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You’ve passed your test. Time to buy a bike. There are two options, new or second-hand. The main factor here is cash. If you’ve got bundles, then a new bike is a sound option. Not so well off, a decent second-hand bike is a perfectly valid buy. A new bike has the major advantage that no one has ever ridden it. It will be pristine and perfect. Bear in mind depreciation though. A new bike may lose 30% of its value in the first year. A second-hand bike will not lose value that quickly, but you are buying a bike that has been owned by other people. You may intend to lavish the bike with care and attention, but how many of the other buggers did the same? Buying new Going for a brand new bike? There are two options, an official or a parallel import. An official import is shipped in via official channels, and sold through registered dealers. The bike is built to meet UK specifications and comes with a manufacturer’s warranty, which normally runs for two or three years. The dealer may also offer all sorts of goodies, like free training and insurance as part of the package. Parallel imports are the same bike, but arrive in the UK through non-official sources. They have not been set up strictly for UK regulations (different headlight settings, Kph clocks and may be restricted). At best the bike will come with a third party warranty, which could be worthless if the dealer folds. De-restricting the bike can also be an expensive business. Cost is a big factor. A parallel will be cheaper than an official bike, but this has to be weighed up against the value of the warranty. An official import goes wrong, the factory is duty bound to fix it. In the event of a recall for a major fault, the official bike will be sorted. With a parallel, things are far more hit and hope. Buying second-hand Two options again. Dealer or private. Again there are plus and minus points. A dealer should have checked the bike over thoroughly, fixing any faults, replace knackered tyres and made sure that the bikes is in good nick. They should also offer a limited warranty (usually parts only). The downside is the bike will cost a more than a private sale, but you do have the law on your side if anything is wrong with the bike. A Private sale is the cheapest way of getting a second-hand bike. It is also fraught with peril. The bike could have been nicked, crashed or both. The engine or a hundred and one other things could be completely knackered or about to fall to bits. When buying a bike privately, the principle of ‘caveat emptor’ (let the buyer beware) comes into play. Anything goes wrong with the bike, tough luck. Whichever route you go for, know your prices. Check out bike mags and MCN for an idea of current values. LOOT and local papers are good places to look for bikes of £2,500 or under, MCN or specialist magazines are best for more expensive wheels. Be prepared to haggle. The advertised price will be slightly inflated and should be treated as a bargaining point. When making an offer, start with a silly one, you might get lucky. Also, make a decision beforehand on your top price. If he refuses to drop that low, walk away, tucking your cash back in your pocket as you walk down the path. It is amazing what the sight of a bundle of notes disappearing can do to people! Back to Bob's index... |