Starting to think about my next GS

I've had my R1150GS since November. It is a 2003 single spark with the Evo-II servo brakes and permanently wired headlights. I love it to pieces. I can't see myself wanting any other bike apart from another R1150GS.

I have been thinking about the economics and sense of changing my bike every 1 or 2 years. I reckon I will do about 12K miles / year.

At 1 year old with 12K miles (but no more than that I am told) my bike will lose between £1000 and £1500 traded against a new one (dealer's own figures), which is a very small amount of depreciation for a new bike compared with other models. So the very worst that I am looking at is £2000, including any price rise, to get onto a new bike each year. For that I get a new zero mile bike with a fresh warranty, new tyres & brake pads, latest whizz bang features, different colour etc. I can propably afford it because my company car has gone back and my car allowance and mileage rate are pretty generous.

Or I could run it for two years until the end of the warranty. Anyone have any idea what value a 2 year old bike with 24K miles would lose? (I forgot to ask the dealer). What is a much older GS worth - say a 5 year bike with 60K on it?

Or am I smoking dope? Should I keep hold of the bike for longer? Do GS's get more expensive as they get older and things start to go wrong? Is a 24K or 36K service much more expensive than a 12K service?

I want to try to justify this financially first before I factor in the emotion of getting a new bike every year or so.

Anyone have any experience of doing this sort of thing with their bikes? I know a couple of Porsche owners who take advantage of the very low depreciation to change their cars frequently.

Regards,

Mike

Originally posted by mikebelch

I have been thinking about the economics and sense of changing my bike every 1 or 2 years. I reckon I will do about 12K miles / year.

Or I could run it for two years until the end of the warranty. Anyone have any idea what value a 2 year old bike with 24K miles would lose?

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I had a 2000 W 1150GS and swapped it after 2 yrs in 2002 at exactly 2 yrs and just about 24,000 miles.
To swap in April 2002 for a similar 1150GS with heated grips and the new 2 yr warranty,but before the new Servo brakes and Twin Spark, it cost me £1750 to swap.
So my reckoning, is that I'll swap every 2 yrs and at 24,000 miles.
This seems the optimum time to swap,because you've had plenty of use out of your present bike,but you haven't lost too much in depreciation.
I reckon one year is too short,because the cost of ownership/usage versus depreciation is too wide a gulf - ie not enough use and you've been clobbered for the VAT amount, the moment you leave the showroom.

To qualify my statement the condition of my W reg 1150GS was mint,mainly because although I do a high summer mileage - 12000+ in 6-7 months,the bike isn't used in winter in salty road conditions.
Condition of a bike is always one of the most important factors in residual value.

mikebelch said:

Or am I smoking dope?

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Well if you are, be a good chap and pass it round

After talking to a couple of dealers I have decided that the sweet spot would be 2 years or 21-22K miles whichever comes first. The loss for a 1 year bike is much bigger pro-rata than a two year bike.

Mike

mikebelch said:

After talking to a couple of dealers I have decided that the sweet spot would be 2 years or 21-22K miles whichever comes first. The loss for a 1 year bike is much bigger pro-rata than a two year bike.

Mike

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2 years
Sums up exactly what I said,Mike and my conclusion on when to swap and now more incentive with 2 yr warranties...........

JohnnyBoxer said:

2 years Sums up exactly what I said

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You do of course deserve full credit.

Interestingly both dealers said 21k(ish) is nice because it is halfway between two services. A bike with 23K would be priced down because the service is needed - while the price of bike with 24k having had the service don won't be affected.

Mike

If you're happy with the bike,why sell it? I really don't understand this at all.Talking about how much money to give your dealer every two years frightens the hell out of me. If you take a £2000+ loss every two years,just to have a different number plate, that's money in the wind,why not keep the bike and spend the "lost" money on a bloody good holiday every two years instead.I bought my GS11 in 1997, for £7000,I bet I could still sell it today for around £2500-£3000,even with 125000 on the clock.It gets to a point where you have a bike that you know inside out, and if it get trashed,nicked or whatever it's not the end of the world (who's going to nick and old knacker like mine,when you've all got nice new ones to nick) Makes you think, doesn't it.

Vern said:

It gets to a point where you have a bike that you know inside out, and if it get trashed,nicked or whatever it's not the end of the world (who's going to nick and old knacker like mine,when you've all got nice new ones to nick) Makes you think, doesn't it.

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My first 1100 GS from 1995 got stolen in jan 1999 with 105.000km....

Makes you think, doesn't it.

Vern said:

(who's going to nick and old knacker like mine,when you've all got nice new ones to nick) Makes you think, doesn't it.

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Vern,
Interesting how words have different meanings in different places. A "Knacker" in Ireland would be a "travelling person" in the UK ! I think they call them pikey's.