Starting to set in now... cover comes off every week and she’s run up to temperature. Itching to get out but alas I’m a fair weather fairy. Keep looking at mods as this time last year she was in bits and many an hour was spent in the garage caressing her beautiful bodywork (I’m still talking about the bike ) what do you do to cure the itch? I’ve just had a couple of hours on ride 4 on the PlayStation and that’s not helped one bit.
Been looking for an enduro, but unfortunately can’t find one for a fiver which is all I have left after Xmas
Likewise.......spent the last 2 days strolling up to the garage and looking at the bikes. Walk back down, then back up. Little mad that I even reassure them that everything is ok and promise to take them out as soon as I can. Need winter to clear off sharpish and take the Covid with it.
2nd bike is the only way mate. If you have to wait for the weather you could be waiting well into April on some years. Here's mine out for 80 miles on Boxing Day. Paid 1250 for it 15 months ago and I've been tinkering with it getting it upto standard ever since, good cheap fun.
I bought the above in 2008 for £1000 (it had failed to sell on ebay) Used it as a winter itch scratcher for 11 years, changed the oil 3 or 4 times and a few tyres that's it. Part ex it in 2019 (when photo taken) and got £900 for it. My 'GOOD' bike was kept clean and safe during the the shitty winter weather and i was riding all year on this one for buttons. A second winter hack is the only way and I got nearly all my money back after 11 years and about an extra 30000 miles.
A grand!!! Thats a result.......im guessing a 2003 with 30k miles or so?? Did it need anything major doing to it to get it up to scratch?
Am considering a second bike to run around on, heck even a 125. How do you guys get on with insurance? I guess its a non-issue if the second bike is something more basic?? Only thing stopping me.. is that is now two cars and two bikes to service/mot/tax/insure. OR.. wait and get a track bike instead. So many questions.
Mines on a multi bike policy with BeMoto. It hardly effects the premium at all when its alongside a much higher risk motorbike. I paid 370 for both fully comp, blade on its own would have been 330.
Some of the benefits of smaller bikes is that they can be cheap to insure and tax. My DRZ 400 costs me about 100 to insure it and 44 to insure. The thing is though you've got to work out what's stopping you riding what you have and make sure you don't get something else that you also won't ride.
Thank you both, some good points there. Am insured with MCE right now (£900), hoping to move to BeMoto next year.. when I will have more no claims and hopefully insurance will be cheaper. No regrets though.. the Blade is so much bike for the money, love it.
2004 with 28K so close. Didn't need anything apart from a good clean. I did refit the standard levers and bar end weight (supplied), have since fitted the standard screen the dark DB screen was starting to melt the clocks and replaced the indicators with pattern copies and fitted a smaller number plate but just personal taste, oh and a headlight bulb. Gave it a service and been great, TBH all the bike you need really. Have all of mine one multi policy with Bemoto.
The last thing I wanted was a second sports bike because I rcan ride like a twat on sportsbikes so I wanted something that would be comfortable, easy going in crappy conditions and something I wouldn't worry about if it got covered in salt and crud. The little beemer fitted the bill great and as it had no power (650cc & left the factory with about 50hp) the insurance was about £80 in my first year with no NCD to use. Went down over the years to about £50 with full NCD. It wasn't worth much, no body would want to steal it and it was robust and reliable with cheap fixes and bodges along the way. It really wasnt that expensive to have two bikes, if its an older jobbie you not that bothered about paying hundreds on servicing and stuff. Just cheap basic (so legal) insurance an mot and a bit of road tax and happy days. For most people it's a case of storage space for a second bike but if you get that sorted once you've bought a bike (let's say a grand) you're probably just looking at a couple of hundred quid a year tops. I used to tell the missus it was worth it to keep my good bikes looking clean and nice for resale values, she never argued
The problem with your bargain is it's just too nice so I wouldn't want to use it on crappy salt covered roads all year. I would end up keeping it for nice days and taking it out for a spanking during the summer. Oh the dilemmas we bikers face.....others just don't understand!
Used to have this as a all year bike, over 10 years of daily commuting faultless, perfect for the job. The 600RR came up and couldn't say no for the money so the CBF has gone.
