Halelujah - I'm a convert!!!!

[lewis_walker]

Weehee!!
I passed my test a couple of months ago after doing a direct access course here in the UK. I got myself a Bandit 1200 as a first bike, but after a couple of months' riding - I have decided to do what I should have done from the beginning...
... I am trading the Bandit in for a Marauder 1600!

I'm picking her up on Friday AND I CAN'T WAIT!!

Why is the Pom posting to KiwiBikers I here yoy say?.. Well.. my wife, two sproglets and I are emigrating to your beautiful country in a few months :spudwave:

PS - I'm exchanging my sporty helmet for a 'pee-pot' retro job already in anticipation... and I'm LOVING IT!!

[James Deuce]

Weehee!!
I passed my test a couple of months ago after doing a direct access course here in the UK. I got myself a Bandit 1200 as a first bike, but after a couple of months' riding - I have decided to do what I should have done from the beginning...
... I am trading the Bandit in for a Marauder 1600!

I'm picking her up on Friday AND I CAN'T WAIT!!

Why is the Pom posting to KiwiBikers I here yoy say?.. Well.. my wife, two sproglets and I are emigrating to your beautiful country in a few months :spudwave:

PS - I'm exchanging my sporty helmet for a 'pee-pot' retro job already in anticipation... and I'm LOVING IT!!

If you like your face, you'll keep the sporty helmet. Unless you like tearing your lower mandible off.

[jrandom]

Hope you did the numbers on whether it's worth buying the new bike in the UK and shipping it over, as opposed to just waiting and buying it when you get here.

Why did you decide to move to a cruiser?

[Holy Roller]

If you like your face, you'll keep the sporty helmet. Unless you like tearing your lower mandible off.
I've had an open face for 22 years and a full face for the colder wet days or for my pillion. My first choice of lid is the open face always has been.

[lewis_walker]

Hope you did the numbers on whether it's worth buying the new bike in the UK and shipping it over, as opposed to just waiting and buying it when you get here.

Why did you decide to move to a cruiser?


I did do the numbers - buying in NZ seems to be very expensive. The shipping costs and import tax still mean your quids-in .. or at least you don't lose too much. The other thing, is the size of the market here means it is easier to find the bike you want. I've found a beauty that has only ever been dry-ridden, with 1,500 miles on the clock. all for six thousand something quid. And that was just my local dealer.

As for why the move -- can't explain really. Bikes are very personal, and full of character. I only owned the Bandit 1200 for two months, but I just KNOW (you know?!!). I love the V-Twin thing. I LOVE the BIG capacity thing. I love the riding position. I love the social scene, and the way that on group rides you don't have to contend with all the sportsbikers' egos as they try to outrace everyone else!! <_<

[StoneChucker]

I love the social scene, and the way that on group rides you don't have to contend with all the sportsbikers' egos as they try to outrace everyone else!! <_<
Thats not true! By the way, I'd beat you in a race ANYDAY hahahaha (just taking the piss). You're right, it's VERY hard riding a sports bike and not getting tempted to keep up with someone else. And from my brief experience on American motorcycles, I can definitely see the lure of cruising style bikes.

Do you know where in NZ you're moving to?

[gav]

Whats six thousand and something quid in NZ dollars? $20K? Whats a 1600 Maurader worth here? Think you can buy the Kwack Mean Streak for what $22K? How much do you think you are saving?

[James Deuce]

I've had an open face for 22 years and a full face for the colder wet days or for my pillion. My first choice of lid is the open face always has been.

That's fine, but having seen the result of a face plant at 100kph as a very green 16 year old, I can't see how anyone can wear an open face helmet. The open face supporters always give me the same argument, but the fact is the skin and bone (even covered in a might beard) are no match for coarse chip gravel and a hefty impact.

[lewis_walker]

Whats six thousand and something quid in NZ dollars? $20K? Whats a 1600 Maurader worth here? Think you can buy the Kwack Mean Streak for what $22K? How much do you think you are saving?

6,000 quid is probably only about $15000 once you've converted it. So the saving may not be huge, but like I said, it is easier to source bikes here. The other thing, is that while I'm here in the UK, I'm working as a freelance consultant so for every thousand I spend, I can work the extra hours and claw it back. When we come over I'll probably get a regular job and so it'll be a little harder to save!!

Cheers!

[lewis_walker]

Do you know where in NZ you're moving to?

Not yet! I imagine I'll start by getting a job somewhere around Auckland or Wellington (I'm a consultant by trade, so I need to be where the money-spending clients are!!). Once we're in New Zealand we'll take some time to travel around and get to really know the place before we decide where we want to settle down properly. We really want to get a decent sized bit of land in a nice location, and just build and extend over time. The aim is to start or buy a business, but until I get to know NZ, the economy of the different regions, etc. I won't know what, or where!

But I'm sure looking forward to getting stuck in and finding out...

[gav]

So long as you don't bring Johnny Wilkinson with ya, your most welcome :whistle:

[Riff Raff]

Well I say good onya mate. We're all different, and we all like different bikes. Do what you want to do, and I hope everything goes to plan for your move to NZ.

[toads]

yes there's a definate charm to a cruiser, that sports bikes don't have, but I like all bikes for their unique features, being a vertically challenged person, I find the lower seat height of a cruiser is much more suited to me, but they do have the disadvantage of being heavier and therefore harder to manouvere ie in and out of angle parking.
Whatever your choice of bikes, so long as it has 2 wheels its wonderful.
have a safe and uneventful trip out here won't you! :cool2:

[sels1]

That's fine, but having seen the result of a face plant at 100kph as a very green 16 year old, I can't see how anyone can wear an open face helmet. The open face supporters always give me the same argument, but the fact is the skin and bone (even covered in a might beard) are no match for coarse chip gravel and a hefty impact.

While you are quite correct I think you have to let people do their own personal risk vs benefit analysis. I know people who "cant see how anyone can" ride motorbikes (and quote death and injury stories) - but we do.
Some will ride all their days in an open face and never have a problem. Some will ride around in shorts and t-shirts and get away with it. Others wont.There was a time when helmets were not required by law - and people got away with not wearing them for years.

[vifferman]

6,000 quid is probably only about $15000 once you've converted it. So the saving may not be huge, but like I said, it is easier to source bikes here.
I think bikes are still cheaper here, as are all the bits'n'pieces, but having done a search, there don't seem to be any secondhand Marauders for sale here, apart from the smaller capacity ones, so you're right about sourcing.
But (BUT!) new ones are $10,990, so savings?!? :Pokey:
My currency converter tells me that 6000 poonds is $15,994, so that's a non-saving of $5004....:Oops: :doh: :argh: :blank:

[Blakamin]

I think bikes are still cheaper here, as are all the bits'n'pieces, but having done a search, there don't seem to be any secondhand Marauders for sale here, apart from the smaller capacity ones, so you're right about sourcing.
But (BUT!) new ones are $10,990, so savings?!? :Pokey:
My currency converter tells me that 6000 poonds is $15,994, so that's a non-saving of $5004....:Oops: :doh: :argh: :blank:
thats USD!!!!

[vifferman]

thats USD!!!!
What's UpSideDown?!? :spudwhat:

No, I clicked "from UK Poonds" and "To $NZ". Today's rates.

6000 poooooonds is $US11,147.10

[Gasman]

The Marauder VZ800 is still showing at Coleman's at $NZ10,990. No mention of the bigger Marauder though.
The VL1500K3 is $NZ16,995 (Intruder). They've also got a GS1200SS for $NZ9995!
When you compare these prices to other brands of the same size there certainly isn't much to moan about, eh! However, I'm sticking to my current ride for a while yet.

:sunny:

[vifferman]

The Marauder VZ800 is still showing at Coleman's at $NZ10,990. No mention of the bigger Marauder though.
The VL1500K3 is $NZ16,995 (Intruder).
Well, I dunno.
I just went into bikepoint, did a new bke search, on Suzuki>Marauder 1600, and it came up with two, both $10,990.
If it lied to me, why should I care? :spudwhat:
I'm not about to buy one.:wacko:

[Devil]

Yeh it lied. New marauder = $21k ish.

[Blakamin]

Well, I dunno.
I just went into bikepoint, did a new bke search, on Suzuki>Marauder 1600, and it came up with two, both $10,990.
If it lied to me, why should I care? :spudwhat:
I'm not about to buy one.:wacko:
hehehe...I did a google on marauder 1600 and it was $10,999.... UpSide-down Dollars (merkin money)

[vifferman]

What is it with all the HoggleyDoggleyWannabes anyway? :spudwhat:

They all seem to have sexually aggressive names, to lure women to come and sit on them?
Or is it as if to say, "I'm not some NancyBoy's bike - I'm a BadAss MoFo and I breaka you face if you get in my way!"
I mean honestly: Marauder, Intruder, Savage, MeanStreak, Bandit, Virago (wild woman?!?). Wassup wid dat?!? :spudwhat: :blank:

Why don't they go the whole hawg (in a manner of speaking) and call them stuff like:
BigBadBallBreaker
ButtBurglar
TesticularTitan
HornyHeathenFromHell
MoFoMayhemMoto
BigThrustingPenisCompensator
HugeDickOnWheels

:thud:

[Blakamin]

What is it with all the HoggleyDoggleyWannabes anyway? :spudwhat:

They all seem to have sexually aggressive names, to lure women to come and sit on them?

Thats one reason to like most Ducs.... numbers... how sexy is "916" or "888"....
works for me!!!!

[Devil]

What is it with all the HoggleyDoggleyWannabes anyway? :spudwhat:

They all seem to have sexually aggressive names, to lure women to come and sit on them?
Or is it as if to say, "I'm not some NancyBoy's bike - I'm a BadAss MoFo and I breaka you face if you get in my way!"
I mean honestly: Marauder, Intruder, Savage, MeanStreak, Bandit, Virago (wild woman?!?). Wassup wid dat?!? :spudwhat: :blank:

Why don't they go the whole hawg (in a manner of speaking) and call them stuff like:
BigBadBallBreaker
ButtBurglar
TesticularTitan
HornyHeathenFromHell
MoFoMayhemMoto
BigThrustingPenisCompensator
HugeDickOnWheels

:thud:
You forgot Testicles (tes-ti-clees), God of Rash covered scrotums.

[Rainbow Wizard]

Now that's some name for a bike innit? I can see the plate now, SPERMX