Seattle Triumph S3 genius required :)
 

Hi guys, love the site... it's awesome how helpful and generous you all are :) I'm in need of some assistance myself. I'm quite wary about the risks of buying older, second hand motorcycles.

My predicament is this, I'm coming over to Vancouver in March to ride across that great continent of yours. Unfortunately I'm doing it on a budget.

I've managed to track down something that will suit my purposes...

Current Inventory/Pre-Owned Inventory from Ride West BMW Motorcycles

the first item on the page (hopefully) a 1996 Triumph Speed Triple 955i. Carby model :) Feast on its classic beauty! :)

I am asking for help in terms of inspection, purchase, and registration. I'll be arriving on March the 14th. Been in contact with the dealer already and they've sent me a few high-detail photos of it. I'm hoping to have the plates and everything done by the time I arrive state-side. But the most important thing is to ascertain whether the motorcycle is in good shape for the long trip ahead.

If anyone is willing to give me a hand I'd greatly appreciate it... buying a motorcycle overseas is tough.

cheers
Harvs

If I were you ...
Good luck,

Hey Harvey,

Welcome aboard. It can indeed be tough to buy a bike overseas, but if you can arrange everything it's a good way to save on high shipping charges etc.

I can't help you much on the Triumph, don't know much about them but can help you with an orientation of Vancouver and if I'm in town when you get here, a beer or three.

In regards to bikes in general, your budget isn't too low so there are a few options that might meet your needs, unless you are dead set on the Triumph. Not sure what you were planning to carry as gear or if you had planned on adding any accesories to the bike before you set out but happy to answer any questions that you may have.

You probably don't have enough posts to pm me (I think you need 8) but pass along your email address and I'll drop you a line and we can go from there.

Cheers.

thanks mollydog, that's some great advice... with a bike that old with 50000+ miles, I'm thinking that some of those problems will be highly likely. I love the style of the S3 but if it's going to die when I try to start it on a cold morning then I might have to think twice.

My other option is to go for a more expensive bike like you suggested, and sell it at the end of my trip.

Mountainman, thanks for your offer mate. I've got a few friends in Vancouver but they're mostly not too fussed about motorcycles; my email address is harveysee@gmail.com and I'm arriving on the 14th.

I'm a backpacker by habit and will be heading to south america afterwards; so I'll probably sling my pack over the pillion seat and strap it down, add a tank bag and such to it and I'll have plenty of storage space.

It is a cool bike

Hey thanks Mollydog, that's some awesome information... unfortunately I'm starting off in Vancouver and won't be able to go down to San Fran to start my trip. You're right I do need to broaden my horizons in terms of the motorcycles I look at but it's hard when you've got a certain passion for a particular type of bike. I think I was under the delusion that I could zip around from town to town in the US because I hear the roads are really good there and there's not much in the way of risk. But I might have to rethink everything if I want it to be a sustainable, enjoyable trip... i.e. roadside camping to save money on accommodation and such. If that's the case, a bigger tourer would be essential. If I can get a good deal on a KTM 990 or equivalent I might go for that as well.

It's starting to get warmer in Vancouver.:thumbup1:
Let me know if you need any help as well. Sent you an email as well.

hey Blackbeast, sorry I haven't been on here for a while but have been busy with work and real life obligations. It's been a real pain looking at all the different types of classifieds there are :P Down here in Victoria we have a few but the two main ones are bikesales and trading post...

I'm starting to despair of finding something suitable in the timeframe that I have that's of reasonable price. Any help with locating a suitable bike, preferably Triumph but I will settle for something else for around the 7 or 8k mark, would be appreciated. I have to admit I have no idea what all the different areas are.

BTW, I didn't get ur email it must have gone straight into my spam, searching now.

Are you set on a Triumph
 

Hello Harvey;

I am just wondering if you have checked up on the availability of service for Triumphs in North America. Please don't take this as a slam at Triumph as I ride a Trophy 1200 myself. The problem is with the lack of dealer network and the fact that many of the dealers don't even have people qualified to work on Triumphs.

For my 2 cents worth I would advise going with one of the Japanese ilk such as a V-STROM or a Versys.

Either way you decide to go I hope you have a great ride.

Rick

hey Riq,
yeah I've thought about it... though beyond that I haven't really researched it much. It's a pretty big risk factor which is why I'm looking for other options. Have been looking at some fairly old BMW models like the K75 and K100 because I hear they have a reputation for being bullet proof. A v-strom or versys would be nice, but I'd like to not resort to that if possible. For me the bike that I'm riding on is only slightly less important than the journey itself. I will choose something that's slightly less supported by dealerships if it means that I have a genuine passion for it. So much to consider, so little time :)

vancouver, BC motorcycles/scooters classifieds - craigslist

This is craigslist Vancouver. I've sold 2 bikes here and bought 2 bikes from this site. If you see something here that is in Vancouver, I can check it out for you. More and more bikes are being listed now as it approaches riding season.
I have an 07' F650GS that is touring ready with 30K if you were wanting to look at something other than the Triumph.
Send me a pm.

Hey Blackbeast, I've been looking on craigslist as my primary source... a 650GS sounds perfect for what I'm planning. What's your email address? I can't PM anyone until I have 8 posts, and I'm up to 6!

daryll_naidu at hotmail dot com
spelled it out so that I don't get spammed