Posts: 77
Joined: 7/16/2018
Location: Canyon Lake, CA USA
Trying to don the math in my head but can't come to the conclusion... now before I get the smart ass replies I fully understand that there's no way to make a smart investment buying a dirt bike. That being said, what will you spend the least money on with depreciation of the bike vs cost of new. Keep in mind I'm paying cash for the bike, so buy every year and sell every year or doit every 2 years?
Posts: 5799
Joined: 2/25/2009
Location: Mankato, MN USA
Do you prefer 250 or 450?
And 2 stroke or 4 stroke?
Imo KX250F
I've seen New for $5000
And see most 1 yr old used for sale
For $4000
So if got a new one every year and sold the old one
I figure would be about $1000 per year
I would think some one could get $1000
Worth of enjoyment out of a New bike
That's my 2 cents
Posts: 309
Joined: 12/5/2013
Location: Rowlett, TX USA
Look for a very low hour 2018, may even be some 19’s out there, let someone else take the depresseation hit!
Posts: 2181
Joined: 7/27/2009
Location: Saint Paul, MN USA
The only way to win with a dirt bike is to wear it out. If I had kept my 2009 yz450 I could still be riding it and be as competitive as I am able at my age. There are still thousands of those bikes running on the with original pistons and they were complete in their suspension and power requirements. Find what works for you and put 300+ hours on it. They are a loss, all you can hope to do is minimize the loss.
Posts: 1245
Joined: 4/16/2008
Location: Apple Valley, CA USA
In my experience, from new, a bike loses 3k in the first year on average. In most cases one can count on $500 less per year for the next 2 years.
Posts: 494
Joined: 4/25/2013
Location: Miami, FL USA
Buy left over bikes and preferably out of state that is not too far to omit sales tax. Sure you could buy used, but that’s a crap shoot, and then you lose oem support through the dealer you bought it from. Yeah they depreciate, but so do cars. If you want new bikes every year, or every other year, and you’re worrying about depreciation/cost then you’re not the type to get new bikes every year or two.
Posts: 261
Joined: 2/18/2018
Location: Houston, TX USA
Depends.
My '17 YZ250f in Jan '18 with 7 hours and not a single scratch was $5400.
Best deal on new i could find OTD was close to $7k
On my Xtrainer, used would have saved me maybe $800 and that would most likely be driving 6+ hours for a bike with 50+ hours.
Posts: 9195
Joined: 1/4/2014
Location: FIN
Edited Date/Time:
It also depends on what brand and model you're looking at. Be aware of buying a bike that will be upgraded the following year. For an example:
Yamaha in Finland had a campaign for their YZF 250 in 2018 because it was the last year for that generation. You got 1k of parts from Yamaha of your own choice with the bike. KTM has always a similar campaign on their bikes that will be the last of the current gen (2018 for KTM too, you got parts for 1000€ with an 2018 KTM). That is a great deal if you plan on buying a new bike every year. But not so great if you are able to wait a few months or one year for the upcoming "brand new" model.
On the other hand. Getting a 2018 YZF 450 or CRF 450 as a left over would be a great deal since there wont be a "big" upgrade on those bikes for a few years!
Posts: 5566
Joined: 1/31/2018
Location: Mansfield, OH USA
The way ive though of it is this... if you buy the previous year model every year, you dont lose that much money compared to buying the current year. Plus you dont have to rebuild the motor for the entire year which saves you over $1000. Youre always on a fresh, current bike. If i had 10k do buy a 19kx450 id do it even if its more of a hit than buying an 18. I feel like i spend that much fully restoring used bikes anyways
Posts: 1575
Joined: 1/20/2014
Location: Planet, VT USA
Buy used. Off the top you save: Some depreciation, sales tax (unless you buy in OR, NH, AK, DE, MT), stupid add on dealer fees. The new bike is only new for first ride.
Posts: 7707
Joined: 3/4/2012
Location: OH, USA
Edited Date/Time:
I like to buy new. Take care of the bike and sell before 30 hours. That I get decent money back to put towards next unit and get something different....
But I also have a 06 yz125 I just overhaul every few years. Not wasting my time selling it for $1200-$2500.
New one no problems. potentially get warranty work done if she greandes early. Case in point. My uncles 17 husky 450 locked up 3 hours. They replaced entire engine.
GP740
Since 1987
Posts: 617
Joined: 6/26/2014
Location: Southern MD, MD USA
Posts: 567
Joined: 3/2/2011
Location: CT, USA
I tend to buy and hang on to the thing forever. Throwing a piston and rings into the thing over the winter and a crank after a few seasons isn’t that bad. I’m also a tinkerer with them though, I get a fair bit of enjoyment out of testing different parts to see how it changes the character, what makes different things work better or worse. Tough to do that when you’re starting over every year or 2
RPM Performance
CT
783
Posts: 24862
Joined: 7/22/2007
Location: Portland, OR USA
GeorgiePorgie wrote:
I like to buy new. Take care of the bike and sell before 30 hours. That I get decent money back to put towards next unit and get something different....
But I also have a 06 yz125 I just overhaul every few years. Not wasting my time selling it for $1200-$2500.
New one no problems. potentially get warranty work done if she greandes early. Case in point. My uncles 17 husky 450 locked up 3 hours. They replaced entire engine.
30 hours Georgie? Sheeesh......that aint much time on it. I spend a good 10+ hours on a new bike figuring out suspension , exhaust , tire combo , gearing and a bunch of other thing's , before I even call it " race ready ". I do tend to keep my bikes a good 2 - 3 years if I really dig them. And if there hasn't been any major changes in the newer model's , I may even keep them longer.
And there goes Jeffro. One of God's own prototypes. A super high-powered mutant of some kind never even considered for mass production. Too weird to live, and too rare to die.
Pimpin' Ho's , Rollin' fatty's......drinkin' beers , beers , beers!! ~ Ja
Posts: 7730
Joined: 7/1/2008
Location: Las Vegas, NV USA
After finally doing the spring conversion on my 16 KX450 I am really digging that it actually turns now! I wanted the 19 really bad but I’m actually tempted to buy a left over 18 and swap my parts over and sell the 16. This way I have a freshy with all my good parts and then allow for some additional development on the new one and pick up a left over 20 when the time is right. That seems like a good idea but I’m not getting any younger so maybe just say screw it and get a 19 anyway! 
Don’t piss off the old people - the older they get the less “life in prison” is a deterrent for them!
2020.5 KTM 450 SXF FE
2006 KX250
Posts: 6720
Joined: 11/30/2013
Location: Portland/Los Angeles, CA USA
Edited Date/Time:
I think buy every 3 years with KTM.
For example I got a 2019 350 for $9000. In 3 years I’ll sell it with all OEM parts and try to get $4000-$5000. I’d be at $1250-$1600 per year.
KTMs are tough because of the high purchase price if you want the newest new. To me I know that’s part of the game buying new, lucky I can use this as a tax write off and recoup a bit of that loss.
