What's the furthest you have travelled to buy a bike

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Re: What's the furthest you have travelled to buy a bike

Post by Count Steer »

Asian Boss wrote: Fri May 27, 2022 11:44 pm To Morcambe Bay. Which with hindsight was an error. I wouldn't travel that far to see a bike these days.
Is the punchline that you live 2 miles from Morecambe? (Although there's not much truly alive in that radius of Zombie Bay).
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Re: What's the furthest you have travelled to buy a bike

Post by The Spin Doctor »

Kent to West Yorkshire. That was the NX650 Dominator... lovely bike. Except for the seat. I learned that on the way home!

The bike had an interesting history. It was actually a California model. The buddy I bought it from had flown out to the States, bought it in Ca. then ridden it across the US before shipping it back to Blighty.

It had about 30k on it when I bought it, I used it for all sorts of things including instructing and a bit of mild green-laning, and was really quite sad when it terminated itself about 45k later.
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Re: What's the furthest you have travelled to buy a bike

Post by Yorick »

I flew to Gran Canaria to buy the Husky.
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Re: What's the furthest you have travelled to buy a bike

Post by Asian Boss »

Felix wrote: Sat May 28, 2022 12:04 am
Asian Boss wrote: Fri May 27, 2022 11:44 pm I wouldn't travel that far to see a bike these days.
Why. It wont come to you. We see many a great deal on vans on our Facebook page and folk say shite like "if you were only closer i would have that." Put the effort in. My present camperbus i got a Train to Coventry from Edinburgh to get that. One Previous was in Derby. Last work van was local but needed a new engine. I bought a van in Manchester what was a shitter but good engine for that. Previous van was in Lancaster.
IMO once you factor in the cost of traveling and put a value on your own time, it's not worth it to save money.

I guess if you want something unusual it could be the only option.
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Re: What's the furthest you have travelled to buy a bike

Post by Gregor »

I once rode from Kent to a Wiltshire service station to swap my DRZ400 for a Fazer 600 after advertising swapsies on VD.Can’t remember who it was.

The ride home was much nicer on the Fazer.
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Re: What's the furthest you have travelled to buy a bike

Post by rossm »

Koblenz in Germany from Lonndon for my Z1000
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Re: What's the furthest you have travelled to buy a bike

Post by DefTrap »

Arguably burystedmunds in Suffolk to the SofF
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Re: What's the furthest you have travelled to buy a bike

Post by Bigjawa »

Mate bought a G650GS from a dealers somewhere in Yorkshire, I took him over from Belfast on the back of an old CBR1000F. The BM self destructed a few months later.

I drunkenly bought a Capri in Southampton for £200, that was an adventure and a half getting it home.
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Re: What's the furthest you have travelled to buy a bike

Post by demographic »

For myself? Sunny Silloth by the sea, about 20 or so miles away for my KX500.
Driving to get someone else a CRM250 was almost St Bees.
And being driven by someone else and basically along for the ride was somewhere I can't remember the name of in Yorkshire? Last Of The Summer Wine country anyway. Nice place, the seller was entertaining and the bloke I went with is always a pleasure to see so it wasn't a hardship.
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Re: What's the furthest you have travelled to buy a bike

Post by Yorick »

demographic wrote: Sat May 28, 2022 5:52 pm For myself? Sunny Silloth by the sea, about 20 or so miles away for my KX500.
Driving to get someone else a CRM250 was almost St Bees.
And being driven by someone else and basically along for the ride was somewhere I can't remember the name of in Yorkshire? Last Of The Summer Wine country anyway. Nice place, the seller was entertaining and the bloke I went with is always a pleasure to see so it wasn't a hardship.
Bugger. Call thisen a distinct Yorkshireman ?
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Re: What's the furthest you have travelled to buy a bike

Post by asmethurst99 »

Asian Boss wrote: Sat May 28, 2022 9:47 am
Felix wrote: Sat May 28, 2022 12:04 am
Asian Boss wrote: Fri May 27, 2022 11:44 pm I wouldn't travel that far to see a bike these days.
Why. It wont come to you. We see many a great deal on vans on our Facebook page and folk say shite like "if you were only closer i would have that." Put the effort in. My present camperbus i got a Train to Coventry from Edinburgh to get that. One Previous was in Derby. Last work van was local but needed a new engine. I bought a van in Manchester what was a shitter but good engine for that. Previous van was in Lancaster.
IMO once you factor in the cost of traveling and put a value on your own time, it's not worth it to save money.

I guess if you want something unusual it could be the only option.
I think people don’t think about the time/van hire etc.
I had my Fireblade delivered for 100 quid from Coventry -bought unseen.
Bought a CX 500 custom from Honiton and took it back in a van to Bethnal Green (took my mates Gt 550 to his sisters just outside Plymouth all in the same day nearly fell asleep on the 303 on the way back)
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Re: What's the furthest you have travelled to buy a bike

Post by demographic »

Yorick wrote: Sat May 28, 2022 5:57 pm
demographic wrote: Sat May 28, 2022 5:52 pm For myself? Sunny Silloth by the sea, about 20 or so miles away for my KX500.
Driving to get someone else a CRM250 was almost St Bees.
And being driven by someone else and basically along for the ride was somewhere I can't remember the name of in Yorkshire? Last Of The Summer Wine country anyway. Nice place, the seller was entertaining and the bloke I went with is always a pleasure to see so it wasn't a hardship.
Bugger. Call thisen a distinct Yorkshireman ?
Nope, I've never sullied my fine reputation by suggesting I was a Yorkshireman, its past Shap and therefore "The South" but it is true that both my parents are from Queensbury so obviously, I'm not quite perfect ;)
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Re: What's the furthest you have travelled to buy a bike

Post by Dickyboy »

150miles on the back of my mates Tiger to buy a Guzzi from Builth Wells, when I got home the buyer for my old bike was waiting for me 👍
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Re: What's the furthest you have travelled to buy a bike

Post by Demannu »

Not mileage wise, but time wise I bought a NS400 from Stan the man in sevenoaks, but I left home at 5pm the previous day, crashed the night on a petrol station forecourt until he opened at 9am.
I was well awake by the time I hit the M25 again
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Re: What's the furthest you have travelled to buy a bike

Post by demographic »

There's a sunk cost fallacy thing going on with going big distances to buy something.
You're more likely to buy a shitter cos you've already put a lot of money/effort into even seeing it.

I've made enough crap buys locally without travelling 200 miles and making even more of an arse of it.
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Re: What's the furthest you have travelled to buy a bike

Post by David »

From Brizzle to ottery Se Mary for my last LE, as in the one before I have now.

Made it all the way back, though the last 20 miles was on a truck.....
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Re: What's the furthest you have travelled to buy a bike

Post by Yorick »

Demannu wrote: Sat May 28, 2022 8:54 pm Not mileage wise, but time wise I bought a NS400 from Stan the man in sevenoaks, but I left home at 5pm the previous day, crashed the night on a petrol station forecourt until he opened at 9am.
I was well awake by the time I hit the M25 again
Stan Stephens ?
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Re: What's the furthest you have travelled to buy a bike

Post by Scootabout »

London to Cheshire to buy the Burgervan 400 in 2001. I bought it blind, but I trusted the owner as he was a fellow member of a niche maxi scoot group and I'd felt I'd got to know him. Turned out fine. It was fun riding it home, after never having had anything other than a 125.