I'm Looking At A 2008 Bonneville 900 With 0 Miles, Never Prepped. Should I Shy Away From This Becaus

It all depends on the price! You will almost certainly need a battery and new tyres. The tyres will be as hard as nails - even if they haven't perished but at a minimum of 17 years old I would change them. You will also need to change the brake fluid and maybe some of the seals in the braking system. If you are unlucky there maybe rust developing in the braking system, calibers and abs pump. Brake fluid is hygroscopic so who knows whether water has been absorbed, this may not have happened if the bike has been stored in a climate controlled environment as you suggest.

The bike could be worth going for but only if it is cheap enough to factor in some repairs and if you are able to do that maintenance yourself to save labour charges.

If the seller thinks it's worth a premium as a "new" bike forget it and walk away,

 

Nah mate, don't touch it

 

Surely it's got to be worth a look?

If it has been stored well, why would the engine have problems? I bought a 1978 Ford Cortina based, part built, 1988 kit car in 2004, it had been lying all those years, and yes, the clutch was stuck and the carb was blocked up, but it was easy enough to fix those, check a few other bits and pieces and get it running. Fortunately my Dad was a mechanic.

Enjoyed it for a couple of years then sold it!

BUT, I would agree that it is not worth a premium just because it is old but unused.

 

Something just occurred to me - is it registered? If not, I'd look into what is required to get a registration - age certificate, purchase receipts, history etc.

I've never done it, but have read about a few Lambretta owners buying from Italy and then trying to get a registration here.... and there seem to be a few hoops to jump through.

 

Depends on the purpose. It’s likely commanding a price due to the lack of being registered and on the road. If you plan to ride it, the whole reason it was priced higher than any low mileage bike that was on the road goes out the window.


So, do you want a nice bike to ride? I’d suggest there are others out there in very nice condition for a lot less.

If you plan to keep it in the same state for some reason, I’m not sure if it will continue to hold its value. Was it a special paint or spec or anything that makes it special other than no miles?

In either case, it’s a bit unique and depending on the price point could be interesting.

But, it wouldn’t be something to purchase to simply put on the road and ride. It would lose any perceived value and you’d have to spend quite a bit to make it road worthy as mentioned from previous posts. Rubber bits don’t like to sit. Even in climate control storage.

 

@Duke of Lily Court Welcome to the family. They rarely require anything like you explain. But we can make our self's believe anything. If the price is right grab it.