Buyers remorse?

[lucian]

At least it comes with gray paint.  Certainly is a beautiful bike if you want state of the art. A shame to only get 750 miles out of a new ride.

https://maine.craigslist.org/mcy/d/2016-bmw-r1200rs/6420815155.html

[Lannis]

Unfortunately for the remorseful buyer, remorse comes with a price.

We sort of joke about "A new bike loses half its value as soon as you roll it off the dealer's lot", but there's some truth in that, and an accessorized bike that had a NADA MSRP of $19,500 two years ago won't bring anything like $16,000 this year, much as we wonder why .....

Lannis

[Travlr]

A dealer friend of mine tells me this happens more often than you might think.
He told me a recent story of a guy who stopped in and bought a new bike on impulse.
It takes about an hour or so to get someone credit qualified and then leave with the bike.
He came back the next day and wanted his money back.  I guess he thought it was like Wal Mart.

Sorry buddy, you bought, it you own it. 

That guy and this guy are learning an expensive lesson.

Mike

[Sheepdog]

His asking price is what I paid out the door for mine last spring (but mine was new and came with bags). However, these are great bikes that are less expensive and more lightweight than RT or GS models, yet have nearly all the tech features. The RS is probably the best value among BMW�s outstanding liquid-cooled models and along with the R12R, it�s the quickest...

[Bonaventure]

Why does BMW do that with their headlight shapes?   

[John Ulrich]

The original owner will make the second owner a happy person with the great price on a "new" motorcycle

[tazio]

Another bike w/ awesome capabilities that does absolutely nothing for me.
I'm sure that simple straight-forward boxer has lots of company in there surrounded
by all them technical doo-dads and all..
Surley Max Friz would have appreciated, right? Right?

[Sheepdog]

BMWs were technical marvels in the twenties and thirties. Ernst Henne set a motorcycle world speed record of 134mph in 1929 (on an R37) and BMW dominated thirties tourist trophy racing with their supercharged machines. Their traditional and stodgy reputation was a result of their practical post-WW2 designs. The Airhead period notwithstanding, they have always been an innovative company with a pragmatic approach to safety and utility. In the BMW paradigm, intangibles like sound and good vibes are not measurable and thus, a secondary priority. Want a Beemer with more personality? Buy yourself an Akropovic or Remus exhaust and get the ECU reflashed...your BMW dealer will be happy to help.

Don�t get me wrong...I absolutely love my Guzzi and won�t part with it without a fight. However, the capabilities of my RS make it a sensational traveler that adapts to any road surface or speed. It makes me a more competent rider. Check out the linked article written by Kevin Cameron. I believe Max Friz would be very pleased with the direction BMW has taken.

https://www.cycleworld.com/who-was-max-friz-kevin-cameron-top-dead-center

[cruzziguzzi]

Orthopedic remorse?

Insurance remorse?

Scheduled maintenance cost remorse?

Spousal remorse......


Todd.

[Gliderjohn]

Many dealers have none or few demo bikes so in many cases one ends up buying a new bike with no ride time on it and then soon finds out it does not work for them for whatever the reason.
GliderJohn

[rider33]

life happens: family crisis, medical problems, job problems, scarred himself to death on that near miss with a deer- hard to say.  The one I never get is a 6 year old bike with less than 500 miles on it, particularly touring bikes.  I mean seriously, who rides a Goldwing to the coffee shop?

By the way, Walt Longmire sends his regards.

[Mayor_of_BBQ]

is that clutchless gear shift assist like a pushbutton or paddle thing? do you shift with the lever? is it full time or can you turn it on/off?

[ITSec]

His NADA quote is misleading - that is the list price, where a used price ranges from $10.5 to $14K.

I've had people ask me why I spend anywhere from 3 to 12 months researching before purchasing a vehicle (motorcycle or car). The answer is that it's helped me avoid situations like this. I've only had buyer's remorse over one vehicle, and that was one that my wife chose (it was her turn). By the time that car was 30 months old she was begging me to sell it; I refrained from mentioning I had told her we should not buy it in the first place. The price of domestic peace...

[Sheepdog]

The shift assist allows full throttle up-shifts with a touch of your toe on the shifter. It�s a little alarming if used from 1st to 2nd gear, but is really superb in 3rd through 6th. It also works with downshifting, providing a nice little throttle blip as you select a lower gear. You can also use the clutch and transmission the normal way (this is how one takes off and shifts into 2nd). Much nicer than a Dale Walker air or solenoid shifter...

[Vince in Milwaukee]

I feel bad for this guy, but it sure makes my situation all the less painful.  Purchased a really nice used 1996 R1100RT off a guy through Craig's List for $3,300 a couple of years ago.  I've maybe put on all of 3,000 miles total and didn't even ride it this past summer.  I'm just not jiving with the thing.  Anyways, I have a friend who may be interested in buying it next spring.  I know I'm going to loose some money, but not to the extent of that poor fellow.  '

[tazio]

I bought a 1970 R75/5 BMW years ago as I found it before the Ambassador I purchased years later.
 I never considered this beemer "stodgy".
THIS well worn simple beemer inspired me to put another 50k miles on her, carrying
me to Mexico, New York, and many other adventures.
Low mileage bikes like the one posted are no surprise to me.
No exhaust pipe made could provide the "personality" the /5 came with in spades.
I get the fascination thing regarding doo-dads, it's just that the purity of the boxers
design was always it's calling card to me.
Doo-dads are for more safety, more comfortable, and I've been informed a more
 "Total Riding Experience".
But I've got to draw the line somewhere, and most current BMWs cross it.

[Arizona Wayne]

I don't buy any car, truck, bike, scooter until I drive, ride it first.   If I don't like the way it feels I don't buy it, no matter what I thought about it before hand from literature. 

[brider]

The one I never get is a 6 year old bike with less than 500 miles on it, particularly touring bikes.

I bought my '85 Cal 2 in 2000 with less than 6k miles on it, less than 400 mi/yr up to that point. I couldn't understand why nobody rode it, and it wasn't like it was loved and kept in a nice, secluded part of the garage with a cover over it. Can't imagine buying a new bike and then just losing all interest in riding it, but it does happen. I've met guys with cool bikes collecting dust, and when asked why they don't ride them, they say "meh, I will one of these days.....", year after year....

[Kiwi_Roy]

life happens: family crisis, medical problems, job problems, scarred himself to death on that near miss with a deer- hard to say.  The one I never get is a 6 year old bike with less than 500 miles on it, particularly touring bikes.  I mean seriously, who rides a Goldwing to the coffee shop?

By the way, Walt Longmire sends his regards.

I bought a 25 YO Goldwing with 250 (that's two five zero) kilometers on the original speedo
Story was a couple bought it so they could go motorcycling with their friends, rode it to the beach and dumped it in the deep sand, rode it home and stuck it in the garage.
I paid about 4K for it, goodness knows what the guy I bought it off paid the original owner, I'm guessing 2-3K

[Lannis]

The one I never get is a 6 year old bike with less than 500 miles on it, particularly touring bikes. 

Lots of Barney Fifes in the world; you might know some yourself.

When guys are hanging around talking, Barney will hitch his pants, give an ostentatious sniff, and say "Yeah, I got me a motorcycle, BIG motorcycle, fast.   Out in the garage.   Want to see it?"

That's how they get 500 miles in 10 years ..... !

Lannis

[oldbike54]

 Or ... Like a guy here in Muskogee this man (or woman) had saved for a couple of years , bought a motorbike he had wanted and dreamed about for several years , and soon after learned he had a very serious health problem .

 Dusty

[Tusayan]

I bought a 1970 R75/5 BMW years ago as I found it before the Ambassador I purchased years later. I never considered this beemer "stodgy".
THIS well worn simple beemer inspired me to put another 50k miles on her, carrying me to Mexico, New York, and many other adventures.
Low mileage bikes like the one posted are no surprise to me. No exhaust pipe made could provide the "personality" the /5 came with in spades.
I get the fascination thing regarding doo-dads, it's just that the purity of the boxers design was always it's calling card to me.
Doo-dads are for more safety, more comfortable, and I've been informed a more  "Total Riding Experience".

But I've got to draw the line somewhere, and most current BMWs cross it.

Me too.  Other than the unnecessary, limited life technology which I might be able to live with if it enhanced the riding experience, what I don't like about newer BMW twins like this one is a riding experience that is actually nothing like as enjoyable as it should be.   Engine response, clutch and brake feel can only be described as clunky.  The old ones were a little clunky too, but less so, and they made up for it by being simple, light and durable - you traded one thing for another, using the wisdom that comes with experience.  The newer ones are instead clunky and complex at the same time, with no benefit, while also being expensive... and they still sell well!  My conclusion is that they sell as status symbols to well heeled but inexperienced riders who don't know any better or haven't ridden anything more refined.  With the exception of old guys wedded by personal reputation and habit to BMW, that does seem to be the buyer demographic.  Its hard for me to accept that the high $ market has become so uninformed, but I believe its the case.  Like American car buyers in the huge fin era.

That said, with respect to the market as whole I think the kids buying lightweight Japanese bikes today will learn the benefits of simplicity and compact, sporty design.

[Sheepdog]

Has anyone else following this thread ridden the new RS?

[Tusayan]

I haven't ridden an R12RS but I've ridden a new water cooled GS and most of the others.  A good friend and European riding buddy owns a large BMW dealer.  My favorite BMW out of those in current production is the F800GS - it shakes at high rpm but is otherwise acceptable. The S1000 is OK too as a generic sport bike, but I'd rather have one of the Japanese originals than the BMW version.

For about 25 years I've been riding each iteration of new BMW that is claimed to be 'technically wonderful' and each has disappointed me.  Probably the least inspiring, in case you're interested, was an R1200ST I rode in the Alps for a week, and the second worst was the R1100S which vibrated so badly I thought there was something wrong with it, and was also IIRC the one with the horrific built in delay of electric assist brakes.  Or maybe the one with the awful brakes was an R1150.  BMWs incorporate many ill conceived, insensitive technical features but at least they ditched the least responsive brake system ever made!

[Lannis]

Has anyone else following this thread ridden the new RS?

If there's a bit of an implication there of "Hey, don't be talking about it or talking it down if you don't know anything about the bike" ...    I agree, and I'm sure that it's likely to be a wonderful motorcycle, until someone who knows better tells me so. 

Howsomever, most of the thread is all like "Why would someone get rid of a bike so soon?" and comments on asking 85% of the MSRP two years after it's new ... and the goodness, badness, or personal experience with the model and type isn't really relevant to those two issues, I don't think!   

Lannis

[kenvil1]

Lots of Barney Fifes in the world; you might know some yourself.

Careful what you say about Barney, now. You don't want to get him all riled up.

[keener]

Another bike w/ awesome capabilities that does absolutely nothing for me.
I'm sure that simple straight-forward boxer has lots of company in there surrounded
by all them technical doo-dads and all..
Surley Max Friz would have appreciated, right? Right?

ride one

[Tusayan]

ride one

Having ridden a lot of motorcycles, and noticing that you have a Kawasaki Versys, I'd suggest that riding the Kawasaki is a far more impressive experience for somebody who knows how to ride a motocycle, and who can exploit the capabilities of the bike.

[tazio]

ride one

No thanks. The bike does nothing for me as I can't get past the look of it.
And I can name dozens of bikes that I don't need to ride to know they are not for me.
I would trade off riding my pals R1200GS and could not wait to get back on my Stelvio.
One was sterile, the other was Italian.

[tazio]

I disagree. I gave my valid reasons for not having a use for most new beemers.
A test ride doesn't develop a relationship, and my riding impression on the friends bike
lasted considerably longer. Bored to tears judging from what moves me.
I stated in my first response of the "awesome capabilities" of this beemer.
I'm not "talking it down" and I'm certainly not trying to push it.
Just giving my take. BMW has gone in a direction I don't follow.
Have a blast on yours, I'll have a blast on mine