New Reg or Q Reg ? Risks ? AS experience

[New POD]

Now I've been procrastinating over the purchase of a motorbike, and was idly looking at salvage/project/barn find/stolen recovered/accident damaged bikes and came across this

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/172163478749?euid=93e26fe8c3c74979a690ff4e9e7388be&cp=1&exe=12742&ext=32470&sojTags=exe=exe,ext=ext

 

 

So I've been in communication with the Vendor and it's a Brand NEW, unregistered bike, for £2K less than a new one or £1K less than a registered 65 reg demonstrator with 100 miles on the clock http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Suzuki-GSF1250SAL5-BANDIT-AVAILABLE-ON-0-FINANCE-/301905933576?hash=item464afef508:g:2x0AAOSwAuNW8YIU.

 

Reason ? It's been in a low level flood, (which to me - reading between the lines : means that whilst it ALL works now andy electronics that may have been submerged, may not be as reliable as they might be expected to be)

 

Anyway there is NO warranty and you have to sort out registering it yourself.

 

At this point they are a little unhelpful.  No they do not have a certificate of newness or a certificate of conformity.

 

They suggest that I should either contract Suzuki GB to get the later, or take it to a dealer and pay them to do the registration.  They say this has cost other customers about £200.

 

Now I know this isn't the bike that a born again biker should be buying for their first bike in 28 years, and I know that I'm only really looking to buy it because it will still be worth the same in 2 years after I've put 4000 miles on it.

 

But anyway, the point of this post is really to get feedback that buying it will be a PITTA, and not worth the hassle and to tell me to move on.

 

Please tell me to stop thinking this is a great idea.

 

 

 

On a related point, apparently motorbikes are treated the same as PLANT and equipment for Tax purposes, and any occasional use privately is only subject to a tax burden that is 20% of what it cost (not list price) so if you happen to run a business and get it to buy a motorbike to visit clients, and also use it for fun, it might be very tax efficient  http://www.contractorcalculator.co.uk/company_owned_bicycles_motorbikes_tax_issues.aspx

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Sounds a massive PITA for a pretty small saving TBH

[Fat_Pirate]

I agree with my learned colleague above, who's to say it wasn't up to it's handlebars?  Too much risk for not a huge saving.

 

Anyway, you can buy a used ZZR1400 for that money...

[cort16]

spend +1000, buy the year old one.

[New POD]

ZZR1400 ? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/KAWASAKI-ZZR1400-DELIVERY-ARRANGED-P-X-WELCOME-ALL-HPI-CLEAR-/151851587433?hash=item235b0f5769:g:hVYAAOSwYHxWIeZe That is one hell of a bike.

 

I think probably I should perhaps not go mad : perhaps a 600 ?

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Kawasaki-ZZR600-RED-1999-32500-miles-very-good-condition-/252297235022?hash=item3abe164a4e:g:QMsAAOSwsN9XB4n7

[wuvvum]

Born again biker you say?

 

[AnthonyG]

If it was that good a deal someone would have had it by now.

 

You wouldn't want to spend £5k, ring up Suzuki and get told "oh that's stolen / not to EU spec and unregisterable / one with a lethal fault we ordered destroyed" etc.

 

Getting insurance might also be an impossibility or with such a risk loading it cancels out much of the saving. The sellers attitude is very much take it or leave it and I'd leave it. An ex-demo one would come with a mfr warranty (2 years on bikes?), as well as legal piece of mind.

[New POD]

As my Gran used to point out, if it quacks like a duck it's not a swan.

[AnthonyG]

I'd like to thank that salvage seller for alerting me to the fact there is a scooter brand named 'Taiwan Golden Bee' though.

 

Brilliant, just absolutely brilliant. I want one just for the name.

[Richard]

I think most of your saving will be wiped off its future value because of its non-standard start in life.

[smellmycheese]

Google 'capillary action'. Water gets in everything and travels up wires etc and will inevitably cause future electrical problems. I know a few people who are into salvage and none of them would touch anything flood damaged with a bargepole cos although they don't look it, most of them are fucked. Not worth the hassle IMHO.

[BavarianRetro]

I think any car that's flood damaged HAS to be Cat B break only if it's an insurance claim. There'll be a reason for that and while a bike doesn't have the same structure as a car to worry about, I don't think I'd be bothered. I'd be sceptical of your "get my money back after two years and 4000 miles ploy".

 

Fallen for that before.

[doobietoo]

Does a bike not get wet when it rains?

[garbaldy]

I think any car that's flood damaged HAS to be Cat B break only if it's an insurance claim.

 

you can buy flood damaged cars that are cat C, they only cat B them if there's a hint of sewage water,

 

my worry would be if water had entered the engine as it is amazing how rust can start inside an engine.

[purplebargeken]

^^ That is actually a rather good point. Mine used to get bloody drowned. Then again, so did I.

 

Hmm, piece of mind...... avoid.

 

28 years out of the saddle? Buy a cheapo and regain the skillz. Sell it for a minor loss perhaps and then get something that tickles your nether regions.

 

The top 3 bikes that I owned were:

 

1. Kawasaki ZRX-1100

 

2. Honda ST 1100

 

3. Suzuki GS850G 

[purplebargeken]

Get yourself booked in to a Bike Safe Day. Well worth it for hooning along with Plod aiding and abetting for a change. 

[Dave_Q]

Can you get the VIN off the seller and call Suzuki before shelling out any $$ and ask them what the crack is?

 

Generally, if import duty has been paid (proof possibly needed) and you can get the COC (often free) then registering it shouldn't be too bad.

[stripped fred]

I would walk away. Although i'm not a bike expert if it was a truly 'low level flood' they wouldn't need to mention it. It must have been quite submerged so is definitely an unknown quantity. Factor in the cost of replacing bits, unreliability and the unnerving feeling that it might cause you grief at some point and I don't think it's worth the risk.

[gnorwebthgimi]

On the tax point: cars are "treated as plant" too but they get restricted capital allowances. Cars are taxed as a benefit in kind on employees, (very punatively unless they have low emissions). Assuming bikes are not caught under the car and van rules the benefit in kind would be taxed on 20% of cost each year. Hardly tax efficient unless you buy a water damaged bike that needs lots of repairs which would be tax deductible. You can claim business mileage on Bikes at a mileage rate that is lower than cars, that is likely to be more tax efficient if trading through a company.

[Ghosty]

I note the item location is Todmorden, in the Calder Valley.

 

Recent flooding up that way was pretty bloody bad, and having seen the state of nearby Hebden Bridge after the floods, I'd leave it.

[Lankytim]

Can it have an insurance marker against it if it hasn't been registered yet?

[colino]

"It's been in a low level flood". = Don't buy it.

[Felly Magic]

I'd be leaning to say it's been way past engine height water level, and flood water will have been full of sewage, seeing how deep flooding was in that area last year, well over 6 ft deep in places, I'd say that bike has been utterly drowned, and just given a clean up to try and flog to some poor sod. No warranty on something that will be unreliable, that translates to a money pit, don't just walk, run like fook away, if you want that spec bike, an ex demo is the way to go, run in, often well looked after, and have a few extras nailed on

[Kiltox]

Can it have an insurance marker against it if it hasn't been registered yet?

 

You can HPI check a VIN I believe so it's possible to check at least

[martc]

The lowest vulnerable parts will be the wheel bearings, brake callipers, rear shock mechanism, gear linkage, rear brake pedal mechanism, chain,  all of these will be knackered and alone will be approaching £1000 to replace.  Has the water got inside the tyres? They could be knackered (£150 each ish) as could the inside of the wheels - just the hassle to get the wheels off (rusty nuts) and the tyres removed to check will cost time (and ££s). And that's assuming the low level flood hasn't reached anything electrical.

 

Swim away from it and get a Honda CBF600N/S or the CBF1000 (a quality equivalent to the Bandit) one of the most under rated family of bikes around - ideal for everyone young, old , experienced or new.

[Alexg]

I don't understand why they haven't registered it. It costs naff-all and will make it a bazillion times easier to sell. I'd leave it well alone.

[New POD]

Thank you one and all.

 

Having worked in a warranty role once or twice (in off highway hydraulics and also wind turbine high voltage electronics) I can safely say what kills most electronics is moisture.  When the customer returns electronic boxes costing £20K each and they still have sea water in them, it's kind of an easy job to deny the claim. - Yes we know you dipped it in the sea whilst constructing your off-shore farm, but why the fuck did you attempt to turn it on. That'll explain the burning smell, along with the salt water.

 

I digress. I'm not buying. Budget should be lower. I do want something that will take 2 people and luggage to the far reaches of Europe in comfort, but at the same time isn't an arm chair.

[rainagain]

I don't understand why they haven't registered it. It costs naff-all and will make it a bazillion times easier to sell. I'd leave it well alone.

 

This, if it was easy to return to the road they would have done it, sounds like they had a look at it realised it was a big mess to sort out and decided to try and unload it as a 'bargain'