe, and now its on 11,500. If he didnt spring around $350 (his estimate) for a service before advertising, would he spring $6-700 odd for a new set of Michelins? Sounds fishy (more worried that it might be alluding to bigger and more costly porkies), unless the old tires were so naffed that he wouldn’t have been able to sell it with them on. But then the pics are the same ones from the original ad, and the tires don’t look too bad, although it is hard to tell at that res. So does that mean he shoved them on 1000k before placing the ad? Which would mean they are now sitting on 2,500ks, so if you add another 1000 or so to run the bike back up to Auckland, and I’m getting close to a new set . . . sucky.
Plus I have to factor in an airfare down, a hotel for the night, gas to ride it home, ferry ticket, etc etc. The plan would be to hop on a plane first thing on a Saturday morning, hopefully sort out the purchase mid morning, then ride up to Picton for the 6:15 (I think) sailing (is this feasable? Only been to Christchurch once, and that was several years ago; on that occasion I stopped in Kaikoura over night before riding up to Picton the next day). Stay the night in Wellington, then hop on the bike again Sunday morning to trundle back up to Auckland. Otherwise, if it didnt all work out, then hope and pray I can get a flight back to Auckland . . .
Apparently the bike is in at Eric Wood M/C’s for sale on their floor on his behalf. Cant see it under their name on Bike Point (mustn’t be making enough to cover the cost of an ad). Is there any chance that someone might be in that area on the weekend, and be able to pop in and have a quick look over it for me? Naturally all advice/info would be taken "without prejudice", and in no way would anyone be held accountable for it. I will naturally enough be doing background checks on the bike before purchase, so all that sort of legal "guff" will rest squarely on my head. I'm just keen to get an opinion from someone who doesnt have a vested interest in the sale . . .
And has anyone got any input on any other aspect of it? Things I should watch out for with the RSV-R's? Even any bright ideas regarding handing over that amount of coin . . . in a timely fashion so that I can hit the road asap. Dont want to turn up with all that cash sat in my back pocket, yet dont want to have a bank transaction take days to process (weekend hours), and I would suspect that a bank cheque would reduce my negotiating ability. And what sort of times should I allow for riding each stage back to Auckland? Bearing in mind that on a new bike, I'm gonna be taking it pretty easy . . .
Thanks guys!