Has anyone ever swapped bikes, or is it just me? I love it, it's an easy way to trade. Obviously you have to be careful, in the same way you would if you were handing over cash for a bike, but there's no haggling involved. I got my Multistrada in a swap for an unloved SV1000S, which I swapped for my ST2, which was a swap for my old Aprilia RSV. Anyway, the reason I'm asking is cos I quite fancy a Monster next...
I know it's late, but yes I stopped a z1000 08 model for a zx10r 04 model with a guy from Birmingham. Sent plenty of emails and pics to each other meet in a service station swapped details shook hands and thought shit.... But it was the right decision after riding in the opposite direction and waving I knew I made the right decision, go with your gut instincts....mind you the duc I brought of eBay I used my heart and after a night shift got a train for a 4 hour journey and was so tired I did not check the bike over as I used to and now I'm spending ££££££ to get it right but hey you learn by your mistakes.
Swapped a nagging wife for a 998s. Not sure which is noisier, or more temperamental, but a no brainer on who is the looker.
yes I swapped last year and it landed me straight in Hell.. afraid to publish facts in case other party stumbles on it. Maximum stress and i'm far too trusting apparently.
Always swap mine. Trouble is the dealers always want a load of dosh in addition for a new one :frown:
Swapped an unfinished, but complete-ish, 1946 Norton Model 18-framed (girder forks w rigid rear end), Model 50-engined (350cc pushrod single) bitsa for a fully running 1972 Benelli 650S Tornado - a bike I'd always wanted. Straight swap. Bloke I swapped with had just finished a BSA Gold Star restoration and wanted another project, he mentioned he had the Tornado and my head started swimming... It felt a major win-win at the time, current values might say different - the Benelli had a beautifully engineered, massively over-square engine (84mm x 58mm) that picked up revs like a two stroke, it handled as if it was from the future and stopped with 4-shoe Grimeca drums - it was eventually sacrificed for a Mille R. As Guy Martin says, "If ifs and buts were pots and pans, we'd all be scrap metal merchants!"
I've swapped again since I started this thread. Swapped my Triumph Sprint 1050 for a Moto Guzzi Griso. The guy has not sent on the standard can and handlebars like he said he would, but I ain't fussed cos the Guzzi was worth a tad more and I'm dead chuffed with it. Another result.
Lovely, had a 1200 sport for a while, great bike. If I dont get on with the gt1000 I may look for a griso, but possibly a 1200, staying with the two valve heads though. Could I ask what it owes you?
Nothing, not a penny. About ten years ago I decided I couldn't justify borrowing money to buy a bike, so if I wanted another I'd just have to save up. Since then I've made a profit out of every bike I've owned. At the time I had a ZXR750 and now, without spending a penny on anything but service items (and swapping/selling/buying bits on ebay), I've got a Multistrada and a Griso for no outlay. When I buy, I look at bikes with a decent history but which need a bit of cosmetic work or minor problems of some sort. For instance I bought a Sprint RS a few years ago; the owner had not used it for a couple of years and it was misfiring, but it had a full service history. For reasons only known to him he'd also fitted some yellow tyres (yes, yellow tyres!). I paid just over a grand for it, serviced it and fitted normal tyres, thrashed it round Europe for a bit, then sold it for a clear £1000 profit. Here's the before and after, all it cost me was spark plugs, oil and tyres: View attachment 8252 View attachment 8253
The 'one red paperclip' thing isn't relevant to me now, though. I'll not make a profit on the Guzzi, and although I should make a bit on the fuglystrada I'll be selling it to pay for a holiday, so it'll be back to the one paperclip soon. Or get a big loan, obviously...
I had Griso and really likes it but thought it was just too heavy so I swapped it for an 1100 Monster which weighs about 3 tons less.
