I've no big reason to keep the cash. I think that i would rather own, so that I can do whatever I want with it. I don't want a grubby finance company dictating terms and insisting on main dealer servicing, if I don't want that.
I am having second thoughts because I think Ducatis are overpriced new. But I am not ruling out the Supersport S, but at around 4k more than the Aprilia or Kawasaki, I am not sure.
But a nearly new, low miles, with someone elses goodies already mounted, bought privately will make those numbers far more acceptable.
Yes, I have to do a driving assessment in order to drive a car and the DVLA are not saying about my motorbike license at the moment. This crap is all based upon the assumption that I ever get a motorbike license again. Took a train to Gloucester today, where I met my driving instructor. This time I was allowed to drive from the station and negotiate Gloucester's mad traffic. I was supposed to be picked up by my taxi driver at my local station going home. When I was waiting at Cam & Dursley station he phoned to tell me that he had broken down. VW Sharon with about 60,000 miles and just been serviced by the VW dealer in Gloucester. RAC guy shows up eventually and says that it is a tow back to the dealer job, as he can't fix it. Can they fix anything? So, after all that I am doing some serious walking, I had to get another taxi home and he had the keys to his Misses' car in his pocket! So he negotiates with the taxi driver to take me first to his house to drop off the keys so that his Misses could drive to Gloucester to bring him home. Doing it again on Thursday, but this time, I drive from Gloucester to either Newport, or Sven Tunnel Junction and then get the train back from there and via the Severn Tunnel. More fun!
Yes. I have seen plenty of Supersport S' for less than 10k at dealers, including Ducati dealers. I was trying to compare like with like. Trouble is that I can get a brand new Aprilia for just over £10k, or a used Supersport S for under £10k. I am not yet straight in my mind if i would rather a new Aprilia or Kawasaki, as opposed to a used Supersport S. Buying used with Ducati seems to make good sense. It puzzles me that many people own then and do a few thousand miles (less than 4k) and then they must sell them to a dealer at a massive loss. Even if it is not a straight sale, but a part-ex, in which the dealer does make a slight loss on the part-ex, the first owner must bend down and take it like a good boy. This, I cannot get my head around - not taking it up the a.... but buying a new Supersport S for around 14k and then taking about a 4-5k loss after a year of ownership and doing less that 3k miles. I guess that there are many people who just buy Ducatis as ornaments.
The Kawasaki ZX-6R weighs about 196 Kg and produces about 136 bhp. The Aprilia RS660 weighs about 169 Kg and produces about 100 bhp. The Ducati Supersport S is 183 Kg (dry) and about 110 bhp. I conclude from this ............... ?
Those weights don’t seem right to me. I think you’ve got a wet and a dry weight there mate. Those apes are mid 180’s wet from memory. Heavy for something with sub 100 brake. saying that, they’re different everywhere you look. It’s also worth remembering that it may say 99bhp or 136bhp, but it won’t be. supersport race bikes are in the 130’s. Some aren’t even 130 genuine ponies at the wheel.
Most of the used bikes you see in salesrooms are ex rentals. The dealers call it "PCP", the guys who do it say its their bike (and it could be if they paid a massive lump sum at the end of two or three years) but to all intents and purposes they rent the bike for the period and hand it back.
Standard Aprilia RS660 with full akra road system and up map produced 90bhp at the wheel. Tested on the dyno. Agree with @Advikaz that the RS660 wet weight is 180kg plus
you can have fun with 90 horse to be fair and I’d imagine the chassis is a hoot. But I also imagine it would be frustrating on the road. Isn’t it a twin as well? So it won’t Rev either. Aren’t they 10k+ as well?
Joking aside you need to ignore all these facts and figures. It doesn't matter at all. It's what makes you feel confident in riding and what gives you the most enjoyment. I understand that you want to make the right choice and it must be doing your head in not being able to get out and ride some of these bikes, but until you can and you do you'll never know for sure which bike is right for you. Knowing you as well as we all do now it's looking like you're heading in the right direction and you'll soon be riding a.........?????? before we know it!!
MCN dynoed a standard test bike @ 91. That full Akra sounds like money well spent (I mean thrown down the drain).
I'd guess at least 80% of all used bikes under six years old are ex PCP. Its the price, miles and the service history, combined with the visual condition thats important. If the miles are low, the stamps are in the book and there's not a mark on the bike - if it the price is right -why would you care if the previous owner had a PCP? Now that might be different on a bike which is an obvious track day candidate, but a Ducati Supersport probably isn't one of those.
