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New, used? Year?

2K views 13 replies 8 participants last post by  Twistum 
#1 ·
Hey everyone, I'm in the market for a bike right now, and have it pinned to the 650. I'm looking at 3 bikes right at the moment. A Silver 06' for $3,750obo(mint condition, 4,400 miles), a Blue 07' for $4,400obo (mint condition, 1,300 miles) and a new Lime or Red 09' ($6,000 out the door).

I should note that this is a first bike(new rider) so I tend to lean towards getting a used bike first. Though the 09' is pretty damn sweet. Not to mention I particularly like the Lime and Blue.

Do the deals on the used bikes sound good? I'm sure I can talk em down some. Is there anything I should be aware of specific to the 06'-07' models? And is there any suggestions on specific things to look for when I go to look at them(tomorrow)?

Thanks for any help or advice.
 
#2 ·
I just bought an 09 w/900 miles for 5,550. Bikes are pretty hard to talk down on bikes as they don't make much off them as it is...good luck. The 09 is all redone w/ something like 40 upgrades if you have the cash I would go for it, otherwise the others would suit you nicely as well
 
#5 · (Edited)
not a huge expert on this topic of choosing a good bike from miles and prices buttt, My first ever bike was 09 lime green 650r last year. This bike is a beauty, if you took the MSF course you should have no problems. Just practice around your neighbourhood or parking lot for a bit and you will get the hang of it fast. It's not like the supersports where a small mistake will make you drop your bike. It's very forgiving. Plus the older ones (2007 and down) don't look as refreshing as the new design does..thats my personal opinion part. 2009/2010 are by far nicer looking bikes then its predecessors to me. Although the blue is a reallllly sexy color...lol. Hope this helps in any way.

Just my two cents :p
 
#7 ·
If the 06 and 07 are both well maintained I'd say go with the 06. They didn't change anything between those years other than the colour so it won't look anymore "dated" than the 07. The mileage is still low on both so I don't think it will make a huge difference as long as they are both well maintained.

As for the 09 I don't think you're getting a very good price. I got my 09 for $6300 out the door almost a year ago and it was sitting on the floor for a few months already and that's in Canada where our prices are ALWAYS higher on pretty much everything, especially vehicles. I would think they should be offering bigger discounts somewhere to clear out stock for the 2010's to come in.
 
#8 ·
I have the 09 in lime... LOVE IT! IMO the appearance of them is a bit nicer than the older models. If you take it easy for the first several hundred miles you'll be fine. Not to mention if you put insurance on the bike you won't feel terrible if you drop it because it can get fixed... maybe invest a few hundred in parts to protect it a bit, i.e. frame sliders, swing arm spools, etc.
 
#9 ·
I have the 09 in lime... LOVE IT! IMO the appearance of them is a bit nicer than the older models. If you take it easy for the first several hundred miles you'll be fine. Not to mention if you put insurance on the bike you won't feel terrible if you drop it because it can get fixed... maybe invest a few hundred in parts to protect it a bit, i.e. frame sliders, swing arm spools, etc.
I thought the same thing and DID take it easy. Even taking it easy I've been down twice in the first year on my brand new 09. Buy old and used like all my friends told me and upgrade once you get better. Even if you're taking it easy noob mistakes can put you down in half a second.

My two drops:

Took a left too wide, looked where I didn't want to go (which is where you go), and hit the curb. This was because I was trying to get out of an intersection quickly (lights changed, heavy traffic) but shifted part way through into second to try to keep it below 4k RPM as recommended by the manual for break in. Screwed up the shift and accelerated too much. Noob mistake. Lesson learned.

Riding in the rain (screwed myself but not checking the weather before leaving home the day before... didn't end up coming home that night, had to ride to work in the rain in the morining)... anyway, I was behind a lunch truck when out of nowhere he stops. I knew that grabbing a handful of front brake in the rain is a sure fast way to go down so I tried to be light on it but 1/2 second later I'm sliding down the road on my ass watching my bike slide away from me and the truck's bumper approach. Not cool.

Also, from my crashes I have discovered that swingarm spools do nothing on this bike. At least not standard length ones. They are too short. The rear axle will still hit the ground along with the stay steps and foot pegs. At the most they may prevent your footpegs from getting snapped off so you can still ride the bike but the stay step (part the footpegs mount to) will still get really bent and need replacing and possibly the footpegs as well.

Protection recommended by me (for the 09+):
- EXTENDED swingarm spools
- rear grab bars coupled with TonyBKK's rear grab bar sliders (can be found on eBay under the store name AsianConnection71 I think)
- frame sliders
- I've never had much damage to the front forks (tiny scratch on last fall) but front fork sliders may be beneficial as well (again, TonyBKK has these).
- Also something to protect the engine cover... not sure what though. Maybe frame sliders would keep the bike up enough to keep the engine cover off the ground.
 
#10 · (Edited)
Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I'm getting ready to leave to meet with the guy for the 07', and I'm meeting with the 06' guy later tonight. I'm leaning towards the 07' simply because I love the Plasma Blue, but the Silver looks really nice too.

I did take the MSF course, last month, but I planned on taking the first few days or so light and go to an empty parking lot and just practice, get to know the bike, etc. That's why I'm also trying to get a friend to ride the bike home for me......I just don't think new rider and highway is a great combination, lol.

I'll see what happens, and let you all know. I do plan on getting frame sliders and spools, amongst other things for the bike. Sliders first though imo.
 
#11 · (Edited)
So I checked out the 07' Blue 650 today. The bike looked to be in near showroow condition, other than a small ding on the right side of the tank where something was dropped on it(paint didn't chip or anything) but it really isn't that noticable. The bike ran and sounded amazing(stock can sounded far better than I thought it would have). So we worked out a deal for $4k.

He is also including a really nice Icon Merc jacket and matching helmet(though both are too small for me, I have my gear already though) and it throwing in a tank bag.

Tires were in very good condition, everything worked, started right up, and only has just over 1300 miles.

So what do you guys think? Sound like a good deal?



I'll take some more pics when I pick it up, but here she is.
 
#12 ·
Actually I'd start on a used 250. The 650 isn't a starter bike. You'll learn more, learn it better and learn it faster on a 250.

That said, I've seen too many problems with low mileage bikes as a result of lack of use and improper Winter storage. If it hasn't done an average of 5K miles a year, walk away. If it has, make sure it's been properly maintained - and by that I don't mean an unnecessary oil change every 500 yards.

Rob
 
#14 · (Edited)
I appreciate the advice and concern, but I sat on and tested a 2009 250 and it was simply too small for me. I felt really cramped, and my knees came atleast 6-8 inches above the gas tank. (I'm 6'2" 200 lbs with a 34" inseam)

I brought a buddy with me to have him look over the bike, and he said it was an excellent condition. I bought it and had him ride it home for me as I wasn't comfortable riding on a freeway yet, and it was a solid 100 mile trip or so.

That said, I did buy it; I just felt like it was a really good deal. There IS a small ding on the right side of the gas tank where something was dropped on it. The ding is relatively small, and the paint wasn't chipped or scratched. I would think there would be a way to have it popped back out? The bike is otherwise in near showroom condition.

I rode the bike for about 100 miles yesterday with my Unlce on his 2009 Kawi 1700 Vulcan. Bike ran excellent, I never felt scared that the bike had TOO much power(though the bike will damn sure move when you want it to), and overall was just a really comfortable and smooth ride. The front brake is a little on the touchy side, but not too bad.

The bike had low mileage, because the previous owner used it almost exclusively for inner-city riding.

I've already ordered a FE kit, frame sliders, rear spools / sliders, a tank protector and a ZG tall dark-smoke double bubble. Also really considering getting an Arrow exhaust as the bike could definitely be a bit louder.
 
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