It might seem overly simplistic to say you can save thousands on a new motorcycle by buying a second-hand one, but please stick with me here. There is method in my madness.
I wasn’t looking to buy another motorcycle but became very tempted when I discovered what was available, often for around half the price of a comparable new one.
Neither are second-hand motorcycles lacking in technology. The one I ended up buying has a vast array of electronics, including a six-axis IMU, multiple rider modes and LED lighting.
The original intention was to look for a motorcycle that would also make an interesting winter project. As I ended up buying one with all the desirable extras already installed, I rather shot that idea in the foot, even if I was saving the Editor money.
So, here is how I saved thousands – about £9,000 – on the price of a new motorcycle.
Motorcycle Supermarkets
The search for a motorcycle started with our intention to buy a winter project. We didn’t want a nag, rusty nail, a dog or a lemon, but a motorcycle that needed some care and attention to bring it back to its former glory.
As there was no specific model in mind, I was dispatched to several motorcycle supermarkets to see what was for sale and to put together a rough guess at how much this would cost.
You might think that trawling the internet would have been more productive, and that is how I started. However, I noticed a distinct difference between the perceived quality of the motorcycle in the photo and the condition of the bike once I got up close and personal with it.
I was once told – by someone in the motorcycle trade – that the process motorcycle supermarkets go through is to buy as cheap as possible (obviously) and prepare the bikes by washing them in a mild acid to cut through the road grime and dirt. Once the acid has done its work, they are rinsed with clean water and then put on the sales floor at a fixed percentage markup.
It is a production line, with the sales price being driven by the purchase price. Rarely are the bikes inspected or serviced. Supermarkets offer you a motorcycle at a lower-than-average dealer price by cutting out anything superfluous.
High Specification
A motorcycle supermarket might have sounded perfect for the sort of motorcycle I was sent to find. Buying a motorcycle one step up from attending an auction could have advantages. However, it backfired on me.
What I took away from the supermarket trawl was the high specification of four and five-year-old motorcycles that are coming onto the market. ABS and traction control are common enough, but I was looking at bikes with full electronic packages, factory luggage, and the desirable after-market extras already installed.
Some of the high-specification motorcycles I was now looking at had a main dealer service history, with all the proper stamps at the expected mileage. On paper, they could have been candidates for our winter project, but my problem was finding one at a supermarket that looked like it had been cared for.
Sycamore BMW
Inevitably I had been looking at a lot of BMW GS1200 TE as I’d wandered the supermarkets, and as I wasn’t seeing anything that looked like it had been cared for, I decided to go to the opposite end of the spectrum and visit one of the local BMW dealers – in my case Sycamore BMW in Peterborough.
It can be argued that I’m buying the same motorcycle from either source; it is just that the BMW dealer takes more time to prepare the bike, but I’d have to disagree.
I couldn’t find any corrosion or blemishes on the second-hand bikes that Sycamore BMW had for sale, and they came with extended, factory-backed warranties. The issue now was finding one at a reasonable price for a winter project, which is when things changed.
Saving Thousands
A new BMW GS1250 TE, with the desirable factory options, retails for £17,965 plus a further £1,000 for the BMW top case and panniers.
Then there are the subtle aftermarket add-ons that most riders make to their motorcycles. In the case of the BMW, I typically found riding lights, a rear hugger or fender extender, and cylinder head protection already installed on second-hand bikes.
Add all those parts together, and there will not be much change, even after haggling a few quid off the price or some extras, from £19,500 for a new BMW GS1250 TE.
Compare this to the 2017 BMW R1200GS TE that I had gone to Sycamore BMW to look at. Engine aside, both have ABS Pro, Alarm, Daytime Riding Lights, Traction Control, Dynamic ESA, Gearshift Assist Pro, Heated Grips, Tyre Pressure Control and Keyless Ignition.
On top of that, the 2017 bike also came with Hill Start Control and a Comfort Seat, both of which are extras on the new bike.
Yes, you are buying the older 1200cc 125BHP engine, not the new 1250cc 143BHP shift cam version, and the bike has done 25,000 miles. But, a fancy new number plate, TFT Screen and lower mileage will cost you a whopping £8,705.
The second-hand bike still has a manufacturer-backed 2-year warranty and all those excellent touches that a BMW Dealer offers. Like free coffee and a tray of doughnuts to try and ignore while looking at motorcycles.
Despite being a great deal and saving thousands over the cost of a new motorcycle, the BMW R1200GS was still not what I had been sent to find.
Chris Walker Motorcycles
Over the years, I’ve bought several motorcycles from Chris Walker’s dealership in Grantham, most of which were second-hand. One lazy summer day, I was invited to test ride a Versys 1000 and ended up buying a brand new one, but other than that, they have all been pre-owned.
The significant difference between dealerships like Chris Walker’s and motorcycle supermarkets is that “Stalker” is very choosey about the bikes they offer second-hand. They don’t need the hassle of a lemon or a bike that requires a lot of work.
They are a mainline dealer for (in this case) Ducati and Kawasaki, and if you are potentially going to spend £17-£20,000 on a V4 Multistrada with all the toys, then the dealer’s reputation has to be solid.
Ducati 1200S
In the pre-loved, second user, or the plain English “Used Bikes” section of Walker’s dealership, I came across a 2015 Ducati 1200S with the full touring pack, complete main dealer service history and 23,575 miles on the clock.
The belts and valve clearance service had been completed at 18,000, giving me 10,000+ miles until they were due to be changed a second time.
Along with the usual refinements of Skyhook semi-active suspension, cruise control, heated grips, LED lighting, factory luggage, TFT screen … the list goes on and on, the Ducati also has a Mudslinger rear wheel guard, EvoTech radiator, oil cooler and exhaust header guards, plus an MRA Vario touring screen.
There is a GPS mount and accessory bar already fitted, and other than the French tyres, which I’ll replace with a set of delightful Dunlops, there doesn’t seem to be much to do.
But back to the main point …
Save Thousands on a New Motorcycle
When the Ducati Multistrada 1200S was released in 2015, the motorcycling press fell in love with it. What was there not to like? TFT screen, 160BHP, 6-axis IMU and all the rest. The only worrying thing was the price, which plus or minus a few add-ons was £15,000
In 2022 money that £15K has now risen to £16,700 on inflation alone, and then there is the cost of the touring pack and the after-market extras to add on.
A 2022 Ducati Multistrada V2S retails at £14,675 naked and increases to £16,806 when you dress it with stupidly expensive factory luggage [see Frustrating Factory Luggage] and the touring pack.
By buying the 2015 Ducati 1200S, I’ve saved over £9,000. That is a whole Triumph Tiger Sport 660.
The 1200S has no fewer features than the newer V2S. It is only the age and the numbers on the odometer that reduce its perceived value.
Am I going to be weeping through winter, or have I snagged a bargain? Having parted with my own money for the Ducati – much to the delight of the Editor – I must think it was an excellent deal, but there is only one way to find out. It’s time for some late-season touring, just as soon as I’ve tweaked that rear brake. If you own a Ducati 1200S, you know.
