The end of the Silverwing?

All,
I have an opportunity to purchase a 2009 Silverwing with 500 miles. It was bought new last year and the owner has some health issues and needs to sell. His best price $6300.

My concerns.....that really a good price? See that the 2013 model is the last year of the Silverwing (I believe Honda is replacing it with the NM4 - correct me if I'm wrong), would it be wise to purchase a scoot that has been "end of lifed"?

Any feedback is appreciated.

$6300 seems high to me. It is still 5 years old.
Don't worry about end of life. Honda is still manufacturing the same scooter for other markets, so parts won't be a problem for a very long time.

It is low mileage, but that may mean none of the fluids have been changed. The tires may look good, but when were they manufactured? It seems the seller is trying to get new price, but the bike is not new. I haven't looked recently, but I think there were some California and Arizona dealers selling new ones for around $7000. You might check Cycle Trader for current prices. Are there any additions to the scoot such as top boxes or is it completely stock?

Bigbird....that's what I thought. I was willing to do $6K but that's my limit.

Hi Yo - good points. The bike supposedly sat in the show room until Sept. 2013 when sold but tires still age. I have looked on CraigsList but very few on CL - mostly too old. I've also reviewed CT - the trouble with buying new are all the fees the dealers tack on....assembly fees, etc. I AIN'T paying those bloated costs.   

BTW - How do you check tire manufacture date?

Thanks

Hello,

Try this thread for information on age of tires:

http://www.barrystiretech.com/dotcoding.html

flavioguy wrote:

Bigbird....that's what I thought.  I was willing to do $6K but that's my limit.

I think even $6k is overly generous on your part. Did you tell him you'd do $6k? If he turned you down over $300 I'd say he's not very motivated to sell. If I were in his shoes, I'd take your $6k and run.

My dealer has a brand new 2012 leftover with full warranty for $7299.

http://www.wildwestmotoplex.com/new_vehicle_detail.asp?veh=266921&pov=3616106

LDB wrote:

My dealer has a brand new 2012 leftover with full warranty for $7299.

http://www.wildwestmotoplex.com/new_vehicle_detail.asp?veh=266921&pov=3616106

And that's his asking price!

I think the price is way too high. For the reasons stated above. Also, another consideration, in 2009 the ABS was an option; does this one have it? If not price goes way down. Buy a leftover NEW 2012.

Keep watching CraigsList and eBay; you will find one!!!

I also think the price is way to high as well. This is the ABS Kelley Blue book:

http://www.kbb.com/motorcycles/honda/fsc600a-silver-wing-abs/2009-honda-fsc600a-silver-wing-abs/suggestedretailvalue/?categoryname=scooter

I would offer less than that really since you will have to do things like change the tires, maybe the belt, and who knows what else. It just sat for 5 years really but don't worry about parts or anything. You be able to get parts for decades.

JeffR_ wrote:

I also think the price is way to high as well.  This is the ABS Kelley Blue book:

http://www.kbb.com/motorcycles/honda/fsc600a-silver-wing-abs/2009-honda-fsc600a-silver-wing-abs/suggestedretailvalue/?categoryname=scooter

I would offer less than that really since you will have to do things like change the tires, maybe the belt, and who knows what else.  It just sat for 5 years really but don't worry about parts or anything.  You be able to get parts for decades.

Good information here! My 2012 with ABS only lists at 6335.00 in excellent shape. He is asking that much for a 2009? Bark at the moon.

flavioguy wrote:

(I believe Honda is replacing it with the NM4 - correct me if I'm wrong)

You are wrong.

The NM4 is designed as a motorcycle, not a scooter.
Honda Silverwing may not be selling well in USA but we are only one market, and they need a bike to compete with other maxiscooters.

While Honda has switched to the Silverwing600T, there is a large installed base of the silverwing, with the bikes sharing many parts. Parts will be around for a long time.

There was a 2012 Swing in Chandler Az, at Western Honda and they came to 6900$ Add to that T and L and probably some doc.

I think in USA Honda has handed Suzuki a big win by getting out of the 400 - 650 cc range scoots. Probably Honda won't sell enough to justify tooling up to improve the Wing over a Burgman.

As I seem to be constantly repeating, the new improved Silver Wing is already out there in mainland Europe and it's called the SW-T 400 and SW-T 600. I was looking at one parked up when I was in Dubrovnik in Croatia about a fortnight ago.

Yeah, the price tag on the new, zero mile, with ABS and warranty, 2012 SWing I just got a month ago at a local dealer was $6899, so $6300 for a 2009 doesn't sound at all good.

Following on what Meldrew said I saw an SW-T 400 two or three years ago in Belgium. The rider said it was one of the very first to be imported there and that it was as good as the old 600. He was pleased with it.
It looked very smart.

My Dealer said the NM4 (Vultus) will not be in his hands (South Florida, USA) until September.

I gotta say that Vultus is about as ugly as its name. Not pretty at all. Seems a bit insectlike. I hope they have colors other than black. I thought my BMW 650GT was a bit odd looking but not compared to the Vultus. If that's replacing the Silverwing it's a sad thing because the SW is a much nicer looking machine to me. Also the low seat on the Vultus compared to the SW is going to make it a lot less fun in the twisties.

I also think the vultus is ugly. Looks like its from a sci fi movie. It appears like its a single seater. If it can take a pillion it dont look too comfortable! The only thing i like is the air temperature is displayed on the main screen. At $10999 msrp. i would buy anything but this!

Looks like something Batman would ride...

According to Honda the Vultus is designed to appeal to 'social media-engaged urbanites' not a bunch of old blokes who'd want to stick car tyres and beverage holders on it just in case they ran out of rubber or caffeine on a ride to the doughnut shop.

Meldrew wrote:

According to Honda the Vultus is designed to appeal to 'social media-engaged urbanites' not a bunch of old blokes who'd want to stick car tyres on it to ride to the doughnut shop.

so i take it you have one ordered!!  

I've ordered the odd box of Krispy Kreme donuts in my time, but I'd rather trim my pubes with a garden strimmer (weed wacker?) than be seen on a Voltus!   

Well....to chime in....the Vultus is certainly, hmm, unique looking. But at least Honda has the cojones to do something different.

Update: the owner of the 2009 SW is offering the scoot to me at 6K. Unfortunately it's 6 hours from here and I still haven't ridden one yet. So....stay tuned.

Oh and thx Meldrew for the clarification.

The Vultus looks interesting. It may be the style trendsetter of future mid displacement bikes. It seems DCT will be the future transmission trend in Honda's larger displacement engines. I'll reserve judgment until I see and and sit on one.

Vultus was only mentioned as the original poster thought it would replace the Silverwing.
It was not meant to hijack the thread.  
Sorry.


Dan

It doesn't look like hijacking to me, merely a bit of digression. Old guys, like me, tend to wander a bit. A thread like a conversation isn't a bad thing especially when it's a thread that's not a technical one.

flavioguy wrote:

Well....to chime in....the Vultus is certainly, hmm, unique looking.  But at least Honda has the cojones to do something different.

Honda had the cojones to bring out the DN-01 a few years ago and it's unconventional looks made it a sales flop. There were loads of very low mileage used ones for sale in the UK within a couple of months of it's launch, and then it was quietly dropped from the Honda UK lineup.

exavid wrote:

It doesn't look like hijacking to me, merely a bit of digression. Old guys, like me, tend to wander a bit. A thread like a conversation isn't a bad thing especially when it's a thread that's not a technical one.

Sounds like a chat room. Oh yeah, there is one available, but most would rather use the threads as their chat room.

Weed whancking one's pubes certainly took my mind from the problem of the rear end of the Swing. The mind boggles.   

As the topic is End of the Silverwing, Iam currently in the process of buying a new one. Having had my current one for four years, i have test ridden the updated(2013) Burgman 650. I didn't care for it, to my mind a bit like riding a carthorse after riding a racehorse. The Tmax 500, too small and too expensive for what it is. You would not believe the hasstle i have had with dealers , all goes well till i say 40,000mls up, apparently average for my seven year old bike should be 12,000mls. i have that as my yearly mileage on my insurance policy. I seem to have tracked down a dealer who is offering a reasonable deal. I go to find out on Saturday.   

Old Limey wrote:

I am currently in the process of buying a new one. You would not believe the hasstle i have had with dealersI seem to have tracked down a dealer who is offering a reasonable deal. I go to find out on Saturday.   

I hope all goes according to your budget and the dealer doesn't surprise you with any "gotcha's" after the verbal agreement.
Good luck.

Old Limey wrote:

As the topic is End of the Silverwing, Iam currently in the process of buying a new one. Having had my current one for four years,( 

I've noticed Honda UK have increased the new price from £6500 to £6999 recently. If you don't mind another used one I know where there's a dealer in West Yorkshire with a nicely priced black 2010 model, 3886 miles, Honda top box, FSI, £3790. That's $6497 to our American friends.

Looking on another site one dealer was trying to flog a 2001 SW for only a couple of hundred less than another dealers 2006 SW.

I'm off to Padgetts in West Yorkshire, the one i've been speaking to, tells me £6500 for a new one,but he says only Blue or Silver available, he "may" be able to get me another black one. What time does that bloody bicycle thing start Meldrew? my route looks to be on the M62, off at jnct 25 and along leeds road. Hopefully I'm out of the way of the bicycle lot.   

That bloody bicycle thing starts off from York Racecourse on Sunday morning, we've got tickets to watch the Grand Départ from there and there's lots of other stuff going on. We have to walk to the racecourse because most of the roads are closed overnight or from early morning on race day until the riders and support vehicles go past. I think the route is York, Harrogate, the Dales, then over into West Yorkshire, and finishing in Sheffield.

I thought it started in Leeds and went to Harrogate on Saturday? that's when i will be at Bately, i intend to go in the PM and miss the masses.   

Yes it did start today, and away from all the hype it's just a load of blokes on push bikes that are fitter, faster, and riding in a bigger pack than the pain in the **** clubman riders you meet playing self-appointed pace cars on country roads when you're out on the Silver Wing!