I bought a low mileage 1989 K1 in 1995 and rode from the UK to Valencia in Spain. Once I had acclimatized to the strange riding position, it proved to be extremely comfortable with amazing aerodynamics in a straight line. The downside was that fairing and faired front wheel acted like a sail in sidewinds. Any bike using that "brick" 4 cylinder engine is worth considering, as they are great to ride and economical.
Get an older bike to run every day, zr7 2001 10,000 miles a year.... £92 fully comp, my weekend bike Zx9r 1997 3000miles a year.... £68 fully comp, ridden since I 17, 52 now, and live just outside Winchester in the south. Easy home maintenance and both just as quick and reliable as modern day stuff.
Freddie, lots of Triumphs are still built in the UK. According to MCN, Triumph planned to ramp up production of bikes at its Hinkley plant to 20,000 units in 2023. Both my Tiger 900 and Speed Triple RR were both made there.
The K1 was never supposed to be the bike for "Hans Mustermann" to ride every day. Back in the day it was publicly perceived more to be an exercise in motorbike engineering, where BMW could show off their capabilities. The interestingly calculated price made it more like something of a 2-wheeled M1, or Ferrari if you wish. Buying a bike which has been sitting in a garage for a considerable amount of years is not always a good idea. Did that a couple of years ago and would have been better off with buying a new bike. Sealings and gaskets had been hardened out, so engine, fork and carbs were leaking all over the place. Tyres were, of course, rubbish, and almost all hydraulic components were broken. After having had calulated the costs of making the bike roadworthy again, i sold it for parts and bought me a new motorbike. Harsh lesson was harsh and expensive.
Hi Freddie, my friend had same issue after passing his test, although he was in his 40s the insurance quote was high. He added me as a named rider as I have full NCD and have rode for 40 years plus, it reduced his insurance by £400 Thanks Kev
I bought a Triumph 955ST in 2010 - brilliant sports tourer and my wife’s favourite bike as a pillion. Curiously my son has just bought one for circa £1k tour ready with factory panniers and top-box. Some absolute bargains out there. Minsk 125 - basic, reliable and,😮, a carburettor and no abs…etc. No wonder they are reliable and go on for 100k.
I bought one of the last Tiger 955i in April 2007. They were being sold at £6k with panniers, centre stand and heated grips to clear stock before the 1050 came in. It was a great bike, very comfy with torquey engine. As mentioned elsewhere, it was top heavy for those without long legs and I sold it after 15 years, as I couldn’t pick it up after it got away from me once, for £2,800. Disadvantage of hitting 60 - though on another topic, the advantage is fully comp insurance for 3 bikes for around £240!
They were certainly a lot of bike for the money, and even back in 2007 6k was a steal for a new bike. They never really caught on with the wider biking community, i think maybe because they were blessed with looks only a mother could love… however, they were also blessed with that peach of an engine, so if you rode one, and could cope with the weight and height, they won you over. Something of a “those that know bike”. And yes, I think there were many like you and I who had to pick it up a few times… naturally top-heavy, with fully loaded luggage and a large tank of fuel made it precarious when coming to a standstill. I used mine for the trip from Cumbria to London at weekends to see my other half down there and it was very comfortable for 5 hours in the saddle.
Being short of leg i developed a method of setting off with one foot on the near side peg, in gear, then swing the other leg over as you accelerated away from a standstill, with the clutch control of a trials riding legend.
Hi Freddie. Great show as usual. I would think twice about an older bike with ridiculously low mileage. There’s no telling if any of the mechanical parts have seized, and it would certainly have questionable rubber seals and gaskets which will perish over time. With respect to the insurance quotes, I noticed that the last one was TPFT, and sometimes going fully comprehensive is cheaper. It would have been a useful experiment to just choose one bike and one location, and see if the addition of Thatcham locks, a tracker, passing approved advanced riding courses, etc would make some difference. Duncan might find that spending a few hundred quid on approved locks and trackers might save even more in the insurance, so at the very least, in the first year he’s saved the cost of purchasing those items.
Those Thruxtons are nice but all I think of when I see one, especially with the dustbin fairing, is Honda GB500/400 TT from 1985. It's like a modern cover song of something that was already a cover song.
My girlfriend brought a Benelli 125cc which you can ride on the road here in Spain if you have a full driving licence and they gave her 1 years free insurance. We live on La Gomera and brought the bike on Tenerife.
Thanks 🙏 for putting my bike trip up on my Moto Guzzi V85tt in Australia. If you ever get to Australia for a ride , are happy to help you out in anyway I can . Regards Paul
Years ago I was living in Austin, Texas and was a BMW rider. Became friends with the local dealer and he called me to invite me down to see the new K1. It was pre-sold, but if I hurried down I could look it over before the owner showed to pick it up. I was a little late and the owner was out doing a check up ride. When he came rolling back in, one side was completely scratched up. He had hit gravel tuning into a parking lot on his test ride. Felt awful for him.
The Triumph 955i Tiger was one of my all time favourite bikes , never had a major issue ( one small electrical issue) I also had the 800 and 1050 Tiger Sport . But yes 955i made in Britain Hinckley Factory.
I can’t believe the young Scottish lad Duncan’s insurance quotes, for his HondaCB500x. I ride the same bike in Cornwall. I’m 63 with good NCB. I only pay £79 for fully comp with a passenger and my bike stored outside. No wonder youngsters are going to driving cars. They can pass a test, pick up a cheap car without any of the hassle or extortion.
There are five k1's on autotrader as i type this. On a similar left field styling theme i quite fancy a k1200r before i reach dotard or death.
2 часа назад
I recently Sold, or rather traded my 2007 XL1000V Varadero. Identical to the one you showed. It had 105.000km on the clock. It was in very good condition. I traded it straight off for a 2003 BMW K1200GT with 60.000km. Lovely bikes both of them. I've previously only had V-twins (Cruisers and 3 Varaderos and one 2006 V-strom 1000) I haven't really gotten used to the Forward leaning K1200 yet. But it's interesting to ride a Big 4cylinder Bike. Now looking at replacing the K1200 with a K1600.
Not sure I'd be bothered about buying an older bike that hasn't even been run in. I would hope it would have been started every week at least and not drained of every thing for its years doing nothing. Great topics as always
On the subject of the 955 Tiger, yes reammy good bikes, lovely torquey triple, and comfortable, but having had one as a vertically chqllenged 5’6” pygmy with a 29” inside leg, they are a handful and not for the inexperienced rider. I had been riding for a long time when I had one, but with a full tank of fuel they were very top heavy, and once they started to go, there was no stopping them. They’ve caught out many a short rider. Nice and cheap, reliable and quick and robust, but not for the faint hearted…. Seem to recall they were developed to challenge the GS back in the day and were aimed at strapping German riders.
Freddie regarding bikes not being used, I bought my Ducati Scrambler Sixty2 last December, it was eight years old at the time with just 3.2k miles covered with the majority of those miles having been done by the first of two owners in the first two years then the second owner only put miles on it when having it MOTd, serviced or the odd short ride out, it has documented history and looks as if it's fresh off the production line, what a find but it was a premium price that I was happy with and especially with my classic Honda P/X that was fair. So yes bikes do sit in garages and just get looked at by their owners for whatever reason especially if it's something special, I'm guilty of that myself. I don't do many miles these days as I'm now considered old, probably 6 or 7 hundred miles during the summer months so it should stay in immaculate condition and ultra low mileage.
Freddie, my 17 yr old daughter rides a Suzuki gn125 1998. We have just re insured her for £860 with Bennett, one yr NCB. It was very bizarrely CHEAPER to go Fully Comp by nearly £200. Tp and tpft were all more expensive, the lady we delt with was super helpful. We are in Southampton.
I'm a 58yo male. Full comprehensive is cheaper than third-pary, fire&theft on ALL my vehicles. It's bizarre. But if anyone knows the figures and return on the way they do marketing it's insurance co's.
btw good to see the ol' GN is still a go-to bike on the other side of the world. Here in New Zealand the GN125 is seen in the motorcycle learner schools. The GN125 & 250 go back to my learner days in the early 80's! Is there a longer lasting uglier bike? I mean more "charming" bike?
@DiscoFang Good to see they are a world wide bike still. Tbh "Pedro" was chosen for A his seat height and B his lower insurance price my daughter loves him.
I pay just under US$500 a year for full insurance on a 2023 BMW R NineT here in Seattle (mind you I'm over 50 yrs old). £200 a month is nuts. I also took the test on a 125CC scooter in Michigan in 1985 - sat there and watched guys on 700lb Harleys flunk out while I whizzed around the course and passed.
One of the benefits of age, I have rebuilt a Keeway RKS125, no NCD, no bike for 15 plus years - £135 fully comp. I have also just bought a wrecked Tiger for £175 plus fees - thoughts and prayers please 🤣, Oh and don't forget classic insurance for 20 plus year old bikes
I rode in the Middle East and I’m 62. I decided that I needed 2 wheel in the UK in preparation for retirement. As an old geezer and having passed my test in June, I now have a CBR650R and RE Super-Meteor (both brand new) and my combined insurance cost is under GBP 400. I could understand young folks being penalized except the test system is set up to ensure riders are so much more prepared and experienced. It’s sad that young folks are being priced out of enjoying bikes.
I find it hard to comprehend how bikes can have so few miles on them? I have had a lot going on over the last few years and have done very little riding just for fun. Admittedly, my bike is my only transport and so has been used for commuting and shopping. I have still managed to put over 5,000 miles on my bike, which is about half my usual mileage. I have had bikes and put 2-300 miles on them in the first day!?
If the Bike has Been sitting around for Many Years with very Low miles I Would hope the the Oil / Brake Fluid/ Coolant was Drained Would the Tyres be Past use By Date? Things to Consider
Old bikes with low miles?? My theory is this: Middle aged bloke. Kids have flown. mortgage paid off. Wants to be a biker/poser. Takes test. Buys bike and all the posing gear. Realises that biking can be cold and wet, that people in cars are trying to kill him, that riding a bike needs a few skills and scares himself going round corners. Puts bike in garage until wife makes him sell it 😂😂😂
That or the guy who works to much and has too many bikes that he can’t find the time to ride (see amount of work). Might have a boat as well (hardly gets used) and a holiday home he uses 1 week every year.
I bought a Triumph Trident 900 from a dealer in Leeds, 2 years old with 200 miles on the clock. The previous owner had bought it, ridden it home to Blackpool and then ridden it back to Leeds 2 years later to sell it!
Im absolutely SHOCKED at the cost of insurance in the UK. Here in the US (Georgia) I can obtain minimal coverage for my Moto Guzzi V7 III for about $150 a YEAR!
With insurance quotes like that, Duncan must be well pissed off. Mind you, I would rather be 21 again paying £2,000 for insurance than an old croc ( like me!) paying £55 fully comp.
I Forgot to add the total discount in my story : in the end i will pay 6000 pounds instead of the 7200 initial price tag on the bike (including the loan fees), about the insurance i managed to find 53 pounds a month for a full insurance (through a motorcycle specialized insurance)other companies were crazy expensive
The motorcycle manufactorer's need to lobby gov. co. to lighten up on the regulations. I hate these perpetual L plater scooter riders in London. They are reckless and a nuisance.
Why you asking if Hinckley is where Triumphs head office is? You were there yourself on this yrs distinguished gentlemans ride with The Wurks. And I'm pretty sure you mentioned its Triumphs headquarters and it was your first visit
I recently sold a Kawasaki Z550 to a girl . Now i have taken it back because the insurance companies wont cover her because as a new rider they are insisting that the bike has ABS . What a load of bull. That would mean that most of us mature riders would now not exist if that stupid rule had been enforced back in the day. Surly after jumping through all of the hoops that they require to pass a test they are capable of riding a bike with no ABS. If not they are not ready for our modern roads .
Surely there must be a law that prevents insurance companies from preventing anyone from getting reasonable insurance, isn't there an ombudsman that monitors things like that, isnt it a form of oppression
I am pig sick of the belly aching about how expensive bikes are - they cost about the same they did 30 years back when i was 1st legal and money was worth much less back then, FFS the average 17 year old earned about 3 quid an hour and we somehow managed to buy XR3i or bikes - my 1st legal bike was an RGV250 real sprinter, blue and white beauty - i saved and saved and borrowed to death to get my dream that was some years old and about 3 owners in and it cost me about 5500 plus it cost me 1700 to insure - 2 years later with no claims and i was on a gsxr 750 that was about 4200 and quite a few years old - again it was about 3 or 4 owner bike, the insurance was down to about 700, 2 years later i got an R1 and yes my insurance was in the 500 range, of course i could go on but what's the point? Hey mother fudders, you have it way better than we did - if you want to ride just stop looking at new bikes because you don't need them, AMAZING bikes can be had for bugger all nowadays and if you pick the right bike to lower insurance while you get no claims you will be sitting pretty, buy a cheap bike that's got a few years on it and crack on - get a new and posh bike after some years and some bloody experience....
You can go off people….25C. Hmnnn, just cancelled my subscription 😂. There has to be some investigation of motor insurance, not just for bikes but cars as well. What is going on?
In the UK the Motor Cycle Industry is like a dieing carcass. All the Zombies want their little bit. By Zombies I mean insurers , licensing and the govt . If they don't change their ways there won't be an industry left ! I wonder if thats what they want ! We know how the Government feels about bikers. P.s all these bike shops closing down is not coincidental.
You should have tried it in the early 90s, getting ridiculous insurance quotes on a chicken-chaser 250 even with a full licence. A high quote on a nearly new 500cc bike is nothing new, believe me. 30 and married used to be the starting point to something more realistic …..
There is ugly and there is ugly. I remeber when the honda silverwings came out. Yes i am that old. I disliked them even more from the moment is saw one in the flesh. But getting older i started to like them and altho i have a older bike now. I wish i could affort one as a second bike. But that bmw. Oh boy. That has hit every branch coming down from the ugly tree. It remainds of the tv show battlestar galaxtica. Also horrible. But as always its just my opinion. Ride what ever you like.
A 20 year old complaining about the cost of insuring a Ducati Multistrada? hahaha that's like a smoker complaining about the cost of health insurance. Forget the red-herrings of brick-construction lock up garage storage it's the accident risk. Coz everyone knows how rational the adolescent male brain is. (Yes, adolescent until mid 20's for males.)
Just reached 20 mins in and you say exactly the same thing Freddie. 25 yo and 2 years experience is EVERYTHING with insurance. If anyone knows the figures to support the idea and the marketing it's insurance companies. They ARE the source.
![Kodak Black - Catch Fire [Official Music Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/A4ch-olIuZo/mqdefault.jpg)
I bought a low mileage 1989 K1 in 1995 and rode from the UK to Valencia in Spain. Once I had acclimatized to the strange riding position, it proved to be extremely comfortable with amazing aerodynamics in a straight line. The downside was that fairing and faired front wheel acted like a sail in sidewinds. Any bike using that "brick" 4 cylinder engine is worth considering, as they are great to ride and economical.
Get an older bike to run every day, zr7 2001 10,000 miles a year.... £92 fully comp, my weekend bike Zx9r 1997 3000miles a year.... £68 fully comp, ridden since I 17, 52 now, and live just outside Winchester in the south. Easy home maintenance and both just as quick and reliable as modern day stuff.
Freddie, lots of Triumphs are still built in the UK. According to MCN, Triumph planned to ramp up production of bikes at its Hinkley plant to 20,000 units in 2023. Both my Tiger 900 and Speed Triple RR were both made there.
When i win the euromillions I'm going to setup a specialist insurance company for young riders with affordable premiums.
I love this👌🏻👌🏻
An excellent way to become a milionaire... If you're a Bilionaire.
Buy an airline?
Classic example of a lottery winner becoming broke in a couple of years. That's not becoming a business owner that's becoming a patron.
@DiscoFang Patron. I'd like that. Help people.
You must have heard of Emlyn Hughes , Liverpool footballer and captain of a question of sport team on BBC 1
I suspect Freddie is of a different generation to the majority of his followers 😅
Good onya Freddie, thanks for the entertainment. Full service history hahahaha.
The K1 was never supposed to be the bike for "Hans Mustermann" to ride every day. Back in the day it was publicly perceived more to be an exercise in motorbike engineering, where BMW could show off their capabilities. The interestingly calculated price made it more like something of a 2-wheeled M1, or Ferrari if you wish.
Buying a bike which has been sitting in a garage for a considerable amount of years is not always a good idea. Did that a couple of years ago and would have been better off with buying a new bike. Sealings and gaskets had been hardened out, so engine, fork and carbs were leaking all over the place. Tyres were, of course, rubbish, and almost all hydraulic components were broken. After having had calulated the costs of making the bike roadworthy again, i sold it for parts and bought me a new motorbike. Harsh lesson was harsh and expensive.
Hi Freddie, my friend had same issue after passing his test, although he was in his 40s the insurance quote was high.
He added me as a named rider as I have full NCD and have rode for 40 years plus, it reduced his insurance by £400
Thanks Kev
I bought a Triumph 955ST in 2010 - brilliant sports tourer and my wife’s favourite bike as a pillion. Curiously my son has just bought one for circa £1k tour ready with factory panniers and top-box. Some absolute bargains out there.
Minsk 125 - basic, reliable and,😮, a carburettor and no abs…etc. No wonder they are reliable and go on for 100k.
My old Tiger 2012 1050SE was built at Hinckley. They still made bikes there when i had a private tour in 2017.
Great video as usual Freddie!
Thanks Dave🙌🏻🙌🏻
I bought one of the last Tiger 955i in April 2007. They were being sold at £6k with panniers, centre stand and heated grips to clear stock before the 1050 came in. It was a great bike, very comfy with torquey engine. As mentioned elsewhere, it was top heavy for those without long legs and I sold it after 15 years, as I couldn’t pick it up after it got away from me once, for £2,800. Disadvantage of hitting 60 - though on another topic, the advantage is fully comp insurance for 3 bikes for around £240!
They were certainly a lot of bike for the money, and even back in 2007 6k was a steal for a new bike. They never really caught on with the wider biking community, i think maybe because they were blessed with looks only a mother could love… however, they were also blessed with that peach of an engine, so if you rode one, and could cope with the weight and height, they won you over. Something of a “those that know bike”. And yes, I think there were many like you and I who had to pick it up a few times… naturally top-heavy, with fully loaded luggage and a large tank of fuel made it precarious when coming to a standstill. I used mine for the trip from Cumbria to London at weekends to see my other half down there and it was very comfortable for 5 hours in the saddle.
Being short of leg i developed a method of setting off with one foot on the near side peg, in gear, then swing the other leg over as you accelerated away from a standstill, with the clutch control of a trials riding legend.
@@rogerwredfordRespect! 😅
Hi Freddie. Great show as usual. I would think twice about an older bike with ridiculously low mileage. There’s no telling if any of the mechanical parts have seized, and it would certainly have questionable rubber seals and gaskets which will perish over time. With respect to the insurance quotes, I noticed that the last one was TPFT, and sometimes going fully comprehensive is cheaper. It would have been a useful experiment to just choose one bike and one location, and see if the addition of Thatcham locks, a tracker, passing approved advanced riding courses, etc would make some difference. Duncan might find that spending a few hundred quid on approved locks and trackers might save even more in the insurance, so at the very least, in the first year he’s saved the cost of purchasing those items.
Freddy trying to make sense of bike insurance will only end up in a headache.
I know I know😆
Those Thruxtons are nice but all I think of when I see one, especially with the dustbin fairing, is Honda GB500/400 TT from 1985. It's like a modern cover song of something that was already a cover song.
My girlfriend brought a Benelli 125cc which you can ride on the road here in Spain if you have a full driving licence and they gave her 1 years free insurance. We live on La Gomera and brought the bike on Tenerife.
Thank you for including my comments in this weeks podcast. You're content really is a highlight of my week 👌
Thanks Duncan, that’s really kind of you to say so
Thanks 🙏 for putting my bike trip up on my Moto Guzzi V85tt in Australia. If you ever get to Australia for a ride , are happy to help you out in anyway I can .
Regards
Paul
Came very close to buying a K1 many years ago, got a GSX1100EFE instead. I'd have one now.
Years ago I was living in Austin, Texas and was a BMW rider. Became friends with the local dealer and he called me to invite me down to see the new K1. It was pre-sold, but if I hurried down I could look it over before the owner showed to pick it up. I was a little late and the owner was out doing a check up ride. When he came rolling back in, one side was completely scratched up. He had hit gravel tuning into a parking lot on his test ride. Felt awful for him.
"As an ornament" I think translates as sitting unused, ignored and not started in the side of the garage amoungst the crap for 17 years.
My 2002 daytona 955 Centennial was built at Hinckley Freddie , made in Great Britain on the nose cone 🏍️🏁🇮🇲🏴
The Triumph 955i Tiger was one of my all time favourite bikes , never had a major issue ( one small electrical issue) I also had the 800 and 1050 Tiger Sport . But yes 955i made in Britain Hinckley Factory.
I can’t believe the young Scottish lad Duncan’s insurance quotes, for his HondaCB500x. I ride the same bike in Cornwall. I’m 63 with good NCB. I only pay £79 for fully comp with a passenger and my bike stored outside. No wonder youngsters are going to driving cars. They can pass a test, pick up a cheap car without any of the hassle or extortion.
There are five k1's on autotrader as i type this. On a similar left field styling theme i quite fancy a k1200r before i reach dotard or death.
I recently Sold, or rather traded my 2007 XL1000V Varadero. Identical to the one you showed. It had 105.000km on the clock. It was in very good condition. I traded it straight off for a 2003 BMW K1200GT with 60.000km. Lovely bikes both of them. I've previously only had V-twins (Cruisers and 3 Varaderos and one 2006 V-strom 1000) I haven't really gotten used to the Forward leaning K1200 yet. But it's interesting to ride a Big 4cylinder Bike. Now looking at replacing the K1200 with a K1600.
Not sure I'd be bothered about buying an older bike that hasn't even been run in. I would hope it would have been started every week at least and not drained of every thing for its years doing nothing. Great topics as always
I doublechecked: no wonderdeals like that here in Germany.
On the subject of the 955 Tiger, yes reammy good bikes, lovely torquey triple, and comfortable, but having had one as a vertically chqllenged 5’6” pygmy with a 29” inside leg, they are a handful and not for the inexperienced rider. I had been riding for a long time when I had one, but with a full tank of fuel they were very top heavy, and once they started to go, there was no stopping them. They’ve caught out many a short rider. Nice and cheap, reliable and quick and robust, but not for the faint hearted…. Seem to recall they were developed to challenge the GS back in the day and were aimed at strapping German riders.
Freddie regarding bikes not being used, I bought my Ducati Scrambler Sixty2 last December, it was eight years old at the time with just 3.2k miles covered with the majority of those miles having been done by the first of two owners in the first two years then the second owner only put miles on it when having it MOTd, serviced or the odd short ride out, it has documented history and looks as if it's fresh off the production line, what a find but it was a premium price that I was happy with and especially with my classic Honda P/X that was fair.
So yes bikes do sit in garages and just get looked at by their owners for whatever reason especially if it's something special, I'm guilty of that myself.
I don't do many miles these days as I'm now considered old, probably 6 or 7 hundred miles during the summer months so it should stay in immaculate condition and ultra low mileage.
Lots of good stuff touched on as usual. Thanks for a great presentation
God those k1s were ugly. Great tuesday. Thanks dobbsey. ❤
In Iowa in the USA it costs $60.00 to take the tests and get a driver's license. The average cost for insurance in Iowa is $216.00 per year.
Very interesting, thanks for sharing this
@@tuesdayatdobbs You're welcome, Freddy. I really like your videos.
I have just realised that, according to the country of manufacture, my bike is a Triumph Thaiger 😂😂😂
Is Freddie related to that Judge Rimmer ?
Freddie, my 17 yr old daughter rides a Suzuki gn125 1998. We have just re insured her for £860 with Bennett, one yr NCB. It was very bizarrely CHEAPER to go Fully Comp by nearly £200. Tp and tpft were all more expensive, the lady we delt with was super helpful. We are in Southampton.
I'm a 58yo male. Full comprehensive is cheaper than third-pary, fire&theft on ALL my vehicles. It's bizarre. But if anyone knows the figures and return on the way they do marketing it's insurance co's.
btw good to see the ol' GN is still a go-to bike on the other side of the world. Here in New Zealand the GN125 is seen in the motorcycle learner schools. The GN125 & 250 go back to my learner days in the early 80's! Is there a longer lasting uglier bike? I mean more "charming" bike?
@DiscoFang Good to see they are a world wide bike still. Tbh "Pedro" was chosen for A his seat height and B his lower insurance price my daughter loves him.
Also, all the 1200 Tigers are built in Hinkley.
Freddie get some quotes for a classic bike for a 21 year old & see how they compare. Eg, Suzuki GP100/125 1980's era ....you may be Surprised!
I pay just under US$500 a year for full insurance on a 2023 BMW R NineT here in Seattle (mind you I'm over 50 yrs old). £200 a month is nuts. I also took the test on a 125CC scooter in Michigan in 1985 - sat there and watched guys on 700lb Harleys flunk out while I whizzed around the course and passed.
One of the benefits of age, I have rebuilt a Keeway RKS125, no NCD, no bike for 15 plus years - £135 fully comp. I have also just bought a wrecked Tiger for £175 plus fees - thoughts and prayers please 🤣, Oh and don't forget classic insurance for 20 plus year old bikes
I rode in the Middle East and I’m 62. I decided that I needed 2 wheel in the UK in preparation for retirement. As an old geezer and having passed my test in June, I now have a CBR650R and RE Super-Meteor (both brand new) and my combined insurance cost is under GBP 400. I could understand young folks being penalized except the test system is set up to ensure riders are so much more prepared and experienced. It’s sad that young folks are being priced out of enjoying bikes.
I find it hard to comprehend how bikes can have so few miles on them? I have had a lot going on over the last few years and have done very little riding just for fun. Admittedly, my bike is my only transport and so has been used for commuting and shopping. I have still managed to put over 5,000 miles on my bike, which is about half my usual mileage. I have had bikes and put 2-300 miles on them in the first day!?
If the Bike has Been sitting around for
Many Years with very Low miles
I Would hope the the Oil / Brake
Fluid/ Coolant was Drained
Would the Tyres be Past use By
Date? Things to Consider
Have you seen the new RE 650 classic ? What a absolute beauty 😍
Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em
Old bikes with low miles?? My theory is this: Middle aged bloke. Kids have flown. mortgage paid off. Wants to be a biker/poser. Takes test. Buys bike and all the posing gear. Realises that biking can be cold and wet, that people in cars are trying to kill him, that riding a bike needs a few skills and scares himself going round corners. Puts bike in garage until wife makes him sell it 😂😂😂
That or the guy who works to much and has too many bikes that he can’t find the time to ride (see amount of work). Might have a boat as well (hardly gets used) and a holiday home he uses 1 week every year.
I bought a Triumph Trident 900 from a dealer in Leeds, 2 years old with 200 miles on the clock. The previous owner had bought it, ridden it home to Blackpool and then ridden it back to Leeds 2 years later to sell it!
I’m 71, ride my Bonneville all year round, should I give up riding because I don’t fit your criteria?
Im absolutely SHOCKED at the cost of insurance in the UK. Here in the US (Georgia) I can obtain minimal coverage for my Moto Guzzi V7 III for about $150 a YEAR!
That K1 just sold for £1221
Someone got a bargain.
Ahhhh thank you so much for sharing this!
With insurance quotes like that, Duncan must be well pissed off. Mind you, I would rather be 21 again paying £2,000 for insurance than an old croc ( like me!) paying £55 fully comp.
I Forgot to add the total discount in my story : in the end i will pay 6000 pounds instead of the 7200 initial price tag on the bike (including the loan fees), about the insurance i managed to find 53 pounds a month for a full insurance (through a motorcycle specialized insurance)other companies were crazy expensive
That is superb value! May I ask how old you are, Etienne?
@@tuesdayatdobbs Of course, 26 years old.
and the gen one sprint st & rs 955i.
Not government meddling. It was an industry voluntary limit of 100hp.
Which was sparked by the 105HP of the first Honda CBX.
The motorcycle manufactorer's need to lobby gov. co. to lighten up on the regulations. I hate these perpetual L plater scooter riders in London. They are reckless and a nuisance.
Why you asking if Hinckley is where Triumphs head office is? You were there yourself on this yrs distinguished gentlemans ride with The Wurks. And I'm pretty sure you mentioned its Triumphs headquarters and it was your first visit
Bear, Classic Twin 650 and Flying Flea out now. Would love to get your opinion.
Just checking up on this now!
Where those horrendous insurance quotes from the beginning Fully Comprehensive❓
My friend had a K1,great bike 🏍
I recently sold a Kawasaki Z550 to a girl . Now i have taken it back because the insurance companies wont cover her because as a new rider they are insisting that the bike has ABS . What a load of bull. That would mean that most of us mature riders would now not exist if that stupid rule had been enforced back in the day. Surly after jumping through all of the hoops that they require to pass a test they are capable of riding a bike with no ABS. If not they are not ready for our modern roads .
Surely there must be a law that prevents insurance companies from preventing anyone from getting reasonable insurance, isn't there an ombudsman that monitors things like that, isnt it a form of oppression
I am pig sick of the belly aching about how expensive bikes are - they cost about the same they did 30 years back when i was 1st legal and money was worth much less back then, FFS the average 17 year old earned about 3 quid an hour and we somehow managed to buy XR3i or bikes - my 1st legal bike was an RGV250 real sprinter, blue and white beauty - i saved and saved and borrowed to death to get my dream that was some years old and about 3 owners in and it cost me about 5500 plus it cost me 1700 to insure - 2 years later with no claims and i was on a gsxr 750 that was about 4200 and quite a few years old - again it was about 3 or 4 owner bike, the insurance was down to about 700, 2 years later i got an R1 and yes my insurance was in the 500 range, of course i could go on but what's the point? Hey mother fudders, you have it way better than we did - if you want to ride just stop looking at new bikes because you don't need them, AMAZING bikes can be had for bugger all nowadays and if you pick the right bike to lower insurance while you get no claims you will be sitting pretty, buy a cheap bike that's got a few years on it and crack on - get a new and posh bike after some years and some bloody experience....
You can go off people….25C. Hmnnn, just cancelled my subscription 😂. There has to be some investigation of motor insurance, not just for bikes but cars as well. What is going on?
Australia for road trips is terrible - mostly just ridiculously long distances over incredbily dull, straight roads.
In the UK the Motor Cycle Industry is like a dieing carcass.
All the Zombies want their little bit.
By Zombies I mean insurers , licensing and the govt . If they don't change their ways there won't be an industry left ! I wonder if thats what they want ! We know how the Government feels about bikers.
P.s all these bike shops closing down is not coincidental.
You should have tried it in the early 90s, getting ridiculous insurance quotes on a chicken-chaser 250 even with a full licence. A high quote on a nearly new 500cc bike is nothing new, believe me. 30 and married used to be the starting point to something more realistic …..
Interesting!
That Minsk is a re-badged Chinese bike.
There is ugly and there is ugly.
I remeber when the honda silverwings came out. Yes i am that old. I disliked them even more from the moment is saw
one in the flesh.
But getting older i started to like them and altho i have a older bike now. I wish i could affort one as a second bike.
But that bmw. Oh boy. That has hit every branch coming down from the ugly tree. It remainds of the tv show battlestar galaxtica. Also horrible.
But as always its just my opinion.
Ride what ever you like.
A 20 year old complaining about the cost of insuring a Ducati Multistrada? hahaha that's like a smoker complaining about the cost of health insurance. Forget the red-herrings of brick-construction lock up garage storage it's the accident risk. Coz everyone knows how rational the adolescent male brain is. (Yes, adolescent until mid 20's for males.)
Just reached 20 mins in and you say exactly the same thing Freddie. 25 yo and 2 years experience is EVERYTHING with insurance. If anyone knows the figures to support the idea and the marketing it's insurance companies. They ARE the source.