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Would you buy a demo?

P

patatty

Guest
Guest
Hello.  Newbie poster here, but have been lurking for a while.  Currently ride a 2000 ZRX and am looking to add to the stable.

I have been casually shopping around for a new C14 for a couple of months and was just made aware that a local dealer has a 2011 demo for sale.  I was told that it has around 150 miles on it and that its "demo" status knocks $1,000 off of the price (whatever that ends up being).

While a demo rider is not typically concerned with proper break-in, would 150 miles of demo use concern anyone here? 

Thanks.
 
I'd vote no concern myself.  I've seen a lot of debate about how breakin should be done.  some follow it to the letter (I did on the only new bike I ever bought), but others say break it in the way you intend to ride it.  Just like oil threads, everyone has an opinion, and there are not a great deal of clear facts that I've even seen to indicate one approach over another.  JMHO.....
 
I would gladly buy one. only 150 miles on it... not too much damage could have been done if any.  For a thousand bucks... go for it!
 
Depends on the price. $1000 of what, sticker price? The sticker is $15699. I got mine for $13100 OTD and they took it out of the crate for me with no miles. I would not be scared of the 150 miles but would want it at a good price, which for me would be under 13000.
 
Depending on price, I'd buy a demo with 15,000 miles on it.  I don't think you can hurt these bikes if they've had normal maintenance.  That said, it's like driving the new car (or bike) off of the dealers lot.  It's a used bike and will take a price beating.  NADA suggests $10,600 as a reasonable price.  I think I'd start at $11,000 and go from there.  Watch a few episodes of Pawn Stars first.  Good luck.
>:D
 
Mad River Marc said:
I'd go for it if the price is right overall.....

My break in process was :  Ride it like I stole it! :)
Click to expand...


Yeah you rode about the speed of pushing it down the road!  :))
 
Well, ask yourself this question: How many WFO shifts have been missed zinging the rpms smack against the rev limiter before the 50 mile mark?

High powered motorcycles are often test ridden by those who want to see what it can do. Out of sight (and sound) of the dealership, who knows how hard this thing has been thrashed?

A thousand bucks savings is nothing if you run into major problems that are caused by this potential abuse that show up right out of warranty.

Just sayin'...

Dan
 
How many of us buy "pre-owned" cars?  Well, I don't, but that's just me.  I'm not opposed to it, however.  I just lease most of my cars/trucks.  Different reasons.

But, there are many pre-owned Mercedes, Lexus, Caddy's, Fords, yada, yada that all seem to be sold and mostly .. the new owners enjoy the rides.

How many HDs are sold 'used'?  Tons in this economy.  We buy them all the time.  I'm sure your used bike with 8500 miles will be purchased by someone, eh.

Buying a 'demo' from a Kawa dealer is not out of the question for me.  Yes, I'd like to know how the bike was maintained, but break in?  Hah ... I just rode my new bike like I ride all my bikes.  I never kept it under this or that rpm for this or that period of time.  I don't do it for my cars either.  I just ride/drive 'em.

Perhaps you could negotiate a better than a grand off the price ... heck, I got much more than that off on a new C14.  And, maybe get an extended warranty tossed in at no charge, too.  Then ride the bike ... see how you think it runs.

If you like it ... the price and warranty are good ... dealer is a good guy (mine is), then buy it. 
 
There is a world of difference between "pre-owned" and "pre-ridden". An owner is far more likely (although not always) to take much better care of a vehicle than someone who is test riding (driving) to check out performance. Same goes for rental vehicles, I wouldn't touch them with a 10' pole. Nobody cares about them in the same way the would their own vehicle.

Back in the late 60's when Kawasaki came out with their 500cc Mach III ring-ding we all looked around for a dealer that had a demo model. We found one (Sam Arena in San Jose) and promptly went down there to see if we could snag a ride. We had to wait in line but finally got to the bike. We (along with everyone else there) ruthlessly flogged the bike (it was reputed to be the fastest bike on two wheels at the time).  It was looking a little worse for wear (although thankfully nobody had dumped it - yet).

Also, at about the same time, I was shopping for the new Honda CB-750 in the summer of 1969. All of the Honda dealers (except one) had a waiting list. House of Honda in Mountain View did not, had one on the floor plus one on the way. I went there to make the deal and they offered me the red one on the floor. It had 20+ miles on it and a few nicks and scratches here and there. I knew for darn sure that those 20 miles were flogged miles by the staff being the first one to hit the shop. The second one (blue/green) was pristine when I picked it up with less than 3 miles on it.

Make your own choice but as for me, it is brand new or nothing.

Dan
 
I've had a couple dozen bikes, all bought used, you never truly now how hard a bike was riden by previous owners or even friends of the previous owners...

My Connie was the first "brand new" bike I've ever bought, I only bought it new because it was a leftover model and was within $1k of the used ones I found...

Last week I went and test rode a brand new VFR1200, break-in miles never even entered my mind and I hit redline many times on my rip if that tells you anything...    :motonoises:

Happy hunting!    :beerchug:
 
I bought two demo ST1100's, one with 500 and the other with1000mi. Ended up with 54,000 and 75,000mi with no problems. Don't forget you have a three yr warranty with the option of three more. If the price is right go for it and enjoy.
 
So, most of us would buy a demo, but what sort of discount do you expect for buying the "demo" tag?  500?  1000?  2000?

By the way, avoid a demo dirt bike. These are often store employee bikes.  When the new models came out, most of us were given the bike. We were responsible to put on new tires, plastic, and rebuild the top ends when we turned them back in.  Some were low hour, but others were pro raced for a season. 

 
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