Bikes on donedeal, ebay, adverts etc..

Mid-IBT at the moment. Just done the 1st bit (classroom) and doing the bike bit next weekend. Never even physically touched a bike before.

Does anyone have a comment to share on this, as a first bike? Looking to get A2 and use progression module at a later date for A.

https://www.donedeal.ie/motorbikes-for-sale/suzuki-bandit-gsf650-2005/30143999?campaign=8

I don't know enough about the whole power output thing. My only knowledge really is that 125cc is what i want to stay above to avoid being stuck with 125 or less.

Unfortunately, on Donedeal, etc. all that ever gets listed is CC, making it more difficult to make a decision.

I like that. Looks well and VRT seems reasonable at under €500. Makes it just shy of €3k all-in I believe.

In the unlikely event I happen to buy one of these, anyone on here fancy a spin up? I'd be happy to give you a lift up to yer man, and you could ride it back? (I can't ride a bike yet, legally or capability-wise). Obviously there'd be a couple of euro in it (just tell me what you'd want).

I'm in Drogheda, so it's an hour to him, so it'd be at least 1hr each way and, for argument sake, an hour there looking. I'll supply a McDonalds on the way up. :-P

Ah, no, I know I'll drop it and end up putting it in a ditch at some point. From my thorough, scientific research (that is; skimming Youtube) it seems a common issue is people coming into bends too fast and panic-braking, and ultimately ending up going off the road. I'm sure stupid things like that will happen me, but at the same time, I'm a fairly cautious person.

I wouldn't have that "I'm invincible" attitude at all.

Hadn't considered insurance. Figured there might be a "driving other cars" kinda thing with bikes.

So my new plan is to just rent a van off enterprise and get it myself. Only thing I'll struggle with is getting it into the van (getting it out will be handy due to the layout/slope of my shed).

So last question (until I ask another one haha), if i buy one if those, it'll be on NI/UK plates. I'll have to VRT it. Can anyone tell me what paperwork I have to receive with it?

Gonna have a look on Monday and if I feel comfy sitting on it (and can reach the ground) and it doesn't look totally knackered, I'll leave a deposit and call back with a van later in the week.

And thus will begin my new hobby. 🙂

I never bought anything non-Irish before, so I'm just now reading up on the VRT craic.

So far most things make sense (although if the bikes are on UK plates, rather than NI plates, it complicates things i think!) but can anyone tell me, cos Google isn't really helping, where I would get an EU Certificate of Conformity? Seems to be mentioned a lot in the articles i've read on Revenue's site, but no one seems to know where you get one.

I've seen bikeworld.ie offer to get them for you for €95, but surely this is something that would be readily available (or so you'd assume)?

It was this one:

but That has a small to do list, aswell, which I presume will cost a few euro more than the €300 he's letting on.. (although I'd be aiming to haggle him anyway).

Well based on the single one that appeared for sale, the mileage was above 150k miles. They apparently have a solid service history though. Not sure if that helps..?

Would anyone have a comment to make on this? This is the first bike I looked at (online, haven't seen it in person), because its the bike my instructor will have me on (albeit his bike I'd 300cc, whereas this one is 250cc).

For an extra €500 it seems reasonable, and I'm thinking it might be the better idea. It's newer, low mileage, 6 months warranty and already in Ireland (and ashbourne is only 30 minutes away from me).

My concern is that, at 16.5stone, and not knowing much about bike power/sizes etc that 250cc will be a bit wimpy?

https://www.donedeal.ie/motorbikes-for-sale/benelli-bn251/30063420

So the Armagh/Honda CB500X chap text me and said someone went to him today and bought the last 5 bikes. He said he reckons he may be getting another batch soon and can give me first choice if it suits me.

I worked out the on-the-road (minus insurance costs) difference between the benelli and the Honda (with VRT etc) is about €550. So I've been extensively enough googling Benelli all day and trying to find out good and bad stuff. A lot of people say "stay away" cos apparently they were once Italian made, but are now manufactured in China. To me that's not really a big issue in and of itself as almost everything I've ever bought has been made in China, and I'd presume that, with Benelli being a proper "brand name" that there'd be decent quality control.

I also know a chap that was on my IBT course, who said a friend of his has a Keeway (also a chinese bike) and has had it a while with no issues.

The biggest issue I've seen about Benelli, is someone that claims they bought a brand new one, and the engine failed after 15 days, and Benelli just gave him the runaround, as too, did the dealer he got it from. I'm not sure just how much I believe that to be wholly accurate, but that's the biggest issue I've found, and i've only found one person stating it. Most people seem to be just taking issue with the fact it's Chinese-made (and don't get me wrong, we all know the Chinese will cut corners wherever possible, but again, it doesn't seem to be reflected in real-world usage, from the little bit of reading I've been doing).

So I'm still a bit torn on what to do, but as the Benelli is reasonably cheap, reasonably new, and it's my first bike that'll either spend all it's life with me if i love biking, or be up for sale next summer, if I don't, i reckon it might be a worthy option to consider. Albeit I'll still keep browsing DoneDeal/Adverts in the meantime.

Not sure if that's aimed at me or not, but although it looks like a really nice bike, I couldn't justify that price tag for a first bike unfortunately.