What to do...

[Neon]

Ok I have a dilemma, and seeing as my brain seems to have insufficient processing power to weigh all the variables I have decided to elicit the services of the KB community.

Trade up or hold on?

I have a very tidy 97 Hornet 250 with 20,000km on it (worth ~$5.4k if sold privately, $4.5-5k trade in). I have a full license and have been contemplating getting something bigger, but I'm in no hurry. Thing is, suddenly I am faced with spending upwards of $1.5k just to keep it safe and legal in the coming months:

$620 tyres
$500-600 new brake discs / pads
$300 20k service (do my own oil changes)
...

and that's just what I know about. None of this will add much in the way of resale value to the bike. Clearly it is cheaper for a dealer to do this work themselves if I trade, so my question is...

Should I trade in now and spend more $ upfront on a newer bike, or suck it up and accept the maintenance costs?

I have access to a cash loan (from myself) to make up the difference, although it will mean deferring other projects.

[Wingnut]

If I was in your position, it would be a no brainer. But I'm not you.

I would be loosing the 250 and upgrading for sure. Best thing to do is get out and ride as many bikes as you can and see if any tickle ya fancy. If not, stick with the 250 and be happy.

All the best with what ever you do.

[Neon]

If I was in your position, it would be a no brainer. But I'm not you.

I would be loosing the 250 and upgrading for sure. Best thing to do is get out and ride as many bikes as you can and see if any tickle ya fancy. If not, stick with the 250 and be happy.

All the best with what ever you do.

The issue is not so much what to upgrade to, as I already have a pretty good idea of what I want - around the $10-12k mark. It's just whether it makes financial sense or not (in as much as motorcycling makes financial sense in the first place! )

[imdying]

How secure is your job?

[nallac]

If I was in your position, it would be a no brainer. But I'm not you.

I would be loosing the 250 and upgrading for sure. Best thing to do is get out and ride as many bikes as you can and see if any tickle ya fancy. If not, stick with the 250 and be happy.

All the best with what ever you do.

wot he said

[firefighter]

I'd upgrade- if you need to spend money on it, add the money you need to spend on it to the money you will get for it....ie. you say it's worth about 5k, so you add your 1500 that your going to have to spend anyway, so you have $6500 (I have an odd logic but it works for me)
Now you only need to make up the difference for a new bike.
For me i'm a fat bastard and could'nt wait to get the fuck off my 250, it was bloody stupid and dangerous, i'd be scraping pegs and my stand around corners as I was huge on the poor wee thing.(this was apparently safer than riding a bigger bike......needless to say I had a 650 well before my full)
You don't have to get a litre bike, you'll still get an economical 600cc bike.....far more enjoyable (in my case anyway) and if your going to spend money you may as well spend it on something bigger and better.

[Gremlin]

Just remember the maintenance costs on a bigger bike will probably never be as low as a 250...

Then its a case of... do you want a bigger bike?

If selling the bike privately, personally, I would make sure its all nice and legal and safe regardless... so it depends how marginal the pads/tyres are etc.

[Jizah]

I'd trade up too. Also removes the hassle of actually trying to find a buyer for your bike.

[vifferman]

The issue is not so much what to upgrade to, as I already have a pretty good idea of what I want - around the $10-12k mark. It's just whether it makes financial sense or not (in as much as motorcycling makes financial sense in the first place! )

Well, you've got that sorted. Unless your bike is a cheapy commuter, it's basically just an expensive toy, so there's little financial sense involved, apart from "do I spend more money and basically have a more reliable version of what I already have, or a New! Improved! Now with added FUN!!" replacement. Only you can answer that.
BTW - why does it need new disks after 20,000km? If it's just pads, they're way cheaper'n that. And $620 for tyres for a 250 sounds expensive. Last set for the VFR were less than that.

[Lonebull]

Ok I have a dilemma, and seeing as my brain seems to have insufficient processing power to weigh all the variables I have decided to elicit the services of the KB community.

Trade up or hold on?

I have a very tidy 97 Hornet 250 with 20,000km on it (worth ~$5.4k if sold privately, $4.5-5k trade in). I have a full license and have been contemplating getting something bigger, but I'm in no hurry. Thing is, suddenly I am faced with spending upwards of $1.5k just to keep it safe and legal in the coming months:

$620 tyres
$500-600 new brake discs / pads
$300 20k service (do my own oil changes)
...

and that's just what I know about. None of this will add much in the way of resale value to the bike. Clearly it is cheaper for a dealer to do this work themselves if I trade, so my question is...

Should I trade in now and spend more $ upfront on a newer bike, or suck it up and accept the maintenance costs?

I have access to a cash loan (from myself) to make up the difference, although it will mean deferring other projects.

You could get advice from all here and the doctor himself and still not get what you are looking for or the result you want.

There is really only one question you need to ask yourself. "Can I live without this bike"? Motorcyclists are a strange breed. We all seem to be on an eternal quest to find the love of our life, that bike that fits us perfectly and reflects who we are.

I am still looking although the Busa is pretty close. Some have already found their love, some are merely infatuated. Sounds to me like you are still looking.

You can break it down to cold hard cash and economics if you like but ask yourself why you ride.

When you get up in the morning is this just a way to get to work or is this the thing that puts a smile on your face for the rest of the day?

So many bikes so little time...


Good Luck Dude

[slofox]

Upgrade. No question.

[Neon]

If selling the bike privately, personally, I would make sure its all nice and legal and safe regardless... so it depends how marginal the pads/tyres are etc.

This is a problem - I could not willingly onsell without sorting out those few things first. Especially brakes, I wouldn't sleep well at all.

BTW - why does it need new disks after 20,000km? If it's just pads, they're way cheaper'n that. And $620 for tyres for a 250 sounds expensive. Last set for the VFR were less than that.

Bloody good question. I'm a bit suspicious of the milage it had as a fresh import - a shade under 10k . The discs are marginal, right on the minimum thicknesses. How long SHOULD they last? As for tyres, 130 front and 180 rear on the Hornet limits the options somewhat. Granted I could probably put something on for a little less say $550.

You can break it down to cold hard cash and economics if you like but ask yourself why you ride.

I've been thinking about this a lot lately. Most of my riding is commuting but I have been doing more 'other' riding too lately. I've ridden a few mid-sized bikes and the extra power was nice I must admit Sometimes I do have "shit this is dangerous what if something happens to me " days, but I'm never thinking this while actually riding. The thought of not having a bike just does my head in. So there you go.