Bike purchase is turning into a long running saga.

[RideWithStyles]

8 hours ago, Throttled said:

The Versys is now with the dealers and I have a loan bike till I get the new one in two weeks time, unless a space frees up in their workshop. I have a Benelli TRK702 which is rather nice. It feels much more nimble and lighter than the big Versys, but obviously down on power and not as smooth. I see Benelli now do a larger engined version of the 502C cruiser, called the 752S. The Chinese owned brands are slowly getting bigger engines.

I had the 500cc, they were extremely tight from new and got far too loose past the 10k mark…

[Throttled]

23 hours ago, Hairsy said:

A friend of mine has had a 752S for a few months. He loves it. I haven't had a go yet but I hope to. Sitting on it convinces me that it's all about the fun.

 

I watched some review videos and it is not really a cruiser, as the foot pegs are below the rider.

[Throttled]

16 hours ago, RideWithStyles said:

I had the 500cc, they were extremely tight from new and got far too loose past the 10k mark…

 

Do you mean it got rattly and things were literally coming loose?

[RideWithStyles]

Yes .

never known a bike to much loose all three heat shields on the exhaust both wields and bolts (I even added loctite to the ones available yet even with that precaution) within a few hundred miles of each other they disappeared or id noticed it fell off turning around to collect it.

pretty much roll forward off its sidestand when gently rev’d at a stand still, and its a smaller engine than the 800.

ive had big triples (which are apparently inheritly not even in firing) and 700single that never did that. 

[bud]

I was watching a dealer talking about a EV Skoda Kodiaq the other day. £52,000 new. Was three years old and he was having trouble sorting finance for it.  The finance companies have its value as £8000 when it's  six years old. Shocking.

[RideWithStyles]

Wow. Was it being used as a taxi?

 

Even if it lost 50%in three years thats £26k.

so at 6years it’s lost 85% for a still modern and yet relatively workable car for another 6-12years (probably worth a pound or more as scrap at that point) for a quite reputable brand and popular car…

Ive had Italian cars and italese bikes hold their value better.

[Throttled]

Went in today to pay and there is still no workshop space, so it is a week today to get the bike. I was told about someone who recently bought a Vogue and did 600 miles in a week, phoned to arrange the first service and was given a date 5 weeks away! He was furious when he told he would invalidate the warranty if he kept on riding it before it could be serviced. I will book the first service for mine when I collect it and 5 weeks will be easily enough to do 600 miles.

[Fiddlesticks]

1 hour ago, Throttled said:

Went in today to pay and there is still no workshop space, so it is a week today to get the bike. I was told about someone who recently bought a Vogue and did 600 miles in a week, phoned to arrange the first service and was given a date 5 weeks away! He was furious when he told he would invalidate the warranty if he kept on riding it before it could be serviced. I will book the first service for mine when I collect it and 5 weeks will be easily enough to do 600 miles.

Flippin eck!

I'd be fuming too.

I'll stick to my old bikes.

[Simon Davey]

Just on that post @Throttled I called to book mine in for a couple of weeks for the 600 oil change. He said no need to do it so far in advance, as they're on top of it.

But thanks for the heads-up.

[bud]

9 hours ago, RideWithStyles said:

Wow. Was it being used as a taxi?

 

Even if it lost 50%in three years thats £26k.

so at 6years it’s lost 85% for a still modern and yet relatively workable car for another 6-12years (probably worth a pound or more as scrap at that point) for a quite reputable brand and popular car…

Ive had Italian cars and italese bikes hold their value better.

No it wasn't a taxi. Low miles in excellent condition.

Apparently the finance companies have lost hundreds of millions of pounds as they thought EV vehicles would hold their value better. So now they are taking a dim view on pricing to not make the same mistakes again.

[bud]

7 hours ago, Throttled said:

Went in today to pay and there is still no workshop space, so it is a week today to get the bike. I was told about someone who recently bought a Vogue and did 600 miles in a week, phoned to arrange the first service and was given a date 5 weeks away! He was furious when he told he would invalidate the warranty if he kept on riding it before it could be serviced. I will book the first service for mine when I collect it and 5 weeks will be easily enough to do 600 miles.

My brother had a similar thing with motorcycle city years ago. Three months wait for a gift service.

[Throttled]

A mechanic has phoned in sick, so no longer getting the bike today. Hopefully tomorrow, but I am not going to be the only person they have had to cancel. I had no idea dealers get so busy this time of year, or is it just the one I use?

[Simon Davey]

Considering this lack of mechanical service has been consistent, I reckon they need to invest in more staff. If they're that busy, they can afford it. 

[bud]

A lot of dealers are booked solid this time of year. But if you are selling vehicles that need preparation, you should allow for that.

[Throttled]

3 hours ago, Simon Davey said:

Considering this lack of mechanical service has been consistent, I reckon they need to invest in more staff. If they're that busy, they can afford it. 

 

They were advertising for two mechanics last month. Their workshop has lost space, after they stopped being a dealer for Royal Enfield, Moto Guzzi and Aprilia. What was a workshop is now a showroom/office. Victor Devine Honda is the only bike dealer in the Glasgow area that has not changed premises and the make of bikes they sell, since I started biking in 2010.

[Throttled]

2 hours ago, bud said:

A lot of dealers are booked solid this time of year. But if you are selling vehicles that need preparation, you should allow for that.

 

That is the part when I can fault the dealer. I had no idea it got so busy, but they will have, so they should have made space to prepare the bike as soon as I ordered it.

[Throttled]

It is in the workshop getting its PDI and accessories fitted and I get it after work. Then straight up Loch Lomond for a ride.

[Throttled]

Problem with the heated grips snagging on the extra wide handlebars, so a version with a longer cable is being couriered, and that means another day's delay. Mine is quite possibly the first to be fitted with heated grips. The grips come from Ultimateaddons, who are apparently based in Ullapool of all places. At least they have a long cable version in stock.  

 

 

[S-Westerly]

Ultimateaddons are pretty good. I bought my sat nav mount from them.

[RideWithStyles]

Read they are good, but they are short wired. So I avoided them even if they were a touch cheaper.

 

oxfords latest version v8 or 9?, Have very long wiring so even the wide bull bars on the benelli had plenty of cord to the connectors.
Bought the same pair for the gsf, still plenty of length.