New Ride

[Medic09]

The end of last week we purchased an '07 Aprilia 'Nord.  We took our first 'real' ride the other day, two-up from Los Alamos to Santa Fe.  About 50 minutes, part twisty mountain roads and part fast straights and sweepers.  The bike felt very well-planted while handling well, and my wife was very happy on the back.

Unfortunately, the wife is now sensibly agitating for me to try selling the 750Four.  Most of the time, my daily riding is on my modern bike.  And we have a '75 Triumph project languishing in the garage, that we are both supposed to work on this winter.  (I have to renew communication with Bryanj at SOHC4 and see if he can guide us.)  So we'll see.  With the economy the way it is, and Craigslist pretty full of bikes, I doubt it would sell.  And I hate to part with history.  If anyone local is really interested in the Honda, drop me a line.

[stevent]

Congrat's on the new (to you) Aprilia, Sorry about the Honda. maybe you could make a Rat-Cafe` Racer out of it, they're all the rage up here...

[Rincewind]

Nice Nord!    

[Justin]

Great bike, enjoy it.

[motociclista]

If money's tight, well, then we do what we have to do. No argument from me.

But on the other hand, what's the cost of selling the Honda and what's the cost of keeping it? And I don't mean just in money.

For example, I have an old Speed Triple with nearly 90k miles, many scuffs, a stain on the frame, etc. In other words, worth next to nothing. When I bought a new bike this year, my wife asked me if I was going to sell it. But what could I possibly get for it in this market? $500? And what would I give up? It still runs great and puts a smile on my face, and it comes with so many memories made during thousands of miles and a dozen years.

Bottom line: the money wouldn't mean a fraction to me of what that bike does. So it's staying til death do us part. Fortunately, my wife is the kind of person who instantly saw the good sense in that. And I do the same for her... we understand the importance of things that have special meaning, beyond the monetary sense.

So many times I've been approached by older guys at a gas station, saying something like "I didn't know Triumph still made motorcycles! I used to have a Bonnie..." And then they get that far off look in their eyes and you know they're trying to remember why the hell they ever sold that old bike. It seemed to make sense at the time...

If all the above is irrelevant in your case, please disregard. Maybe I've read your situation all wrong. But I've just seen folks have regrets over selling something that didn't bring in near as much money as it took away memories...

[motociclista]

And BTW, enjoy the 'Nord!

[Medic09]

'Ciclista, you make a valid point.  Well put.  I'll even show it to the wife.

To be fair, my wife rides (F650GS twin).  She's been through several bikes.  She has always been patient and generous with my riding needs.  My ride is my regular transportation.  She encouraged this last purchase.  But my old Honda, which I appreciate as history (SOHC 4), as the first of my bikes that I put real work into to make it run, now sits mostly unused in the driveway.  It is gathering spiderwebs, and needs a battery.  We keep it registered and insured, but I've hardly ridden it this year.  So, she figures it is wasted sitting there, and we are paying for that.  I wouldn't get a lot for it; but it would pay for good aluminum hardcases for the 'Nord.

So, I don't begrudge her an opinion.  I'll see what happens.  Meanwhile, the 'Nord is the new main ride.  The old 750Four hasn't filled that role for a few years now.

[FJRmgm]

Congrats - that Nord looks like a fine ride.

[sammyseaman]

Nice Nord!    

 

[2wTraveler]

Good looking bike you have there...Don't think I've ever had the chance to see one of those in person.

[Medic09]

Good looking bike you have there...Don't think I've ever had the chance to see one of those in person.

Thanks.  They stopped making it a couple of years ago; but they're out there in small numbers.  Never made it very big in the USA.  Part of the problem may be the poor dealer network aprilia has in NA.  The nearest dealers to me are about a 6 and 8 hour ride.

[JonS]

Very Nice looking bike! Congratulations! Bet it handles as good as it looks.

[phaze5]

how do you think you build up a stable? park it and forget ya own it, i am trying to tell my buddy the same thing with his t-cat sled, hang it from the rafters so its around when were old geezers,  i just want to tell some punk on his hover sled ,,,dinosaur yea say brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrraaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaap!!!!

[Medic09]

Very Nice looking bike! Congratulations! Bet it handles as good as it looks.

Jon, so far it has handled better than I knew it would.  It is a bit heavy, so it doesn't handle as quickly as, say, my old Sprint.  But there is a confidence inspiring mix of being firmly planted on the road, yet willing (with a nudge) to take on the curves.  I was very surprised the other day when I had to do some parking lot maneuvering how readily it did what I wanted at very low speed.  Much better than the Girlie (Tiger) it replaced, which felt top heavy-tippy in such situations.  I can say, too, that it handles very nicely with a pillion.  On the curvy ascent to or from Los Alamos with my wife aboard, I was taking turns 10 mph faster than I did on the Tiger.

[R Doug]

You just don't see enough Nords out there, Congats!

[Fun Dog]

If money's tight, well, then we do what we have to do. No argument from me.

But on the other hand, what's the cost of selling the Honda and what's the cost of keeping it? And I don't mean just in money.

For example, I have an old Speed Triple with nearly 90k miles, many scuffs, a stain on the frame, etc. In other words, worth next to nothing. When I bought a new bike this year, my wife asked me if I was going to sell it. But what could I possibly get for it in this market? $500? And what would I give up? It still runs great and puts a smile on my face, and it comes with so many memories made during thousands of miles and a dozen years.

Bottom line: the money wouldn't mean a fraction to me of what that bike does. So it's staying til death do us part. Fortunately, my wife is the kind of person who instantly saw the good sense in that. And I do the same for her... we understand the importance of things that have special meaning, beyond the monetary sense.

So many times I've been approached by older guys at a gas station, saying something like "I didn't know Triumph still made motorcycles! I used to have a Bonnie..." And then they get that far off look in their eyes and you know they're trying to remember why the hell they ever sold that old bike. It seemed to make sense at the time...

If all the above is irrelevant in your case, please disregard. Maybe I've read your situation all wrong. But I've just seen folks have regrets over selling something that didn't bring in near as much money as it took away memories...

Interesting point of view.  Really enjoyed reading that. Especially the part about the older guys at gas station kicking themselves for selling what brought them so much happiness.  Kinda silly to do that I say.

[Fun Dog]

 But my old Honda, which I appreciate as history (SOHC 4), as the first of my bikes that I put real work into to make it run, now sits mostly unused in the driveway.  It is gathering spiderwebs, and needs a battery.  We keep it registered and insured, but I've hardly ridden it this year.  So, she figures it is wasted sitting there, and we are paying for that.  I wouldn't get a lot for it; but it would pay for good aluminum hardcases for the 'Nord.

Now, see, this makes sense too.  If you've got something you're not using that you don't have too much attachment to that is just sitting there that you could trade for something you could use right NOW, I would say it makes sense to sell it, even if you don't get much for it.  If it'll get you enough money to get something that you can use right NOW, then it's worth selling.