Perfect bike:-Next best thing???

matt365

matt365

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Sometimes I feel like I have a "searching for the next best thing", or a "good deal" disease...

How many others have this issue.

Why am I like this?

I'm constantly browsing marketplace, or kijiji for bikes. I'm currently happy with my bikes, but always searching for the next best thing.

I've got to tell myself that I'm not using my current line-up to its full potential. Enjoy what I've got, and just make the time to use it. Life does have a tendency to get in the way.

Then there's the modding...

Perhaps its just the start of the winter blahs.

Anyone else in this never ending cycle?

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matt365 said:
Anyone else in this never ending cycle?
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Perpetually.

Like... all the F-n time!

But I'm not a serial trader, I tend to keep my bikes for a while and ride them till the wheels fall off. Sometimes literally.

So, because I don't trade in often, I tend to do A LOT of research to make sure it's the right bike for the kind of riding I do. That means lots of Internet articles, YouTube videos, visiting dealerships and test rides if I'm able to.

There's only been two bikes that I instantly regretted buying once I rode away on it. Not a bad ratio for the amount of bikes I've owned.

Doesn't mean, I still don't have a shortlist of a ton of bikes that I would buy if money and garage space was no object. Wife doesn't mind a garage full of motorcycles, which makes it difficult because I have to be my own voice of reason, and I don't have a lot of that to begin with! 🤪
 
Grass is always greener scenario.

Sometimes the grass is actually greener elsewhere, sometimes not. If you take a hard look at your riding needs and buy accordingly you're less likely to have a better choice to fawn over.
 
Hardwrkr13 said:
take a hard look at your riding needs and buy accordingly
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100%

Be honest with yourself about the kind of riding you are going to do.

So many late-model, used bikes on the market with low mileage, sold by guys who thought they'd be doing track/dirt/ADVing/etc. when they would have been better off with a cruiser or UJM.

I'd get a used V-Rod in a heartbeat right now, but I know I'd soon get p1ssed at not being able to lean in the corners. Also, we're surrounded by dirt roads for hundreds of miles in every direction...
 
Hardwrkr13 said:
Grass is always greener scenario.

Sometimes the grass is actually greener elsewhere, sometimes not. If you take a hard look at your riding needs and buy accordingly you're less likely to have a better choice to fawn over.
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True.

For me, its more so the thrill of the hunt. Fixing something I got for less than market value, and riding the wheels off it.

I ride alot of friends bikes. Street and dirt. What I currently have is no slouch. A new bike won't make me any faster; but that doesn't stop me from wasting lots of time looking.

Less weight. More power = more money, more maintenance

I've run out of space to store any more "good deals"; then there's the time involved to fix those "deals" - @Relax knows what I'm talking about! He's got the "good deal disease" too.



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Your hobby and researching/buying stuff for your hobby are actually two different hobbies. Both are valid.
 
ifiddles said:
I would look at bikes and say I'd like something different, but I'm too cheap LOL...been saying the same thing about trading my car in for YEARS, but I can't justify getting rid of it when it only has 75,000 km and it's in perfect condition...my cheapness always wins out :D
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Yeah. You had the fz07 for quite a while. Didn't you and your husband buy 2 tw200? From what I recall, that didn't last long.

I had one of those for a second bike. I did 16,000km of street and some light trail riding on one. Bought it because it was "a good deal"!

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@matt365 great memory...yeah, I had the FZ97 front 2016 to this past April when I sold it...hubby did buy two TW200s as a surprise, but we were able to get his deposit back and get out of the deal because I got ****** off at him and didn't want them...thankfully the dealer had lots of interested takers so we didn't lose anything...

Now that we're both bikeless, I'm feeling the loss...was just thinking the other day to myself that we should buy a couple of Vespas to boot around town ...we bought a trailer and started camping instead of riding (but we still ride our mountain bikes)...
 
I've been like this with bikes for a long time, but honestly, since I bought my current ride it's completely gone.

And that wasn't the case with pretty much any bike I've ever owned - I always liked them, but never loved them, and always had my eyes on my next ride.

But my current bike? I genuinely love the everloving bejesus out of it, and I'm reminded of that every time I ride it. Honestly, the only other bike that would even remotely catch my eye anymore would be a Rune, but it wouldn't be a regular ride for me, just a garage queen that goes out a few times a year...and a Rune has always been on my background list along with the foreground list, but the foreground list is simply no more now. And I don't think that'll change for a long time to come.

It's kind of nice not having that "the next big thing" craving anymore honestly, at least when it comes to bikes.
 
PrivatePilot said:
I've been like this with bikes for a long time, but honestly, since I bought my current ride it's completely gone.

And that wasn't the case with pretty much any bike I've ever owned - I always liked them, but never loved them, and always had my eyes on my next ride.

But my current bike? I genuinely love the everloving bejesus out of it, and I'm reminded of that every time I ride it. Honestly, the only other bike that would even remotely catch my eye anymore would be a Rune, but it wouldn't be a regular ride for me, just a garage queen that goes out a few times a year...and a Rune has always been on my background list along with the foreground list, but the foreground list is simply no more now. And I don't think that'll change for a long time to come.

It's kind of nice not having that "the next big thing" craving anymore honestly, at least when it comes to bikes.
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Nice. Seems you've found something that (currently) ticks all your boxes.

Needs and wants change. Take @MacDoc for example. Older perhaps leads to smaller more manageable bikes.

Or @Wingboy going to a Ural.

I'm not a cruiser or touring bike guy.

I've had big sportbikes, nakeds, dualsports, dirtbikes, middleweight sportbikes...

Expensive (for me), and cheap beaters.

Not too expensive, and not overly powerful, or too heavy seems to be my sweetspot.

Seems I'd rather something I need to work through the gears, something involved rather than outright power and speed. Cheap enough that I can live with the consequences (and the cost) if it gets wrecked/stolen.

100hp (or somewhere close)
A few years old (at least), where someone else has taken the depreciation hit.

Who knows; as life changes, perhaps I'll be a cruiser-bro. You never know.

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matt365 said:
Nice. Seems you've found something that (currently) ticks all your boxes.
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This one just ticks all the boxes for everything I've wanted in a bike for the last 10+ years. And it's one of those bikes that I look back at everytime I walk away in parking lot.

Even after spending a year on it now and ~20,000km, I would buy another one tomorrow, in a heartbeat. When this one wears out or blows up or whatever, I'll buy another one like it to replace it.

So I don't see this changing anytime soon.

It's an unusual situation, I agree - first time ever for me.
 
I don’t have as many bikes as some of you or change them out as often as others, but I’m always looking. Every single day.

It’s weird too because I’m just not sure that any bike does all the things I want from a bike than my current ride. If I had a double car garage I would definitely own a couple more bikes for variety, but I ain’t moving anytime soon, so that’s a distant reality.

But as you say, needs and wants change over time, so I’m always looking forward to changing it up whenever my riding style evolves.
 
I've generally always had my bikes up for sale ...I did not expect to get my price of $3300 for a 2015 CB300F with 65k km on as was reasonably happy on it tho not being able to stand up was annoying.
Someone did come and give me the cash that I asked and that led to a series of flips which got me most of the goals I set
Newer, less mileage, maybe some off pavement, more comfort.
That I got all that with nothing out of pocket was a completely unexpected treat.
I think that run has ended - partly there is price competition in the $5k range and the time of year here, wet tropics living up to its name.
So I will leave the listing up and see what occurs.
In the meantime I enjoy browsing the bikes. We have two active markets...FB local and GumTree but I have no coin to speculate. In Canada I could afford to pick up good deals and sometimes make money on a flip ( Honda D'eauville $$$) or ride a high miler for more high miles and sell for the same price ( Vstrom 650 ).
Only have ever bought one new bike - the CB500x to ride solo across Canada and I was happy with the bike....sad to see it go.
It was perfect for my age and the intended ride.
I might end up with one here as prices have dropped.
There are also bikes here never available in Canada....a CB400/4 four cylinder Vtec has always been on the bucket list and prices are now in range if I get $5k on the GS.
Having an open licence instead of restricted here means some of the larger intermediate bikes, 650s and VFR800s have a smaller market of buyers in the area but I want the weight to stay down and to some degree like the fuel economy the 250-300s offer ....and the performance for the area with its high speed fines etc favours fuel efficiency over HP.
I think the GS will allow me longer rides which was a goal.
Unlikely will take off pavement but at least I know it can do very well for that.

I also like tinkering with farkles to get a bike the way I want. TMPS, good cup holder, the correct tank bag, windscreen etc
One more week and I'm back on the GS - doc backed down from two weeks. Screen Shot 2021-11-24 at Nov, 24 2021 2.24.23 PM.jpg
 
Whatever it is that I'm riding i just cant help but start to change stuff. Tires, brakes and suspension first then saddle, levers the list just keeps going up. The worst part is this often starts well before i have possession of the bike.
I find stock bikes bland been like this since i was a kid.
 
I want a garage for bikes and cars like Leno. My budget doesn't allow this. I live by marketplace and Kijiji. My wife has a rule with the British Car Club members we belong to, you can’t sell a car to me. lol.


Anyways, bikes and cars, I can’t help but fall in love with the next thing. Im always on the hunt. I win some and lose some.

Next one (bike) will be British or Italian. For now, I’ll run the kraut for next year and see what happens. I’m enjoying going down the rabbit hole of airheads and looking at more vintage models. lol.

Already got out for a couple of toots and loving the airhead and thinking of places to go. But, my mechanic is tempting me with a Honda ST that he might let me have on the cheap. But, it’s not on my list! But, it’s a sweet ride. Let’s see what spring has to offer!
 
Except on a hot day in traffic but they are lovely bikes to ride

If your next bike is Italian you might have a hard time resisting this
1733983834733.png

1733983930173.png Every time it come up on the board for sale....Aprilia SL 1000cc Falco
$5,200 Negotiable
Barrine, QLD
2nd owner,
1000cc, duel spark, ‘V’ twin, 6 speed motor makes 120 hp
Tyres - good condition
Stainless exhaust system with titanium aftermarket mufflers
Rego til Dec
Serviced locally,
Always garaged, always reliable
Has racks and soft luggage plus original mufflers etc.

Excellent $ : horsepower ratio
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I just adore the design ...excitement in red
 
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