Help my wife counted but I want a V85 now

[cappisj1]

I have my perfect trifecta (for me). 74 Eldorado, 75 T and the 08 Norge. Now I think I need a V85. Well that got denied pretty quick. I need some advice on how to present a case, to my wife, to add just one more guzzi.

[SIR REAL ED]

I have my perfect trifecta (for me). 74 Eldorado, 75 T and the 08 Norge. Now I think I need a V85. Well that got denied pretty quick. I need some advice on how to present a case, to my wife, to add just one more guzzi.

Her:  "Honey, what do you want to do to celebrate the Fourth of July?"

You:  "I'm kinda torn between buying a V85 and making a baby.  I'd like your input!"

Her:  "I sure as Hell don't want your input!  Go buy the bike.!"

pretty easy really.....

[Perazzimx14]

I'm glad I don't have to ask permission to do things. I also extremely glad my wife doesn't have to ask me. Wife and I have always had separate money and separate bills. The understanding is if all bills are paid (including CC's) retirement/401K's are maxed do WTF you want with the rest of your money.

Yesterday my wife rode with me 400 miles round trip to pick up my 10th bike on 17 months. My only question to her was do you want to go with me to pick up another bike?

To the OP forget about the V85. If you have to beg or persuade SWMBO its a lost cause. Enjoy what you have and get a V85 screen saver.

[cookiemech]

Agree 100% with Perazzimx14. Same deal at my house; always has been, always will be. We're both better off that way.

[pete mcgee]

Remove  wife and ongoing debt get new bike.
Worked for me.
YMMV.

[yogidozer]

Start by telling her how much she means to you.
Ask her where she wants to go on vacation (you both benefit from this)
Then when your sitting on the beach (or wherever) sipping margaritas, tell her about that great deal you saw on ebay.
If that doesn't fly, at least you both went someplace nice.
Option #2 get her a puppy, then you both win!🐕

[cappisj1]

I think asking for the bike or a baby on a beach vacation just might do it!!

Kind of have to ask. She left her career 20 years ago to be a stay at home mom for our two kids. We made things work on my income alone. As a team it’s worked out great for our family. 

[twowheeladdict]

I have my perfect trifecta (for me). 74 Eldorado, 75 T and the 08 Norge. Now I think I need a V85. Well that got denied pretty quick. I need some advice on how to present a case, to my wife, to add just one more guzzi.

Easy.  100th Anniversary edition V85TT.  Collector's item.   

I'm so glad I don't have my wife stopping me from enjoying life.  She doesn't even know what my motorcycles look like.   

[yogidozer]

I think asking for the bike or a baby on a beach vacation just might do it!!

Kind of have to ask. She left her career 20 years ago to be a stay at home mom for our two kids. We made things work on my income alone. As a team it’s worked out great for our family.

Sounds like you both already won.  👍

[reidy]

I can give you one tip on how not to do it. Don't show your wife pictures of Huzo traveling around Australia on a postie bike. It is hard to argue that you need a big new shiny bike to make a trip of a lifetime  .

Steve 

[Nick]

As a team it’s worked out great for our family.

 

[berniebee]

"It's only 33% more motorcycles than I had before."

[moto-uno]

  Man, this is so simple, " Sell one "  Peter

[Iron Cross Junction]

****

Kind of have to ask. She left her career 20 years ago to be a stay at home mom for our two kids. We made things work on my income alone. As a team it’s worked out great for our family.

Sounds like you both already won.  👍

Bingo, yogi, and kudos to you (both), cappis. 

Always lots of brave keyboard chest thumping when this subject comes up. 

I don't ask for permission, either, but I sure as heck appreciate Kathi's counsel. 

In my previous incarnation, I had a great professional life but a sad and painful personal one.   

I am now married to a near-saintly woman   -- more of a burden than you might think as I am decidedly not in line for beatification! 

And, while hardly wealthy financially, we are doing fine, primarily, IMO, because we view major expenditures as a corporate decision.  She doesn't ask me for permission, either, when she wants to purchase any big-ticket items, but we both know where thing$ $tand and would not buy what we could not afford.  We both came from near-poverty, so we view unessential debt as something to be avoided, and we consult each other often. 

That said, every marriage is different, and if separate books or other systems work for some, then it's no one's business but theirs.  As I have five Guzzis, I suppose our approach to pursuing happiness works for my moto-addiction.   

As for The Sales Pitch, for my last two Guzzis, I told Kathi how many weekends I had left in my life based on a the SSA life-expectancy table, https://www.ssa.gov/OACT/STATS/table4c6.html.    I then pointed out that with four seasons, the number was really half, and most of those were taken up with the chores, errands, and other duties that come with real life.

In truth, for the last Guzzi, I only got past the intro when she folded.   

Best wishes, 

Bill

[Dave Swanson]

Anything under 10 bikes is a mere pittance!   

[TOMB]

At one time owned 5 Moto Guzzi .

My wife said sell them all since you can only ride one at a time .

So I said to her , How many pairs of shoes do you own ? You can only ware one pair at a time. Do you really need 3 pairs of red shoes?

I don't have 3 pairs of red shoes --I have one pair Red, 1 pair of Oxblood . 1 Pair of Cordovan

Well that was at least 10 years ago and I've bought and sold at least 10 bikes in that time So----------------------

Buy the bike you want , don't ask permission , ask for forgiveness and remember this

"You cant justify 12,000 $ for a new bike " But she can justify $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ for a quarter  oz. for perfume.

Still happily married going on 39 years .

TOMB

[Gliderjohn]

In 2011 we had an unexpected windfall presented to us from an oil company. Soon after we were in the local Guzzi dealership getting a few minor things and they had a white Norge on the floor. I commented to the wife that the Norge would be a cool bike and she said buy it. Didn't argue.
GliderJohn

[usedtobefast]

I need some advice on how to present a case, to my wife, to add just one more guzzi.

Was it turned down because of finances or just a concept of "you have enough bikes already"?

If finances, maybe she is right?  For me, my area, a new V85TT OTD is around $16K!!  Ouchie, lots of money.  And if you ride it a couple of years and decide to sell it, probably looking at $8500 or so, loss of $7,500.  So financially, it is pretty stupid.  But some people are in a situation where $16K ain't a big deal and losing $7,500 in depreciation ain't no big deal ... for others, that is crazy talk.

For me, we look at it as the total money I have in motos and that amount is kind of fixed ... so I could own ~10 not so expensive bikes, or 2-3 expensive bikes, so my wife doesn't care about the number of bikes in the garage.  If I wanted a new $16K bike, I would sell off some of the current ones to cover that amount.  And I do add like $2K a year to that "pool". 

[Perazzimx14]

At one time owned 5 Moto Guzzi .

My wife said sell them all since you can only ride one at a time .

So I said to her , How many pairs of shoes do you own ? You can only ware one pair at a time. Do you really need 3 pairs of red shoes?

I don't have 3 pairs of red shoes --I have one pair Red, 1 pair of Oxblood . 1 Pair of Cordovan

Well that was at least 10 years ago and I've bought and sold at least 10 bikes in that time So----------------------

Buy the bike you want , don't ask permission , ask for forgiveness and remember this

"You cant justify 12,000 $ for a new bike " But she can justify $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ for a quarter  oz. for perfume.

Still happily married going on 39 years .

TOMB

If you're trying to justify purchasing a motorcycle you'll talk yourself out of it. They really do not make financial sense for starters.

[krglorioso]

Remind your wife of Ralph's bon mot du jour, "Nice girls are a dime a dozen, but a new V-85TT is a thing of beauty and a joy forever".  I'm sure she'll see the inherent wisdom of that statement; might even go with you to the dealer to help in your color selection. 

Ralph

[travelingbyguzzi]

You try introducing her to or at least telling her of friends that have 10 or 15 bikes and relating how happy and well-adjusted they are.

[twowheeladdict]

Saw this at Sloan's today just begging me to take it for a ride.  Put this photo on your desktop, tablet, whatever and stare at it while you are with her.  If you two are really in tune, she'll know. 

[Tusayan]

For me, my area, a new V85TT OTD is around $16K!!  Ouchie, lots of money.  And if you ride it a couple of years and decide to sell it, probably looking at $8500 or so, loss of $7,500.  So financially, it is pretty stupid.  But some people are in a situation where $16K ain't a big deal and losing $7,500 in depreciation ain't no big deal ... for others, that is crazy talk.

The way you get to the better situation is by paying attention to depreciation and appreciation and using most of whatever spare money you have in a way that minimizes the former and maximizes the latter.  Then maybe someday you can relax.  I’m not quite there yet 

Meanwhile you can still buy some toys by remaining on the receiving end of the bike depreciation situation. I recently bought my 2020 V85TT from a BMW dealer where it had been traded in. A BMW dealer often rapes people on non-BMW trade-ins and then with an ‘off brand’ trade in just wants to move “that POS”…. his words (I’ve known him a long time and there’s not a lot of BS in our dealings).  So the used V85TT price was 30% under new retail, obviously with no additional setup or freight fees.  I watched and waited a year and half before buying a V85TT, during which time the original owner bought mine from one dealer (new), rode it a whole 1700 miles and paid for the first service, then traded it in at the BMW dealer.  After buying the bike I met the previous owner, a very nice fellow, and I sure appreciate his indirect donation to my financial health. 

I have ten bikes, a collection accumulated since the late 80s. They’re not exactly an investment, but they were bought slowly and carefully so they didn’t much impede me from making retirement investments. Most of them were bought with an eye to future value - no throw away bikes unless they were really cheap. It would surely take some effort to sell ten bikes but their combined market value is about 40% over what I paid for them.  Enough to pay for the time to sell them, so given that they didn’t prevent other investments no great financial harm was done.

For the OP, if finances versus other factors (practical or emotional) are the issue, perhaps telling your wife that you’ll instead look for the right used bike might do the trick.  My wife knows I’m psycho about saving and finances, more than she, so when the V85TT came along in new condition for a depreciated price she said “if you would like to buy it, I will be happy”. It doesn’t hurt that touring on the back is something she seems to enjoy a lot.

Good luck.

[twowheeladdict]

Was it turned down because of finances or just a concept of "you have enough bikes already"?

If finances, maybe she is right?  For me, my area, a new V85TT OTD is around $16K!!  Ouchie, lots of money.  And if you ride it a couple of years and decide to sell it, probably looking at $8500 or so, loss of $7,500.  So financially, it is pretty stupid.  But some people are in a situation where $16K ain't a big deal and losing $7,500 in depreciation ain't no big deal ... for others, that is crazy talk.

For me, we look at it as the total money I have in motos and that amount is kind of fixed ... so I could own ~10 not so expensive bikes, or 2-3 expensive bikes, so my wife doesn't care about the number of bikes in the garage.  If I wanted a new $16K bike, I would sell off some of the current ones to cover that amount.  And I do add like $2K a year to that "pool".

I look at owning a motorcycle the same way people look at going on a vacation.  When you go on a vacation you spend your money, you get experiences and memories, and nothing tangible except maybe some souvenirs.   For me a motorcycle is about the experience I enjoy with it.  I do look for the best price and refuse to pay dealer fees which has kept me from buying certain bikes new. 

When I was working down on the Gulf Coast this past spring I was amazed at he number for people who were willing to spend $300 - $700 a night for a hotel room, just to be on the beach!  But that is their enjoyment, and riding motorcycles is my enjoyment. 

[Vagrant]

I am one of the lucky ones that God let become a relatively healthy 73 year old. I now know there are only two truths to life.
1. Life is short, then you die!
2. If you didn't spend it your kids or wifes next husband will!

[Bulldog9]

Well my wife and I do not necessarily have completely separate budgets and bank accounts, but I have had a separate hobby account for 30 years. I buy, sell and fund my hobbies and interests out of this account and my wife generally does not mind. GENERALLY....  she got to look in my gun cabinet last week and said how many guns do you have? LoL 😂

If you run everything out of a joint account then I think it's only right for your wife to agree when you're spending 'joint' money. However if you have separate accounts or a separate hobby account, as long as you're not impacting the family budget it really shouldn't matter. My wife rolls her eyes when I have a new acquisition but because I don't go in debt, and don't affect the family budget she can roll her eyes all she wants :-)

I use my hobby account for all my car, motorcycle and gun activity, and have a monthly transfer to it. It makes life simpler. What limits me right now is garage space.