Well, I hear you all on the "Why?" question, and you make very valid points.
However, there are two things I should explain. The first is that I find that after about 3 years, bikes just start to look a bit "tatty". Nicks, scratches, bits of rust here and there and general usage. I am a bit **** and so after about 3 years, I normally sell or trade a bike and get a new one. Sure, I could fix all the little issues, but I am also kind of OCD and know they are there.
The second is the money side of the equation. I have a "bike fund" with my main bank account. Every time that I use my card, or my phone to pay for something, it automatically rounds the price up to the nearest Pound (Dollar) and shunts that spare change over to my bike fund account. This is something like £6K per year on average.....and I kind of view it as free money to spend on bikes. It isn't of course, but it's just savings that I haven't had to think about accumulating. So the money is there to spend already. I never buy bikes on finance - cash only and if I don't have the cash, I can't have the bike.
Also - that Army green 2022 really is a thing of beauty. I will see if there are any of those kicking around in the dealer network. That could potentially make me look at a 22 bike.
Finally, on the "sorted 21" vs crap shoot of a new bike, I think that the unfortunate Pan America teething problems are a thing of the past now. I have faith in the reliability of a 23 and upwards bike, and if not I have great dealer support and between them and me, we know how to fix most things on Pans these days.
So, you have a fully working, battle tested, 1st-class working bike, and you want to get rid of it and trade it in why? Because the model year is 2 years newer? I mean, isn't this a way to just spend a lot of money and end up with functionally the same bike?
I mean, if the upgrade was, like, $1,000 out the door after trade-in, then yeah, I get it, especially with starting the warranty all over. But otherwise, why?
So you asked what we would do. If I could get the army green 2022 special paint at a cheap upgrade price, I'd be highly tempted to do that, and make some 50-cal ammo can "saddlebags" for it.
That thing looks way better in person than I ever expected it to. But, you're still going to have to fix/update the charging system/battery on it. Put some olive drab .50-cal ammo cans on as saddlebags and you're set; they'll also be a lot slimmer than the normal Harley aluminum luggage.
If I found one of those in stock at a giveaway price, I'd be sorely tempted...
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I just bought a 2022 GI Enthusiast version. My dealer picked up 19 of them from HD in December. Brand new 2022s. $16K
Please don't answer any of the following questions, because I simply do not need the temptation in my life, but...
What dealer?
16K out the door?
You said new, I'm just verifying again - new with full warranty?
Yes, I bought it at High Desert Harley in Boise, Idaho. It was $16K + the tax, title, etc etc. But yes, brand new 2022 and it had THREE miles on it. It's the Pan America Special. It has the full factory warranty on it.
I as also, since you have upgraded the deficiencies on the 21, why just switch bike? 21000 miles is nothing. Your money, your choice but you will be right at the starting point again with the same bike. Good luck with your choice.
I got a super sweetheart deal from my local dealer on a black 2023 PAS with wire wheels, ARH and quick shifter. Which is basically exactly the same as my current bike apart from the quick shifter. Just newer and with zero miles. My total out of pocket expense (by the time I factor in the trade in value on my '21 and my "motorcycle spare change fund" is zero. OK, I know the spare change is actually real money, but that's not the point. They did give me an option on a yellow '23, but couldn't get to the same deal on it, it would have been another $1000, and I am not prepared to pay that for yellow paint. So, black it is.
The only problem is that the dealer basically made no money on the bike, so they are unwilling to take off all the accessories from my old bike and swap them onto the new, so I am currently in the process of taking the old bike back to stock. Luckily, I am quite ****, so kept all the take offs, apart from a couple of fasteners that I can't find, but that no big deal. And I enjoy wrenching on my bikes, so there's that too. It's quite a list, and I think I have probably forgotten some stuff:
Screamin Eagle Exhaust & Mid pipe
Denali kit - CanSMART, T3s, D4s, SoundBomb
RSG Racing tail tidy
A1 Risers
Foot guards
Pannier frames
GPS wiring
GPS mounting bar
Skid plate
Extreme Air filter
Reach Seat
Ram ball bar mounts
Lithium Battery
Noco jump harness
Windshield
Big brake pedal
Adventure pegs
They are going to swap over my Antigravity Lithium battery and the big foot kickstand for free though, because I can't do those at home. The battery because I don't have a spare stock one to drop in and the kick stand because the old normal stand was a bit bent and they swapped it out for the bigfoot one....so I don't have that either.
Tank pads and fender extenders I am buying new as there's no real way to take those off again and have them reusable. I am also adding a Cobrra NEMO II chain oiler to this bike.
Anyway, the new bike is at the dealership and will be ceramic coated next Friday before I pick it up.
I am looking forward to it - new bike for the new riding season. Despite it being basically the same bike.....
I got a super sweetheart deal from my local dealer on a black 2023 PAS with wire wheels, ARH and quick shifter. Which is basically exactly the same as my current bike apart from the quick shifter. Just newer and with zero miles. My total out of pocket expense (by the time I factor in the trade in value on my '21 and my "motorcycle spare change fund" is zero. OK, I know the spare change is actually real money, but that's not the point. They did give me an option on a yellow '23, but couldn't get to the same deal on it, it would have been another $1000, and I am not prepared to pay that for yellow paint. So, black it is.
The only problem is that the dealer basically made no money on the bike, so they are unwilling to take off all the accessories from my old bike and swap them onto the new, so I am currently in the process of taking the old bike back to stock. Luckily, I am quite ****, so kept all the take offs, apart from a couple of fasteners that I can't find, but that no big deal. And I enjoy wrenching on my bikes, so there's that too. It's quite a list, and I think I have probably forgotten some stuff:
Screamin Eagle Exhaust & Mid pipe
Denali kit - CanSMART, T3s, D4s, SoundBomb
RSG Racing tail tidy
A1 Risers
Foot guards
Pannier frames
GPS wiring
GPS mounting bar
Skid plate
Extreme Air filter
Reach Seat
Ram ball bar mounts
Lithium Battery
Noco jump harness
Windshield
Big brake pedal
Adventure pegs
They are going to swap over my Antigravity Lithium battery and the big foot kickstand for free though, because I can't do those at home. The battery because I don't have a spare stock one to drop in and the kick stand because the old normal stand was a bit bent and they swapped it out for the bigfoot one....so I don't have that either.
Tank pads and fender extenders I am buying new as there's no real way to take those off again and have them reusable. I am also adding a Cobrra NEMO II chain oiler to this bike.
Anyway, the new bike is at the dealership and will be ceramic coated next Friday before I pick it up.
I am looking forward to it - new bike for the new riding season. Despite it being basically the same bike.....
Congrats!
I am sooo close to getting another PanAm, I REALLY miss that bike.
I've been looking at the new Guzzi Stelvio, the big Tiger and of course the GSA (kinda miffed the GSA is the older version and not the 1300 like the regular GS) and imo the PanAm just looks better. It's that chain drive that I HATED when I owned it.
I'll probably end up with that damn CVO if I see it irl lol
02-26-2024, 03:46 PM
