[Abhi99]

Originally Posted by V0rtex

I don’t know if it’s right for me to ask, but do you happen to live in Virginia?

I am from midwest..Iowa.

[Flechazo]

Originally Posted by pixantz

Yeah. I agree with what you say. Will check out Gixxer 250 too. I've heard that Gixxer bikes put down the power better than the similar specced Hondas. Only, I'm not sure I'll get a pre-worshiped one in my budget. Let's see. Thanx

I think so you can also look at ns200 and duke 200, both models are in market for long time and will also fall within your budget. Though you need to check how well it has been maintained by the owners. I guess if you can spend around 80-85k, you can also look at n250/f250 if they are on sale

[V0rtex]

Originally Posted by Flechazo

I think so you can also look at ns200 and duke 200, both models are in market for long time and will also fall within your budget. Though you need to check how well it has been maintained by the owners. I guess if you can spend around 80-85k, you can also look at n250/f250 if they are on sale

NS 200 and Duke 200 are the ultimate squid machines. Finding one in good condition is really hard. The good thing about Bajaj machines is that it’s quite easy to find out if it’s an abused bike by a simple test ride, abused machines run really badly plus the white smoke from the exhausts are a tell tale sign.

[Flechazo]

Originally Posted by V0rtex

NS 200 and Duke 200 are the ultimate squid machines. Finding one in good condition is really hard. The good thing about Bajaj machines is that it’s quite easy to find out if it’s an abused bike by a simple test ride, abused machines run really badly plus the white smoke from the exhausts are a tell tale sign.

Yep. You can tell that by the vibration and the ride. It's true that most squids use these bikes, but I'm sure there are also owners like us who takes cares of our vehicles

[HooghlyBoy]

Hi Folks !!!
This is a very interesting topic.
I always had a fascination for bikes after watching the Television series "Street Hawk" as a kid.

Oct'2002: When I got my first job, I finally got permission from my parents to buy a 2 Wheeler, which happened to be a Black Kinetic Nova - 115 cc Scooter as I was a novice and not comfortable to handle the legendary Pulsar 150 cc. It was gifted by my Father.

Dec'2005: In next 3 years I saved some money and was able to buy a buy a Black Pulsar 150 CC UG2 (DTS-i). I was smitten by the upgraded model and had to visit many Banks to get my 2 wheeler loan approved (finally got it from HDFC) and it took me 7 days so I couldn't get the delivery of the bike 5 days after my Birthday, which was the Original Plan.

Thereafter I was transferred to my hometown and couldn't manage to get the hypothecation removed from the Blue Book.
My Pulsar was eventually was scrapped during Covid in Dec 20 but not before coming to my relief by doing 600 Kms+ Run in a single day across 3 states in 12 hours to get my wife admitted into a hospital in Kolkata during the 1st wave when the panic was terrible (as my job kept me in Bihar during those times), a terrific job by an almost 15 year bike.

Subsequently I was without a bike for entire 2021 but then I felt the need for another motorcycle in Jan 2022 but was not able to get the Test Ride for neither Bajaj F250 nor the N250 as there were no test ride bikes available in Patna.
By then I had made up my mind to buy a pre-owned Pulsar 220 F with West Bengal Registration with a budget of Rs 75000/- Max and I managed to get a leave of around 4 days during the Republic Day weekend of Jan 2022. I got most of the leads through Facebook marketplace. I came across this pre-owned 2 wheeler dealer around 8 Kms from my home in Kolkata and test rode three Pulsars lying with him (the entire ground floor of the house had around 21 pre-owned 2 wheelers !!) and found them below my expectations. Then my eyes fell on the Thunder Grey R15 V3 and he gave me the keys saying that this will be above your budget. I rode it and I could connect with it and decided to purchase it. It has was Feb 2020 registered BS4 with 8200 Kms on the ODO and final price was Rs 1.15 Lakhs (the BS6 R15 V3 was costing Rs 1.95 Lakhs on Road & R15 V4 BS6 was Rs 2.3 Lakhs on Road). My friends with contacts in Yamaha found out that only 2 out of the 3 free services had been availed for the bike and an insurance broker also checked about the vehicle records in their database giving me the green signal.
So my R15 became part of my family.
During the course of name and Insurance Transfer I got to interact with the previous owner who was now riding a TVS Apache RR310 and he said that this bike was lying with his cousins who were unable to take care of his bike as he was in a job in Jharkhand and didn't need a bike there so decided to sell it off.
In next 2 years I used my R15 V3 for almost 3600 Kms in the city, occasionally going to outskirts as well and couldn't get it serviced due to my hectic work schedule (I'm back in Kolkata since May'22) and family commitments on most weekends as well as 2 other cars in my family which I get to drive for work and off work. My wife isn't comfortable with the pillion seat and prefers it for very short rides (to and fro 10 Kms). Though I have been getting a milage of 51 Kms/ litre through tankful method, I felt that the gear shifting had become hard and the pick up wasn't what it used to be earlier and the clutch also needed to be worked upon.
Finally the Republic Day weekend in 2024 gave me the opportunity to get it serviced. Unfortunately the Aquad Yamaha on BT Road near my home has closed it's shop so decided to get it serviced at Banyan Tree Yamaha at Narayanpur near Airport. The Service Advisor rode my bike and recommended the replacement of clutch plate as well as routine Oil and Filter changes (Engine Oil & Air). I also got the front brake lever replaced as per his recommendation. Post Service, the bike has been breathing better and riding butter smooth.
Also met a guy who had come for servicing his R15 V4 at that workshop. He told me that this his city bike and has a Interceptor 650 for long rides due to back issues. Fortunately I never had any back pain even after riding 80 Kms in a single day once in the city.
I will be getting genuine Yamaha accessories for it in a week or two.
In a nutshell, if a person is doing his homework properly then he has high chances of getting a good pre-owned bike rather than a lemon.
Till now I have no complains with this purchase of my mine.

[Vikram8891]

I have bought 2 mid level sports bikes and 1 mid level ADV. I have only been royally duped once and I hope this helps someone who is considering these bikes.

Benelli TNT 600i (ABS) - mid 2017 - 9,000 kms run - Single Owner

I purchased this in Feb 2019 as a single owner bike from a kid who had 3 more sportsbikes. I rode it twice and had it checked by my local SBK mechanic. The price was right and I loved the silky smooth inline 4. The bike was definitely a porker with its over 240 kilo weight after a tank full and was definitely louder than it was faster. I had fun with it over the course of an year and 11,000 kms and eventually sold it to a dealer who actually gave me a fantastic price. I usually do not like selling to or buying from dealers but this guy gave me a better price than what I was getting offered from individual buyers. One thing to note is that despite Benelli's reputation of being a China manufactured motorcycle, it was extremely reliable and served me well. I never had any issues with it and managed to tour on it too. The fly in the ointment though were its huge weight which I felt on long rides and bad brakes.

Honda CBR 600F4i - 2005 - Third owner

This belonged to a friend and a Bhpian and I bought it in Jan 2020 after selling off the Benelli. This is where I was duped. I did not do my due diligence and pulled the trigger on it. The bike was a hornet's nest of problems. Even on the way back home the headlight conked off. The bike was well known within the SBK mechanic community and I remember 2 of these guys warning me before I purchased it. I ignored it and went ahead on blind trust. Within 2 days the battery was dead and left me stranded on a traffic light. The issue was traced to a faulty RR unit. The Bhpian who owned it prior to me had installed a unit from the CBR 250r in it. I had to order a new one from Pune which cost me 8,000.

While replacing this we also realised that the radiator fan was not working. I realised that on one of our group rides the bike had leaked a lot of coolant due to overheating and this could have been a reason. The fan was repaired and a new switch had to be ordered for it. More expenses ensued. After this on a 200 km ride, the bike started making an extremely loud squeaking sound from the front tyre. The bearings were shot and needed replacing.

On another ride I simply lost all throttle input. The bike would simply not accelerate. The feeling was like when you are out of fuel. After this the battery discharge issue again came up. This time after a proper analysis the mechanic found that lots of portions of the wiring harness were burnt and needed replacement. At this point I had spent close to 9 months and over 30,000 INR with the bike in which it was being repaired or worked on for nearly 3 months. I had only ridden it 3,000 kms. I lost patience and sold it off to a YouTuber in Hyderabad with full disclosure and suffered a massive loss. I learnt my lesson, never to buy anything second hand without checking it thoroughly, no matter the source. Some people may say this is regular wear and tear to expect from a bike such as this but what left me feeling like a dunce was that I should have checked things properly.

Suzuki Vstrom 650 (2019) - 20,000 kms - Single Owner

My previous experience saw me swearing off second hand bikes and I bought an Interceptor from the showroom which I have enjoyed over 3 years and 34,000 kms and is still with me. I wanted a big tourer which could carry luggage and a pillion efficiently and keep me comfortable as well. I was considering the Ninja 1000 but I knew I would not be able to resist the temptation of speeding if I had an engine like that under me so I decided to stick to a lower power bracket and got the Vstrom which was fully loaded with accessories including huge aluminum panniers. I looked for telltale signs of anything being wrong but there wasn't and closed the deal. In 6 months I have ridden it 6,500 kms and am happy to report it hasnt had any issues so far. I am waiting to complete 10,000 kms for a comprehensive ownership review.

Ironically in my experience the Chinese made motorcycle was more reliable than one of the most reliable Japs simply because it was better maintained.

[nidhinpr]

Hey there, everyone! I have a short and more elaborate story to share with you all.

Overview-
Location: Mumbai
Number of Owners: 3
Registered Date: August 2020
ODO on Delivery Date: 4246 KMs
Delivery Date: April 2023 [Aprrox 2 years & 7 months]
Price: 5.35 Lakhs


Elaborate narrative-
Royal Enfield Classic 500 sparked my passion for motorcycles, igniting a deep and enduring love for the two-wheeled journey. So for most of my teenage years, I always wanted a Classic Motorcycle, specifically a Royal Enfield [RE] Classic 350/500. Then I came across the beautiful Continental GT 535, this prompted me to delve deeper into the world of cafe racer culture, spurring my research and exploration.

But then my elder brother bought the 2017 RE Thunderbird 350. That's the one I rode the most for the following years, didn't feel as connected as a Classic but had a lot of amazing experiences with that one.
So, I've decided to set aside my dream bikes for the time being and enjoy riding what I have and gain more experience.

In 2018, the introduction of the Royal Enfield 650 Twins marked a significant milestone for enthusiasts. The arrival of these well-crafted twins from Royal Enfield brought a refreshing and novel experience to riders and the motorcycle community. I set that as my first motorcycle purchase because it aligns perfectly with what I was looking for—a sophisticated neo-retro bike that combines enjoyable riding dynamics with an affordable price tag.
I kept saving up for one then because of COVID-19 2020 postponed my purchase.

I was confident that they would eventually integrate that engine into a Classic chassis; envisioning a 650 Classic seemed like the perfect idea. Subsequently, they unveiled the SG650, bearing a striking resemblance to the classic design, along with the Super Meteor 650. However, there's still uncertainty about when they plan to launch the Classic 650, as there haven't been any updates to date.


As 2022 came to a close, I decided to extend my wait by another year, contemplating whether to opt for the Shotgun 650 or go for the Interceptor 650. While I adore the aesthetics of the GT 650, there's a practical and realistic appeal to the Interceptor that draws me in. Having tested various motorcycles in diverse road conditions and experienced rides on both 650s, my curiosity led me to contemplate trying out the Shotgun as well. then again during its initial launch, the bike was priced at around 3 Lakhs, but by 2022, the on-road price in Mumbai for the Interceptor was approximately 3.7 Lakhs and 4.3 Lakhs for the Super Meteor. Considering the Shotgun's expected similarity in cost to the Super Meteor, it's evident that the prices have surged significantly due to inflation, insurance, and substantial RTO charges—factors I took into account. Reassessing my options, especially with the likelihood of taking a 30% loan for the bike, it becomes apparent that the final cost might surpass the figures I initially considered.

During this period, I observed a plethora of pre-owned premium motorcycles within the 5-6 lakhs range, with a notable presence of Kawasaki, Triumph Bonneville, Ducati Monster, and Scrambler models. After meticulous consideration, I narrowed down my choices to the Triumph Bonneville and Ducati Monster, delving deep into research for each model. While all these bikes align with my dream garage, the captivating history of the Ducati Monster stood out, intriguingly reviving the company. However, the sheer power of the Monster and the anticipated higher service costs led me to rethink its suitability for my usage.

Within the Triumph lineup, I found myself torn between the classic allure of the T100 and the contemporary neo-retro charm of the Street Twin 900. Making the decision was challenging, especially considering my desire to bid farewell to tube tires and embrace the practicality of alloy tubeless ones, having faced issues with my Thunderbird 350. Ultimately, the updated features introduced specifically in the 2019 model swayed me towards the Street Twin.

I established my criteria: a budget ranging from 5 to 6 lakhs, a model from 2019 or newer, within Mumbai for easy transfer, detailed service history, and color preferences were flexible since all three available colors during that period looked fantastic. Commencing my search across social media platforms and OLX from February 2023, I took my time, avoiding any hasty decisions. Eventually, I stumbled upon the bike I ultimately purchased. Navigating through the process, I considered factors like the number of owners and kilometers covered. Despite my research indicating their relative insignificance, I prioritized a test ride and a thorough in-person inspection. Meeting the owner, a genuinely nice individual who willingly shared all requested information, I noticed the bike running a bit hot and the brakes lacking responsiveness during the test ride. However, overall, it seemed promising.

The crucial element missing was the service history, which I acquired from Triumph Mumbai after the owner initiated an inquiry through email. Discovering that the bike hadn't undergone servicing for over a year and a half, I negotiated the price down from the quoted 6.1 lakhs to 5.35 lakhs. The deal smoothly concluded after the owner understood and agreed.

Post-purchase, the RC transfer took longer than expected—3 months instead of the initially estimated 2 to 3 weeks because of the agent. Once completed, I wasted no time in giving the bike a comprehensive service. Fluids were changed, brake pads were swapped, and the bike underwent a thorough check. The results were impressive; the overheating issue diminished, and the brakes became more responsive.

In the end, choosing the Triumph Street Twin 900 over the RE 650s turned out to be a gratifying and wise decision. Riding this extraordinary motorcycle every day is an absolute joy. The exhaust note, a symphony of power, adds an unparalleled and exhilarating soundtrack to every journey, making each ride a sensory delight. The sheer potency delivered by the 270-degree firing order is nothing short of insane. Not only is it powerful, but the engine's refinement elevates the overall riding experience, making it a perfect blend of raw strength and precision.

Thank you for taking the time to go through this in-depth story. I trust you found the narrative enjoyable. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask!

I've shared a few pictures of the motorcycle. I hope you all appreciate them!