10. More Bike Shopping

Today, Mr V and myself went to inspect a bike in Marrickville. The weather was shocking and so was traffic! Definitely not one of those great riding days. Anyway, here's a snippet of bike no. 3.

Bike 3:

This bike is located in Marrickville. It's a 2007 red VTR 250 and looks like it's in a pretty good condition.

The bike was sold second hand to this guy at ~100kms in 2009. In the last few years, the bike has been ridden to ~15,000kms. The bike is mainly used for commute to work and the seller is selling it as he now requires a car for work.

The bike looked like it was very well maintained. The steering was good, the forks were in good condition as they looked consistent with its ks and was not leaking, the engine looked pretty good with no scratches or dent, the engine sounded pretty good with no rattling, the chain and sprockets were only recently replaced and the bike was serviced at 1,000km, 6,000km, 12,000km and 15,000kms. The tyres would most likely need to be replaced within 3-6 months depending on how much riding is done. The wear and tear on the brake pads looked consistent with its use.

The bike however has had a few minor accidents. On the right hand side, there were a few scratches to the right steering weight ball and the end of the pegs were also broken. These damages were from a stationery drop and in the scheme of things, relatively minor issues and could be easily replaced. On the left hand side however, the bike had taken a much bigger hit. The seller told us that the bike and him took a bit of a skid after they hit a puddle of water on a left turn. He advised that the gear lever broke and had to be replaced. They are also some cosmetics damage on the chrome/metal part of the odometer and some scraps to the body (nothing major).

Conclusion: The bike given it's usage is in a pretty good condition. It has its share of accidents but nothing serious enough to structurally affect the performance of the bike. The bike is definitely worth considering. However, the seller is asking for too high a price. The bike cost the same as a brand new Ninja and will still require new registration and tyres which will result in it costing more than the Ninja. I still have a couple more bikes to look at so at present, I'm in no immediate rush to buy one. It would be nice to be able to buy something at a good price.