Fair Price?

[vel525]

Guys,

Just completed my MSF yesterday and am in the market for a bike.  I found one and was wondering if you guys can provide some feedback on what a fair price would be.  The guy asked me to make an offer and I wanted to make a fair one.

2009 Monster 696 (completely stock) with 1,000 miles.  No external scratches or flaws.

I would also have to ship it and did a few quick searches and found these companies.  Anyone have personal experience with any of them? Or recommend any others?
www.shippingmasters.com
www.freightcenter.com

Thanks again and really hoping I can pick this up.  Excited to get my first Duc!

[Dragsterhund]

Congratulations on passing the MSF class!

Unless it's a very unique bike (ex factory race bike or something), a bone stock 696 is not unique enough to go through the trouble of buying sight-unseen and then shipping it across the country. There are enough 696s that pop up around here that, if I were you, I'd save myself the trouble. Whatever you "save" buying a bike like that on the other side of the country will get eaten up with shipping costs and your time.

MSRP on that bike new was 8,995... I'd say 7500 would be fair.

[The Mad King Pepe']

KBB shows  $6825 retail (trade in is $2k less) http://www.kbb.com/motorcycle/retail/2009/ducati/m696/249912/ and http://www.kbb.com/motorcycle/trade-in/2009/ducati/m696/249912/

Congratulations on passing the MSF class!

Unless it's a very unique bike (ex factory race bike or something), a bone stock 696 is not unique enough to go through the trouble of buying sight-unseen and then shipping it across the country...

+1 on all that. Unless you really need to get that bike, you can find many here on craigslist.

[flare_late]

I'm not sure what your budget is, but I just bought a new 2010 696 for $8200 otd (I did taxes at the DMV).  I've also seen a few 696 deals pop up on craigslist. 

+1 on what Dragsterhund said.

[DRKWNG]

I just bought a new 2010 696.

So now you have to come ride it.  And oh yea, bring donuts.   

[flare_late]

So now you have to come ride it.  And oh yea, bring donuts.  

Yeah, I need to get in on some group rides.  I'll probably slow you guys down anyways, haven't been riding too long, but I'm gettin' there.

vel525, checkout Norfolk craigslist.  

[bikepilot]

1-way plane tickets are much more fun than shipping a bike 

[Slide Panda]

Yeah, I need to get in on some group rides.  I'll probably slow you guys down anyways, haven't been riding too long, but I'm gettin' there.

vel525, checkout Norfolk craigslist.  

Well go at your pace.
http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=117.0
- You can always talk to a potential group before hand and get a feel for what's planned/expected of a day. Also, there's a number of folks on here who have at one time or another taken newer riders along to help them out. It can be a valuable teaching tool to follow someone with more experience/skill and in turn to be followed by one who can give you feed back. I've teamed up with a couple folks to put a new rider between a more experience lead and chase to help the newer rider by taking the pressure of finding their line/course by just following and then having the chase watch for things like body position, line selection etc. We might be a little chaotic at times, but this is a pretty good community.


Now back on topic. Another +1 to what Dragsterhund. Shipping a bike cross country will cost you somewhere near $1000 - so unless it's a freakishly good deal (which might make me suspicious) I'd not bother with trying to ship something as common as a 696 is at this point.

1-way plane tickets are much more fun than shipping a bike 

He just finished the MSF... a cross country haul on a bike he's never ridden might not be top of his list of things to do.  Cross country on a monster ain't a luxury trip

[bikepilot]

Well he'll be all practiced up by the time he gets home:)

I've done cross country on more sporting stuff than a monster and had a ton of fun (including an 1100 mile day on the TL), but maybe I'm a bit screwed up in the head.  I rode the TLS from VA to Toronto to Oshkosh WI back to VA with one day for each leg and had a blast. 

Probably the closest thing to a monster that I've toured on is a honda 919 - I rode one from south FL to Denver, worked/rode in Denver for six weeks then rode back to south FL on it.  Ended up putting a bit over 9k miles on the bike in those 7 weeks IIRC (didn't exactly take the most direct route to/from FL-Denver)    Multiple 1k mile days on that trip too. Not a luxury trip, but loads of fun and I'll take fun over luxury any day.

I agree that shipping costs will probably kill the deal, but if you do go that route check with dealers local to the seller, uship and forward air express.

[vel525]

Thanks all for the responses, will check out craigslist and look locally.