Giving a friend bad advice

[atavar]

Well, a buddy of mine is shopping for bikes.  He has an early 90's K100RT that he dearly loves. The bike is a daily driver and pristine and has a lovely and perfect paint job that looks like white glass. 
He is looking at bikes to replace it with about a $10K budget.  I told him that for less than that budget he could completely replace the suspension with state of the art drool on it stuff and get the best tires in the world and maybe even get a professional rebuild to have a zero mile motor and drive train. 
To my way of thinking if you already have a bike you love it doesn't make  a lot of sense to go for a brand new starting point when you could put your love in brand new condition.
Anyway, I thought I would get a sanity check here and you wiser heads who have done this before could give me counsel and education.

[Lcarlson]

You can upgrade a 20+ year old bike, but it's still got a lot of 20+ year old technology. Wait, I upgraded my 14 year old Beemer with spendy suspension and a bunch of other functional stuff. Nevermind.

[atavar]

Yeah, he already took the ABS off that bike because he didn't like the new fangled stuff.  This bike is pretty. If he decides not to do it I'll buy it before he trades it in and do it for him.

[JeffOlson]

I think there might be a few new, left-over Norges available for about $10,000...

I'd rather have something new, but I like change, and I like new...

[atavar]

He's actually considering used Stelvio's but hasn't sat one yet.  They may be tall for him.

[oldbike54]

 If he spends $5K , and rides it another 70,000 miles or so because he loves the bike , then yes , it would be a great investment . If he sells it 6 months after spending the money because a new bike caught his eye , then it was a lousy deal . In other words , could be good advice , could be bad .

 Dusty

[Turin]

I think that is pretty decent advise. Race tech also does suspension service and can rebuild the front and rear suspension better than new. They do great work and It'd be cheaper than trying to buy and fit Ohlins or the like. http://www.racetech.com/page/id/69

[chuck peterson]

Maybe he'd prefer a harem than a marriage?

[cookiemech]

I am admittedly biased in that I think the early BMW K-bikes were some of the finest, most reliable and durable machines ever made . . .

So, my caution to him is that if he values these traits (as opposed to a lighter, possibly better-handling, more powerful bike), he would be well-advised to just keep the K-bike and upgrade anything with a perceived deficiency. $10K doesn't buy much of a new bike these days, but a fraction of that does a lot for suspension changes.

[Cam3512]

Why would you pump a few thousand dollars into the suspension of a $2K bike?   If it's a beloved "pristine daily driver" (oxymoron), why not just keep it AND buy something newer?  $10K DOES buy alot of motorcycle.

[charlie b]

This is one of those telling moments in owning machines.

I was one of those who kept an older bike and liked it.  But, for reliability I decided a new bike would be better, so I bought one.  And it was the wrong one.  Very reliable but didn't do it for me.  So I sold it and kept the goose.  And kept adding parts.  Sometimes I regretted not getting a newer bike, especially when something broke.

My advice is to carefully decided what he really wants.  If, when he rides it, there is nothing more he wants out of a bike, then keep it.  Rebuild it to new condition and keep riding it.  Or just keep riding it as is and replace parts as necessary.

But, if he keeps thinking, 'I wish it had...(more power, better brakes, etc, etc)', then get a newer bike.  Or, if he sees other bikes on the road and he wishes he had that one.  If he is looking at something really different, ie, the Stelvio, then why is he looking at it?  Does he want to explore dirt roads more?  Different look?  It does tell me he wants something different than what he has.  The question is, would that something different really be what he wants?  In my case it wasn't.

PS I understand only wanting to have one bike too.

[severely]

Watched a friend put 4k into PAINT on an 03, 200k mi bike, then another 5k into an engine rebuild at 250k mi. Then he asked my opinion on what he should do. WTF.  I THINK he's happy.

[Ncdan]

Why would you pump a few thousand dollars into the suspension of a $2K bike?   If it's a beloved "pristine daily driver" (oxymoron), why not just keep it AND buy something newer?  $10K DOES buy alot of motorcycle.

Wait a second Cam, I just bought the love of my motorcycle life, a 07 pristine Calvin, for 5500.00 bucks;)

[sign216]

Maybe he'd prefer a harem than a marriage?

I didn't know that was an option.



Oh, are we talking motorcycles?

[Old Jock]

Well I guess you all know on which side of the fence I sit

[Orange Guzzi]

I have 5 fully functional bikes in my garage.  The newest is 2003.  Most riders cannot ride a motorcycle to its fullest potential.  I know I can't. 

[Cam3512]

Wait a second Cam, I just bought the love of my motorcycle life, a 07 pristine Calvin, for 5500.00 bucks;)

EXACTLY!

[pebra]

Atavar, you say he's looking for a new bike, it sounds like he's motivated for the change.
He may dearly love the K, but if he hasn't said that he wishes he can keep it for the rest of his life, I think you should rather help him find a new bike than try to talk him into keeping one that's 25 years old.
Some posters have tried to compare the situation with women, I think that makes it even clearer.

[canuck750]

Well I guess you all know on which side of the fence I sit

I bet that beauty can run circles around a lot of the 'modern' stuff and will probably outlast most of the mass produced built to the dollar bikes on the market today.
I  have no problem with the newer stuff, I bought a 2015 KLR 650, but it's 20 year old technology!

[atavar]

I am actually hoping he will opt for a new bike so that I can buy the K bike.  It really is drop dead gorgeous.  I am pushing him the other way a bit mainly to assuage my guilt. 

[chuck peterson]

Oops, sorry, threads over...everyone is staring at the Magni, can't you tell..

[Scud]

Tell him to keep the K and upgrade the suspension - and maybe splurge on a new custom seat. There's probably no reason to rebuild the engine/driveline - but maybe he could do a refresh and replace all the rubber bits (fuel lines, radiator hose, throttle body boots, footpegs, etc.) New suspension will change the bike for him - then he can keep it as a commuter and get a play-bike to sit beside it. Tell him it's such a good idea that you will buy the bike for yourself if he doesn't want to do it.

The original K-bikes are weirdly wonderful. If he likes that about the K, then it makes him a candidate to bring a Guzzi home for the stable (better metaphor than harem IMO).

Now that Magni... that's just not fair. I was thinking about reporting you to the moderator.

[jbell]

Why would you pump a few thousand dollars into the suspension of a $2K bike?   If it's a beloved "pristine daily driver" (oxymoron), why not just keep it AND buy something newer?  $10K DOES buy alot of motorcycle.

Thank you!  Most sensible post on this subject.  Your Snickers bar is in the mail.  Well done.

[80CX100]

Oops, sorry, threads over...everyone is staring at the Magni, can't you tell..

 Yup! It is a beauty.

     To the topic at hand, I agree with the previous comment about throwing good money after bad into a 2k bike. If it was a different bike maybe,,, I realize that the BMW K bikes are known for quality and reliability,,, but they don't seem to invoke the passionate relationship with their owners that others do,,, he's already sneaking peaks at a Stelvio,,, his wandering heart is as good as gone,lol.

      I've done a lot of shopping for bikes the last couple of years,,, and I've been amazed how low the prices are on nice, well set up K bikes,,,, even up here in canuckistan,,, it seems to me that older airheads of similar vintage and models, sell for roughly twice what a K bike does, 'shrug'

      I picked up an older DL1000 VStrom needing work, this spring very cheap (700),,, total investment, probably 2k,,, I'll probably get my money out of it,,, but never the work,,, I consider the DL1000 very comparable to the K bikes,,, in the sense that, they are well made, very capable motorcycles,,, but low on the passion scale,,, that's reflected in the lower resale prices, comparatively speaking.

     Kelly

[Old Jock]

I understand both sides of the argument & can more than see the sense off "why pour dollars into something that just is not worth so much in the first place."

There is the accountant's viewpoint for net worth and putting farkles on  a bike IMHO will not raise its value, unlike say a house. Kinda like the yoof who buy a run of the mill car then bolt on fancy wheels, trim, turbo and god knows what else, at the end of it, the car is still a POS.

In many cases the farkles may detract from the value. I get it, it's stupid and makes no sense whatsoever.

I've thrown more than enough at that Magni to buy at least one new Japanese sport's bike. I'm obviously not clever or bright because given the same scenario after all the cash, tears and bashed fingers, would I do it again.............. ...dammed right!!

I only have 3 bikes, its not the cash that stops me, its trying to keep on top of them, with everything else that goes on in life that you never bargained for. One is a Duc 1098, to me it feels like a rocket ship its so, so capable, the slightest movement and it responds, and it can be ridden (moderately) slowly too, however it just always seems to beg to be ridden that bit harder.

The Magni, well that's a more relaxed ride, a lot slower in every way, but when the mood takes, its fantastic fun throwing it through a set of curves.

Both pure pleasure just in different sorta ways

Sorry I'm rambling my point? Its your money, its your bike and what a motorcycle means to you, only you know. To me there is no right and wrong.

I love looking at older machines people have spent time and money customizing to suit them. I never get the same pleasure at looking at more modern machinery, although its a dammed sight more capable in every way. 

John

[Huzo]

I bet that beauty can run circles around a lot of the 'modern' stuff and will probably outlast most of the mass produced built to the dollar bikes on the market today.
I  have no problem with the newer stuff, I bought a 2015 KLR 650, but it's 20 year old technology!

Maybe I should merge the Numb Hand post with Old Jock's bike picture, now that's what I'd call a "happy hour" (if it lasted that long !!!)

[Huzo]

Well I guess you all know on which side of the fence I sit

Still reckon it's at least the equal of an SS 750/900 Ducati.

[oldbike54]

 One thing no one has mentioned . From a dollar standpoint , fixing what you already have usually makes good sense . Say you go buy a newer bike and spend $7K , the proceed to put 60,000 miles on it , what will it be worth , maybe $2,500.00 ? You could have put $4,500.00 in your current bike and ride it another 60,000 miles . It would still have some value , let's say $500.00 . You would still be $500.00 to the good .

 Dusty

[Huzo]

But "value" is, as some have said (correctly), totally subjective. In the sense that most un enlightened ones mean "value", it's how many dollars do you have to spend to move a certain number of people a certain distance over an extended period of time, (years). A Hyundai Getz is probably the epitome of value but worthless to people like us as a lifestyle choice which of itself is a hard thing to quantify. But think though, if you've just cleaned your Magni to within an inch of it's life 'cos tomorrow you're going to a rally 300 miles away for an extended weekend and the weather forecast is for fabulous conditions, but today is pissing rain and you need to go to the bike shop for a new visor for your Arai, then the Hyundai is more "valuable"  than the bike at that point. I once worked out that if you get 15,000 km from a set of Pilot 4's , that's 50 tanks of fuel more or less, (put in a Beetle map and it's 40 tanks), so each time you fill your tank for $30 AUD, you can add another $10 for tyres @ $500 a set. Point of all that is how bikes are terrible value for money if you factor everything in, but they do what nothing else can to enhance you life.

[charlie b]

....I love looking at older machines people have spent time and money customizing to suit them. I never get the same pleasure at looking at more modern machinery, although its a dammed sight more capable in every way. 

John

You do realize that someone who had your bike when it was new might have said the same thing about their older Guzzi and the Magni.