Following the sale of my 8 year old KTM Duke 200 in July 2020, I thought it was going to be the end of my motorcycling experience for the foreseeable future.
Especially with motorcycle COE prices at S$7,000 to S$8,000, which is more than the machine price of the large swathe of class 2B and class 2A bikes, I thought it did not make much sense to own another two wheeler, given my limited intended mileage and the high maintenance experience that I had riding the KTM Duke 200.
However, idle minds are the devil's playground eh. After twiddling around on some motorbiking forums, and trying to delay any purchase decisions, I decided to look around to see if I could get a good deal on a 2nd hand bike.
Specifically, after receiving recommendations from some friends and from one of the comments received in the earlier blog post detailing the sale of my KTM Duke 200, I started looking around for 2nd hand maxi-scooters on SGBikeMart. Because increased storage space, twist and go, comfort and convenience began to appeal to me more than the conventional motorcycle riding experience. I guess age plays a part too :)
I spent a couple of weeks looking through the available inventory, and following a failed negotiation for a 2013 SYM JoyMax 300, I found myself looking at a listing for a class 2A scooter. It was a c. 270 cc scooter by a reputable Taiwanese manufacturer (think KYMCO or SYM). After some back and forth with the seller, I went to view the bike, loved it, and managed to wrangle out a decent deal.
Ponied up about c. S$9,400 in total post servicing, and after factoring in the c. S$4,500 received for the sale of my KTM Duke 200, this works out to be c. S$600 per annum for an upgrade of my experience and an extension of 6 more years to my original COE which was supposed to expire in 2023.
Given this, and that a brand new bike of the same model would have cost me c. S$15,500, I reckon it was a deal that was too more than sweet enough to go through with even if I were to utilise the bike on an occasional basis.
How has the Maxi-Scooter riding experience been so far?
So I'm about 1+ month into my maxi-scoot experience and it has been nothing but awesome. Fantastic comfort and good mileage so far. I've put c. 600km or so on it and I love the increased power, convenience and comfort as compared to my KTM Duke 200. A full tank is 12l, costs c. S$20 and can yield 330 to 360 km per tank. I think I'm becoming an Uncle :)
Tips for a 2nd hand motorcycle purchase
Anyhow, here are some thoughts to round up my purchase experience. Hopefully they might be of some help to any readers looking to purchase a 2nd hand motorcycle in Singapore.
1) Take your time to scout for and view 2nd hand bikes. The longer you take, the more options you have. Don't go for the first bike you see. Also, I dealt directly with individuals selling their bikes, not with dealers. My hypothesis is that there are good deals to be found on either side, but individuals might have more flexibility with pricing.
2) Everything is negotiable. The price you see on SGBikeMart is just the opening price. Knowing why your seller is selling the bike, seller's profile, bike condition, etc, will go some way in helping you to negotiate for a better price.
3) It might make sense to go against the grain. I think I got this on the value side also because it wasn't a very popular model. The current trend for maxi-scooters in the Class 2A category is the Xmax 300. However, that comes with a premium. Given my lack of height, I think I wouldn't be able to straddle the Xmax 300 confidently as my feet couldn't be planted flat on the floor while the bike is at a standstill.
4) Luck plays a huge role. I got lucky this time round - the bike was supposed to be sold to another guy in March, but circuit breaker came into play and he wasn't able to deliver the cash and collect the bike. And I met a seller who was generally easy going and just wanted to get rid of it. He wasn't looking to maximize sale price.
5) It's quite straightforward to switch ownership through e-LTA now using SingPass. My last 2nd hand bike purchase required both seller and buyer to head down to Sin Ming to consummate the sale in person. However things have changed since. For my recent purchase, I gave the seller a small deposit upfront to firm up my interest. Waited for him to repay his loans fully and release the bike for ownership exchange, went down to collect the bike and do the remaining purchase price / ownership exchange through internet banking and e-LTA. The wonders of technology.
Hope this post is of some use.
To all readers who ride, ride on, and ride safe. Enjoy the weekend!
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