Freddie, on the subject of high mileage Harley Sportsters, there is one at least in the UK. You have a fellow RUclipsr who's channel is called tom boy a bit who rides a sportster. I don't know how many miles she's put on it ?, but it must be significant. She's been riding it for seven years, traveled all over Europe and as far away as Lithuania where she's originally from. Lots of those journeys were even two up with her son. She lives in Essex so you were once nearly neighbours and if anyone knows bucket loads about Harley Sportsters it's her !.
Fascinating stuff - Kawasaki started with a licence built BSA A10 , Nissan started with a license built Austin 7 Hyundai started with a licence built Ford Escort mk2 that the way of the world. So the SWM will no doubt be mainstream fairly soon.
Had my current sporty ,a nightster 1200, 4 years and done 30k miles on it... been around SW Scotland, Belgium, and last summer a trip through France Switzerland and Italy...all 2 up with luggage... my 2 previous sportster I did 15k on each travelling to France Belgium Luxembourg and Germany.... not 1 problem 😊
I watched the initial assessment of your Bonneville, Freddie Freddie Freddie I do hope you keep up your vow to keep your bike in good order even the loaners.
Hi Freddie. I believe until the Chinese manufacturers become more mainstream with service centres and accessible parts across the whole of Europe people will continue to stick with known brands. I almost bought a new Benelli trk but instead purchased a second hand Honda cb500x. Because I could access every single part for a Honda just about anywhere in the world. Whereas I’d struggle to obtain parts for the Benelli anywhere. Until this is addressed the Chinese bikes which are getting better and better will still struggle to be the bikes to go for.
Great viewing as always Freddie. Enjoyable to sit down with a beer and hear about other bikes, bike issues, peoples stories and all sorts of other chat. Your used bike price checking has been a real eye opener as well. Thank you for showing my bikes on Isle of Wight. They are used but just kept indoors when not. A bit of a curse because you feel obliged to keep them as spotless as the kitchen worktops and floors lol but it does make wintering them easy 🙂
I had 1990 Sportster...120,000 miles toured all over Europe. Still with peanut tank..had it 18yrs before i sold it. Got what i paid for it, originally from the American PX....Now ride a shaft drive Maruder which is a brilliant bike for everyday, winter or summer. My only transport..better than my dear old harley sportster.
As l hear that relaxing intro l drop into my happy place, grab a cuppa and learn about something l didn’t know even existed 👍 Re the SWM , that could be a great base for a chop/custom build Just riding my bike across the yard to top the battery up can pull me out of the doldrums. So glad your viewer is doing well now.
A guy at my work has a 2017 Harley sport glide with 64k on the clock, it's his only transport and he rides it all year round. He said he'd never sell it as people just don't do many miles on Harley's in the UK so he'd get zero interest compared to what else is for sale.
Hey at Freddie, great episode, keep them coming! I'm part of a sportster owner group (Sportster Sickness UK) and I have to say it is relatively rare to see people cover long miles on them, but a few do and they are very much capable with the right modifications (sissy bars, panniers, maybe a windshield). It is a huge community and I know some sportys have covered over 100k miles, the evo engines are pretty low stress and are pretty durable with proper maintenance. I had a sportster myself, but then moved onto a bigger Harley Davidson, but I loved my sportster and if I had the money I would've kept it myself, but with bigger and more comfortable Harleys available that would be my choice for long distance touring (as many others would too I guess).
I think you hit the nail on the head there. Most folk who regularly ride long distances tend to gravitate towards more comfortable bikes. I had an XL883 for 18 months and rode it all over the UK with trips to Ireland and the Netherlands too. But I did more long trips after moving on to first an FXRS-SP and then an FXRT. Ultimately, my FXRT was replaced by a full "pipe & slippers" R1150RT.
Hi Freddy enjoy both your channels! I own a 2009 sportster which has 56K on the clock. I live in Pembrokeshire the far western tip of Wales and often attend events and rallies in all weathers across the UK with my Partner as Pillion. Myself, my Partner and seven other friends all on sportsters rode across Europe to attend a sportster specific rally "Duo Celindre" in northern Italy. Sporsters as far as the eye could see from all over Europe, all our bikes performed without fault. All of us enjoyed the Tour and had such a good Craic we have organised a trip to Sweden in June this year
Great episode as always freddie, very insgihtful ! I cannot state the mental healt benefit of getting on a motorcycle and riding. I know it keeps me sane.
I,m loving the conversation about high mileage bikes. My R1100GS has 97,000 on the clock. Two months ago I got very filthy on Salisbury Plain, shoved it in the garage as was and switched to my 60,000 mile Pan European for the winter rides. Pulled the GS out of the shed yesterday, fired up first prod...so I gave Big Red a wash to show my appreciation 👍
Great viewing tonight and lovely to see how people put so much value on owning a bike that has given them so much joy, apart from financial constraints I guess most people would keep their bikes if they could. I know I would, they almost become part of the family.
The Shineray is a massive group manufacturing many bikes . Like the Thumper off raod series of bikes . I used to have a bike shop selling these bikes a few years ago but stopped due to the quality issues . Now they have improved beyond all belief. They cvan now match if not beat the other manufactures at ther own game and cheaper .As for the guy who had a go at you dont take any notice.
The early Kawasaki was a BSA A10 copy. It was heavier and vibrated even more but they learned fast. The rest is history. It is much cheaper and easier to copy than design and R&D your own.
Here’s the thing with second hand bikes, high mileage or not, is that the buyers (such as myself) don’t want to pay for another persons options, nor would I choose the used model that’s older and/or more used than the other. Fact of the matter is that there is an overproduction (and overconsumption) of motorcycles which will always bring the value of used bikes down. Rarely is artificial rarity (such as ‘limited edition’ or special paint) of any use to anyone but the brand itself and the first owner. This is why I buy used. Eventually I might want to change bikes but I think I’d be too stubborn to take the full financial hit of my miles. The current bike came to me with about ten thousand miles on it, I figure I’ll run her until the mileage means I could basically give her away to the boy when he grows up. Best of luck to the chap with the BMW, I’d just keep the thing because at the value it is impossible to beat it.
Great vid, Freddie. Love your upbeat way and style and hearing and seeing about other folks' rides, warts and all. Keep up the great work, riding season starts here (Southeast US) in 60 days or so! 😎
Slovenia is said to be Switzerland on a budget. I haven’t been there but it’s fldefinately high in my list. Would be cool to see you there. Not a super popular place so I think it could be a great travel video.
Thanks for showing my MT-01. Wow that second hand price is cheap! Someone should buy that and sell it on! They could make a profit! Great podcast episode as ever. 👏🏻👍🏻
I agree that most UK Sportsters don't do huge mileages but do many retro Triumphs either? They are naked bikes in a wet country. Back in the late 80's and early 90's I took a Sportster down to the Bol d'or race in the South of France a couple of times with no problems, they manage long trips quite well, the only real issue was the small fuel tank on the French motorways.
Freddie back in the 90s Triumph UK bought back a Trident 900 from a dispatch rider with 250,000miles on the clock the engine had been untouched apart from normal services,,they thought it was a great advert for the brand... unfortunately they messed up by fitting some new cosmetic parts to tidy up the bike so many questioned the authenticity of the milage...the owner got a new motorbike of his choice plus cash for the Trident...
Quite a lot of Buell XB12X Ulysses have covered over 100,000 miles. A misconception is that they are Sporster engines. They are based on them, though. Nick
That's great to hear. I had one of the first XB9Rs but sold it with less than 5K miles on the clock, once things started to go wrong. Previously, I'd been an unintended beta tester of a 1997 M2 that I bought new and did not fancy a second stint in the role.
Interesting chat Freddie. You mention an MT01. Had mine since 2007. Will only sell it when I can't ride anymore. You really should try one. Quite unique and full of character!
Funnily the SE you showed I’ve the exact one I have and my seat is terrible on it and this showed me what it was supposed to look like but whoever made it made a mess of it. After 2 years of ownership I’ve finally ordered a new seat for Bonnie Rebel. I’ve had little flickering electrical issues but nothing out of the ordinary but it’s definitely my dream style of bike after only my 3rd bike previously having a 125 Marauder & Fazer 600 which I liked but the feeling once I seen the Bonneville it’s hard to put into words. Also after looking at your viewers 4 bikes in 6 months I feel extremely lucky to have found my style so soon.
If you want to see some old Moto Guzzis, go and find Nick Adam’s channel, he lives in Canada and rides his 50 year old bikes on Canada’s back roads - for thousands of miles.
Hi Freddie, I was watching a video on TFLBike with a guy who has covered nearly 200k miles on a Yamaha T700. I was also watching another video of a Yamaha R1 which has done 300k km. Neither bike has had major work on them as far as I could see!
Great video again Freddie 👍 I owned the Caponord and honestly it was a great fun bike to ride in comparison to my Honda Blackbird ! I would never want to ride or own a sports bike again
Hi from Osnabruck Germany, I'm doing a tour of Slovenia in May, it really is a wonderful bike area..... Everything you need and lots of European money paying for tip top roads. 👍👍👍 It's a no brainer... Ps, your chat on the GS 650 BMW single... Good bike but the Suzuki freewind is exactly the same bike... For less money.
Speaking of swm stormbreaker and sportster replacements, its not exactly equal in CC and not aircooled, but I just recently learnt that the Americans get a honda model called the shadow phantom which could compete with these two. Its a V twin, shaft drive liquid cooled cruiser that makes all the right noises. Looks perfect in my opinion with a very nice paint job, little to no electronics and a single counter mounted on the tank. I'm really disappointed to see that honda doesn't have this in the EU. Not sure why?! On a different topic, did you know SWM makes a quirky bike with a sidecar?
Harley Davidson did not renew the copyright as l understand. The stormbreaker will introduce many people to the pleasure of owning an Evolution Sportster. It is going to give the Royal Enfield 650 a run for it's money.
HD SPORTSTERS ARE "PLATFORM" BIKES. CHEAP USED AND MOST HAVE LOW MILES BECAUSE STOCK THEY ARE SHORT-RUN BAR- HOPPERS. UPGRADE THE SUSPENSION ON A 1200 AND YOU HAVE A LONG-ISH MILES TOURING BIKE. THE EXTENSIVE AFTERMARKET, LEGENDARY RELIABILITY, EASE OF MAINTENACE AND RESALE ALLOWS ONE TO MAKE IT INTO JUST ABOUT ANYTHING ONE MAY WANT.
I have had an interesting couple of conversation s about the S W M Stormbreaker 2 people i know have said they would certainly buy theses bikes .....because it wouldn't have all the B s associated with buying a Harley .....interesting i thought .
Also sportsters clocks break...common occurrence. Therefore the mileage stops clocking up. Being harley it's pricey enough to fix such a small issue so most don't. My sportster has 4500mls but actual has about 40k miles. Don't plan to sell her as she's my 1st harley from 300 miles so not an issue for me.
I don't know if anyone else has already made the comment about comparing the selling prices on the Honda and the Chinese Benelli. A seller can name any price they want but that doesn't mean that they will sell it at that price. Do we know if that Benelli actually sold and at what price.
chineas bike price comparisment is incorrect as this HONDA CB500X was 2016 not 2020 as it was advertised. They had facelift in 2019 and price for it is 5000£ not 4200£. Cheers
Freddie, first thing I remember, Japanese motocycles first arriving in the UK, hearing the comments about Chinese motocycles is Deja-vu all over again. After making the mistake in the 60s Saying Japanese crap, I will not make the same mistake again. After first visiting China over 40 years ago and over the years, I have seen incredible advances. On second, hand prices, my better half used to by a new Mercedes E class, fully loaded It was never taken out in the rain, always fully serviced very low mileage immaculate, the money she received was pathetic, I could be wrong, but i don't think that Mercedes isn't a Chinese car.
Harley just made a big mistake to stop the air cooled bikes. Its amazing that Guzzi and BMW are still able to make and sell air cooled engines under Euro 5+ regulations.
Harley decided to discontinue the EVO engined Sportster and replace it with what they claimed was going to be a "revolutionary" new platform. Better in every way, they said... Well, low and behold, here we are with the new Sportster's littering showroom floors and few people are buying them. It has proved to be a big flop. The old version sold extremely well, it was adopted and loved, due to its simplicity of design, characterful engine and its honesty to Harley's history of the Sportster evolution... The model should have undergone another evolutionary step, not straying too far away from its roots, It should have remained air-cooled and drop dead gorgeous, it isn't. What was once an adored model whether you liked riding one or not, it was a traditional Harley in every sense of the word. If Harley was stupid enough to can their old model for what is now (IMO) a hideous design, then they deserve someone to take the baton and run across that finish line in first place. I feel there are people within the Harley division set out to destroy the company. What Harley desperately needs is an inexpensive entry level, air/oil cooled, classically styled, sounding, feeling bike to go up against things like the an Enfield 650 twin and Triumph 900 twin. Priced smack bang between the two. Freddie, your question on whether Sportster are used for long rides, I can vouch on a resounding, absolutely! One of my favourite all time long haul mile muncher was a 2013 Sportster Seventy-Two 1200, glorious machine, tiny peanut tank gave me even more excuse to stop and smell the petrol stations 😆... It sat on 80 all day, smack bang, right in the sweet spot. The feeling with mini apes and forward controls was sublime.
Harley tried having entry level 500 and 750 cc v-twins alongside the old Sportsters but they don;t seem to have done well in sales terms. The "more sporty, flat track influenced" XR1200 also did not last long. So I think you are right, they should have kept the traditional Sportster and found a way to keep it as a viable entry level model.
100%, I think the issue is that Harley is trying to play catch up to 'get more with the times'. Unfortunately that is not paying off or what their brand identity is. The fact that another company is able to copy their evo design and get it past regulations is a real point proven that HD are able to do it, they just decided it isn't what they want to focus on. The problem is they're trying to attract a younger generation of riders, but unless you love the HD brand, you have a lot of choice (Honda Rebel, Kawazaki Vulcan, Triumph, Indian to name a few) and objectively they provide a lot more vs cost of buying the bike. This leaves HD in a field with lots of competition, really when they had the opportunity to hit their niche which is a classic air-cooled bike with character and heritage. It will be interesting to see what they do with their mid-size and touring line ups in the future because they are hoping to attract a younger demographic of buyers into their Revo range, to then expect brand loyalty and upgrade to a larger air/oil cooled with less power/tech (except the Pan America), pretty hard sell imo. Maybe they are banking on livewire, but that is a whole other can of worms lol
Question - Hi Freddie, looking for my first bike, £4-5k, would you suggest I get a new Royal Enfield Bullet or a 10-12 year old Bonneville 865 like yours? Thanks for all the great videos, Will
We have to distinguish between European/japanese/American bikes simply being built in China, and Chinese bikes. Take Triumph and Enfield for example. Importantly they are designed by and the r&d done by British teams but assembled in Thailand and India. A Chinese bike which is designed by Chinese or simply cheap copies with their own quality control is a totally different issue. Don't forget that all the early Japanese bikes in the 70's were blatant copies of British bikes with design tweaks and better manufacturing. The fixation of something made in Britain is a red herring these days as it's unlikely that it'll be put together by a Trevor or a Clive but more like a Ahmed and Yusaf anyway.
How true the B.M.W. comment was/is.. As I have been trying to point out as best as I can during 2023 They are simply not what they are made out to be and to top it off they are arrogant too boot .. The sooner a Chines company buy them out the better !!! Good luck B.M.W. because in the next few years you will need all the luck you can get trust me !!!!
The examples of loss of value are not realistic,because the price was the asking price not the price they sold for, 2 totally different things, it’s like saying ,what do you value that for ,and what it’s actually worth,sold for.
When I purchase any motorcycle I don’t care if it holds second hand value or not & not interested them as an investment other than reliable transport . I service them my self & keep them to a good everyday honest bike standard ,if I bought them brand new or even used . If I decide to sell them on ,I would sooner drop my asking price lower than used market value ,& make sure they are going to a good home ,than sell them at asking price to a Philistine . As far as I am concerned new or used Motorcycle I value them & will only pay what they are worth to me & my requirements at the time .
I know that in the past the Japanese took over the Bike industry and are a big part in the car industry and if we were to carry on as we are, then in time, the Chinese will go the same way probably in a similar time scale. But and it is a big but, because at the moment, unless an alternative fuel is found, the internal combustion engine looks to be being phased out, so all those bikes that we hanker after for nostalgic reasons and the love of that brand will be completely turned on it's head and who knows what brand of electric vehicle we will buy.
I have always stated, I would never want to buy a Harley. Don't get me wrong, I have ridden friend's Harleys,but not for me. So, why the hell have I just bought A Buell 😂 I can only just reach the ground on tiptoes, Eve with a lower seat. Well even if I have to chop all the foam out of it I will be riding it this year😅
"If there has ever been something that harley is good at, it's legal action." One would have hoped it'd have been making motorcycles they'd be good at.
If we named bikes after hardmen we could have: KTM Schwarzenegger Ducati Stallone Triumph Kray/Cooper/Vinnie Jones BMW Muller Feel free to add to the list....
The japanese brands get their small models made in China, even BMW get more than one engine made in China.. There is a big difference between a Chinese brand, a chinese owned brand, and chinese made...
If we all looked at the everyday life stuff that we own we would all find that its basicly chinese .Mobile phones etc. So why are we supprised to see them copy what we do. Its simple these guys are smart and have moved on while we stay static . Look at the Royal Enfield and India ????? what does that tell you . Part ex prices will improve .Theres somthing that people are missing. Royal Enfield give 3 years warranty why they trust there product.
I have always had pride in all the various makes of bikes I've owned over 50 years. Therefore I have no interest in owning a Chinese bike. Wonderful to have choice.😂
Answer to the question on Japanese (alongside Italian and Milwaukee) might lie in their pricings. Most occasions, Suzuki wins that : if you want a DOHC R4 for the price of V2 - there you go GSX-s streetfighter is modern looking and designed with some good taste, too. O.k., a bit less money, less power; of couse, brand new Ducati scrambler is better than SV 650 but it comes almost for the price of two. And if you do some stylish custom job to it, might still come out as winner. If you still feel like a racist in motorcycling market, well what about those nazis then. So, may be not the big fat and heavy 1.8 but just look at this UFO flying by: M 1000R ruclips.net/video/TMXBjz2FHpc/видео.html
the fella mentioning resale is wrong, and 50% loss on a 5 grand bike is less than a 30% loss on a £10k Japanese bike, depends how you look at things and they are catching up quickly anyway and bettering some existing big brand bikes and certainly are often far better value for a long term owner, and as regards the fella with the mental health problem you are far from alone, I run a facebook group for bikers and ex bikers in the UK with mental health issues, if anyone is interested and is a sufferer or carer put a comment below
Chinese motorcycles... Why shouldn't they be as good as American or European or Japanese MCs? If they don't already... The Chinese produce better electric cars than anyone...Popular electric cars like Polestar, BMW ix3 and MG are all made in China. In addition, the VW iD4, Mercedes EQC, Volvo XC40 Recharge, Audi e-tron and Tesla Model 3 are also produced in China, but these only to cover the Chinese market. Chinese Brands...Brilliance, BYD, Chery, Dongefeng, Geely, Lifan, Voyah, Xpeng etc....Polestar* with 313 reported faults per 100 cars. Next comes Tesla* with 257 faults per 100 cars and Volvo with 250 faults per 100 cars.
Seeing all the Chinese copies of almost everything, do you really think they give a monkey's about copyright, i don't think so, sue a Chinese company see how far you get , 😂🤣👍
Freddie, you need to say 'number' when you say 'amount' where the former is correct (and maybe vice versa, if that applies). If you can count it or if it is countable, it is 'number'. If it's not countable (such as a lorryload of stone) it is 'amount'. That might seem petty, but really it's not. If I was one of a 'number' of members of a bike group, I would not like to be referred to as part of an 'amount' of members (all piled into a lorry trailer to be tipped out?). The English language is just wonderful and offers immense potential for description. But only if you give it the respect it deserves by correct use.
Freddie, on the subject of high mileage Harley Sportsters, there is one at least in the UK. You have a fellow RUclipsr who's channel is called tom boy a bit who rides a sportster. I don't know how many miles she's put on it ?, but it must be significant. She's been riding it for seven years, traveled all over Europe and as far away as Lithuania where she's originally from. Lots of those journeys were even two up with her son. She lives in Essex so you were once nearly neighbours and if anyone knows bucket loads about Harley Sportsters it's her !.
An example of value on the marketplace is asking price, not a price they are actually getting
Fascinating stuff - Kawasaki started with a licence built BSA A10 , Nissan started with a license built Austin 7 Hyundai started with a licence built Ford Escort mk2 that the way of the world. So the SWM will no doubt be mainstream fairly soon.
*This is not a licensed copy of a product. This is a knock-off.* I don't see SWM becoming mainstream anywhere but in China.
Had my current sporty ,a nightster 1200, 4 years and done 30k miles on it... been around SW Scotland, Belgium, and last summer a trip through France Switzerland and Italy...all 2 up with luggage... my 2 previous sportster I did 15k on each travelling to France Belgium Luxembourg and Germany.... not 1 problem 😊
To be honest, I don't think a dealer's offer of £4k for a 60k miles bike is too shabby. Not sure what the seller expects?
You are right, considering most people wouldn't buy a 60k bike unless it was ridiculously cheap.
I watched the initial assessment of your Bonneville, Freddie Freddie Freddie I do hope you keep up your vow to keep your bike in good order even the loaners.
It's just evidence of being well loved - and ignored. (grin)
Hi Freddie. I believe until the Chinese manufacturers become more mainstream with service centres and accessible parts across the whole of Europe people will continue to stick with known brands. I almost bought a new Benelli trk but instead purchased a second hand Honda cb500x. Because I could access every single part for a Honda just about anywhere in the world. Whereas I’d struggle to obtain parts for the Benelli anywhere. Until this is addressed the Chinese bikes which are getting better and better will still struggle to be the bikes to go for.
Great viewing as always Freddie. Enjoyable to sit down with a beer and hear about other bikes, bike issues, peoples stories and all sorts of other chat. Your used bike price checking has been a real eye opener as well. Thank you for showing my bikes on Isle of Wight. They are used but just kept indoors when not. A bit of a curse because you feel obliged to keep them as spotless as the kitchen worktops and floors lol but it does make wintering them easy 🙂
YOUR BEST VLOG YET !!!! MORE PLEASE .AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH .THANK'S
I had 1990 Sportster...120,000 miles toured all over Europe. Still with peanut tank..had it 18yrs before i sold it. Got what i paid for it, originally from the American PX....Now ride a shaft drive Maruder which is a brilliant bike for everyday, winter or summer. My only transport..better than my dear old harley sportster.
As l hear that relaxing intro l drop into my happy place, grab a cuppa and learn about something l didn’t know even existed 👍
Re the SWM , that could be a great base for a chop/custom build
Just riding my bike across the yard to top the battery up can pull me out of the doldrums. So glad your viewer is doing well now.
When the Bonneville exhaust sounded like a bag of bolts but the bike still ran ^^
A guy at my work has a 2017 Harley sport glide with 64k on the clock, it's his only transport and he rides it all year round. He said he'd never sell it as people just don't do many miles on Harley's in the UK so he'd get zero interest compared to what else is for sale.
Hey at Freddie, great episode, keep them coming!
I'm part of a sportster owner group (Sportster Sickness UK) and I have to say it is relatively rare to see people cover long miles on them, but a few do and they are very much capable with the right modifications (sissy bars, panniers, maybe a windshield). It is a huge community and I know some sportys have covered over 100k miles, the evo engines are pretty low stress and are pretty durable with proper maintenance. I had a sportster myself, but then moved onto a bigger Harley Davidson, but I loved my sportster and if I had the money I would've kept it myself, but with bigger and more comfortable Harleys available that would be my choice for long distance touring (as many others would too I guess).
I think you hit the nail on the head there.
Most folk who regularly ride long distances tend to gravitate towards more comfortable bikes.
I had an XL883 for 18 months and rode it all over the UK with trips to Ireland and the Netherlands too.
But I did more long trips after moving on to first an FXRS-SP and then an FXRT. Ultimately, my FXRT was replaced by a full "pipe & slippers" R1150RT.
Hi Freddy enjoy both your channels!
I own a 2009 sportster which has 56K on the clock.
I live in Pembrokeshire the far western tip of Wales and often attend events and rallies in all weathers across the UK with my Partner as Pillion.
Myself, my Partner and seven other friends all on sportsters rode across Europe to attend a sportster specific rally "Duo Celindre" in northern Italy. Sporsters as far as the eye could see from all over Europe, all our bikes performed without fault.
All of us enjoyed the Tour and had such a good Craic we have organised a trip to Sweden in June this year
Great episode as always freddie, very insgihtful ! I cannot state the mental healt benefit of getting on a motorcycle and riding. I know it keeps me sane.
Hi Freddie you’re audio is a bit “echo-ish” due to your Rode 2 being away from you on that stand buddy👍🏻🙏
I,m loving the conversation about high mileage bikes. My R1100GS has 97,000 on the clock. Two months ago I got very filthy on Salisbury Plain, shoved it in the garage as was and switched to my 60,000 mile Pan European for the winter rides. Pulled the GS out of the shed yesterday, fired up first prod...so I gave Big Red a wash to show my appreciation 👍
Great viewing tonight and lovely to see how people put so much value on owning a bike that has given them so much joy, apart from financial constraints I guess most people would keep their bikes if they could. I know I would, they almost become part of the family.
Couldnt find an MT01 where im from so i settled for a Roadstar closest i can get
Great Episode, It was nice to see others out there who keep their bike in the living room, and kitchn LOL!.
The Shineray is a massive group manufacturing many bikes . Like the Thumper off raod series of bikes . I used to have a bike shop selling these bikes a few years ago but stopped due to the quality issues . Now they have improved beyond all belief. They cvan now match if not beat the other manufactures at ther own game and cheaper .As for the guy who had a go at you dont take any notice.
You are a natural narrator Freddy, woke up this morning made a cuppa tea sat down and watched this vid😊regards from nz
The early Kawasaki was a BSA A10 copy. It was heavier and vibrated even more but they learned fast. The rest is history. It is much cheaper and easier to copy than design and R&D your own.
Get well soon Freddie
Here’s the thing with second hand bikes, high mileage or not, is that the buyers (such as myself) don’t want to pay for another persons options, nor would I choose the used model that’s older and/or more used than the other. Fact of the matter is that there is an overproduction (and overconsumption) of motorcycles which will always bring the value of used bikes down. Rarely is artificial rarity (such as ‘limited edition’ or special paint) of any use to anyone but the brand itself and the first owner.
This is why I buy used. Eventually I might want to change bikes but I think I’d be too stubborn to take the full financial hit of my miles. The current bike came to me with about ten thousand miles on it, I figure I’ll run her until the mileage means I could basically give her away to the boy when he grows up. Best of luck to the chap with the BMW, I’d just keep the thing because at the value it is impossible to beat it.
If John thinks BMW customer service is bad then he should try a Triumph. They really lower the bar when it comes to treating customers with contempt.
Thanks Freddie. That customised CB200 looked fabulous.
I am telling Monica what you have just said !!!!!!!
Great vid, Freddie. Love your upbeat way and style and hearing and seeing about other folks' rides, warts and all. Keep up the great work, riding season starts here (Southeast US) in 60 days or so! 😎
Freddie, I watch all your videos and i can say your videos get better each week. you be you 😉!!!
Thanks for your efforts Freddie!
Slovenia is said to be Switzerland on a budget. I haven’t been there but it’s fldefinately high in my list. Would be cool to see you there. Not a super popular place so I think it could be a great travel video.
My BMW 100/7 top all day speed is 120 and you are still not at redlined. Smooth as silk.
Thanks for showing my MT-01. Wow that second hand price is cheap! Someone should buy that and sell it on! They could make a profit!
Great podcast episode as ever. 👏🏻👍🏻
I agree that most UK Sportsters don't do huge mileages but do many retro Triumphs either? They are naked bikes in a wet country.
Back in the late 80's and early 90's I took a Sportster down to the Bol d'or race in the South of France a couple of times with no problems, they manage long trips quite well, the only real issue was the small fuel tank on the French motorways.
Freddie back in the 90s Triumph UK bought back a Trident 900 from a dispatch rider with 250,000miles on the clock the engine had been untouched apart from normal services,,they thought it was a great advert for the brand... unfortunately they messed up by fitting some new cosmetic parts to tidy up the bike so many questioned the authenticity of the milage...the owner got a new motorbike of his choice plus cash for the Trident...
Quite a lot of Buell XB12X Ulysses have covered over 100,000 miles. A misconception is that they are Sporster engines. They are based on them, though. Nick
That's great to hear.
I had one of the first XB9Rs but sold it with less than 5K miles on the clock, once things started to go wrong.
Previously, I'd been an unintended beta tester of a 1997 M2 that I bought new and did not fancy a second stint in the role.
Freddie. Really how could you!!!! I'm certain you wouldn't last more than a week without the wonderful Monica
She's prob saying the same hahaha Lol !
Interesting chat Freddie. You mention an MT01. Had mine since 2007. Will only sell it when I can't ride anymore. You really should try one. Quite unique and full of character!
Funnily the SE you showed I’ve the exact one I have and my seat is terrible on it and this showed me what it was supposed to look like but whoever made it made a mess of it. After 2 years of ownership I’ve finally ordered a new seat for Bonnie Rebel. I’ve had little flickering electrical issues but nothing out of the ordinary but it’s definitely my dream style of bike after only my 3rd bike previously having a 125 Marauder & Fazer 600 which I liked but the feeling once I seen the Bonneville it’s hard to put into words. Also after looking at your viewers 4 bikes in 6 months I feel extremely lucky to have found my style so soon.
If you want to see some old Moto Guzzis, go and find Nick Adam’s channel, he lives in Canada and rides his 50 year old bikes on Canada’s back roads - for thousands of miles.
Hi Freddie I am in the same place . Spent the whole weekend in bed with the flue . Thanks for your stream . Take care .👍👍👍👍👍
Freddie.. google the BMW 1200RT clutch replacement images 😬
Resell value is something most don't think about. My local dealer wouldn't take a Husqvarna 701 endurance (2022)as part ex against a new Kawasaki
Don’t blame him he’s got resell
@@volt8684 Where I live he would have it for a few days before it sold. Very popular here in Australia.
What would you advice, buy the Bonneville t120 or the Honda cb1100ex?
Hi Freddie, I was watching a video on TFLBike with a guy who has covered nearly 200k miles on a Yamaha T700. I was also watching another video of a Yamaha R1 which has done 300k km. Neither bike has had major work on them as far as I could see!
Hi Freddie could you do a review on the new Goldwing I can’t remember you ever testing one thanks
Great video again Freddie 👍 I owned the Caponord and honestly it was a great fun bike to ride in comparison to my Honda Blackbird ! I would never want to ride or own a sports bike again
Hi from Osnabruck Germany,
I'm doing a tour of Slovenia in May, it really is a wonderful bike area..... Everything you need and lots of European money paying for tip top roads. 👍👍👍 It's a no brainer...
Ps, your chat on the GS 650 BMW single... Good bike but the Suzuki freewind is exactly the same bike... For less money.
Speaking of swm stormbreaker and sportster replacements, its not exactly equal in CC and not aircooled, but I just recently learnt that the Americans get a honda model called the shadow phantom which could compete with these two. Its a V twin, shaft drive liquid cooled cruiser that makes all the right noises. Looks perfect in my opinion with a very nice paint job, little to no electronics and a single counter mounted on the tank. I'm really disappointed to see that honda doesn't have this in the EU. Not sure why?!
On a different topic, did you know SWM makes a quirky bike with a sidecar?
I enjoy these videos, really relaxing and interesting!
New X350 Harley is built in China, why not , most parts both Original and aftermarket parts also originate these days from China.
Harley Davidson did not renew the copyright as l understand. The stormbreaker will introduce many people to the pleasure of owning an Evolution Sportster. It is going to give the Royal Enfield 650 a run for it's money.
Excellent episode!
HD SPORTSTERS ARE "PLATFORM" BIKES. CHEAP USED AND MOST HAVE LOW MILES BECAUSE STOCK THEY ARE SHORT-RUN BAR- HOPPERS. UPGRADE THE SUSPENSION ON A 1200 AND YOU HAVE A LONG-ISH MILES TOURING BIKE. THE EXTENSIVE AFTERMARKET, LEGENDARY RELIABILITY, EASE OF MAINTENACE AND RESALE ALLOWS ONE TO MAKE IT INTO JUST ABOUT ANYTHING ONE MAY WANT.
Freddie this is one of your best!
I have had an interesting couple of conversation s about the S W M Stormbreaker 2 people i know have said they would certainly buy theses bikes .....because it wouldn't have all the B s associated with buying a Harley .....interesting i thought .
I live in Florida USA. It is 1,000 miles just to get to the Georgia border. U SA is a big country.
@25:44 Give ten years of that lifestyle and you will want Monika back - trust me! The grass is never always that greener!
Also sportsters clocks break...common occurrence. Therefore the mileage stops clocking up. Being harley it's pricey enough to fix such a small issue so most don't. My sportster has 4500mls but actual has about 40k miles. Don't plan to sell her as she's my 1st harley from 300 miles so not an issue for me.
with regard to the price drops on the Honda and Binelli and the very similar depreciation, I wonder if the PX values would be that similar?
I don't know if anyone else has already made the comment about comparing the selling prices on the Honda and the Chinese Benelli. A seller can name any price they want but that doesn't mean that they will sell it at that price. Do we know if that Benelli actually sold and at what price.
Exactly where are Harley’s made?
In a Harley factory?
chineas bike price comparisment is incorrect as this HONDA CB500X was 2016 not 2020 as it was advertised. They had facelift in 2019 and price for it is 5000£ not 4200£. Cheers
great episode 👍
Get well soon, Freddie.
tomboy_a_bit has a sportster that i bet is pretty high mileage, she's only 30mins down the road from you!
Love your stuff. My anorak comment "a k3 Gsxr600 is fuel injected..."
I had a K1 (1st of the fuel injected) new in 2000. I wish I still had it!
Freddie, first thing I remember, Japanese
motocycles first arriving in the UK,
hearing the comments about Chinese motocycles is Deja-vu all over again.
After making the mistake in the 60s
Saying Japanese crap, I will not make the same mistake again.
After first visiting China over 40 years ago and over the years, I have seen incredible advances.
On second, hand prices, my better half used to by a new Mercedes E class, fully loaded
It was never taken out in the rain, always fully serviced very low mileage immaculate, the money she received was pathetic, I could be wrong, but i don't think that Mercedes isn't a Chinese car.
fun, interesting episode. thanks. 'Left field?' that's a baseball (an American sport) term. Or is there a left field in cricket?
Harley just made a big mistake to stop the air cooled bikes.
Its amazing that Guzzi and BMW are still able to make and sell air cooled engines under Euro 5+ regulations.
Guzzi and BMW are both water-cooled.
Harley decided to discontinue the EVO engined Sportster and replace it with what they claimed was going to be a "revolutionary" new platform. Better in every way, they said... Well, low and behold, here we are with the new Sportster's littering showroom floors and few people are buying them. It has proved to be a big flop. The old version sold extremely well, it was adopted and loved, due to its simplicity of design, characterful engine and its honesty to Harley's history of the Sportster evolution... The model should have undergone another evolutionary step, not straying too far away from its roots, It should have remained air-cooled and drop dead gorgeous, it isn't. What was once an adored model whether you liked riding one or not, it was a traditional Harley in every sense of the word. If Harley was stupid enough to can their old model for what is now (IMO) a hideous design, then they deserve someone to take the baton and run across that finish line in first place. I feel there are people within the Harley division set out to destroy the company. What Harley desperately needs is an inexpensive entry level, air/oil cooled, classically styled, sounding, feeling bike to go up against things like the an Enfield 650 twin and Triumph 900 twin. Priced smack bang between the two. Freddie, your question on whether Sportster are used for long rides, I can vouch on a resounding, absolutely! One of my favourite all time long haul mile muncher was a 2013 Sportster Seventy-Two 1200, glorious machine, tiny peanut tank gave me even more excuse to stop and smell the petrol stations 😆... It sat on 80 all day, smack bang, right in the sweet spot. The feeling with mini apes and forward controls was sublime.
You hit the nail on the head.
Harley tried having entry level 500 and 750 cc v-twins alongside the old Sportsters but they don;t seem to have done well in sales terms. The "more sporty, flat track influenced" XR1200 also did not last long.
So I think you are right, they should have kept the traditional Sportster and found a way to keep it as a viable entry level model.
100%, I think the issue is that Harley is trying to play catch up to 'get more with the times'. Unfortunately that is not paying off or what their brand identity is. The fact that another company is able to copy their evo design and get it past regulations is a real point proven that HD are able to do it, they just decided it isn't what they want to focus on. The problem is they're trying to attract a younger generation of riders, but unless you love the HD brand, you have a lot of choice (Honda Rebel, Kawazaki Vulcan, Triumph, Indian to name a few) and objectively they provide a lot more vs cost of buying the bike. This leaves HD in a field with lots of competition, really when they had the opportunity to hit their niche which is a classic air-cooled bike with character and heritage. It will be interesting to see what they do with their mid-size and touring line ups in the future because they are hoping to attract a younger demographic of buyers into their Revo range, to then expect brand loyalty and upgrade to a larger air/oil cooled with less power/tech (except the Pan America), pretty hard sell imo. Maybe they are banking on livewire, but that is a whole other can of worms lol
Question - Hi Freddie, looking for my first bike, £4-5k, would you suggest I get a new Royal Enfield Bullet or a 10-12 year old Bonneville 865 like yours? Thanks for all the great videos, Will
I have had my Sportster for 25 years and 400,000 miles on the original engine. EVO Sportsters rule.
I h had my Sportster for 25 years and 400,000 miles on the original engine.
No high mile Sportys? Maybe the filling loosening vibes, leg cramps with mid-peg setup,lack of decent suspenders or 883's low passing power or....
All fair points and yet some do ride XLs to very high mileages. I found FXRs to be far more comfy though...
I think the suzuki gsxr 600 Is fuel injection especially being 2003
Yeah, it went to FI in 2001 when the new model came out. £2000 was a good price for that model.
@@Steve-s8k it's peak sports bike if you ask me it all went down hill after this. And the colours back then were great.
We have to distinguish between European/japanese/American bikes simply being built in China, and Chinese bikes. Take Triumph and Enfield for example. Importantly they are designed by and the r&d done by British teams but assembled in Thailand and India. A Chinese bike which is designed by Chinese or simply cheap copies with their own quality control is a totally different issue.
Don't forget that all the early Japanese bikes in the 70's were blatant copies of British bikes with design tweaks and better manufacturing.
The fixation of something made in Britain is a red herring these days as it's unlikely that it'll be put together by a Trevor or a Clive but more like a Ahmed and Yusaf anyway.
Watch sales of clone to outsell HD Milwaukee 8 junk because of price and reliability issues with new engine.
How true the B.M.W. comment was/is.. As I have been trying to point out as best as I can during 2023 They are simply not what they are made out to be and to top it off they are arrogant too boot .. The sooner a Chines company buy them out the better !!! Good luck B.M.W. because in the next few years you will need all the luck you can get trust me !!!!
The examples of loss of value are not realistic,because the price was the asking price not the price they sold for, 2 totally different things, it’s like saying ,what do you value that for ,and what it’s actually worth,sold for.
How could he not show the 865 without a cover?
When I purchase any motorcycle I don’t care if it holds second hand value or not & not interested them as an investment other than reliable transport . I service them my self & keep them to a good everyday honest bike standard ,if I bought them brand new or even used . If I decide to sell them on ,I would sooner drop my asking price lower than used market value ,& make sure they are going to a good home ,than sell them at asking price to a Philistine . As far as I am concerned new or used Motorcycle I value them & will only pay what they are worth to me & my requirements at the time .
I know that in the past the Japanese took over the Bike industry and are a big part in the car industry and if we were to carry on as we are, then in time, the Chinese will go the same way probably in a similar time scale. But and it is a big but, because at the moment, unless an alternative fuel is found, the internal combustion engine looks to be being phased out, so all those bikes that we hanker after for nostalgic reasons and the love of that brand will be completely turned on it's head and who knows what brand of electric vehicle we will buy.
Ppl wil always buy the honda though..theres a benelli for sale locally..the owner cant give it away
I have always stated, I would never want to buy a Harley. Don't get me wrong, I have ridden friend's Harleys,but not for me.
So, why the hell have I just bought A Buell 😂 I can only just reach the ground on tiptoes, Eve with a lower seat. Well even if I have to chop all the foam out of it I will be riding it this year😅
"If there has ever been something that harley is good at, it's legal action."
One would have hoped it'd have been making motorcycles they'd be good at.
*H-D didn't last a century being litigious. Clearly, it's their motorcycles.*
@@hulkhatepunybanner Yes, clearly. I'm not taking a swipe at HD, just at that comment that one person made.
I think most large companies with a strong brand image are fairly litigious.
Have you got the washing machine on? Or am I hearing things.? Dafuq 😂
👍
If we named bikes after hardmen we could have:
KTM Schwarzenegger
Ducati Stallone
Triumph Kray/Cooper/Vinnie Jones
BMW Muller
Feel free to add to the list....
The japanese brands get their small models made in China, even BMW get more than one engine made in China.. There is a big difference between a Chinese brand, a chinese owned brand, and chinese made...
If we all looked at the everyday life stuff that we own we would all find that its basicly chinese .Mobile phones etc. So why are we supprised to see them copy what we do. Its simple these guys are smart and have moved on while we stay static . Look at the Royal Enfield and India ????? what does that tell you . Part ex prices will improve .Theres somthing that people are missing. Royal Enfield give 3 years warranty why they trust there product.
Your getting later and later fred …..I was nearly in bed when this was uploaded 😤
There is always a tomorrow ...
I have always had pride in all the various makes of bikes I've owned over 50 years. Therefore I have no interest in owning a Chinese bike. Wonderful to have choice.😂
Answer to the question on Japanese (alongside Italian and Milwaukee) might lie in their pricings. Most occasions, Suzuki wins that : if you want a DOHC R4 for the price of V2 - there you go GSX-s streetfighter is modern looking and designed with some good taste, too. O.k., a bit less money, less power; of couse, brand new Ducati scrambler is better than SV 650 but it comes almost for the price of two. And if you do some stylish custom job to it, might still come out as winner.
If you still feel like a racist in motorcycling market, well what about those nazis then.
So, may be not the big fat and heavy 1.8 but just look at this UFO flying by: M 1000R
ruclips.net/video/TMXBjz2FHpc/видео.html
the fella mentioning resale is wrong, and 50% loss on a 5 grand bike is less than a 30% loss on a £10k Japanese bike, depends how you look at things and they are catching up quickly anyway and bettering some existing big brand bikes and certainly are often far better value for a long term owner, and as regards the fella with the mental health problem you are far from alone, I run a facebook group for bikers and ex bikers in the UK with mental health issues, if anyone is interested and is a sufferer or carer put a comment below
Maybe post a link so people can take a look 👍
Chinese motorcycles... Why shouldn't they be as good as American or European or Japanese MCs? If they don't already... The Chinese produce better electric cars than anyone...Popular electric cars like Polestar, BMW ix3 and MG are all made in China. In addition, the VW iD4, Mercedes EQC, Volvo XC40 Recharge, Audi e-tron and Tesla Model 3 are also produced in China, but these only to cover the Chinese market. Chinese Brands...Brilliance,
BYD, Chery, Dongefeng, Geely, Lifan, Voyah, Xpeng etc....Polestar* with 313 reported faults per 100 cars. Next comes Tesla* with 257 faults per 100 cars and Volvo with 250 faults per 100 cars.
A lot of ktm singles are made in India
Seeing all the Chinese copies of almost everything, do you really think they give a monkey's about copyright, i don't think so, sue a Chinese company see how far you get , 😂🤣👍
Freddie, you need to say 'number' when you say 'amount' where the former is correct (and maybe vice versa, if that applies). If you can count it or if it is countable, it is 'number'. If it's not countable (such as a lorryload of stone) it is 'amount'. That might seem petty, but really it's not. If I was one of a 'number' of members of a bike group, I would not like to be referred to as part of an 'amount' of members (all piled into a lorry trailer to be tipped out?). The English language is just wonderful and offers immense potential for description. But only if you give it the respect it deserves by correct use.