New Swing owner in South Wales

Hi all,

(Hopefully) picking up my Swing on Saturday. 10 year old dealer bike with **** miles on the clock.

Infact, the miles and price are almost equal, so can anyone guess the figures?

I've opted for a 2007 model because at 10 years I can add it to my classic bike policy for about £65 for the year fully comp with all the extras without using any NCB.

Basically, been riding just over 8 years, mainly on normal or sports bikes, used for commuting or pleasure. When I moved for a new job, I needed something more practical for a 40 mile round trip over the Severn bridge along the M4, so bit the bullet and made the jump to a scooter, a Yamaha Tricity 125cc 3-wheeler aka the mobility scooter as the work lads refer to it! It's been a real eye-opener, and probably the best all-round bike I've ever owned. It's only let down by it's lack of speed (60mph WOT cruise) and poor handling 2-up due to the almost entirely rear weight bias.

Then this last month the wife accepted a job over the bridge too, so lift sharing seems a good idea to avoid the toll (I'll believe they'll scrap only when it finally happens!). Had a look at a few bigger scooters, and the choice finally boiled down to new Yamaha X-Max 300, use T-Max 520, and a Swing. The performance of the T-Max was excellent, even two-up, but comfort and weather protection was pants compared to my darling Tricity. I also found both the yams quite tall in the leg for me since I'm a short-arse. Having only been able to sit on a Swing until now, I was still amazed at how much lower and plusher it felt. Also reports on easier home servicing was a major factor - the local Yam dealer quoted me over £750 for a 12,000 service with belt change! Sod that for a laugh.

So a home-serviced Swing on classic insurance it is. Since I can't part-ex the Tricity, I'll keep it this winter to protect the mint Swing from salt, then possibly sell her in the spring.

Other bikes wise, I've still got my first ever bike, a '97 GPZ500s stripped down and rather manky looking but fresh mechanically after a full re-fresh last spring. I've also got a mint '96 GPX250 (7,000 miles in 20 years!) with new Racetech cartridge emulators up front, and a remote-preload Hagon mono at the back. Handles as well as any modern proper sportbike, and far better than the budget A2 bikes currently on sale. for some greenlining I've got a '12 AJP PR4 200 enduro bike (slide-carb'd aircooled Honda single in a modern chassis). This might also be sold since I only use it about once every two months. Lastly I've got a '15 Royal Enfield Continental GT 535 which has had a fair few mods done, but I'm planning on selling, since the GPX250 is better in EVERY way. Oh, and of course the trusty Tricity, just 1 year old, 12,000 on the clocks, with a givi screen, oxford heated grips, Polini variator with 8.2g rollers, polini clutch springs, and a full Arrow exhaust system waiting to go on.

And no space left in the garage.

How much - hmmm let me think...

Ok 10yrs old lets say average 2000 mls/year

 20,000mls and £20,000 - I'd want to haggle a bit

JB

Quality! I did say it was a FJS600, not an NR(750)

Hello Gavin. Thanks for your introduction. Sound as if you've got an impressive collection of wheels on hand. Welcome to the forum.

Tim

Cosmic_Jumper wrote:

Hello Gavin. Thanks for your introduction. Sound as if you've got an impressive collection of wheels on hand. Welcome to the forum.

Tim

No guesses then?

2,000 and 2,000?

Welcome from o-HI-o.

Welcome

Welcome. I feel like the others aren't going to get much use, now that you've got a Silver Wing.

Interested that a 2007 qualifies as a classic, mines 10 YO next yr, have a 1982 GL1100 but that will probably be sold soon as I have done no mileage this year and only 500 miles since last mot. Could even justify keeping it when I retire in 3 years ! My commute is 20 miles each way, silver wing is perfect for me, on tap power on country roads complete with comfort and weather protection, 3 years ago I paid £2400 with 16k miles and I have never regretted it, unlike Yamaha scooters I have owned before, every time you went to work on it a bolt would break !

Well, the bike is with me now, and very pleased I am too. After my first 1 hour ride first impressions are that it's vibey at speed (80mph+) but that could be due to poor wheel balancing. IT has just had new tyres at dealer. Below 80mph it's fine. Acceleration seems steady... until you look down and realise how fast it's going and in how little time. So 'deceptive' is the word. Certainly faster than the T-Max 520 I rode, but doesn't feel it. Also... very comfy. Which is good, as I have a 5 hour ride home tomorrow morning. Wish it had heated grips though. Luckily I've bought my old bar muffs to fit.

Hopefully this dealer pic gives enough info.

Oh, and it was £3500 with 3,662 miles.

And it's not a 'classic', but with Footman James it qualifies as an 'not-new modern bike' which allows it to be added to my existing classic policy for £54 for 9 months fully comp, unlimited miles, all the usual extras.

Looks beautiful! Looks like newly painted. Have fun and ride safe!

Gavin
Safe ride home today it's a bit blustery in my neck of the woods but not horrendous.
Looks a nice clean machine

phils a winger wrote:

Interested that a 2007 qualifies as a classic, mines 10 YO next yr

I have done  only 500 miles since last mot.

Crikey, if an 07 is a classic, my 04 must be an antique!!

What with illness and family commitments, I only did 500 miles since last years MOT, and the previous year it was only 410!

That will change this next year for certain!

If you plan on using it all year round get used to stripping pads out, cleaning caliper slide pins, pad loacting pins and piston edges. Takes about 1/2 an hour each end and handy that all the components come out easily if often removed, leave it till its seized and thats when problems occur. try and work on changing oil fileter twice a year, once before winter and one after winter, I have had 2 filters fail due to corrosion, the filter rusted through in May each year.

I agree with Phils a winger, but if you use ACF 50 anti corrosion grease on the pins and sliders then red silicon grease round the exposed part of the pistons they won't seize with riding every day in winter on heavily salted roads. Also having had one original honda filter rust through and dump oil on my rear tyre in heavy traffic I check mine regularly. I think I will try to find some sort of cover got it for this winter.

Stopping the filter corroding should be a fairly simple fix, just give it a coat of underseal or maybe Hammerite.
JB

It won't be being used this winter once the salt is on the road, I'll have the 3-wheeler 125 for that complete with snow tyres. Thanks for the tips though.

So far so good, a very windy 280 miles home, but pleasant. Cruising at 75mph with bursts of 85-90 when overtaking. 53.5mpg over two tanks, so ALOT better than expected... was dreading 45mpg with gentle riding!

Usually average 55/56 mpg, most of my riding is around 60-70 mph