For AMM01738

[phydough]

Ray,
You replied to my first post which is a couple weeks old already. I wanted to make sure everbody would see your first post so I copied and posted it again with your name in the title.
And, I think you can do a bit better than an '02 for your price range. Mine was just at the upper end of what you want to spend.
Several folks don't care much for their LT, watch the classifieds.
Take care in Iraq and I will say a word for you, if you can find a computer stay in touch.

Originally Posted by AMMO1738
This is my first time posting so hopefully I won't screw it up too bad. I will be leaving for Iraq in about a month, but when I return my first purchase will be a K1200LT. I have done my homework. I had it narrowed down to either a Goldwing or BMW, and the BMW won by a landslide. My wife loves to ride and wants to take trip up to Amish country in PA. Living in southern NC, that will be a nice trip. I am selling my 1500 Vulcan tomorrow. I just have a few questions for you experts out there. If I have between 12000.00 and 15000.00 to invest, what will be a good buy? I could go a little more but want to pay cash. I know that an extended warranty is a must. I will be traveling to Daytona Beach this weekend and have arranged for a test ride on a 2002 LT. The wife is so excited. Any information you can give me would be greatly appreciated. These is no such thing as bad advice. Some may just be better than others. I am a motorcycle basic instructor but have never ridden a BMW 1200LT. I have had two wings and a harley but this time around I have a new motto. If I'm going to be a bear I might as well be a grizzly. So I am going for the gusto and getting the 1200LT. Thanks for listening to me ramble on and remember in your prayers while I am in Iraq.

[petevandyke]

I second that, you should be able to find a pretty pristine '04 for around $12,500 to $13,500, if your cap is $15K, you can likely find yourself an '05 purchased late in the model year that would still have a year left on original warranty with less than 15K miles.

http://www.kbb.com has used motorcycle pricing (remember it's an estimate), as should your local bank/credit union or insurance agent--if possible, don't get the "blue book" value, ask for the "black book" value, it's going to be lower, and more accurate--it's what dealers actually use.

For grins, I just ran the "blue book" value on '05 LT's on the website.

Retail for an '05, which is more than you SHOULD pay, and more than you would pay for a private sale, for a bike in very good condition, with 15,500 miles or less, and standard accessories is pegged at $15,500, the trade-in value on the same bike is $11,111--so you have a load of wiggle room.

Keep in mind that since it's fall and the '08's are in the showrooms, everything younger just dropped in value significantly...if you're going to be overseas for a bit, wait until you come back...no sense in buying before, paying insurance, paying a HIGHER price on the bike, and then it sits for a while...if you want to take a trip, eaglerider.com has reasonable rental prices including insurance, riding gear if you need it, and unlimited miles that will be a lot cheaper than what you'd pay/lose otherwise.

If it were me, I'd spend a couple hundred renting a goldwing or a harley dresser for the trip, wait until you get back safe and sound, then get yourself a nice '06 with 18 or so months left on the warranty clock, have a grand or two left over from your $15K budget for goodies, and see us on a roadtrip!

Pete