1200 GS - New Price. Never been so cheap!

[Jon P]

I think we forget how cheap things are these days........living over here in the US for the last few years I still get Bike & TWO magazine and was just reading about the 1200 GS and then noticed the list price as published in Bike July 08 at 9,195 pounds.........and I got to thinking about my first 4 valve GS, an 1100 that I bought new from Revetts of Ipswich (I still have the receipts of all my bikes).......I ordered the bike with ABS, heated grips and panniers and had to wait a month or so for delivery. I picked the bike up on the 11th June 1994 and paid 9,359 (which included a bit of discount). That's just less than 400 less than a new 800 today! So in 14 years, these bikes have clearly come down heaps and heaps in price..........what's going on? (not complaining of course!)

 

[snoopy]

Ah a repeat post. Deserves a different answer.

Because they couldn't give the 800's away.

 

[POG]

Because they couldn't give the 800's away.

And lots of 650's have <s>had insurance jobs done on them</s> been nicked

 

[Jon P]

Ah a repeat post. Deserves a different answer.

Because they couldn't give the 800's away.

Ahhh, don't be like that.......there must be a reason. I think what you mean is that the question deserves a better answer.

Jap bikes have gone up as have BMW cars and I guess most cars.

In real terms BMW baikes have gone down - a lot, if you look back over a few years. I bought my wife a new F650 for her birthday in '98 - it was six grand

 

[deaninkl]

Jon P, the priciple of what you are saying I think is true of most manufactured goods we buy these days. DVD players can be had for 30 quid, flat screen TV's are a fraction of the cost a few years ago.

Whilst raw materials are going up in price manufacturing methods, productivity and labour costs (eastern europe, India, China) are going south.
Quality also seem to be going down also.

But you have said the the 800 costs 400 pound less your GS of 1994? don't you mean the 1200?

Another fact would be due to exchange rates, Jap bikes are primarily price in dollar when out of Japan, in 1994 exchange rate was about 1.5 dollar to the pound, that would make the GS cheaper in dollars considerably.

But your point is correct Jon, we've never had it so good, or at least in the UK. Sadly my GS cost me 14K pounds last year here in Malaysia. The good news is that bikes here hold there value.

 

[Wrinkly]

Was reading in this month,s BIKE a guy had paid,£21,600 for his CBR1000RR
in Norway ?

 

[Tartan Terror]

I seem to remember the mass influx of 'Imports' a few years back that dropped the price of bikes. Now that market has dried up it seems prices are back up buit as you say not really much more than 10+ years ago.

 

[snoopy]

Oy!

And lots of 650's have <s>had insurance jobs done on them</s> been nicked

It was not an insurance job first bike I've ever claimed on cheeky sod! Please do not tarnish my excellent image and reputation on these forums!

 

[Ali-bear]

I think we forget how cheap things are these days........living over here in the US for the last few years I still get Bike & TWO magazine and was just reading about the 1200 GS and then noticed the list price as published in Bike July 08 at 9,195 pounds.........and I got to thinking about my first 4 valve GS, an 1100 that I bought new from Revetts of Ipswich (I still have the receipts of all my bikes).......I ordered the bike with ABS, heated grips and panniers and had to wait a month or so for delivery. I picked the bike up on the 11th June 1994 and paid 9,359 (which included a bit of discount). That's just less than 400 less than a new 800 today! So in 14 years, these bikes have clearly come down heaps and heaps in price..........what's going on? (not complaining of course!)

So add the list price of ABS, heated grips and panniers and the new 12GS is now the wrong side of £10k

 

[Jon P]

So add the list price of ABS, heated grips and panniers and the new 12GS is now the wrong side of £10k

OK, so 700 more than I paid 14 years ago and for a bike with more gadgets etc....

 

[Jon P]

Jon P, the priciple of what you are saying I think is true of most manufactured goods we buy these days. DVD players can be had for 30 quid, flat screen TV's are a fraction of the cost a few years ago.

Whilst raw materials are going up in price manufacturing methods, productivity and labour costs (eastern europe, India, China) are going south.
Quality also seem to be going down also.

But you have said the the 800 costs 400 pound less your GS of 1994? don't you mean the 1200?

Another fact would be due to exchange rates, Jap bikes are primarily price in dollar when out of Japan, in 1994 exchange rate was about 1.5 dollar to the pound, that would make the GS cheaper in dollars considerably.

But your point is correct Jon, we've never had it so good, or at least in the UK. Sadly my GS cost me 14K pounds last year here in Malaysia. The good news is that bikes here hold there value.

Sorry, yes I meant 1200........sorry, I had also coamperd the price of a new 800 against an old 800 over on the F800 page.

I understand that TVs and the like are cheap, because of huge numbers being made in China but BMW are made in Europe. As for pricing bikes out of Japan in dollars.....maybe, japs bikes here are almost half what they are in the UK, but Triumphs here are cheap as well. Unfortunately BMWs are the same price here as they are in Europe.

 

[cusi]

I think we forget how cheap things are these days........living over here in the US for the last few years I still get Bike & TWO magazine and was just reading about the 1200 GS and then noticed the list price as published in Bike July 08 at 9,195 pounds.........and I got to thinking about my first 4 valve GS, an 1100 that I bought new from Revetts of Ipswich (I still have the receipts of all my bikes).......I ordered the bike with ABS, heated grips and panniers and had to wait a month or so for delivery. I picked the bike up on the 11th June 1994 and paid 9,359 (which included a bit of discount). That's just less than 400 less than a new 1200 today! So in 14 years, these bikes have clearly come down heaps and heaps in QUALITY..........what's going on? (not complaining of course!)

Fixed it

 

[Jon P]

Fixed it

Makes you wonder...........?