Shit bike = poor income?

**boman** · 16th August 2009, 20:52

Don't think so. I own my own bike, and I own my own house. I could have bought whatever I wanted, But opted to buy what I wanted to buy.

**vifferman** · 16th August 2009, 21:01

Originally Posted by smoky

Does your bike reflect how much you earn?

Dunno.
Probably not.
Yeeeeeearrrs ago, 'they' reckoned that you should spend the equivalent of a year's income on a car, and 5 for a house.
I've never had a car that even remotely approached anywhere near that value. This isn't because I earn shitloads, it's a matter of priorities. The newest vehicle was my wife's car, which was bought at ~1 year old.

Given the choice, I'd have a MUCH newer and more betterer bike than I do. It's currently 8-ish years old, has around 85,000 km on it, and is somewhat manky looking. I/we could afford a more betterer one, but it's not going to happen, even though my bike is my main transport.

**vifferman** · 16th August 2009, 21:06

Originally Posted by Argyle

But if you earn well there's no reason to buy a shit bike?!

What if you:
- Prefer a shit bike
- Have other priorities
- Have other commitments?

**YellowDog** · 16th August 2009, 21:06

I guess that for some the $50k bike is a status symbol and hence a direct reflection on their income however for most it is a reflection on their passion or committment to riding.

If riding is your life and everything else comes second, then a low income person may well have an expensive and fairly current bike.

If your bike is merely means of getting from A-B and nothing more, then regardless of income, the bike isn't going to be up to much.

Does it really matter?

**avgas** · 16th August 2009, 21:08

Sometimes big flash bike means big debt (for others not me) for me i buy what i can afford at the time (and what my tastes are)
the SRX i currently have is just to keep me amused while i kill time before my trip to US. Where my old FZ1 was "my bike" which i bought to keep forever......but had to sell before going to Aus (dumb idea that was).
If i had a bottomless pit of money i prob still wouldn't buy new bikes unless i really wanted it. Where as my dad likes to upgrade to the new model every few years.
Hell i wouldn't mind an 98 Bandit - or an 88 GSXR Fighter......but circumstances other than money also dictate the bike.

**avgas** · 16th August 2009, 21:13

Originally Posted by Argyle

But if you earn well there's no reason to buy a shit bike?!

I love shit bikes.....but i also like expensive bikes.
I would probably rather have 2 x 10K bikes rather than 1 x 20K one.
Its like work just gave me a nice shiny new focus turbo. And like driving my shitty $1000 mazda much more than driving the new focus.

**Squid** · 16th August 2009, 21:17

Does it reflect your income or perhaps your atitude to living within your means?

When I got off my restricted I only had 4k to spend and so got the mental gixxer, best move ever

Yes its tried to bite back a couple of times but I like it. Some days its a bitch to ride a 200kg bike and a nice little R6 or R1 would be nice but theres somthing about having a old semi rugged bike that screams "I dont give a shit"

**98tls** · 16th August 2009, 21:17

A mate gave me a ride up to the big smoke to pick up a ute i shelled out $26,000 cash for,whilst up there we had a look through a few bike shops,the only thing i found that made me think

maybe i dont really need a new ute was a 78 900SS.

**mynameis** · 16th August 2009, 21:23

You'll also see a lot of people with flash bikes paying 27% interest on 15k loan.

By the time they end up paying back they would have dished out 25k and the bike would hardly be worth 5k, so NO.

**Insanity_rules** · 16th August 2009, 21:28

I bought my bike cause I could own it outright and I like it. Got nothing to do with impressing anyone else or trying to look flash. Besides I was starting to look stupid turning up to the wednesday night ride on a cow.

**Molly** · 16th August 2009, 21:31

Originally Posted by smoky

Does your bike reflect how much you earn?

I've no idea. It's a matter of perception. My car's a piece of shit and my house is a renovation project. On the face of it I must look broke. My bikes, I suppose, aren't worth enough to suggest I'm loaded either.

That suits me fine. I'm not out to impress anybody and anybody who is impressed by a bike just because it's valuable is a f'kin' cock.

**bsasuper** · 16th August 2009, 21:32

Depends on what sort of person you are, some have to have the latest for the cool factor and upgrade every model,some are at that point in time when they can buy the latest and its their first new bike.I have a few bikes in the shed,one is a 2009 year,but I choose to ride a 2000 year more often,simply because I like it, and its quite capable of keeping up with the latest on the road.

**tri boy** · 16th August 2009, 21:36

Nout wrong with your 98 Bandit mate.
It leaves alot of sprotbike riders behind. (the rider has a bit to do with that)
Fuck the red rep johny's.

**98tls** · 16th August 2009, 21:39

Originally Posted by mynameis

You'll also see a lot of people with flash bikes paying 27% interest on 15k loan.

By the time they end up paying back they would have dished out 25k and the bike would hardly be worth 5k, so NO.

No problem,this is the land of "image is everything"Ive no doubt they dont even see the people on lesser bikes passing them,ive often chuckled at the "image is everything" guy dehydrating to death in his blimp suit at rallys leaning on his newly acquired fashion statement honestly believing people are looking at him thinking "fuck me theres Carl Fogarty".