Are bike made of cheese now then...

[Mattt]

I've looked at a few Tracers with a few years use ,just parked ones not for sale ,to see how they do if in general use

So I'm crossing those off the potential purchase list now.Shame as they are good all round bikes

Next one to check out are Ducati monsters,or KTM 790

[fastbob]

I wonder if that's rust or weld spatter

 

Oh it's weld spatter alright , mines the same but not as bad as that .

[fastbob]

I was watching a vid on Royal Enfield manufacture the other day and I was pleasantly surprised to learn that the frames are DOUBLE powder coated .

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

When I was looking for a working bike I had the money to buy new but I made a point of finding used examples about 2 years old. The deterioration put me off buying new so I went for a 2006 Honda. That goes out in all weathers and I just hose it down every time I come home. We live in a rural area so it gets covered in mud and the wash off from fields is actually very harsh.

It's faired very well really. Much better build than more recent bikes.

[Guest Swagman]

I don’t think you can go solely on the condition of a second hand bike as it all depends on how the previous owners have taken care of them, I don’t care what make or model you look at unless it’s a cheap knockoff made one, if you don’t clean and take care of a bike that runs in all weathers in will corrode easily and quickly.

[Rob Taylor]

My hornet 900 is 17 years old now, and still my plod around bike. Whenever I see a rust patch on the frame I scrub it with a wire brush and spray it with that hammerite stone chip paint. The main paint job I went over with some ex MOD green paint and all is good. Never had a problem with Hondas, apart from the brake calipers, which tend to need regular care and attention. Basic bikes, very reliable, good all rounders. They should never had stopped production of the 900 hornet.

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

I don’t think you can go solely on the condition of a second hand bike as it all depends on how the previous owners have taken care of them, I don’t care what make or model you look at unless it’s a cheap knockoff made one, if you don’t clean and take care of a bike that runs in all weathers in will corrode easily and quickly.

 

I agree that how previous owners look after bike makes a difference. But when you look at dozens of 2 year old bikes you find corrosion that you simply don't find as much on older models. The current Honda CB500 range for example are as well built as anything. But you find spider tracking in the paintwork in hard to reach places like around the headstock. Some newish bikes consistently show signs of rot in components on every one you look at. Which suggests there's a real decline in build quality no matter how well owners look after them.

The quality of the steel is also poorer. My 2006 Honda had some spots of surface rust when I bought it. Four years later there's no change. The quality of the metal is just way better.

[Liveware Problem]

I'd like to know what the manufacturers' justifications are for the decline in quality despite the consistantly above inflation price rises (not that they would admit to it).

I'm guessing it's to do with increased R&D and manufacturing costs due to the ever-increasing burden of emissions regulations, and safety too - e.g. every bike needs abs, traction control etc.

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

I'd like to know what the manufacturers' justifications are for the decline in quality despite the consistantly above inflation price rises (not that they would admit to it).

I'm guessing it's to do with increased R&D and manufacturing costs due to the ever-increasing burden of emissions regulations, and safety too - e.g. every bike needs abs, traction control etc.

 

You're probably on the ball there, but I bet it has also got something to do with how we generally treat things as disposable these days. People used to keep bikes for longer, now they're swapped more often than some people change their socks. Manufacturers know the sales pitch doesn't need to focus on long term ownership.

[Liveware Problem]

I'd like to know what the manufacturers' justifications are for the decline in quality despite the consistantly above inflation price rises (not that they would admit to it).

I'm guessing it's to do with increased R&D and manufacturing costs due to the ever-increasing burden of emissions regulations, and safety too - e.g. every bike needs abs, traction control etc.

 

You're probably on the ball there, but I bet it has also got something to do with how we generally treat things as disposable these days. People used to keep bikes for longer, now they're swapped more often than some people change their socks. Manufacturers know the sales pitch doesn't need to focus on long term ownership.

 

I suppose it must also be linked to the finance options now available, it makes more sense to keep chopping and changing if you can avoid the balloon payment on a pcp deal by upgrading to a new model.

Is it a change in sociatal mores - wanting the newest and best thing immediately - driving the change, or more a case of manufacturers and salespeople teaming up with the banks to convince us this is what we want and thereby driving up their profits?

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

I'd like to know what the manufacturers' justifications are for the decline in quality despite the consistantly above inflation price rises (not that they would admit to it).

I'm guessing it's to do with increased R&D and manufacturing costs due to the ever-increasing burden of emissions regulations, and safety too - e.g. every bike needs abs, traction control etc.

 

You're probably on the ball there, but I bet it has also got something to do with how we generally treat things as disposable these days. People used to keep bikes for longer, now they're swapped more often than some people change their socks. Manufacturers know the sales pitch doesn't need to focus on long term ownership.

 

I suppose it must also be linked to the finance options now available, it makes more sense to keep chopping and changing if you can avoid the balloon payment on a pcp deal by upgrading to a new model.

Is it a change in sociatal mores - wanting the newest and best thing immediately - driving the change, or more a case of manufacturers and salespeople teaming up with the banks to convince us this is what we want and thereby driving up their profits?

 

You're probably right about the PCP deals influencing how this is going. I hadn't thought of that. I'm very prehistoric on that score. I pay cash for what I buy.

[Mattt]

I agree about the Hornet 900,mine was used for several winters,left outside and just regularly washed and serviced

When I bought it the paint ,fasteners and overall condition in hard to clean areas was really good for a 14 yr old bike

My current bike is 5 years old,rust spots on fork legs high up behind the headlight so well out of range of road spray ,engine paint and black bolts going white

Mates 2 yr old BMW is doing the same ,he washes it and it's stored in a dry garage

[Amayah]

I think someone hit the nail on the head. It’s a throwaway world and modern bikes are a bit of a commodity. Though not cheap they certainly aren’t made to last. How many old bikes are still on the go. Seems quite a few. I’ve got a 16yr Old vfr800 and it’s still going really strong. Only thing I always do is hose it down with cold water in the winter after being out. Lots of salt on the roads up here in the highlands in the winter. Read somewhere years ago about never using hot water on salt. Not sure why tbh but other than the oil cooler pipes which seem to be a rust issue it’s still in really good condition

[fastbob]

Of course a lot depends on how you look after them . 25 years and 43,000 miles . Not a spec of corrosion on it , inside and out .

[Amayah]

That is clean

[Mattt]

V Nice

Is that a WP ? I had a 1994 one from 6 months old until about 3 years ago

[Tiggie]

[mention]fastbob[/mention] After seeing this and your close up pictures of the Harley I have to ask, do you keep your bikes in some kind of hermetically sealed clean room?

[fastbob]

@fastbob After seeing this and your close up pictures of the Harley I have to ask, do you keep your bikes in some kind of hermetically sealed clean room?

 

No . I've been lucky enough to find really well cared for bikes and just carried on where the previous owners have left off .

[fastbob]

V Nice

Is that a WP ? I had a 1994 one from 6 months old until about 3 years ago

 

It was a WP . I sold it last year . I bought it with only 4,000 miles on it 11 years ago . It had apparently been stored with 27 miles on it for 8 years . I did 39,000 miles on it including numerous trips around Scotland.