Dear Freddie. Sorry just listened to the next message re the Autistic son. Interesting. My sons Austistic, I've been a single parent with him since 1990. He's now 37. He's gone pillion since he was 10 years old. He loves it. (funny listening to him making brum brum sounds on the back). I wondered if the previous guy had tried to take his own son pillion.. Mines a natural, he tries to have lifts on other people's bikes and they all say the same. He's a, fantastic pillion.
Hi Freddie, I have a 2016 VFR1200X crosstourer. They're are a great touring bike, mine is the top spec highlander which has full luggage, heated grips, crash bars and spot lights. They are every bit as good as the equivalent BMW gs but much better value for money.
Well I finally got a bike! I'm 71 and sold my Blackbird 2 years ago. I've got all kinds of physical maladys. Wanted something smaller and lighter. Don't need fast anymore. Used bikes have been extremely expensive over here in the states, the cost has only recently started to come down. So I found a 2001 , BMW F650 Vs for $2K in Illinois (I'm on a budg, fixed low disability income) so I just love it, and I like to work on bikes so I think I got a good one!. Its running good right now though. Came with side panniers too! For only $2K! Now I'm a BMW snob Lol !
Well Freddie, I'm happy that you have finally acknowledged the Moto Guzzi V9. As an owner of one, I can tell you it's a completely under-rated bike, and I have owned all sorts of bikes from Hayabusas and Ducatis, to Suzuki DRZ400s and Vespas. In today's world of speed cameras and huge fines, there's simply no need for bikes with huge power anyway. Thanks for another year of really great content on both your channels.
So glad to hear you mention the Yamaha Super Tenere. it truly is under-appreciated. My XT1200ZES is heavy, yes, but is very well balanced, and seems to be bullet proof. For those such as myself who don't want to attempt much in the way of maintenance, the shaft drive and simplicity of design are the keystones to 100% worry free travel -- no matter the distance. In the US I've traveled almost 2,000 miles in three days on the Super Tenere in complete comfort. I even had one day covering nearly 1,000 miles in a single 13 hour stint. The weight, twin-cylinder 1200cc grunt and low center of gravity have propelled me safely through high winds, heavy rain and the buffeting of semis (lorries?) on the US highways. A glorious machine. Thank you for your channel. Very engaging. It's one of the few my wife will watch with me. 🙂
Hi Freddie, I'm an r and d engineer based in the UK. I completely understand the reasoning behind sending manufacturing facilities to china and India. The engineering facilities in these locations are decades behind and the overall quality of the bike will suffer.
For the sake of our UK/Europe manufacturing industry I wish you were correct but unfortunately you are not. There are amazing manufacturing facilities in both countries (iPhones are built in China for example) and you would be surprised how many aerospace parts are outsourced in India. But you get what you pay for and there are an awful lot of low end manufacturers. China steals R&D from everywhere but they are unfortunately already in the lead in newer technologies there too (eg. EV batteries and solar panels!).
The gold BMW - I fell in love with those aged 17 and that was me smitten for life. I’m now 63 and have had a fair few BMWs mainly the boxer engines. I’m on the RT 1250 now and it’s amazing how one bike can set the scene for a lifetime of riding. It just took me a few years to be able to afford the BMWs initially. Being older now and able to play out more I’ve just added a Moto Guzzi V 7 special to the stable. I just love the “wobble “ of the boxer and V twins
Don’t worry about your slips when talking about old stuff. We elder subscribers will keep on mentoring you. All the best to you both for the New Year 😃
Hi Freddie, don't forget that bike prices are often lower during the late autumn and winter in the UK. Prices are likely to bounce back a bit in the spring.
The mention of the Crosstourer made me think of my similar experience with my Yamaha Super Tenere. I've treated mine much like Mike, mine is now on 95,000 miles and didn't get its first valve clearance check till 80,000 miles. It does me for an average of 50mpg. I've had it for the last 65,000 miles and am just about to replace the front discs for the first tjme. I absolutely love it.
Had a Super Tenere for 10 years - shaft drive, comfortable for 2up touring, did 6K miles in 2 weeks to Nordkapp and back to UK - routine maintenance, only failure was 1 blown head light bulb. A bike for monster mileages. Have to be careful with a full tank as gets a bit top heavy but that's my only criticism.
First time Bajaj comes to Indonesia, they selling tri-cycle motor for public transportation, in other part of the world called tuk-tuk, but we called them "Bajay" here. In 2006 they start selling standard motorcycle, quite successful, but they can't beat the volume of the Japanese brand sells here in form of mopeds and scooters. I still see their variant in the streets in form of Bajaj Pulsar still roaming in 2023, a testatement to their reliability on par with Japanese brand.
The Tenere 1200 is a great bike. As is the 660. AN NC750X would be a great round-the-world bike. A Canadian bloke in Thailand has done over 280,000 km without anything going wrong. That's 175,000 miles. Try that on a BMW. I like the MG V9 Bobber. Happy New Year, Freddie. Nick
All the best to you & Monika for the New Year! Loving these podcasts & your pronunciation of motorcycles! Say it how you want. Make 2024 a year of motorcycle maintenance zen! Please, you’d love it & learn so much⭐️
You mention the GS 650 Funduro / Dakar - this dual sport BMW had the Aprilia Rotax 650 cc single pot engine that was also in the Aprilia Pegasus that I have fond memories of when I lived in Singapore and rode it across Malaysia to northern Thailand and back - wonderful trip and a very decent bike that was very reliable and fun to ride - perfect back then (25 years ago) for Asian heat and jungles (concrete and green)
Dear Freddie, first off, wonderful video. I just wanted to say thank you. Ever since I've found your channel, not only have I discovered a love for classic style motorcycles, but also have come to consider buying used bikes. For context, I am going to get my motorcycle license the coming spring. But as someone entirely new to the matter I was worried that by buying used, I would end up with a bad bike. But your videos have shown me that most people truly love their bikes and therefor take care of them. So with a little proper research I'm now confident I can also find a second hand bike in good condition. At least once I actually come around to buy one. Until then, I'll keep enjoying your videos.
If you are buying privately, meeting and chatting to the seller together with looking at the bikes condition will usually give you a good indication of what you are buying. Bikers generally love their bikes it's mostly not the same as buying a car. 😊
Hi Freddie, I would not be to worried about pronunciations, such as Hamalayan, Tenere etc... Look at the way the French pronounce the name of their capital: Pahree, yet we will never call it anything other than Pairiss. It is reasonable spelled to meet both languages, Paris. Different languages have always pronounced names differently. There is no wrong or right. Thanks for the show
I loved my super tenere 1200. Had it for 1 year, put 20kkm on it and visited 13 countries with it. Amazing bike. I sold it, because i wanted to ride more offroad and bought a f 800 st for the street and a xr 650 r for offorad. As soon as im done with university i will buy a super tenere again as my daily bike. This time a facelift with the electronic suspension. Edit: I forgot to mention, that I bought it with 40kkm on the clock and sold it one year later with bent rims some scratches and 20kkm more for 400€ less then I bought it for.
Hi Freddie Love your videos - you give such a concise and thorough test of the bikes you ride. You are a natural in front of the camera and you present in such a natural way. Keep up with the great content 😊
Hi Freddie, something different, i just got a 06 400 burghman scooter in mint condition with handguards, heated grip ,higher screen for £1000, going touring on it next year .
I had a 2019 MotoGuzzi V9 bobber with the 850 64bhp engine as a second bike. It was great fun and ample power for most things but it would run out of steam on the motorway with a pillion when needing to overtake. I only sold the bike after its first service and the dealer failed to tighten both heads and the the exhaust system. I'm still waiting for them to call me back to put it right! It was traded for a Triumph 1200 speed twin. When you own a bike you have to have good service from the dealer. They company is no longer a Guzzi dealer. The v9 bobber was a head turner. People always came over to talk to me about the bike; even car and bus drivers would wind their windows down at traffic lights to find out what I was riding
I don't think you can go wrong with either Honda or Yamaha, the 1200 Tenere would be good travelling two up with full luggage. If solo the Fundaro 650 is more nimble, early ones were carburettor and reliable, even Ted Simon had one for a while. I think secondhand prices are generally going down finally as cost of living bites and possible recession/stagnation.
You're right Freddie, prices are falling off a cliff and 2024 will see more of that. Prices will bounce back especially as classics like the CB750/4's turn 50. A good time to buy but be quick as we might never see these prices again.
I think a lot of folk especially people in the middle class are terrified of what the economy will be like in the next ~3 years or so. They are being very careful where they spend their money. The global economy is in a massive flux and may well continue to do so as the ever more frequently predicted/reported collapse/shrink of the Chinese economy rolls out, Russian aggression continues on, and housing remains out of reach for many millennials. Motorcycles, at the the end of the day are a hobby or a luxury item somewhere below owning a boat, but above home brewing or fancy smokers (insert your own $1-3k hobby here). I think we are likely nearing the end of a motorcycle golden age, where build quality, performance, safety, design, and price are all more or less aligned. If I had to guess one or more of those is going to plummet in the coming years. Shipping all the manufacturing to China is likely going to provide better pricing, but I also am willing to bet quality, and innovation is going to plummet as well. "Now" may indeed be your last chance to purchase a new, quality, fairly priced motorcycle for a long time to come. The upside is that it may usher in an era of customization, and motorcycle repair akin to the 60s-70s chopper era.
At a gas station a few months ago in California I saw a 1980 Honda Goldwing with matching sidecar that was beautiful. There was an aftermarket company that had made them. I spoke to the guy and he said he handled really well and he loved it. There are options in the US on the used market. There are some out there.
Ural Motorcycles was a Soviet organisation, but now headquartered in Redmond, Washington and the bikes assembled in Kazakhstan since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Hi Freddie, watch Mario ADV . He's content has amazing views. I started watching in-between watching Tuesday @ dobs and your Sunday mornings. Best of luck for the new year both 👍
i had an Honda NC700x and a Honda nc750X DCT both sold this year in less than 1 week for a normal price. Don't see the issue.. BTW we had absolutely ZERO issues with them.
A quick addendum, the 650 GS, was designed and built alongside the Aprilla Pegaso 650. Identical in every way, except styling. In my eyes, a much better styling job. That's the one to go for, if you can find a good one.
The first production bikes with fuel injection were Kawasaki's GPz1100 and Z1300, around 1981-2. BMW themselves launched the fuel-injected K100 series in 1983, which later (1989) spawned the streamlined K1 as featured in your video.
Hey Freddie! Hope you and Monica have a wonderful New Year! I’d LOVE a Ural setup. So different & unusual. I would have to paint it up as a German WWII Sidecar Outfit with machine gun & spare petrol tanks 👌🏻👍🏻
My wife,s bike and mine. R1100gs and f650gs, 160,000 miles as a pair. Bought for under £3k together. Hoot to ride. Cheap to own, easy to fix (bar the big GS clutch and the overpriced spares).
I'm glad you've acknowledged that asking prices for vehicles (or any used items for that matter) are often unrealistically high. Having been in the auction business for many years it's common for private vendors to have an inflated idea of an item's value. A trade vendor will be much more realistic. As you say it's only worth what someone is prepared to pay for it. When you're looking at a vehicle's value see what they sell for rather than the asking price. Don't forget if it's a private purchase there will be no warranty or guarantees so prices should be lower than a dealer's price where the vehicle will invariably give some warranty.
moving production facilities to China and India is a short term gain and a huge long term loss. how long do you expect people to be happy paying extra for a klm badged cfmoto ? or triump badged bajaj ? as money tightens is the badge so important when it really is just cosmetic now.
Spoke the Ural staff at motorcycle live in November, UK prices are 22k 😳 Very cool looking off road focused setup but surely you have to be minted to afford a toy that pricey!
There was a Ural enthusiast at the hospital where I trained as a nurse, back in the 80s. He had 2 or 3 combos and, as he was also a student nurse, I doubt that he paid more than £2000 for all 3 of them? I did see the new bikes at the NEC and was stunned at the prices.
Freddie - just a point: Range Rover prices are in free fall right now because they are easy to steal (apparently) and much in demand as complete cars and as parts worldwide. So the insurance rates for them are rocketing, especially in London. Obviously, this is reflected in vehicle values.
I sold a1975 Kawasaki Z1B 900 i restored for £10k, the dealer has been trying to sell it for £20k for at least two years. A KZ1000 LTD i sold for £3k is in another dealers for £5995, been there for a year, and a 1973 Harley Sportster XLCH i sold for £3,800 is in a dealers for £5995. On the other hand, I bought a bargain of a Kawasaki ZZR1200 (Privately)for just £2k. It's very clean with the best service history iv'e ever seen. Classics are over priced.
When dalias parents bought their village house there was a Ural combo left in the garage. I believe they pushed it out for space and just gave it away to a neighbour They were always considered low end like MZ and CZ were the 'Chinese' bikes of the day
Sold a lot of stuff over the years, from mopeds to a 1970 Ford 9000 fire engine. Rarely has it taken more than a week. You cant use current ads to value something. Most are overpriced an will never sell for that. You need to look at sold ads. The "sold" ads are a decent indicator of value even though they likely sold slightly cheaper than that price. If you use those to price your stuff, you will save yourself a lot of haste. An if you are buying, using those sold ads keeps you from overpaying.
Freddie I remember those Urals being flogged in the U.K. back in the mid 1970 ‘s here in the U.K. . They had various names like Neval , Cossack or Ural made in what was then the USSR & carried a subsidy from communist government . They were based on captured German BWW ‘s from WW2 , & came with a full crate of tools & some spares . They needed them as they were an absolute crock of sh💩t . I knew a bloke who bought one brand new at time for a few hundred quid . It blew its guts all over the hard shoulder of the M53 on the way to the then new Mersey tunnel . Turn the clocks forward to present day , they have been fitted with electric ignition & more upgraded parts & electrics & now a much sort after proposition , but also carrying a price tag to match . They are the Land Rover of the sidecar jockeys world. 👍
With regards to the Urals, I believe they have a very low power output. Look great though. I have ridden a combination. Mine was a Honda CX500 with a 1950s Watsonian single seat sidecar. It had good power, would easily do 80 mph (130kph). It would get plenty of looks too. However, be warned, riding a bike with a sidecar has very little in common with riding a solo bike. The handling is so unatural. Hard work to steer, handling is very clumsy. I removed the side car, put new tyres on and had a great solo touring bike, making two european trips from Essex to the south of France (2 up) and Essex to Benidorm. I wish your viewer well with his plans to take his son motorcycling.
Insurance companies KILLING CLASSICS. cars you mentioned should be sold easily but if that s8 or S2 are max insurance group... they will never be sold. remeber looking at WRX when they were about 3,5 -4,5 k£ but my isurance quote was 3k£ (I had 10 yeard NCD)
It's funny that we see old classics that we used to drive around in, with rose tinted glasses. While the concept of them were great, those Gordini's and the Renault 5 Turbo were extremely unreliable.
Surely where a bike is made shouldn't be an issue. The manufacturer will of exported the whole manufacturing process abroad, with machines, technology and importantly quality control. All that is different are the workers but if they are taught the manufacturing process and strict quality control, does this matter. I know it maybe different with British made things but that is because we are patriotic and want our own manufacturing to thrive, rather than a quality issue.
I've seen so many Great bikes from Italy 🇮🇹 Germany 🇩🇪 England 🇬🇧 Austria 🇦🇹 Spain 🇪🇸 Japan 🇯🇵 bikes built in the 60s 70s 80s 90s and sadly they all seem to have got rid of their loyal work forces, their own people and moved to India 🇮🇳 and China 🇨🇳 for cheap labour. No ones allowed no mention cheap labour and will these bikes be about in 40 years 🙄 My heart goes out to the 300 local Austrians who thought they were part of the hugely successful KTM Community.
It will be interesting to see if all these cost saving moves to manufacture bikes in India will result in cheaper new bikes, or is it just a move to increase profits. Hopefully the savings are just on labour.
An old neighbor of mine who had lost a leg because of diabetes. He had a Ural with a side car. He loved it. He died about 6 months later but he enjoyed the life he had left.
Seems strange that Pierer Mobility are moving R&D to China and India while Royal Enfield moved R&D to the U.K. I understand it’s to reduce manufacturing costs, but I doubt that will translate into lower prices of the bikes to the customer. It’s more about maximising profit and is incredibly short sighted as in the west we have given away too much of our manufacturing base already and we will continue our decline as what’s left is transferred to India and China.
Your pronunciation of bikes doesn’t offend me but the way you said “Loch Lomond” in a recent episode was a shambles ! Also, I’ve never heard of anyone saying they got a discount or even a saving from a private sale. Actually I always mistakenly thought Urals originated from war reparations but apparently the Soviets copied a BMW pre WW2 either by unauthorised reverse engineering or there’s another story whereby they were officially supplied with blueprints etc.
I heard that Ural parts are an issue due to embargo on Russia as a result of the Ukraine war. Also heard of reliability issues so parts supply is a consideration.
Who wants to buy Chinese made KTM or Italian motorcycles? NOT ME! I own a Chinese made KYMCO Agility 125 scooter. It works. With about 5000 miles on it, the suspension is harsh. The rear fender bracket broke and a front fender screw and a rear fender bolt have fallen out. There is a little shudder that started in the transmission when it was at about 4000 miles. It might be the clutch or something to do with the variator. I hope that it will keep working until I can afford something different. Ural's seem cool. They have many people who say that they are junk. Others say they are reliable. Do research.
TGE SWM Stormbreaker sure looks a clone. The emission requirements prohibited Harley Davidson from selling its air cooled engines. Harley Davidson agreed to buy back my 2022 Nightster after its significant problems. I bought a 2023 Harley Davidson Street Bob.
2016 on the original battery is not that unusual mines a 2014 and I'm still on the original battery. Last car battery lasted 15 years on a ford focus. It was 80ah on a 2008 ford focus diesel
As well as loving my bikes I also love a luxo-barge car. I closely follow Bentley prices and trust me, they are almost all overpriced. This is obvious by the fact the same vehicle is often on Auto-Trader for a year or more....
Is £4k really that amazing for what is a almost 15 year old bike. And just a single cylinder 650. They don't really have a lot of go and for £111 road tax its rather pricey. Were they even £5k new ? Its not a KTM after all i remember when they we're only just over £6k 640lc etc or maybe an early 690 enduro Rc
I sincerely hope that MV Agusta does not go the same way as Benelli. Italian bikes (and usually cars) have character and style that comes from idiosyncrasies that are not perfect but they reflect Italians' love of life, so their designs are not based on pure logic. I can see how KTM and GasGas can succeed with Chinese led design and cheap manufacture, but I don't think it will work for Italian bikes which you by with your heart as much as your head.
Urals were very cheap and nasty in the 80's. Can't believe the prices of them now 😅. Buy a used Japanese 500/650 twin and put a cheap single seat sidecar on it.😊
Ural stole the engine in the WWII from BMW. And practically no, or very little, development has taken place since on the Ural engine. Ural is far from as sturdy as some other European and Japanese adventure bikes when going through creeks, in sand, deep into forrests or into muddy roads. It is a cheap bike and the price reflects the quality. Ural actually used to be manufactured in Russia but at the occupation of Ukraine, they moved the manufacturing to another EX-Soviet country south of Russia. China has a production of one or two very similar WWII-BMW copies.
Most of the vehicles you showed were overpriced to start with and probably still are, also most are too expensive to insure especially with the recent rise in insurance premiums, as for anything Land rover, insurance has gone through the roof. The only item you showed that was even close to realistic was the Honda cb750 and these are fairly easy to find imported from the USA so unless it's a bargain nobody will buy this time of the year unless they are looking to restore it over the winter.
Dear Freddie. Once again, re KTM. Short sighted business decisions. With China flexing it's military and economic power. Make cheap sell dear. Feel sorry for the Austrian staff losing their jobs.
Ural has two origin stories. They claim they bought the rights to build BMWs before WWII and they claim they reverse engineered them from post war BMWs. Close inspection of them will reveal there’s a bit of truth to both. Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Ural has moved construction to Kyrgyzstan and their headquarters to Redmond, Washington USA. 😮 I watched them for years. Each year they claimed that they fixed all the problems of the previous year! Finally, in 2017 they announced new colors! No design fixes! So I bought one. I would not own an older one, even for free. The first thing I learned is that anyone who has ridden a few miles with a sidecar has no idea what they are talking about. It is some of the most fun I’ve had on a motorcycle! BUT, be prepared to go slower than you ever have before. That ancient boxer 750 is pushing a really heavy outfit. The slightest hill will have you crawling along blocking traffic. Horrible gas mileage too. 2 wheel drive is only for off road. On dry pavement you go straight. There’s no differential so both wheels travel at the same speed. Reverse gear, unlike Honda and BMW, is an actual gear and you can go stupidly fast! Any large cruiser with aftermarket sidecar attached would be a better choice 90% of the time.
I think its more to do with a broken country, soup kitchens and food banks, nobody except the very rich have spare cash for luxury toys anymore in the UK. We are no longer living in the. 90s boom times, we are now an island cut of from Europe and those of us who saw this coming are told to suck it up. Welcome to the new land of the free but ay what price. 😢
Dear Freddie. Sorry just listened to the next message re the Autistic son. Interesting. My sons Austistic, I've been a single parent with him since 1990. He's now 37. He's gone pillion since he was 10 years old. He loves it. (funny listening to him making brum brum sounds on the back). I wondered if the previous guy had tried to take his own son pillion.. Mines a natural, he tries to have lifts on other people's bikes and they all say the same. He's a, fantastic pillion.
Very interesting- I’ll pin this comment, thank you for this🙂🙌🏻
Hi Freddie, I have a 2016 VFR1200X crosstourer. They're are a great touring bike, mine is the top spec highlander which has full luggage, heated grips, crash bars and spot lights. They are every bit as good as the equivalent BMW gs but much better value for money.
Agree with you mate I have a 2012 crosstourer and it’s a keeper. Hondas best kept secret and went under the radar.
Well I finally got a bike! I'm 71 and sold my Blackbird 2 years ago. I've got all kinds of physical maladys. Wanted something smaller and lighter. Don't need fast anymore. Used bikes have been extremely expensive over here in the states, the cost has only recently started to come down. So I found a 2001 , BMW F650 Vs for $2K in Illinois (I'm on a budg, fixed low disability income) so I just love it, and I like to work on bikes so I think I got a good one!. Its running good right now though. Came with side panniers too! For only $2K! Now I'm a BMW snob Lol !
Well Freddie, I'm happy that you have finally acknowledged the Moto Guzzi V9. As an owner of one, I can tell you it's a completely under-rated bike, and I have owned all sorts of bikes from Hayabusas and Ducatis, to Suzuki DRZ400s and Vespas. In today's world of speed cameras and huge fines, there's simply no need for bikes with huge power anyway. Thanks for another year of really great content on both your channels.
So glad to hear you mention the Yamaha Super Tenere. it truly is under-appreciated. My XT1200ZES is heavy, yes, but is very well balanced, and seems to be bullet proof. For those such as myself who don't want to attempt much in the way of maintenance, the shaft drive and simplicity of design are the keystones to 100% worry free travel -- no matter the distance. In the US I've traveled almost 2,000 miles in three days on the Super Tenere in complete comfort. I even had one day covering nearly 1,000 miles in a single 13 hour stint. The weight, twin-cylinder 1200cc grunt and low center of gravity have propelled me safely through high winds, heavy rain and the buffeting of semis (lorries?) on the US highways. A glorious machine. Thank you for your channel. Very engaging. It's one of the few my wife will watch with me. 🙂
Hi Freddie, I'm an r and d engineer based in the UK. I completely understand the reasoning behind sending manufacturing facilities to china and India. The engineering facilities in these locations are decades behind and the overall quality of the bike will suffer.
For the sake of our UK/Europe manufacturing industry I wish you were correct but unfortunately you are not. There are amazing manufacturing facilities in both countries (iPhones are built in China for example) and you would be surprised how many aerospace parts are outsourced in India. But you get what you pay for and there are an awful lot of low end manufacturers. China steals R&D from everywhere but they are unfortunately already in the lead in newer technologies there too (eg. EV batteries and solar panels!).
The gold BMW - I fell in love with those aged 17 and that was me smitten for life. I’m now 63 and have had a fair few BMWs mainly the boxer engines. I’m on the RT 1250 now and it’s amazing how one bike can set the scene for a lifetime of riding. It just took me a few years to be able to afford the BMWs initially. Being older now and able to play out more I’ve just added a Moto Guzzi V 7 special to the stable. I just love the “wobble “ of the boxer and V twins
Don’t worry about your slips when talking about old stuff. We elder subscribers will keep on mentoring you. All the best to you both for the New Year 😃
Hi Freddie, don't forget that bike prices are often lower during the late autumn and winter in the UK. Prices are likely to bounce back a bit in the spring.
The mention of the Crosstourer made me think of my similar experience with my Yamaha Super Tenere. I've treated mine much like Mike, mine is now on 95,000 miles and didn't get its first valve clearance check till 80,000 miles. It does me for an average of 50mpg. I've had it for the last 65,000 miles and am just about to replace the front discs for the first tjme. I absolutely love it.
Had a Super Tenere for 10 years - shaft drive, comfortable for 2up touring, did 6K miles in 2 weeks to Nordkapp and back to UK - routine maintenance, only failure was 1 blown head light bulb. A bike for monster mileages. Have to be careful with a full tank as gets a bit top heavy but that's my only criticism.
First time Bajaj comes to Indonesia, they selling tri-cycle motor for public transportation, in other part of the world called tuk-tuk, but we called them "Bajay" here.
In 2006 they start selling standard motorcycle, quite successful, but they can't beat the volume of the Japanese brand sells here in form of mopeds and scooters.
I still see their variant in the streets in form of Bajaj Pulsar still roaming in 2023, a testatement to their reliability on par with Japanese brand.
The Tenere 1200 is a great bike. As is the 660. AN NC750X would be a great round-the-world bike. A Canadian bloke in Thailand has done over 280,000 km without anything going wrong. That's 175,000 miles. Try that on a BMW. I like the MG V9 Bobber.
Happy New Year, Freddie. Nick
Freddie! That was my 660 Tenere you highlighted-it’s a great bike, totally reliable and imposing on road or track. Think I should have kept it!
All the best to you & Monika for the New Year! Loving these podcasts & your pronunciation of motorcycles! Say it how you want. Make 2024 a year of motorcycle maintenance zen! Please, you’d love it & learn so much⭐️
You mention the GS 650 Funduro / Dakar - this dual sport BMW had the Aprilia Rotax 650 cc single pot engine that was also in the Aprilia Pegasus that I have fond memories of when I lived in Singapore and rode it across Malaysia to northern Thailand and back - wonderful trip and a very decent bike that was very reliable and fun to ride - perfect back then (25 years ago) for Asian heat and jungles (concrete and green)
My Brother-in-law owns a 2010 Super Tenets 1200 he swears by the bike ultra reliable, and comfortable.
Dear Freddie, first off, wonderful video. I just wanted to say thank you. Ever since I've found your channel, not only have I discovered a love for classic style motorcycles, but also have come to consider buying used bikes. For context, I am going to get my motorcycle license the coming spring. But as someone entirely new to the matter I was worried that by buying used, I would end up with a bad bike. But your videos have shown me that most people truly love their bikes and therefor take care of them. So with a little proper research I'm now confident I can also find a second hand bike in good condition. At least once I actually come around to buy one. Until then, I'll keep enjoying your videos.
If you are buying privately, meeting and chatting to the seller together with looking at the bikes condition will usually give you a good indication of what you are buying. Bikers generally love their bikes it's mostly not the same as buying a car. 😊
*When a bike's part fails, the rider is her/his own crumple zone.* Proper maintenance is a prerequisite to riding, always.
Hi Freddie, I would not be to worried about pronunciations, such as Hamalayan, Tenere etc... Look at the way the French pronounce the name of their capital: Pahree, yet we will never call it anything other than Pairiss. It is reasonable spelled to meet both languages, Paris.
Different languages have always pronounced names differently. There is no wrong or right.
Thanks for the show
I loved my super tenere 1200. Had it for 1 year, put 20kkm on it and visited 13 countries with it. Amazing bike. I sold it, because i wanted to ride more offroad and bought a f 800 st for the street and a xr 650 r for offorad. As soon as im done with university i will buy a super tenere again as my daily bike. This time a facelift with the electronic suspension.
Edit:
I forgot to mention, that I bought it with 40kkm on the clock and sold it one year later with bent rims some scratches and 20kkm more for 400€ less then I bought it for.
Hi Freddie
Love your videos - you give such a concise and thorough test of the bikes you ride. You are a natural in front of the camera and you present in such a natural way. Keep up with the great content 😊
I have a 1991 Kawasaki Voyager. They can be bought for around £3,000 and I reckon you and Mrs Dobbs would love the bike....so comfortable.
Paul with his BMW K1 must have forgotten about the K100 from 1983, mine had fuel injection (Bosch Jetronic) as did they all!
Cheers Alistair 👍
Hi Freddie, something different, i just got a 06 400 burghman scooter in mint condition with handguards, heated grip ,higher screen for £1000, going touring on it next year .
Such a good deal! I bet this’ll be a supreme toured- I have zero doubt
@@tuesdayatdobbs thanks Freddie, taking it over to Ireland, I also have a nice cb500 and a nice 97 vfr750
I had a 2019 MotoGuzzi V9 bobber with the 850 64bhp engine as a second bike. It was great fun and ample power for most things but it would run out of steam on the motorway with a pillion when needing to overtake. I only sold the bike after its first service and the dealer failed to tighten both heads and the the exhaust system. I'm still waiting for them to call me back to put it right! It was traded for a Triumph 1200 speed twin. When you own a bike you have to have good service from the dealer. They company is no longer a Guzzi dealer. The v9 bobber was a head turner. People always came over to talk to me about the bike; even car and bus drivers would wind their windows down at traffic lights to find out what I was riding
I don't think you can go wrong with either Honda or Yamaha, the 1200 Tenere would be good travelling two up with full luggage. If solo the Fundaro 650 is more nimble, early ones were carburettor and reliable, even Ted Simon had one for a while. I think secondhand prices are generally going down finally as cost of living bites and possible recession/stagnation.
You're right Freddie, prices are falling off a cliff and 2024 will see more of that. Prices will bounce back especially as classics like the CB750/4's turn 50. A good time to buy but be quick as we might never see these prices again.
I think a lot of folk especially people in the middle class are terrified of what the economy will be like in the next ~3 years or so. They are being very careful where they spend their money. The global economy is in a massive flux and may well continue to do so as the ever more frequently predicted/reported collapse/shrink of the Chinese economy rolls out, Russian aggression continues on, and housing remains out of reach for many millennials. Motorcycles, at the the end of the day are a hobby or a luxury item somewhere below owning a boat, but above home brewing or fancy smokers (insert your own $1-3k hobby here).
I think we are likely nearing the end of a motorcycle golden age, where build quality, performance, safety, design, and price are all more or less aligned. If I had to guess one or more of those is going to plummet in the coming years. Shipping all the manufacturing to China is likely going to provide better pricing, but I also am willing to bet quality, and innovation is going to plummet as well. "Now" may indeed be your last chance to purchase a new, quality, fairly priced motorcycle for a long time to come. The upside is that it may usher in an era of customization, and motorcycle repair akin to the 60s-70s chopper era.
At a gas station a few months ago in California I saw a 1980 Honda Goldwing with matching sidecar that was beautiful. There was an aftermarket company that had made them. I spoke to the guy and he said he handled really well and he loved it. There are options in the US on the used market. There are some out there.
Ural Motorcycles was a Soviet organisation, but now headquartered in Redmond, Washington and the bikes assembled in Kazakhstan since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Hi Freddie, watch Mario ADV . He's content has amazing views. I started watching in-between watching Tuesday @ dobs and your Sunday mornings. Best of luck for the new year both 👍
i had an Honda NC700x and a Honda nc750X DCT both sold this year in less than 1 week for a normal price. Don't see the issue.. BTW we had absolutely ZERO issues with them.
Bikes and beards have done a brilliant review of the Ural.
Agreed 👍
A quick addendum, the 650 GS, was designed and built alongside the Aprilla Pegaso 650. Identical in every way, except styling. In my eyes, a much better styling job. That's the one to go for, if you can find a good one.
The first production bikes with fuel injection were Kawasaki's GPz1100 and Z1300, around 1981-2. BMW themselves launched the fuel-injected K100 series in 1983, which later (1989) spawned the streamlined K1 as featured in your video.
Kawasaki made a Z1000 fuel injection in 1980. In the UK black tank with gold and white pin stripes. Lovely bike.
Z1000 H.
Hey Freddie! Hope you and Monica have a wonderful New Year! I’d LOVE a Ural setup. So different & unusual. I would have to paint it up as a German WWII Sidecar Outfit with machine gun & spare petrol tanks 👌🏻👍🏻
wishing you well for 2024
My wife,s bike and mine.
R1100gs and f650gs, 160,000 miles as a pair. Bought for under £3k together.
Hoot to ride. Cheap to own, easy to fix (bar the big GS clutch and the overpriced spares).
Freddie, any news on the Bonneville yet?
I'm glad you've acknowledged that asking prices for vehicles (or any used items for that matter) are often unrealistically high. Having been in the auction business for many years it's common for private vendors to have an inflated idea of an item's value. A trade vendor will be much more realistic. As you say it's only worth what someone is prepared to pay for it.
When you're looking at a vehicle's value see what they sell for rather than the asking price.
Don't forget if it's a private purchase there will be no warranty or guarantees so prices should be lower than a dealer's price where the vehicle will invariably give some warranty.
moving production facilities to China and India is a short term gain and a huge long term loss. how long do you expect people to be happy paying extra for a klm badged cfmoto ? or triump badged bajaj ? as money tightens is the badge so important when it really is just cosmetic now.
Hi Freddie/ Monika , any updates on your Triumph ?
Spoke the Ural staff at motorcycle live in November, UK prices are 22k 😳 Very cool looking off road focused setup but surely you have to be minted to afford a toy that pricey!
That is colossal money😳 I had no idea they were at EICMA
There was a Ural enthusiast at the hospital where I trained as a nurse, back in the 80s. He had 2 or 3 combos and, as he was also a student nurse, I doubt that he paid more than £2000 for all 3 of them? I did see the new bikes at the NEC and was stunned at the prices.
Awful bikes and you could get one for a few hundred pound in the 80's but no one wanted them. Now they're £22,000!! 🤣
Nice RS that gold is my favorite color. I had a chance to buy one in that color but it was a bit of a project bike and I already have enough projects.
Freddie - just a point: Range Rover prices are in free fall right now because they are easy to steal (apparently) and much in demand as complete cars and as parts worldwide. So the insurance rates for them are rocketing, especially in London. Obviously, this is reflected in vehicle values.
Yep thanks mainly to key less ignition isn’t technically brilliant 🤣
Old RR Classics are a different kettle of fish. They are in demand, for a decent rot free one, at the right price 😉
I sold a1975 Kawasaki Z1B 900 i restored for £10k, the dealer has been trying to sell it for £20k for at least two years. A KZ1000 LTD i sold for £3k is in another dealers for £5995, been there for a year, and a 1973 Harley Sportster XLCH i sold for £3,800 is in a dealers for £5995. On the other hand, I bought a bargain of a Kawasaki ZZR1200 (Privately)for just £2k. It's very clean with the best service history iv'e ever seen. Classics are over priced.
Hi Freddie check out Greenwich new years eve it's lovely there and you get to see the fireworks
When dalias parents bought their village house there was a Ural combo left in the garage.
I believe they pushed it out for space and just gave it away to a neighbour
They were always considered low end like MZ and CZ were the 'Chinese' bikes of the day
Good episode
Sold a lot of stuff over the years, from mopeds to a 1970 Ford 9000 fire engine. Rarely has it taken more than a week. You cant use current ads to value something. Most are overpriced an will never sell for that. You need to look at sold ads. The "sold" ads are a decent indicator of value even though they likely sold slightly cheaper than that price. If you use those to price your stuff, you will save yourself a lot of haste. An if you are buying, using those sold ads keeps you from overpaying.
All the used bikes you introduced, BMWs, Honda, are much more expensive here in Germany. Incredible.
Freddie, the correct way to say Ural is "ooo-rall" My Russian wife has told me so 😊
Freddie I remember those Urals being flogged in the U.K. back in the mid 1970 ‘s here in the U.K. . They had various names like Neval , Cossack or Ural made in what was then the USSR & carried a subsidy from communist government . They were based on captured German BWW ‘s from WW2 , & came with a full crate of tools & some spares . They needed them as they were an absolute crock of sh💩t . I knew a bloke who bought one brand new at time for a few hundred quid . It blew its guts all over the hard shoulder of the M53 on the way to the then new Mersey tunnel . Turn the clocks forward to present day , they have been fitted with electric ignition & more upgraded parts & electrics & now a much sort after proposition , but also carrying a price tag to match . They are the Land Rover of the sidecar jockeys world. 👍
Ironically, it's pronunciation not pronounciation. 😅
Damn it! Thank you Richard (mental note now engrained in my mind)
With regards to the Urals, I believe they have a very low power output. Look great though. I have ridden a combination. Mine was a Honda CX500 with a 1950s Watsonian single seat sidecar. It had good power, would easily do 80 mph (130kph). It would get plenty of looks too. However, be warned, riding a bike with a sidecar has very little in common with riding a solo bike. The handling is so unatural. Hard work to steer, handling is very clumsy. I removed the side car, put new tyres on and had a great solo touring bike, making two european trips from Essex to the south of France (2 up) and Essex to Benidorm. I wish your viewer well with his plans to take his son motorcycling.
Insurance companies KILLING CLASSICS. cars you mentioned should be sold easily but if that s8 or S2 are max insurance group... they will never be sold. remeber looking at WRX when they were about 3,5 -4,5 k£ but my isurance quote was 3k£ (I had 10 yeard NCD)
Would love a Renault 5 Gordini - had one in mid 80s when I was a cop in London
WOW!! What a car to have owned- they look incredible⚡️
It's funny that we see old classics that we used to drive around in, with rose tinted glasses. While the concept of them were great, those Gordini's and the Renault 5 Turbo were extremely unreliable.
Surely where a bike is made shouldn't be an issue. The manufacturer will of exported the whole manufacturing process abroad, with machines, technology and importantly quality control. All that is different are the workers but if they are taught the manufacturing process and strict quality control, does this matter.
I know it maybe different with British made things but that is because we are patriotic and want our own manufacturing to thrive, rather than a quality issue.
I've seen so many Great bikes from Italy 🇮🇹 Germany 🇩🇪 England 🇬🇧 Austria 🇦🇹 Spain 🇪🇸 Japan 🇯🇵 bikes built in the 60s 70s 80s 90s
and sadly they all seem to have got rid of their loyal work forces, their own people and moved to India 🇮🇳 and China 🇨🇳 for cheap labour.
No ones allowed no mention cheap labour and will these bikes be about in 40 years 🙄
My heart goes out to the 300 local Austrians who thought they were part of the hugely successful KTM Community.
Talking about copying, look at the history of Douglas motocycles,
Flat twin shaft drive
Also in 1923 disc brakes.
It will be interesting to see if all these cost saving moves to manufacture bikes in India will result in cheaper new bikes, or is it just a move to increase profits. Hopefully the savings are just on labour.
Urals are expensive.
FWIW Royal Alloy about to launch sidecars for their scooters.
An old neighbor of mine who had lost a leg because of diabetes. He had a Ural with a side car. He loved it. He died about 6 months later but he enjoyed the life he had left.
‘Helmet into a bush’ 🥹
The K1 wasn't the first motorcycle to feature fuel injection, by many, many years!
@christga100 I has a 200 C1, what a laugh it was! It was very top heavy though. Kids used to point at you all the time and laugh 🤣
Seems strange that Pierer Mobility are moving R&D to China and India while Royal Enfield moved R&D to the U.K. I understand it’s to reduce manufacturing costs, but I doubt that will translate into lower prices of the bikes to the customer. It’s more about maximising profit and is incredibly short sighted as in the west we have given away too much of our manufacturing base already and we will continue our decline as what’s left is transferred to India and China.
How about Norton Manx curious to know😮
I've seen a guy on a triumph t120 with a side car, I don't think he made that himself, so i think there's a way to get these done
TEN-R-RAY, say it, TEN-R-RAY !!!!!!!
The Fiero is now a classic niche car
I bet the chap with the newer B.M.W. would not do the same in fact was he on the phone to the A.A. or R.A.C. ???
Your pronunciation of bikes doesn’t offend me but the way you said “Loch Lomond” in a recent episode was a shambles ! Also, I’ve never heard of anyone saying they got a discount or even a saving from a private sale.
Actually I always mistakenly thought Urals originated from war reparations but apparently the Soviets copied a BMW pre WW2 either by unauthorised reverse engineering or there’s another story whereby they were officially supplied with blueprints etc.
I heard that Ural parts are an issue due to embargo on Russia as a result of the Ukraine war. Also heard of reliability issues so parts supply is a consideration.
If the xtz1200z is the thinking mans GS just goes to show that buying motorcycles and thinking are not synonymous.
Who wants to buy Chinese made KTM or Italian motorcycles? NOT ME! I own a Chinese made KYMCO Agility 125 scooter. It works. With about 5000 miles on it, the suspension is harsh. The rear fender bracket broke and a front fender screw and a rear fender bolt have fallen out. There is a little shudder that started in the transmission when it was at about 4000 miles. It might be the clutch or something to do with the variator. I hope that it will keep working until I can afford something different.
Ural's seem cool. They have many people who say that they are junk. Others say they are reliable. Do research.
Hi Freddie, re. fuels. What ethanol percentage will allow bikes to reclassify as 'hay-burners'? : )
How's the book coming on?
I really don't care where a bike is made it's the quality of the end product that matters.
TGE SWM Stormbreaker sure looks a clone. The emission requirements prohibited Harley Davidson from selling its air cooled engines. Harley Davidson agreed to buy back my 2022 Nightster after its significant problems. I bought a 2023 Harley Davidson Street Bob.
2016 on the original battery is not that unusual mines a 2014 and I'm still on the original battery. Last car battery lasted 15 years on a ford focus. It was 80ah on a 2008 ford focus diesel
Freddie look up S W M Stormbreaker.....at EICMA 2023
Checking now
As well as loving my bikes I also love a luxo-barge car. I closely follow Bentley prices and trust me, they are almost all overpriced. This is obvious by the fact the same vehicle is often on Auto-Trader for a year or more....
B.M.W. and parts was this chap Joking ??
MG moving to the East? Like RE,Gold Star and Triumph and HD even the Japanese are building in China
Is £4k really that amazing for what is a almost 15 year old bike. And just a single cylinder 650. They don't really have a lot of go and for £111 road tax its rather pricey. Were they even £5k new ? Its not a KTM after all i remember when they we're only just over £6k 640lc etc or maybe an early 690 enduro Rc
Any company offshoring to China without taking into consideration the current geopolitical climate might be in for a rude shock.
Another year other and deeper in debt. But just what we needed, an MV made in China coming soon..oh no.
I sincerely hope that MV Agusta does not go the same way as Benelli. Italian bikes (and usually cars) have character and style that comes from idiosyncrasies that are not perfect but they reflect Italians' love of life, so their designs are not based on pure logic. I can see how KTM and GasGas can succeed with Chinese led design and cheap manufacture, but I don't think it will work for Italian bikes which you by with your heart as much as your head.
That 1991 Range Rover is worth at least £3000 😃 (With a full warranty obviously).
Urals were very cheap and nasty in the 80's. Can't believe the prices of them now 😅.
Buy a used Japanese 500/650 twin and put a cheap single seat sidecar on it.😊
Speaking of 'pronunciation', it's PRONUNCIATION, NOT PRONOUNCIATION.
Ural stole the engine in the WWII from BMW. And practically no, or very little, development has taken place since on the Ural engine.
Ural is far from as sturdy as some other European and Japanese adventure bikes when going through creeks, in sand, deep into forrests or into muddy roads.
It is a cheap bike and the price reflects the quality.
Ural actually used to be manufactured in Russia but at the occupation of Ukraine, they moved the manufacturing to another EX-Soviet country south of Russia.
China has a production of one or two very similar WWII-BMW copies.
Most of the vehicles you showed were overpriced to start with and probably still are, also most are too expensive to insure especially with the recent rise in insurance premiums, as for anything Land rover, insurance has gone through the roof. The only item you showed that was even close to realistic was the Honda cb750 and these are fairly easy to find imported from the USA so unless it's a bargain nobody will buy this time of the year unless they are looking to restore it over the winter.
The URAL is ridiculously slow….. you do not want to tour with one, especially on highways etc…..
Urals are made in Kazakhstan and imho not worth the money
You keep mentioning k you can pick one up for 4k or 9k is this some foreign currency?
I’ll make sure to be clearer on this from now on. “K” is just shorthand for “thousand”. Ie £6k = £6,000
Dear Freddie. Once again, re KTM. Short sighted business decisions. With China flexing it's military and economic power. Make cheap sell dear. Feel sorry for the Austrian staff losing their jobs.
Yawn
Unless your ability to support your family outsourced? Yawn.
Ural has two origin stories. They claim they bought the rights to build BMWs before WWII and they claim they reverse engineered them from post war BMWs. Close inspection of them will reveal there’s a bit of truth to both. Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Ural has moved construction to Kyrgyzstan and their headquarters to Redmond, Washington USA. 😮 I watched them for years. Each year they claimed that they fixed all the problems of the previous year! Finally, in 2017 they announced new colors! No design fixes! So I bought one. I would not own an older one, even for free.
The first thing I learned is that anyone who has ridden a few miles with a sidecar has no idea what they are talking about. It is some of the most fun I’ve had on a motorcycle! BUT, be prepared to go slower than you ever have before. That ancient boxer 750 is pushing a really heavy outfit. The slightest hill will have you crawling along blocking traffic. Horrible gas mileage too.
2 wheel drive is only for off road. On dry pavement you go straight. There’s no differential so both wheels travel at the same speed. Reverse gear, unlike Honda and BMW, is an actual gear and you can go stupidly fast!
Any large cruiser with aftermarket sidecar attached would be a better choice 90% of the time.
Driving an outfit is exponentially more difficult and dangerous than riding a bike.
I’d rather pay the premium for a bike made in Italy.
I think its more to do with a broken country, soup kitchens and food banks, nobody except the very rich have spare cash for luxury toys anymore in the UK. We are no longer living in the. 90s boom times, we are now an island cut of from Europe and those of us who saw this coming are told to suck it up. Welcome to the new land of the free but ay what price. 😢