Triumphrat

kevbec · 07-04-2008

I have located a '03 Tang/Black TBS with only 5,600 miles.
I have also located a '00 White/Orange TBS with 20,000 miles.

The '03 is bone stock. and he's not willing to move on the price

The '00 has TOR, cafe seat, new chain and sprockets and a fly screen AND he's willing to drop the price to where it's $1300 less than the '03. It would cost me about $300 to drive to pick up the '00.

My question is....is saving $1000, getting the seat and the pipes (two thing's I'd end up buying) off set the amount of extra miles on the bike?

NoDice · 07-04-2008

IMO, it's all about condition. 20k miles isn't a bad thing as long as it's been taken care of.... and it's really $2k cheaper if you would buy the aftermarket stuff for the '03.

If it's in good shape, my vote is the '00

kevbec · 07-04-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by NoDice

IMO, it's all about condition. 20k miles isn't a bad thing as long as it's been taken care of.... and it's really $2k cheaper if you would buy the aftermarket stuff for the '03.

If it's in good shape, my vote is the '00

Thanks Man. That's what I'm thinking too.

'03 w/6k = 23 miles a week
'00 w/20k = 48 miles a week

Not really that much difference, PLUS he has maintenance records.

The guy with the '03 said the last oil change was in '06 (1500 miles ago). So it sat in a garage for 18 months with gas in the carbs?!? That can't be good.

cpallen · 07-04-2008

As No Dice says, the mileage on a bike is not that big a deal either way. But I would favor a garage queen potentially due to cosmetics. Old gas and oil is not really that big a deal.

Saying it would cost you $300 to get the Y2k bike implies that you haven't seen or ridden it so there is a risk that you might not like it when you actually see it, and you'll still be out the time and money.

FACTS: The NADA retail price for a 2K TBS is $2835 and the '03 is $4070. People will try and tell you that the NADA is always low but ask them to prove it. The accessories are worth maybe 50 cents on the dollar only if the original seat and pipes are also included.

For most people (flame suit is on so have at it) a motorcycle is a recreation item and as a buyer you can leverage the seller's urgency (whether for the next toy or a need for cash). I would wave around a little cash and try for the '03. Let them know you are a serious buyer. Ask why he (or she) is selling it, and talk about that a little with them. Fall will be here soon and the motorcycle riding/buying season will be gone in most locations. If you are shopping for price you really need to keep YOUR emotions at bay and don't rationalize your selection.

Just my two cents worth. Good Luck!
Courtney in Seattle

kevbec · 07-04-2008

All very good points. I was using KBB and NADA's average price and came up with KB= $4415 on the '03 (average of Retail and Trade in) and $3900 from NADA. I think the guy want too much. He is asking $4900. I offered him $4400 (and told him my findings) and he said no. I know that he has had the bike for sale since May, and assume that he's just "fishing".

The '00 guy wants $4000 (well over book) and said that he'd sell to me for $3500. It's on ebay right now with a buy-it-now of $4k.

The '00 is in Dayton Oh, roughly a 1100 mile round trip. I was going to borrow my brother's trailer and drive up to get it. Gas/hotel would set me back $300 and take 2 days out of my life.

The '03 is about 200 miles round trip. I had planned on driving up and checking it out. If I decided to get it, I would take the train up during the week and ride it back ($13 one way on amtrak plus $35 in gas). If he would go $4500, even though that is well above book, I'd buy his.

I want the best bike I can get.

cpallen · 07-04-2008

It's tough looking for a particular and semi-rare bike. I looked at TBS' for several months before finally finding the right combination of bike + price. I negotiated with a gal for at least 2 months via email and ended up driving to Portland (around 400 miles round trip from Seattle) and trailering it back. I paid KBB retail for it (2004 with a couple of accessories and just under 7K miles). I would suggest you taking the brother's trailer and some cash and visit the guy with the '03. You never know how different he might react face to face.

Otherwise, here's a way to use google to search craig's list that might help you..... paste this string into the box.

site:craigslist.org/mcy "triumph thunderbird sport"

Good Luck!
Courtney

Bbogie · 07-05-2008

I'd get the '03 cuz black and orange is a lot faster.

kevbec · 07-05-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bbogie

I'd get the '03 cuz black and orange is a lot faster.

That's what I thought!

I just wrote the guy and told him that I would like to drive up on the 21st and pick up the bike as long as it checked out once I got there.

Thanks to everyone who wrote.