Like many riders, I reached that familiar moment: used motorcycle vs new – and here is why I chose freedom over finance.
In 2017, I was in a position to buy my first brand-new bike – a Honda Africa Twin. I put down a £1000 deposit and paid around £130 per month for 24 months.
And when the lease was up in 2019, Honda gave me a great deal on another new AT – because the new model was coming out later that year. I paid ZERO deposit, literally swapped my old bike for a new one, and the payments rose to £170 for 3 years.
Fast forward to 2022, and I moved to Kawasaki. The brand-new, updated Ninja 1000 SX with the touring package meant I had to put down a £1,500 deposit and fork out £200 per month for the next 3 years.
And then this year, when the Ninja was due back, I looked at the Kawasaki options and decided on the Versys 1100 SE. This required a £2,500 deposit followed by £250 per month for 3 years.
Let’s just think about that for a second.
In fact, let’s pop it in a table so it’s easy to see.
| Bike | Deposit | Monthly | Total |
| 2017 Honda Africa Twin | £1000 | £130 (24 months) | £4,220 |
| 2019 Honda Africa Twin | £0 | £170 (36 months) | £6,120 |
| 2022 Kawasaki Ninja 1000 SX | £1,500 | £200 (36 months) | £8,700 |
| 2025 Kawasaki Versys 1100 SE | £2,500 | £250 (36 months) | £11,500 |
Now, I know there are differences in machine quality here. A higher spec Versys will always cost more than a bog standard Africa Twin from 8 years ago.
But the illustration does its job in that motorcycles are simply too bloody expensive. In the last 8 years, the basic cost of ownership (for me) has increased by 257.14%
However, if we take the same period (2017-2025) and look at the percentage increase of the average UK wage, we can see it’s only risen by 30.9%
Hm. Doesn’t quite add up, does it?
This post is my experience. But if you’re looking for a broader comparison, I also broke down the pros and cons of buying new vs used in this detailed guide: New vs Used Motorcycles: Is Half The Price Is Half The Bike?
From Rider to Borrower
The final straw for me was when I realised that if I bought this touring bike, I wouldn’t be able to afford to tour. So what’s the point in buying it in at all?
Seriously, if the machine is so expensive that I can’t afford to ride how or where I like, then what am I actually buying?
As a touring rider, the bike comes second to the trip. It’s all about the memories. The experience. So I want to spend my money on the trip – not the bike that gets me there.
When I look back at the bikes I’ve bought over the last decade, there’s no getting away from the fact that there’s a direct correlation between the price of the bike and the amount of fun I was having.
But not in the direction you might think.
The bikes got more and more expensive. Yet I enjoyed biking less and less.
The reality is that at some point, I stopped being a rider and started being a borrower.
The Cornerstone of Motorcycling
We all ride for different reasons. But historically, at least, the main purpose of a motorcycle was that it gave us freedom. And back in the day (when I rode cheap, used bikes), that’s exactly what they gave me – pure, unadulterated freedom to go wherever I wanted, whenever I wanted, for however long I felt like.
And I could do it on a budget, too.
But now, it’s not that simple. The ever-increasing burden of motorcycle prices means swapping freedom for constraint. The very purpose of motorcycling has been diluted so we can all have the next new model.
Deposits, monthly repayments, interest rates, fees, mileage constraints, excess mileage fees, damage fees… the list goes on and on.
And that’s not to mention crap road surfaces, increases in road tax, higher insurance premiums, and an aggressive increase in the number of speed cameras and the costs of fines when those cameras flash.
Seriously, where is the freedom in that?
Why I Bought a 2008 Triumph Sprint ST: Financial Freedom
See, this is the thing. Prices have continued to go up. And we’ve all continued to moan about it, yet we’ve all continued to buy them. Every 2, 3, 4 years, we price up our new bike, shudder at the cost, and then pay it anyway.
So, is it really any wonder that prices have continued to climb? If we keep paying, prices will continue to rise. And they won’t stop until people say, “enough is enough.”
Now, just to be clear, I’m not saying that YOU shouldn’t go out and buy that £25,000 BMW GS 1300 Adventure. If you want it and can afford it, then all power to you.
But there comes a point for the rest of us when maybe, just maybe, it’s time we stopped embracing this trend of constantly upgrading to the next shiny new bike/iPhone/Range Rover/hotel in Dubai, etc.
Because when you sit down and do the used vs new motorcycle maths, it really makes you think.
Is a New Motorcycle 5.6x Better than a Used One?
As mentioned, the Versys I was eying up would equal a basic cost of ownership of £11,500. My insurance would triple because it’s a new model (this happened last time when I bought the new model of the Ninja 1000 SX – it jumped from £30 per month to £90 per month).
So when we factor that in, that’s £14,740 over three years – not including servicing, tyres, etc.
The Triumph?
Well, I found a well-maintained, well-loved example with 28,000 miles on the clock. Only 2 owners from new.
All the common problems with the ST had been sorted (suspension, brakes, regulator/rectifier, etc). It also came with a few extras, full service history, the valve clearances had been completed, and it also had the OEM panniers.
And the grand total?
£2,150. That’s a lot of bike for a little over 2 grand.
Insurance – £170 per year (and I know this will drop in subsequent years when I have more time to shop for it.)
So, the cost of ownership for the Versys 1100 SE – £14,740.
Cost of ownership for the Sprint – £2,630.
That’s £12,110 CHEAPER. Or, if you prefer, the Versys is 5.6 times more expensive.
But whichever way you look at it, can anyone really say the Versys is 5.6x better than the ST? Because while I agree it’s ‘better’, I can’t accept that it’s 5.6x better.
Nor does it make 5.6x better memories or result in experiences that are 5.6x more enjoyable.
The Sprint’s lost a few horses, gained a few scratches, and acquired a few more war wounds. But, essentially, it does the same job as the Versys.
And, in the main, it does it just as well.
Oh, and I can afford to go touring, too!
Why I Bought a 2008 Triumph Sprint ST: Emotional Freedom
We spoke about freedom above – how motorcycles have always been the epitome of that very notion. But buying the Sprint has brought me emotional freedom as well as financial freedom.
No longer am I constrained by high costs, interest rates, balloon payments, and damage fees. No longer am I afraid to RIDE the bloody thing! And no longer am I afraid to enjoy it.
If I scratch it, so what? It’s not the end of the world if I drop it.
I don’t have to worry about keeping it pristine just to keep the finance company happy when I give it back. These companies want you to spend £20,000 on a motorcycle, not ride it, then give it back to them in perfect condition. They’re selling ornaments, not bikes.
And when did we become so happy to put finance companies on a pedestal, anyway? It’s crazy.
With the Sprint, I don’t owe anybody anything. It’s all been paid for in full. I don’t worry about scratching it. Balloon payments and damage fees don’t hang over me. And I no longer have to worry about the guy with a clipboard who inspects every panel when it’s time to give it back.
Life is just more enjoyable with the Sprint.
More free.
The Sprint isn’t just cheaper. It actually makes touring possible again. I don’t have to cut my trips short (or not go at all). I don’t have to skip that mountain pass to make the trip shorter, or choose cheaper accommodation just to make the repayments work.
I can just ride.
And while it’s imperfect, I’d much rather own something imperfect than have something pristine own me.