New Bikes: Worth It?

[Edward_Wolf]

I will always buy my bike at a garage, I prefer new bikes or young second hand bikes.
But sometimes you do find some nice oldies 

[gatorgrizz27]

I am glad people buy new bikes because that means their used ones go up for sale for me to buy  .  I have never bought any vehicle new, though I have been tempted before.  A bit of simple math usually fixes it.  Lets take an M1100 for example.  You could have a brand new off the showroom floor M1100.  Or you could probably end up with a 1 year old M1100S model as well as a cheap track bike for the same price.  Or a dirt bike.  Or you could take that $3000 and save it just in case all of your worries about the previous owner abusing it come true and the engine explodes.  You could put a whole nother used engine in it and still come out ahead.  And as far as the nice, new, never been ridden feeling, it is enjoyable for a bit but will wear off very soon, and how many of you would pass up the girl of your dreams because she had been lightly ridden once before!  .

[NuTTs]

I prefer new bikes as my main, commuter tool. I've had a very good owner experience with 4 BMWs so far and I really can't fault them. ABS is now important for me as riding all year round with and increasing number of hapless car drivers to dodge every day in Madrid is ever increasing. I also value the heated grips, a lot. Chain drive is still ok with me on the 800 and S1000 however it was much easier with a shaft drive on the previous ones.

The main reason for me is the excellent private leasing on these bikes with a guaranteed minimum value.. and they sell well (here).

My fun bike is (for now) my (bought used) Ducati.. I can do whatever to it, good or bad, and don't have to worry about warranty issues.

[Preisker]

Out of 40 or so bikes that I've had, only a few have been new.     The big depreciation hit is what got to me.    As has been mentioned, 30-50% is more or less the norm.

But on the other hand, there are bikes like the Multistrada 1200S, or the S1000RR, or the new Kawasaki ZXrecall bike.    If you buy it used, and something goes bzzzzzzt in the electronics, who is on the hook for that?   And I am now a firm believer in the extended warranties available.   Some are good, some are not.   But 4 or 5 years of no worry is a pretty good thing to me. 

Am I ready for the big $25,000 1198S hit?   Or Streetfighter?   Or maybe lo-buck it on a Hyper EVO1100?   That's only about $15,000 out the door.    Who knows, I'm pretty impulsive.    Maybe one of these days, the Silverado is going to be paid off soon.   And it's got plenty of life left in it.    I've got enough room for another bike.