How Much Bike Can You Afford? Finding the Right Motorcycle for Every Financial Situation
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 15 ก.ย. 2024
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Thanks you for your comments! I do my best to keep up with them for the first few days after a video comes out, but due to the volume of comments on all of my videos, and to the general hustle and bustle of life, I must give up the fight after a while. If you are leaving a question four or more days after a video comes out I can't guarantee I'll see it, but perhaps one of my other viewers knows the answer and can help out. Thanks in advance to those who contribute and share their knowledge. Cheers and stay safe everyone!
#differentspokestv
I have 6 bikes , 3 cars and let me just say none of them come close to the cost of my ex wife.
Reason #317 why I'm never getting hitched, lol
💯 brother. People may say I’m a bitter bastard (maybe I am) but I would have taken 10 years in a minimum security prison than the 10 years I spent with my ex wife.
Bud, you win the internet today!
👍👍👍👍
So the lesson is to get six bikes and 3 cars instead of a wife. Brooke ain't gonna like that.
Talk about knowing your audience and being acutely aware of the current state of the world, kudos to you! Yes, I love to fantasize about the Ducatis and the like, but in the end I love my Yamahas and Suzukis and that's the content I like to see. Thanks!
Yes! Thank you! That's why Yamaha sell a lot more bikes than Ducati ever will.
Like my grandma always said, “if you can’t pay cash, you can’t afford it”. Also, “those who understand interest, earn it; those who don’t, pay it”.
If I pay cash for a car, my credit stays the same. If I finance a car and pay it off in 6 months, my credit goes way up.
Thats exactly what I’ve done with my VW Alltrack and GX470. Raised my credit 82pts.
This makes no sense. The median income in the US is 36.6k/yr and the median Home price is 387.k, even the most aggressive saving budget (30-50% of net pay) recommendations will have you purchasing a house in 21 years. Assuming prices don't change.
@@LastDigitOnMyScratchOffTicket I’m talking about a motorcycle and other things that depreciate in value. Also, I don’t care about credit. Credit score doesn’t matter when you pay cash.
@@2wheels.are.better.than4 I’m sure you don’t care about credit, and I’m sure your credit score is 500 or lower.
Your grandma was a wise woman.
I sent this straight to my 23 year old son!!
I have a 2008 Honda Rebel 250 and a Honda 300L Rally!
I love Riding my big bike but had most fun and nonsens on my scooter 😂
I have my cruiser and my grom. Both are awesome in their own ways, but I have WAY less stress parking the grom somewhere.
Love my girlfriends SH125, riding it feels so carefree
Gotta love a vespa
I have never bought a new bike; nothing against people buying new or spending $30k on a bike, but there are too many options used under $5k, for my needs that is. $800 xr250 gave me all the smiles I needed on the dirt. $3,500 sv650 gave me all the speed I needed (sure, not fast enough for many out there). $3,500 vstrom to cover miles and see the country. And many in between that I enjoyed just as much.
But the most fun I ever had on a bike was with my honda cub c-90. Interstate, off road, cruising, the bike did it all.
I could not agree more with your comments. I almost made that mistake. My local harley dealer saved me by REFUSING my offer on a new softail standard. I immediately went to a yamaha dealer and bought a yamaha bolt saving 15K in the process. Certainly not the same bike but one that will last a long time and will keep me happy riding it.
Have you looked into the Vulcan line? The 2000 and newer larger displacement bikes (1500-2000cc) are really solid.
In the meantime, enjoy that Bolt!
The Softail Standard is a nice bike but when you look closely it falls short of the quality you'd expect from a Harley big twin. The Bolt is the better bike with lower insurance. Just doesn't have the Harley name stamped on the tank.
I am more than happy with my Honda-Davidson Rebel 1100 DCT. Excellent bike, very affordable and reliable. No need for a fancy name on the tank. My riding buddy got a HD, but constantly is plagued by all sorts of problems, especially overheating easily. But he has the most prestigious name on the tank in the repair shop.
Absolutely correct. Of about a dozen over 40 years, I don't think I ever had to fix a Japanese bike. The Triumphs, BMWs, HDs, oh yes....
Perfect advice. I felt so bad seeing a guy at the HD dealer with his family, wife, two kids, crunching the numbers for a monthly payment he could afford while being crushed by the dealership's crazy interest rates and fees. Its always fun to have to explain to salesmen at dealership that only car about the out of the door cash cost. These are toys, if you can't buy them cash, you probably should not be buying it.
That's my feeling too. However, we live in a buy now pay later culture and them wonder why delinquencies are spiking.
I didn't own a car until I was 29, and slogged through Midwestern winters on my CBR600. I didn't make much but it all seemed weirdly affordable...until I bought a car after my first "real" job. Until then I only had an M endorsement. And then I found out how shockingly expensive cars are. Used or new, Japanese or whatever, they range from expensive to absurd. A motorcycle is more akin to a bicycle in that it gets you somewhere without much cost of depreciation, insurance, or fuel, but a car is a perfect wealth destroyer.
And then during Covid, I found myself without a car and bought myself a used 2016 sportbike. It was cheap to ride for the entire year to work and back, though there were times that was difficult. I sold it for $100 less than I bought it. Including tires, tax, insurance, fuel, the cost to operate that bike was under $100 per month.
For the guy you're talking about, he had to have a car, yes? It's the lifestyle of having a wife and kids that's expensive, not the transportation, but most people absolutely shouldn't have a car. It's just too expensive.
Been there, done that. Hate when I reflect on how much money that I have wasted in the past. This is an awesome video
Thanks. I've done it with bikes, cars and RVs. Since I've become more financially conservative all of sudden my investments and bank account have started to expand.
For me, if the bike is costly enough for you to worry about parking safety at where you live, it's too much. Should send the money on getting a better place to live. Not saying you don't deserve a good bike, more like you deserve a safer place to live.
Next is to understand how much you ride. I realize after I got my Honda I don't have as much time to ride as I thought. Might have been able to get away with buying Chinese bike. I averaged 4000km a year 😢
Also, pay cash.
I was surprised you did not mention Royal Enfield in the whole video (images in the end) that’s a great value brand and their 350 cc range is great for beginners too.
Do some comparison in the market - RE now is on par with Japanese bikes. I'd rather get reliable and dependable Kawasaki over any RE. Plus, if you live in North America (I lived in Toronto and Vancouver, and moved to LA here), cannot do much with 350cc here.
Yes, I put them in there because those are bikes you could save up and buy outright. It's a lot more fun to ride your own bike than the bank's bike.
RE 350 is way too underpowered and if you want to make a balance between price and performance then 650-1200cc in the cruiser segment are the best. The best way to get one of these depreciating assets is to make a plan 2 years before you wanna buy it and invest it somewhere in small fragments monthly. With the interest, you will see a $10k will actually cost you $8.5k-$9k. The remaining $1-1.5k is the interest that you'd earned.
@@jonathanjeon5648there are the 650s too
Bang on. Ride what you can afford and enjoy it!
Good advice, my only difference of opinion is if you can borrow for less than prime and less than your cash is earning invested, borrow every time. There are deals out there even in this period of inflation. I think BMW currently is offering 1.9% even .09% on select models.
You are right but not everyone understands finances so advice givers try to keep it simple.
Good point. That's a rare deal at today's interest rates.
I love pink slip's,My 2002 VTX 1800r & I also have a 2002 Honda Shadow 1100 are still operational & reliable,Love motorcycles,riding for 42 yrs,Spazz in Cali.
Same ,have a 2002 VTX 1800R for out of town and a Yamaha Zuma for in town.😊. Southern Indiana.
Yep, that's the beauty of Hondas. They'll never need replacing.
I got my motorcycle in SoCal to get to work and do with less fuel use. So used reliable ctx700 was a winner at 4k and 9,000 miles. Insurance was $250/yr. 58mpg
At age 65 going through my third divorce, I decided to get back into riding after a 12 year hiatus. I test rode a new Harley Dyna and had to have it. I fell for all the BS Harley add ons like extended warranty and prepaid service and ended up spending $24,000 for a crappy bike. I got rid of it 2 years later and bought a few more reasonably priced bikes like a CB500X and a VStrom. Now at 72 I'm content with my two Triumphs: a 2020 t120 and a 2022 Tiger 850 sport.
Those two cover most of the riding you'll ever do.
Even riding 14k miles per year, I went with a 471cc Honda that currently sits @ 66k miles for $6,200 out the door. I could afford any bike, but I like the cheapest daily commuter.
CB500x??
@@artwallace5925 Rebel 500.
Guilty as charged, but wiser for it. Such are the lessons life gives...the lessons come after the experience as opposed to the other way around. Thanks for another great video!
You're welcome! Hopefully the younger guys don't make as many mistakes as we did.
I keep looking at beautiful fancy new bikes but my paid for '16 Versys 1000 does everything I need. My dream bike is a Goldwing but at 25 to 30K its going to stay a dream for a long time.
Versys 1k one day... Had an '07 650 (Canada) and loved it. Currently on a Nomad 1700 😎
All for a reasonable price, of course, and easy upkeep
Hard to beat a 1000cc inline four made by Kawasaki. That is a bke for every occasion.
(How's Brooke doing?) Too late to help me-I'm in my 7th decade and have made all those mistakes already. (But I've never bought a Harley-driven a dozen or so but stayed with Japanese.) Cheers from the Pacific West Coast of Canada.
Brooke is well, thanks! We're getting ready for the new arrival in not too long.
I saved up for a 2022 T7 but got sick and settled for a 2000 Transalp.
Thank God i was raised a frugal Dutchie, never been in debt.
Geld dat stom is, maakt recht wat krom is/Money that is stupid straightens what is crooked(wrong).
Great content, especially for the younger crowd.
Thanks! Sounds like you didn't need it. The bike you can buy outright is the one you can afford.
I have had a dozen new motorcycles in the past 50 years. I currently have a BMW K1600GTL and a Harley Davidson. I work 60-70 hours a week and the twice yearly riding vacations and monthly weekend getaway do more to relieve stress than a bottle of Xanax.
I work similar hours as TH-cam is only a side hustle. Luckily I get to ride for the TH-cam gig so I know what you mean about stress relief.
You are the "rich guy" mentioned in the video
Good advice! As an older guy (now 66) I purchased my second bike new in 1975. Didn´t have the cash so had it financed and that was dumb. My excuse is that I was 17 and had just started earning my own money. Had to have my dad to help out in the end as I got wiser and went back to school to get a more decent shot at life. After that all my bikes have been bought used, with whatever I could scrape together at the time. My current is a Vulcan which I bought used in 2012. And I will get about the same than what I paid when or if I sell it. Propably buying one more bike in this life, as I´m getting older and soon retire this one might be new. I´m circling in on Honda, NX500 or NC750X as I want better touring capability for my leisure days. But might also stay with my Vulcan, it is ok to tour with as long as I keep the daily distances shorter. Good to tell it straight like it is, there is something to learn here for most motorcycle TH-camrs. Well done!
Congrats on the Vulcan! Great bikes. Which engine?
@@Vattiis_Happonnen it is the 750, made in 1995. Great bike.
Thanks! Back in the day I sold my first motorcycle to go back to school. It was a good move as it got me the career and life I wanted.
The most fun i ever have is on my 1983 Honda XL600 which i bought for $500 14 yrs ago. It still runs and does power wheelies in 5th gear all day. 💪
Videos like this one are the reason I have been a subscriber to your channel. Honest content and real world advice. Yes, I financed my Indian at 7% APR. But can afford it and still be very comfortable financially. I'll likely pay it off within 2 years anyway, but that is the position I am in. Not everyone is at the same point in their life.
I financed bikes when I was in the military, had a part time job and few expenses. I went without for many years while raising kids. When the debt from the kids was mostly paid off, I got back into motorcycling. I made a few mistakes, but those are easier to recover from when no debt is involved. I'm down to 2 bikes now, a Yamaha V-Star 950 and a Royal Enfield Himalayan. My best tip is to become legally able to ride and make some friends that are into bikes and will let you ride a bit. By all means, start off with smaller financial commitments.
I owned Harleys from 2008 to 2018, time when Harleys were still pretty affordable for the middle classes like myself. During the pandemic motorcycle prices went through the roof, and my paychecks went down the drain. So now I ride a 2023 Honda NC 750.
Great advice . I purchased my 2010 Raider new in 11 ,saving a bundle and I still love it . Got a bit silly though with my street / trail choice (KTM 690 enduro ) after finding my KLX 250 a bit weak . KTM was new 16 , it now has 14000 km and I still love it .
Buy what you like , just keep it a long time !
Yep, the 690 is sweet. I was drooling over a 701 recently but I can't justify it with a baby on the way and a T7 in the garage.
Hi, I like your content, I live in toronto, and ive been riding for 45 years on the street.
I only buy used motorcycles now because I changed them every couple of years. I've never lost much on a used bike sometimes even profited. My dilemma is always seeing a bike I wanna try out on the horizon. I've tried most styles and types of bikes, And right now I have a vfr 800 2014, r1 1999, and i picked up a 2015 klr about a year ago. Out of all the sport, cruisers and adventure bikes i've owned. At 62 years old I can't believe how much fun I'm having on the klr.
After not riding trails since the motorcycle license, I love having the opportunity, on the big comfy ugly dual-purpose. Life is full of surprises.
Thanks! Yep, the KLR ain't no R1 on pavement, but you can get to most reasonable off road places on it. I shudder to think what the R1 costs to insure in Toronto though.
@@DifferentSpokesTV yes the insurance cost is ridiculous in this region.
I'm like you in the sense that I've only bought used motorcycles in the past 20 years, but these bikes all have ABS or, more recently, ABS/TC. Insurance is around half that of non-ABS bikes, and with the behavior of ABS on rough or slippery surfaces I can believe why. Locking up a front tire on dirt is really different from street; dirt gives you a loooong time to react whereas pavement is boom you're down. So it might be worth getting newer used bikes if you ride pavement a lot.
This is why I bought my 2019 Super Tenere ES in 2020 as a new in the box. Paid $16,500 Canadian. It came with centerstand, side cases, driving modes, ABS, TCS, electronic suspension, and Yamaha reliability. I will have 100,000km by the end of this season with no problems. It will do everything the $35,000 ADV bikes will do for a fraction of the cost and I spend no time getting it fixed.
Everybody ride safe.
Great advice! I've worked for 3 different motorcycle dealerships and most of the customers who buy new machines finance, and when troubles come, as it always does, the 'toy' is first to go, too bad, so sad. I've picked up some great used bikes this way and always paid cash.
Paul J.
I bought my dream car in 2007, just before the crisis hit. I financed 23k out of 28k (€) and boy did I suffer to pay that loan. While I did enjoy owning the car, I didn’t enjoy driving it, because I didn’t have the money to go anywhere. Not going to make the same mistake again. And for those of you out there: remember that you want to RIDE your bikes, save some money for that too.
Excellent point. I've had those experiences. Better to spend 10k less and and take some trips with the leftover money.
Great advice! I've been made fun of for years for being fiscally conservative. I've been called tightwad, cheapskate, and other stupid names because I bought used cars and kept them forever, didn't eat out, don't have a fancy house, and many other things. We lived like we had no money for 12 years paying down our house note. I had a goal of paying the house off so I could have nice things later on with no guilt or worry. Since April 2019, we've been able to pay cash for two new vehicles, fix up the house, buy a couple used motorcycles, and send two kids to private school. This was done on a modest income. We're still pretty frugal, but we buy things we need or have wanted for a while without worry.
I know people who I wish would listen to me. They always have no money, but they make more money than my wife and I make. They are always buying stuff they don't need and eating out all the time. People need to be satisfied with what they have and quit letting others decide their purchases.
Best TH-cam video that I have seen in a long time. Keep up the good work.
Great topic!!! Your best video so far in my opinion.
Thanks! Much appreciated.
He is saying only the truth. Not trashing you if you're poor and can't afford a bike so you don't buy it. A sucky situation, not necessarily your fault.
But yes trashing you if you buy what you cannot afford when there are more important things you need money for.
I was poor when I financed my first bike and that was a dumb mistake. Just trying to prevent other guys from doing the same.
Having raced many bikes, I’ve always had the opinion that bikes should be disposable, that is, be prepared to either write it off or have it destroyed in some way and not sweat it. When I see bikes for $35k or more I just cringe at the financial investment.
Especially if you track it. I can't imagine cartwheeling a Panigale V4 on a track day. Get a 1999 R1 for that.
"financial expense"
Calling costs as "Investment" is a weird marketing ploy in North America. People would laugh in your face if you tried that in India.
I love your logic. This should be mandatory for anyone getting their motorcycle license. I still get tempted all the time.
If I was the "rich guy" I'd have a portfolio of bikes. One of each type 😂😂😂
@@justathinker8669 I would have to agree with you on that one! 🍻
And add in yearly insurance. Get a quote before buying the bike. And remember, your credit score is a factor in determining your insurance premiums. Thus, a person pays double the insurance if he has less than a 600 credit score compared to an 800+ credit score. Why? Because there's a relationship between credit scores and number of claims.
Thanks for the info. Insurance in Ontario, Canada is insane.
I’d love to have a road glide or that new low rider ST. I have a Vstar 1300 , added some nice bags , a good windscreen, and a much better looking intake. Runs great, no issues for 4 years of ownership. I can’t complain. Love a new bike but I can’t justify the prices they’re asking
The problem with a Yamaha is that it won't break down and give you an excuse to buy a new bike.
My R15V4 cost me 3590 CAN dollars. It isn't expensive but still fun to ride. In India there is a lot of traffic jam, and people come from everywhere so I'm fine with beginning on a 155cc.
Truth bomb!. Dream bike is in the garage, 2020 T7. If only I would have kept my WR250R.
100% true, I own the 2023 Africa twin adv es manual with 9877kms, and I want to downgrade to a tenere 700, tested the gs1250 adv and tiger 1200 gt last year, love their endless torque, expensive amazing bikes, but I noticed that I don't need all the electronics, weight, etc.
I had T7 for one season, new rally edition in 2021. Sold it after one year and 12000km. Top heavy, really uninspiring, lots of wind buffeting no matter which screen i have used. I spend 2k on mods to make it better. Im thinking about f900 now but have to try it out, ktm 890 adventure or adventure R is so easy to ride and feels like 30 kg lighter than tenere but im not that sure on how is reliability of the ktms nowdays. I though T7 is in the middle, all to do bike but i have found out is not good in any circumstances. Heavy for offroad, awfull onroad. Maybe i will strech for f900gs adventure but still keep my 2019 636 ninja for fun
yep, i got lucky and after 28 bikes, found what I like the most. I would like to add a cruiser though, but can't justify it sitting more and paying the insurance on it.
It always amazes me people who buy a car or bike which is a depreciating item under finance over 5 years. Their total cost ends up about 25% above their purchase price and the bike or car ends up about 40% to 50% of it’s original purchase price. Then throw in expensive dealer servicing costs to maintain your warranty, insurance, then go and do it all over again to have the latest and greatest.
The only thing worth financing is real estate. With today's inflation a mortgage is like shorting the dollar. It's been a profitable idea for 16 years.
Good advice particularly here in Australia where real estate prices have soared well above wage’s growth since the year 2000. Sadly the downside of this is that Millenniums have little to no chance of purchasing a home in Australian capital cities where the work is. This also has pushed up rents and with a less than 1% vacancy rate rents continue to rise. So with no hope of buying a home most will see no point saving and will go and buy other things like motorcycles, travel and expensive cars as they figure they might as well get something for their labours. Embarrassingly in Australia we baby boomers are the first generation to leave the following generation worse off then what we are.
You speak pure facts. As someone who has spent well over 250k on toys, bikes, atv's, utv's and watercraft I can honestly say the new one I bought to replace something only a year old didn't give me more enjoyment from the experience. Luckily for me I didn't also get swindled into a 30k dollar wedding...twice...lol. Ride on brother.
Thanks! I'd love a jet ski or boat but have learned my lesson from motorcycle and RV mistakes I've made in the past, so I just kayak and canoe now.
@@DifferentSpokesTVand I know my negative networth, so I just watch the videos on YT 😂😂😂
I paid $1,400 for new Yamaha 650 when I was young, BEST bike I ever owned.
All good points. It’s a good habit to be patient before making a big purchase. Try to visualize if you might have buyer’s remorse in the future. Also, one Life Pro Tip that my financial advisor pointed out: Sometimes it can be cheaper to finance instead of taking out a large chunk of money from such investments as RRSP’s. The extra taxes that you might pay from bumping yourself into a higher tax bracket might be more than the cost of financing. Always good to do the math first. 👍
Good point. NEVER liquidate yoyr RRSP/401K for a bike. That's what the TFSA is for. And yes, in low interest environments it might be better to borrow.
Thanks for the video my friend; they are always good & interesting. I have my 5 dream motorcycles in my shop. Most of them are older, but in great mechanical shape. The other 2 that are newer doesn't have all of the latest high tech SHIT on them. And that is why they are dream bikes & not nightmare bikes; at least for me!!!!! Have a good day my Canadian friend!!! Cheers!!! Illinois, USA
Thanks! Yes, I like my T7 because it doesn't have all the electronics on it, just ABS that can be turned off with one button.
Good advice, great observations. I noticed about the cars, too. LOL. Liked👍
We all need to hear this again and again. Thanks Again.
Thanks for the comment! We all know it but just need reminding when shiny new bikes come out.
Remember folks, never finance a toy 👍
Spot on
Yep.
You're right. It's hard out there. Brand new bikes are so damn expensive. Even the lower displacement categories isn't cheap anymore. I've realized this after owning a brand new KTM to which i sold off to buy something that made more sense for me to own and maintain. It's mad expensive to buy something nice on two wheels nowadays. It's so ridiculous. Compromises have to be made for sure
Yes, the KTMs are excellent performing bikes, but they are pricey. When I ordered my T7 and was waiting for months for it I saw a 790 Adventure for the same money that I could have had right away instead of waiting. Stuck with my T7 and I'm glad. It has been bullet proof.
Buy used. I just bought my commuter bike for $2,300 (2007 BMW F800ST with 11K miles) cash. Insurance $140 per year. 55 MPG. Free parking. I do my own maintenance, and so it costs me maybe $250 a year, all-in. Very cheap daily transportation.
Bikes can be crazy cheap if you buy them as a tool first and a toy second. I was forced onto a motorcycle-only lifestyle during Covid-19, and it was surprising how well that worked. Sure, the bike needed more than a few things but just getting stock items and doing our own maintenance and repair (which you can do unlike a car) worked out really well.
Although there is something wrong with bike culture when people asked me if my bike was ok or was hybrid/electric because it sounded funny (it was a Suzuki GSXS1000F). No, that's just stock...
Insurance $140 a year? Definitely not in Canada 😂😂😂
Excellent video, and this is not only for bikes. It can be applied to almost every sphere of life.
Dream bike is Indian Scout(the new lineup). Currently driving Triumph Trident 660 for the last 3 years.
But would like to get a cruiser to try out, and unfortunately new Indian lineup is looking good.
I agree, looking back over the years if I had all of the money 💰 I wasted on vehicles I would be a millionaire (1 or 2 million) today. Just considering the vehicle payment alone is the biggest mistake. Insurance, maintenance and unexpected expenses are part of the equation.
Yeah, I used to be okay with money coming out of my bank account for a toy. Now, if I can't buy it outright and still have plenty left over, I can't afford it.
What I can afford is one thing. What I need is another. I have 4 bikes that are from 5 years old to 30 years old! They look like new and ruuns like a swiaa watch! Lol! They were quite reasonable and had low milage. What I have saved by just getting these bikes is a lot and I am using that as extra trips to beahes and other fun stuff. Happy as can be!🤣🤣
Well said! Lightly used bikes are plentiful and will give you just as much joy as the brand new expensive ones.
@@DifferentSpokesTV 😁😁
One word: wisdom!
Best regards from Brazil. 👍
Excellent video. I straight shared it with my daughter (she started with anYamaha MT125, which she likes a lot. Now she is about to get her open license here in Germany. Sensibly she would choose an MT07, but she dreams about an MT09 or even bigger. Sadly, as she is in an apprenticeship now, money is tight for this dream. To me, being her mother, the only option right now would be to save up for the MT07. On the plus side, she can do her own maintenance (she is trained as a car mechanic right now). So this might play very much in her favour. We will see...
That's awesome, thanks! I reviewed the MT07 and MT09 back to back three years ago on my channel, and while the MT09 is faster, on public roads the extra performance is hard to use as you're risking your licence and your life. My T7 has the MT07 motor and that's plenty of power. Good luck!
I guess I could technically “afford” just about any mass production motorcycle. (Meaning I could pay cash for it) But, I bought my first new motorcycle last year since 1987. (A Honda CBR600 Hurricane) So what did I finally buy? A 2023 Kawasaki KLR650s, but with ABS since I wanted to splurge. Sure is a great bike, I already did the Thermo-Bob. I could have bought a used one as there are so many for sale, but I decided to get carried away and got a new one. I just love that battleship gray color! (And the lower seat height)
Good advice. I am blessed where I finally have plenty of disposable income to splurge on toys and vacations to enjoy them. Wasn't like that for sure in my younger days.
Well said Mr. Spokes, well said.
Thanks!
I have a XR150. in my stable, it's a great fun bike and at the price not a big hit, so I can still afford to keep my old 73 Honda 350 Four.
You can buy a couple of old bikes for the price of any new big bike.
Yep, the used market is huge and if you know hoe to wrench you can get amazing deals.
Love this channel
I will agree with one item, do not go buying a more expensive motorcycle until you have a protected place to keep it. As for Harley dealers, I have more than a half dozen within an hour or so riding and while one or two fit the worst stereotypes most are generally fine but one or two will actually get you out the door under MSRP, I picked up my 24 Road Glide for under MSRP less than a month ago. Meaning that the deals are out there. The CVO models are interesting in that my dealer said CVO bikes sell themselves where buyers come in looking specifically for one and encouraging someone shopping a regular bike is not what they do.
For me I only like to keep one motorcycle around at a time and my dream bike changes all the time. However I will admit I am truly smitten with the new Road Glide as it really does not feel like the Road Glides of old or in general any Harley from past years. I am waiting to see if BMW introduces a new R1300RT with the lowering suspension next year so my bike may change then.
Thanks for the comment! You seem to have a ton of choices. There is one Harley dealer I know of in my province which doesn't add on a ton of ridiculous upcharge but they are 5hrs from my place. Everywhere around here MSRP is a dream.
I have the opposite problem. I can’t pass up those great used deals and fixer uppers. Could afford a nice new expensive bike but find I develop more of a relationship fixing and upgrading used ones to suit me and having 4 bikes in the garage rather than just one. Insurance in Ontario is the crappy thing and has driven me to smaller displacement bikes which truthfully are just as fun. 1-250cc and 3-650cc bikes in the stable now.
Yeah, I don't feel I need anything bigger than my T7 (689cc). My old Sportster 1200 was most of my insurance cost before I sold it.
I bought my gen 2 klr after they was discontinued, it was a brand new bike (camo) for $5300 out the door....no plans on getting rid of it anytime soon
Excellent find. Beats having a payment on a GS.
@DifferentSpokesTV not discounting a gs but the klr probably has as many if not more adventure miles under them then any gs does lol.i do just for more power and comfort but then I look at the weight of mine and what I'm invested into it I'm perfectly happy with it.
Big secret. The smallest, cheapest motorcycle is more fun than the biggest, most expensive car.
Yep.
Whatever you can pay cash for. Ride it while you save for the next one.
My first bike I bought last year brand new kawasaki vulcan s with abs and I am very happy with it
Good choice! Fast and reliable without breaking the bank. Enjoy!
I bought my bike new 15k OTD at 0%, the price I saw was the exact price I paid and since I never plan on selling It I don’t worry about depreciation. Probably won’t ever find 0% again.
I’d rather have multiple bikes that are really good at specific things than one bike to try to do a bunch of stuff on. I’ve got a crf450r for trails and off road use, a goldwing for long trips, and now I wanna pick up another crotch rocket for canyon carving 😂
Solid advice bro!
I bought '23 my Indian Chieftain for $18k out the door.. It was a repo with 1328 miles on it, a new one is $28k out the door.
Yeah, I got a spectacular deal on my old Sportster. On rare occasions these deals come along and if the opportunity presents itself and you have the money, jump on it.
Eh.
To be clear, my motorcycle choices have nothing to do with anyone but me, I'm not trying to fit a "look" or earn the respect of others.
I've financed the last 4 motorcycles I've bought, and will continue to do so in the future.
I view this expense as my entertainment budget, and 100% it's been money well spent. My motorcycles have gotten more expensive as I go along, but I've done pretty well each time, getting very good (to amazing) trade in values.
I could get bikes cheaper used, for sure. But there's so many downsides there, and *to me* getting the bike I want is worth it.
Experience built over 30+ years of motorcycle ownership - I have NEVER regretted a motorcycle purchase. Bought my T7 for $12kCDN, sold it two years later for $14k. Bought a Tracer 900GT for $12k in 2019, got $15k for it from insurance (stolen) last October. Paid $9000 for a MT07, owned it for two years and 22000kms, traded it in for 6500.
I could have just paid $4000.or $5000 and got a pretty cool used bike, but my current 2023 MT10SP at $20000 paid is *way* cooler.
Just go into it with your eyes open. Understand what you're doing, what you're actually paying, and whether that's worth it to you.
It sounds like you know what you're getting into when you purchase a bike. So many people just make impulsive decisions and carry negative equity from one vehicle to another.
If I can't comfortably buy it in cash I don't need it. It's that easy.
Yes, especially for toys.
As an Asian who do use motorcycle for utilities I always like
"Does this motorcycle cost half the cash in my bank account? I'll consider it but I have to be careful."
My first bike was used, second bike new, third bike new. Second bike is 10 years old and running. It's a little Yamaha. It'll probably last 15 years in my ham hand. The first one was a Suzuki that my brother humped to death.
Yep, clearing out the whole account for a bike is not a good move.
Short king here, first bike is a used yamaha xt 250. Great for learning on, cheap and does most anything.
And they are surprisingly capable on the trail. Punch way above their price point.
Wise content. Bought a 22 AT1100 thinking I needed something bigger and better than my T7. Had the presence of mind not to trade in the T7 until I was sure of the AT1100. Month later I sold the AT1100 and hung on to the T7. The AT was a disappointment. Heavy, unnecessarily complex instrumentation, not much more comfortable compared to the T7, and recalls. About the only purchase mistake I’ve made in dozen or so bikes I’ve owned. Education isn’t cheap. lol.
Yeah, I like both of them but the T7 is very good for less money. I did buy it new when it first came out but it was reasonably priced and has been a great bike.
Started on a new 1977 kh 250 B2. All you need is a 400 -650, they will destroy most cars performance, cheap to run, insurance, with fuel consumption that would make the cost of electric motorcycles completely unviable.
My next bike is definitely a smaller dual sport. I want an easy bike for hard riding. 😃
I'm turning 65 next month and have been riding for 50 of them. I've never purchased a new motorcycle or car for that matter. PS I paid off my house last year.
i'm thinking of building a motorbike from a cg250 motor from the jungle site and modified bicycle parts, 20mm axle downhill bike forks are more than strong enough, i can build it for purely off road to begin, get the vin any ol time i want. all told... it'll cost just over a thou for the bike itself, just scraping under if i find a used junk motor that can be fixed.
I wanted a triumph street triple RS but it was £12k so I decided to go for a kawasaki z650rs for half the price. Both brand new and kawasaki is reliable.
Well said.
2:30 That's quite common for eastern europe (the building on a screen - that's it) and asia, where people are eager to show-off, to demonstrate their wealth even if there's no wealth, just to look successful, and they live in appartments that cost 5 times less then their car, and the car purchased on credit with the maximum payment period.
I recently heard that this is an epidemic in China. People buying Versace and having to cut their food budget to make ends meet.
Excellent video!
If I was looking for a new bike with 110 kph ( 68 mph ) the most you can do in South Australia and the speeding fines being so high I'd most probably buy the Suzuki 250 V Strom. At Aus$6790 ( US $4356 ) ride away it looks like a great deal to me and all I would ever need. As it is I have an 82 Honda VF 750c Magna , I'm getting a side car fitted to it because I'm old, I don't bounce as well anymore and I'm not interested in having to worry about it falling over and then having to pick it up again, and it will be my go anywhere bike.
Awesome, thanks for sharing. We don't get the V-Strom 250 in Canada but I always thought it looked interesting.
Aww man this is the most genuine thing i've ever seen. Thank you different spokes! I never regretted subscribing from you.
2000 Honda Valkyrie Interstate (176k miles) and 2000 BMW R1100RT (102k miles) in my garage. Might treat myself to something newer for my 60th birthday in 5 years. LoL
For most riders in the US, our motorcycle is not our primary mode of transportation. Should always pay cash. If you can’t, then you probably can’t afford it.
It always rides better without dragging a note…
Amen.
Actually, that 6-or so year old road glide with the old crap will outlast or more importantly WORK compared to all the new garbage they've put on the market.
I talked myself into a van for a camper that was actually a little bit too expancive, next time I would probably buy a ludospace again or a japanese mini van. Unfortunatly a motorcycle is too expencive at the moment, unless the motorcycle becomes my only vehicle. But as the winters are rainy and cold, that would be an equelly bad purchase as to buy a too expencive motorcycle.
Yeah, I've splurged on an expensive RV once and regretted it. Luckily I sold it during Covid for very close to the price I bought it for. Invested the money and it's done well so that was a good choice.
I'm financially pretty good and still wouldn't drop 30-40k on a bike lol
The value objectively is not there compared to another comparable model that does the same. So many bikes in the 15k-20k range are peak of technology and etc that motorcycles 20 yrs ago couldn't have dreamt of.
Power and tech you can't even utilize even at high rider skill.
At a certain point it's "this is just overpriced" with some bikes.
Yeah, I can't imagine riding on public roads faster than I did on a 10K Yamaha MT07. You can pay two or three times as much for a Ducati but it won't be faster and the seating position will be less comfortable.
Buy a good taken care of bike from the mid 90s. They ride really well and insurance for mine is 10 us $ a month. The bike itself was 2500$
You're lucky to have those insurance premiums. In Canada they bend us over a barrel.
You got to make mistakes to learn from mistakes. I bought an inline-4(CBR650F) after watching 'inspirational' videos such as 'live your dream', 'there is only life' and what not. Inline-4s are not meant for packed countries like India and I was misguided by the cult. I realised I was spending much more than riding, like riding 4-5k kms in year but spending heavy on tyres, batteries, insurance etc. I bought it cash and I could afford the maintenance still I felt it was such a stupid thing to do.
Also Honda service is not cheap here in India, its a false narrative that it is cheap to maintain.
I sold it and bought a Royal Enfield Himalayan, and later added an Interceptor to the stable. My life drastically changed and I finally understood its all about Motorcycling and not the Motorcycle.
I enjoy both the bikes like 9-10k kms in a year, service cost same as two cups of coffee and zero worries in any trip since you find RE service center in any nook and corner. I never enjoyed my inline-4 but the cult here will never admit that and they continue to misguide creating FOMO among new comers.
Borrowing to buy toys is lunacy. There's no such thing as "cheap finance". Even if it is 0%, you've still got to come up with the payment every month, rain, hail or shine, in sickness or in health, 'till death do us part. No. Just no.
I reckon that a really good trick when buying bikes and cars is to firstly set a budget and establish the use case, the latter of which is what you're really going to use the bike for, not the day dream that we all have. You've got to be realistic about this one. If 95% of your riding is going to be going to work through the city and picking up the groceries, there are a lot of bikes that you really don't want. Conversely, if 95% of your riding is going to be on multi lane freeways, there a lot of bikes that you don't want. If it's a bit of both, say hello to compromise.
Now here's the real trick. Once you've established what style of bike is appropriate, write a long list of bikes that will fulfil that role. Good bikes, not rubbish ones, not too expensive or unreliable, just "good suitable bikes".
Now, start going through the classifieds. Find any bike on your list that is in good condition, with low mileage and a motivated seller. Buy someone else's financial mistake.
My current bike was 8 years old when I bought it, had 900 miles on the clock and was (and is) in showroom condition. And it was less than half the price of a new one.
I had a wide variety of bikes on my list, this one stood our on quality, price and mileage. Done deal.
Excellent advice and pretty much the way I go about finding bikes.
Lets be realistic here. We now live in the era of $60k ~ 80k for a truck or an EV, with close to $6 per gallon for gas (Californistan here). $30k for a touring bike is a going rate these days (out the door price at the dealers, believe me, I've been looking around)...and I'm talking US$ for our friendly Canadians.
Yep, your 30k is our 40k plus 13% tax. Used is looking pretty good these days for bikes and trucks.
I love your channel. I like the way you present information so I'm going to watch the whole video. But for those who don't want to watch the whole video Kawasaki is the answer to the question in the title of the video.
Ninja 250/300/400/500.