Info please

[Pyrenean Steve]

Ladies and Gents, after 14 years of riding a Pan European I am considering changing to a TA. I have found one in a local bike shop (2001 model, black - which I see makes it go faster - Bagster tank bag and a top box, 29,000kms, one owner and soooo clean it looks new) I won't tell you the price because secondhand prices for bikes and cars down here are ridiculous (ie. expensive). My wife and I are going to take a test ride tomorrow. Never having ridden a TA before what should I look out for?
I had a good look around it today and even the plastic under the rear mudguard is clean. I would say this one has NEVER been off road, the dealer tells me it belonged to a chap approaching 70 who has traded it in for a 250cc scooter.
Any information gratefully received.

[Recycler]

If it's that clean after 29k then it's had a good wash.
Do all the usual checks, give it your own MOT.

Paperwork, tyres, chain & sproks, brake pads, oil level and colour (air filter is buried under the tank but costs 40 quid), swingarm and steering beerings - check for free play, controls - electrics, cables.

Check frame & engine nos match registration.

If all looks good MAKE SURE YOU TEST RIDE IT. Good warranty?

An 01 with about 18k miles is worth roughly £3k in the UK.

The Pyrenees are a great place to ride one that's for sure, good luck.

[Fatjohn]

Well, how'd it go? I'd second the notion about checking the bearings - my 2001 only has 8k on the clock and I was looking at the upper head bearing only yesterday (inspired by a failed MOT) and it is notched. Not happy. David Silver spares probably will be though

[Confucious]

[quote="Recycler"]

An 01 with about 18k miles is worth roughly £3k in the UK.

/quote]

or at least double that and half again in Norway

[Recycler]

[quote="Confucious"]

An 01 with about 18k miles is worth roughly £3k in the UK.

/quote]

or at least double that and half again in Norway

I'm hoping to ride to the circle in Norway this September.
Perhaps I'll sell my bike when I get there, fly home first class and buy a new Tranny with what's left!

Crikey, I thought the UK was a rip off.

[Pyrenean Steve]

Many thanks for the input. Having removed the rose tinted glasses and VERY carefully checked the TA I noticed a few scratches and a small gouge in the cover behind the footbrake and the lever showed signs of scratching and being straightened. Not a problem though. The bike has what is called here a 'confort' seat. ie. King and Queen saddle. Very pretty but along with the Shad topbox which covered the rear third of the seat, it meant that we were rather 'cosy' on it. Rode nicely, but good grief was that saddle poor. 4000 euros with a 3 month warranty, but...
The salesman tried to steer us in the direction of a Suzuki Vstrom 650 (sorry about the language but it was a Suzuki dealership) and although it had a lower and seat longer seat I am reluctant to spend 6500 euros on a brand new bike that I want to take into the mountains and use on some fabulous looking trails that I wouldn't care to take a Pan on. Plus the oil cooler on the Vstrom looks incredibly vulnerable to bashes on rocks and kerbs. But I digress, sorry. So the result is, probably a TA, but not that particular one. Off to Toulouse this coming week to check out the Honda dealership there. They had a '93 model with 45000kms, 3 month warranty for 2500 euros a couple of weeks ago.
I will check bearings and chains/sprockets etc. (What the hell's a chain, where's the shaft??) when I look at the next prospective purchase.
FWIW, there is no form of Control Technique (MOT) here in France for motorcycles so that is why you see some REALLY ratty old things running about. Scary eh?

Thanks again.

ps. Recycler, I see you are in Cornwall, we will be visiting family in Helston in May (for Flora Day) are you anywhere near?

[Recycler]

ps. Recycler, I see you are in Cornwall, we will be visiting family in Helston in May (for Flora Day) are you anywhere near?

About 30 miles away, we go to Flora Day each year - A great day out but it's not riding in the mountains!

[steveR]

FWIW, there is no form of Control Technique (MOT) here in France for motorcycles so that is why you see some REALLY ratty old things running about. Scary eh?

Ahh, that will explain the very dodgy looking off roaders that me and a mate saw a while back in a a small town in the Alsace where we were stopping for the night after a run dow from the coast.

We had parked the bikes in the secure yard of the inn, and after a beer or 3, had trundled off to have a look around and get some food. As we were walking down the "high street" our ears pricked up to the sound of 2 or 3 expansion chambers working hard. Down the road came 3 pukka (and dead rough) enduro machines, obviously from a days exercise in the nearby mountains. No1 pulled an almighty wheely down the street and pulled on in to the parking area on the side of the street, followed closely by No's 2 and 3 pulling equally impressive lift off's and zipping down the street, a la Red Arrows then sliding into the parking bay. The locals looked around and ignored them!!

How different to the average UK street when if a couple of 4-s trailies bimble past the good burghers of the town, I am sure that some of them are on the mobile to the Police in seconds..

Oh well.... I wonder what NZ is like?