Bike Dilemma

[ORBrit]

I've had the Bandit about 10 days now and about 200 miles so far.

Today I took my S50 out to my weekly soccer game - the first time I've ridden it since getting the Bandit.

It was like being back in your own bed after being gone for a few days.

The S50 corners so much easier than the Bandit - it just leans right on over in the intersections and just feels nimble and I'm so much more confident on the S50. I know it's because I have over 9000 miles on the S50 and only 200 on the Bandit, but I'm left wondering if I'll ever reach the level of proficiency I have with the S50 on my Bandit.

The Bandit is just so much fun though, but for some reason I can't maneuver at low speed like I can on the S50. I'm sure it's a center of gravity issue, or maybe something to do with nervousness on the throttle.

Here's the dilemma.
I have to sell one of the bikes.

My S50 has all the accessories I want on it, has prepaid maintenance for another year and one more year of warranty. It handles awesome and I can really ride it very well. (well enough to be asked to become a Team Oregon instructor)

My Bandit does 90 mph in second. 'nuff said

If I sell the S50 I'll take a huge hit on my investment.
If I sell the Bandit I can probably make money.

Anyone else switch bikes and have problems adjusting to the new bike?
Will it just click with the Bandit or am I destined to be a cruiser rider?

I know the S50 was the perfect bike for me to learn to ride on. There really is no other cruiser I want.
I thought the Bandit was the perfect next bike. It certainly is an awesome companion bike to have but I can't keep both.

Any input?

[JmalB]

I, personally, would keep the Bandit. The S50 may feel like it's the better handling bike, but I'm confident the Bandit would eat the S50s lunch when it comes to running down your favorite strip of tarmac. And the Bandit can be kitted pretty well for touring type duty.

Can you transfer over the maintainance with the S50 if you sold it? That would add to the value.

[intimid8er]

Originally Posted by ORBrit

I've had the Bandit about 10 days now and about 200 miles so far.

Today I took my S50 out to my weekly soccer game - the first time I've ridden it since getting the Bandit.

It was like being back in your own bed after being gone for a few days.

The S50 corners so much easier than the Bandit - it just leans right on over in the intersections and just feels nimble and I'm so much more confident on the S50. I know it's because I have over 9000 miles on the S50 and only 200 on the Bandit, but I'm left wondering if I'll ever reach the level of proficiency I have with the S50 on my Bandit.

The Bandit is just so much fun though, but for some reason I can't maneuver at low speed like I can on the S50. I'm sure it's a center of gravity issue, or maybe something to do with nervousness on the throttle.

Here's the dilemma.
I have to sell one of the bikes.

My S50 has all the accessories I want on it, has prepaid maintenance for another year and one more year of warranty. It handles awesome and I can really ride it very well. (well enough to be asked to become a Team Oregon instructor)

My Bandit does 90 mph in second. 'nuff said

If I sell the S50 I'll take a huge hit on my investment.
If I sell the Bandit I can probably make money.

Anyone else switch bikes and have problems adjusting to the new bike?
Will it just click with the Bandit or am I destined to be a cruiser rider?

I know the S50 was the perfect bike for me to learn to ride on. There really is no other cruiser I want.
I thought the Bandit was the perfect next bike. It certainly is an awesome companion bike to have but I can't keep both.

Any input?

Hey man...we've talked money before...you know darn well a depreciating asset like a vehicle is not an "investment" in the short term.

I agree with Jmal...the Bandit will eat the S50's lunch. Just spend some time in a parking lot with it and do some low speed maneuvering. You'll have fun!

[Easy Rider]

Originally Posted by intimid8er

I agree with Jmal...the Bandit will eat the S50's lunch. Just spend some time in a parking lot with it and do some low speed maneuvering. You'll have fun!

Yes, true......or at least that's true for most riders. Most adjust to the different geometry after a while. That should happen quicker if you stop riding the other bike completely. I suggest you ride the Bandit exclusively for at least a couple of more weeks before you decide.

BUT.....

This is the age old "question" of "tell me what I want" and nobody who doesn't know your REALLY good can give you a good "answer". In the end, you are going to have to decide what is the most comfortable for YOU. Speed and power are not always an advantage if it just doesn't feel right.

[Clint]

At the very least, get out and ride the Bandit some more before making a decision. 200 miles is just one good ride, and that's not enough. Once you learn the bike, it will be immensely more nimble and controllable than the S50. The specific geometries of each bike dictate that it be so.

I'm not trying to sell you anything, but there's little doubt in my mind that, given riders of equal experience, the Bandit is a far superior machine. Like ER said, though, that may not necessarily be the deciding factor.

[Wistrick]

Thinking I can relate a bit to what your saying here. I started riding on a Suzuki c-50 cruiser and went to a DL1000 vstrom. The Vstrom felt really different to ride at first. My main issue was the height when I leaned it over felt like I was gonna dump it. And the power delivery took a while to get use to. After parking the C50 for a couple of months and riding the Strom I started love it. When I took the C50 out for a ride to clear the cobwebs out I couldn't believe how slow a clumsy it felt. I promptly sold the C50 . Thats my story hope it helps

Dan

[KD57]

You need more time on the Bandit, you are still used to the S50. It's a way more nimble bike, you just need more seat time on it. Ride it 1000 miles, then come back and let us know how you like it.
The betting lines are open, I think you will choose the Bandit.

[sra4031]

Sounds like a little bit of buyer's remorse to me.

With the points you mentioned, why a new bike right now? You just got one the way you wanted it, still have pre-paid maintainance, and will take a huge loss right now on it, so why did you not get your monies worth out of it before switching?

I am asking because there must be something the new bike will give you that the old bike will not. What do you want in a bike? Is there something in the new bike that was such an important feature you was willing to take that loss?

No matter what anyone advises you to do, you have to do what is right for you. Answer those questions for yourself, not for the board. You are going to take a loss either way you go, so which bike will be worth the loss.

[ORBrit]

Thanks everyone for your input.
I have to remember that it took me more than 200 miles to get to where I'm at with the S50!
I think I'm going to keep both bikes through the winter and ride the Bandit as much as posible.
If by spring it still hasn't clicked, the Bandit will be sold as I can probably sell it with little to no loss seeing as I bought it at such a low price.
If things work out with the Bandit, the S50 will be up for sale in the Spring.

[chiddly]

Keep both of them

[ORBrit]

Originally Posted by chiddly

Keep both of them

I wish I could but I took money out of savings to buy it - on the condition that I would sell one of them

[ORBrit]

I think the main reason I got the Bandit was because I'm incredibly spoiled!



I didn't want to sell my bike first though, and I'm glad I didn't as I may end up keeping it after all.

The Bandit was everything I thought I was looking for - tons of power, upright position, bigger fuel tank, not too tall, better handling (supposedly) and what made me get it right now was the price. KBB is $6355 and I paid $5400.

Originally Posted by sra4031

Sounds like a little bit of buyer's remorse to me.

With the points you mentioned, why a new bike right now? You just got one the way you wanted it, still have pre-paid maintainance, and will take a huge loss right now on it, so why did you not get your monies worth out of it before switching?

I am asking because there must be something the new bike will give you that the old bike will not. What do you want in a bike? Is there something in the new bike that was such an important feature you was willing to take that loss?

No matter what anyone advises you to do, you have to do what is right for you. Answer those questions for yourself, not for the board. You are going to take a loss either way you go, so which bike will be worth the loss.

[sra4031]

Good luck with keeping both

My wife says I am spoiled, I just tell her I am well loved

[Clint]

Originally Posted by sra4031

Sounds like a little bit of buyer's remorse to me.

Sounds like a little bit of impatience, and maybe some unreasonable expectations to me. Buyer's remorse can't be felt until a fair assessment is made. 200 miles isn't a fair assessment.

Addendum: A riding buddy rode my Nighthawk while he owned a Magna. He said the position was way too "forward" for him. A Nighthawk! Later, he bought a Bandit identical to mine. He commented on how he liked the fact that the Bandit was a more relaxed riding position, unlike the Nighthawk. He was incredulous when I told him that the Bandit was more forward than the Nighthawk.

Perception is everything, and it changes slowly.

[sra4031]

Buyer's remorse is feeling remorse or regret after making the purchase. Buyer's remorse actually interferes with making a fair assessment because your emotions starts finding fault with the purchase. Buyer's remorse can kick in due to comparing what you have to give up for the purchase, such as in his case, it kicked in when he got on his S50 and started thinking about the work he had done on it, the time he spent riding it, the maintenance plan, and the amount of money he will lose when he sells the bike. Instead of looking what he is getting out of the new bike he is looking at what he loses getting rid of the old bike, so he finds fault in the new bike doubting his decision.

Buyers remorse also kicks in when you see the new model and wish you waited, realized how much it cost, or if financed the worry of making the payments and how much the interest rate is.

I had buyer's remorse a little when I got my C50C. My buyer's remorse stemmed from my insecurity and guilt for having something that nice and expensive, compounded by the guilt of taking away from what my wife could have.

In psychology they call it cognitive dissonance. My wife looked all this up when I first got my bike and for the first couple of days I was coming up with all kinds of reasons not to ride it although I had a fit to get it and had all kinds of reason why I should get it.

[Davecm203]

You will get used to the Bandit and will be going much faster down the same curvy road. You do need to make sure that your suspension pre-load in set correctly. The Bandit is more sensitive to suspension settings than a cruiser. It took me a while to get my Gixxer like I like it. And it will feel a little awkward at parking lot speeds until you get used to it. But leaned over in a corner at high speed it will be magic.

Set you pre-loads and give it a try. I never had a Bandit, so I don't know what other adjustments it has.

And don't worry as much about the wright wrist. Just be smooth with it as you are exiting the corner. You have enough experience to know how much you can give it. As long as you are smooth with it, you will know. Just don't go too crazy and use common sense.

[Clint]

Wow. You guys are messed up. LOL!

[sra4031]

Originally Posted by Clint

Wow. You guys are messed up. LOL!

The only way to be

[inspiron]

And FWIW, you'll get a better price for the bikes if you sell them in spring. Trying to sell a bike now, just before winter sets in, is a bad idea. Demand is low, and dealerships are trying to blow out their remaining stock. You won't get many offers.

In spring, as soon as the first rays of sunshine start showing, and the trees begin to sprout new leaves, the market will turn around and it will be a sellers market again. The dealerships will have the new models and won't be keen to give any discounts, and there will be lots of people out there who are just itchin' to get on a bike.

If you can afford it at all, keep both bikes over the winter, and put one on the market in March or April. You'll be happy you waited.

[jkersh]

It sounds to me like you should keep the S50. No bike is for everybody. If you feel more comfortable and enjoy the bike keep it. Take the money you make from the bandit and apply it to the S. My 2 cents.