Made a big mistake................Sold a bike I loved.

[*Touring Ted*]

I don't know why I did it.. In a moment of madness I decided I didn't need two bikes and sold my DRZ400S. It took me from the UK-Capetown without even a stutter. Always loyal and raring to go. I sold it for practically nothing too. I put it on ebay for a laugh and sold it without even thinking. I convinced myself the money would put me closer to another trip. Before I knew it it was gone.

I've never regretted selling a bike more.. I flogged it for £1200 after it owed me £2000 (Ok, I did put 15,000 miles on it through Africa and it looked pretty battered). You can't put a price on those memories. I haven't even got a trail bike now

We need an ABR Counciling couch at the Midlands meeting. Somewhere I can throw rocks at my soulless new V-strom from.

[ipswichbiker]

You did it for a reason. Its like a good book, you've passed it on and now someone else can make their own adventures with it. Stop throwing rocks and get farkling a bit thats a pedigree bike you've got there.


Time to make some new memories

[BlackBetty]

I know how ya feel..........I restored my Gpz 900r, money got a little tight so one bike had to go bye bye gpz. Sold it to someone I know who 2 days after buying it sent it sideways down the road! Felt like I'd signed its death warrant. Every time I see the guy now I just think Ba**ard.

[backofbeyond]

Sorry Ted but I think you've cocked up on that one - you really should have kept it. It's as much a part of the africa trip as the memories / diseases you have or the photos you took - and it's not as if you got paid over the odds for it. At the least you should have hung on to it till some replacement bike took over in your affections (doesn't sound like a brunette wee strom is going to do it).

Sorry if it sounds a bit harsh, but you know what blondes are like - I don't think the DRZ will ever talk to you again!

[Sprockette]

I can empathise with you there Ted.

[desertraider]

i think most of us on here have sold bikes , then wished they had not done it , i myself have been their .

[Hutchie]

I feel your pain, but I canny agree about the strom is soulless.

[*Touring Ted*]

Well, it's not as dull as some bikes it's owned. I just made the mistake of reading the MCN review on their website and expected it to move a bit quicker than it does.

[dazedproductions]

If I had space to store them, then I wouldn't have sold half my old bikes. Most hated getting rid of a CBR400RR (but it needed to fund the R6), R6 was the one I let go for too little money (but it owed me nothing and I was glad to get shot of it), was sad to see the ZXR750L1 go, absolutely classic bike with all the niggles sorted. Currently stuck working out what I am getting rid of next. Looking at getting a KTM 690 as a more long-distance-capable machine. Don't know if I will get rid of the R1 (2000 model, worth next to nothing, still a wicked bike, done 68kmiles on it) or the KTM 525. Either way I will be selling a bike I love but not got space for 3!

[Roadcat]

I've done exactly the same thing myself. Sold the XT that carried me up through Africa for half of what she was worth and a hundredth of what she was really worth to me. I struck it lucky though - 10 years later I bought her back in a truly sad state (and for more money than I sold her for) and have since poured more money than she's worth getting her beautiful again.

I don't really get sentimental about machines often (normally only when I'm pissed) but there was a moment in Tanzania when I had just bounced off the side of a truck. I was lying in a ditch of muddy water checking if I could move all my limbs and my bike was lying in the middle of the road, bent and buckled and bleeding petrol and oil. Once I picked myself up I limped over to her and got her upright, I pulled the decompression lever (which promptly broke off in my hand, so I just grabbed the cable and used that) and gave her a kick and she just fired to life on the first kick.

It's a bit like dogs - a good bike is an incredible thing, but a bad one is... well a dog.