Any hesitancy buying the first year of a new model bike?

It’s always a gamble buying a first year model. That hasn’t stopped me from buying first year models. Sometimes it works, sometimes not so much. One thing for sure, they are always better the 2nd year.

I felt that way about my 2019 KX450.  I was coming back from injury and that was the bike i really wanted.  The bike wound up being great with a few things needing to be addressed.  

Usually worth it to wait a year let the kinks get worked out 

I hesitated to buy the 22’ crf250 when it came out, ended up getting a 23 and it remained unchanged until 2025. I just pulled the trigger on the new triumph without hesitation. I think we are getting further and further away from bikes having kinks that need to me worked out, the stuff in the last 4-5 years no matter which manufacturer you look at have been pretty solid imo. 

Not really moto related....but I bought my Triumph Tiger 900 RP adventure bike mid 2020 during the GREAT FLU, before bike prices went thru the roof.   It was a completely redesigned brand-new model in 2020.   It's been absolutely bulletproof, there were no recalls or updates/changes until 2024 model face-lift and more powerful motor.      Triumph nailed this bike from day 1. 

Getting wrapped up in the hype is the fun part of a new model but waiting a year (or 2) is the smart man's call.

No, but I buy the cross-country version so it's technically a year old platform when it comes out! Any major issues are usually addressed. 

I was so hesitant to buy a 23 125sx that I spent many many hours reading as much online as I could. I ended up buying a 23 YZ125 instead.  I don’t want to be a part of the 1st year test group that so many manufacturers (not just bikes) think is ok.  I will always wait a few years, or 1 year model minimum.

It happens, sold a mint 96 cr250 and got a new 97,oops. Same deal with my 89 kx250. I hated my new 1990 kx. 

No. 

Have bought several first year bikes. Most recently 21 crf works edition when they came out, then my 23 yam. Loved both.

Thinking back..

16 ktm450

09 rmz450

Multiple crfs but i got a first year 2002

2001 yz250f

Im a sucker for new stuff.. id probably buy a triumph 450 tomorrow.. lol

Depends on the brand. Honda , no problem. KTM, never ever

I bought a brand new 2005 YZ250, first year aluminum frame.  Everything was good except the forks, I spent a lot of time adjusting and a fair chunk of cheese trying but never felt confident with the front end. Then I had a low hour 2006 pop up so I sold the 05' and bought the 06'. The 06' had bone stock suspension that hadn't seen much love, but it came with the new SSS forks. The SSS forks with ancient fluid and zero adjustments felt better on the first ride than the 05' (AOSS ?) forks after years of trying. Fresh oil and a couple clicker adjustments and it was dialed with zero money spent at the suspension shop. I know what made it a "brand new model" was the aluminum frame, but it this case the guys who waited until the second year got a much better handling bike. 

 Hindsights 20/20. 

That 89 was a sweet bike 👍

Every time I’ve bought the first year bike or vehicle I’m reminded engineers are idiots, manufacturers are always looking to save a buck, and I’m an unpaid guinea pig. Give it a year or two. 

Hit and miss, but generally I’ll try avoid it just to be safe. My experience hasn’t been terrible with one exception.

1997 CR250: giant piece of poo. Gave up my dialed 96 for it, too.

2002 CRF450: airbox issues, a couple other things I don’t recall (despite popular opinion, I actually preferred the 02’s engine, handling, and suspension to everything after it until the new frame in 05).

2002 CR250: Airbox, plus all the (now) known tuning issues and solutions. Otherwise a great bike. 

2009 KX450: overall not a bad bike, but had its share of minor annoyances. Ironically , these annoyances (chain guide/slider, bolt quality, etc) weren’t addressed in later years, so there wasn’t really harm in getting the first year. Looking back, I wish I’d kept my totally perfect 07 CRF instead as I never gelled with Kawi’s 4-strokes like I did with their 2-strokes. 
 

I have bought the last 3 generations of new Yamaha 250Fs with no issues at all. 

2009 KX450 and 2012 KX450.

I still think the 2012 KX450 is the best bike i've ever had in pure performance.

Both super solid brand new.

1982 yz 250J -  everyone hated it, I had a blast on mine and the tech it had that the 81 didn't have was a mind blower.  I had the 81 also, and side by side the 81 was a better motocross bike, but not near as trick.

1983 yz250K - not ALL NEW but radically different and in many ways better than the J - 

2003 yz450 - great bike, ton of motor, sometimes too much motor, I liked the 4 speed, the fork was a hassle and took awhile to dial.

2009 Honda crf450 - You had to ignore the trash talk about this bike and dial it in, I won a lot of races on it and had a lot of fun too.

To answer OP question - no, I've never hesitated and as previously stated, todays bikes are all really good, can't get hurt with any of them.  

I'm waiting to pull the trigger on a new YZ125 or YZ250. Just hoping the bugs and kinks are worked out on the current models.

No hesitancy, but sometimes regret.

1983 YZ250 - Loved mine. Put a Simons Anti-Cav kit in the forks and that was about it. The best changes were moving the radiator off the forks (made the '82 YZs felt like they had a flat front tire, to me) and relocating the shock to where most everyone else had it. Major difference in the handling feel - greatly lowered the CG.

2003 YZ450F - I agree. The forks sucked and Terry Hay gave me some tips that made them worlds better (modified the CV). Much lighter feeling bike than the original 400 and 426.

As a local guy on an 11 model, I thought the hype around RV getting the 12 frame was just that…until I rode someone’s 12 back to back with my 11. Night and day difference.

The 09-11 was such a boat. 

I have always been a sucker for next model bikes, especially if they are significantly different, the joy of bringing home a new freshie that is all new always feels rad  lol.

Honorable mention in this thread goes to anybody who purchased a Stark 

Suzuki has eliminated any hesitancy with a new model.👍😆

Sure that isn't "dishonorable" mention?

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My 81 yz125 was good, my 82 was bad. My 83 was real good my 84 was real bad.

Sure was. Other than the instant throttle response from the EFI, I immediately regretted getting it and losing my 07 CRF.

I had the 04 crf250r.  No matter what you did, the valves went on it.  I think I ended up using kibblewhite? valves and it was ok after that.    I think they fixed it for 06.

I love the new stuff