``I've Made a Huge Mistake'' -- the BMW HP4

"matt miller" (mattmiller1973)
08/29/2014 at 15:04 • Filed to: BMW, motorcycle, Formula1

Buyer's Remorse

To put it in terms a Jalopnik reader can understand, this tiny litte motorcycle cost more than a brand new Miata — specifically more than a 2015 MX-5 Sport Soft Top with the Convenience Package AND the Appearance Package — and I sincerely regret buying it.

Long story short — i bought a $26,000 2014 BMW HP4 Competition less than a month ago, and it's taken me about 900 miles to realize this is *way too much bike for me* and that i'll likely die on it if i keep it. But not only did i spend the average annual salary of someone living in Greece (in 2012 dollars) on this German death machine, i threw good money after bad (just like the Germans in Greece!), trying to get it to fit me with new rearsets, a new seat, and even a new kit that replaces the clip-ons with a handlebar for THOUSANDS of more (2014) dollars. Word to the wise: don't ever buy the S model and then fully customize it to be something it's not.

How did i make such a major mistake to begin with?

Well, if you must know, i have always been impulsive and indecisive, as well as whatever the antonym to frugal is, so that's a bad combination. But more specifically, after years and years of riding Ducatis, i felt it was my journalistic duty to try out the offering of another major motorcycle manufacturer. Plus, i love the press people at BMW, the company has a great rep, it's German, and i love the cars. Also, i'd ridden the S1000RR on a trackday weekend with famed pro Nate Kern and instantly developed the kind of man-crush Porsche drivers have on Hurley Haywood.

*If you don't think he's adorable you don't have a human heart.

It was the good looks of the HP4 that got me too. The smart man in me was like, ``Hey, that's cool, you want to try a liquid-cooled inline four after all these years of 2-valve twins. Buy a used 2012 S1000RR.'' But then the me in me was like: Carbon Fiber! Full Exhaust! Dynamic Damping! BLUE WHEELS!!! It is covered in carbon fiber — to a Ducati lover that's like a bottle of vicodin and a box of bomb pops, you cannot turn it down no matter what the price. Plus, the 999cc inline four has damn near perfect power curve. It's so good most reviewers say it ``lacks character,'' which is code for ``it's perfect.'' It pulls from the bottom of the RPM band and as an added bonus, in this day and age of digital dashes that are impossible to read and terribly ugly, it still has an actual needle-on-dial tachometer.

*Sex, right? And more Powerful Than a Formula 1 Race Car.

But even with that little touch of retro flair, the BMW HP4 is a super-modern weapon of Matt destruction. It's got a dry weight of 371.8 pounds (169 kg) and cranks out 193 horsepower. The weight of the bike, therefore, is less than a quarter the minimum weight of a 2014 Formula 1 car (691 kg), but if you multiply the horsepower by 4 (772 hp), you get a much higher figure than the 710 horsepower the current Mercedes is making before KERS. Good luck achieving this power-to-weight ratio in any car under 8 figures. Well, i guess you could squeeze in just under that his year:

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

And yet, it's all useless unless you can control it. The geometry of this bike means it turns in *quick*. If i so much as look any other direction than forward, i'm changing lanes or hitting a wall. Don't get me wrong, many people are incredibly good at getting this bike around a track quickly, my main problems are that, A) i'm not one of them, and B) i paid $26,000 for this thing and can't return it.

But i think i have to sell it now, since it's got fewer than a thousand miles on the clock and still has almost the full warranty left. What kind of hit do you think i'll take?

P.S. before anyone else advises me to start small, i'd like to make my history clear. when i said i've been riding ducatis for years and years, i meant for over a decade. my first bikes were vespas — an et4 125 and then a px150 — before i bought my first monster in 2003, a 620. since then i've had many bikes, upon which i've ridden many trackdays, and even an 1199 panigale that i commuted on for a year. my current garage holds an m900 city, an 1100 evo and a multistrasda 1200 pikes peak, as well as the HP4.

so yeah, i know what i'm doing.

DISCUSSION (100)

CAR_IS_MI > matt miller
08/29/2014 at 15:20

And to think, you could have had a S1000RR from the lightly used market for a tad over 10k.

Stupidru > matt miller
08/29/2014 at 15:21

I bet you get a ton of lowball offers at $15k, find out half of those people only have $7k but want to test ride it, and eventually sell it to another crazy guy who thinks they want F1 power on the street, and you'll take a $10k hit.

Vzwolf > matt miller
08/29/2014 at 15:30

I just got back into the bike world. I love the way the BMW supersports sound and perform. I was drooling over an HP4 (mainly because of the blue wheels). You should just cut your losses now and sell it while it still has a good balance of warranty.

Post some videos of the bike before you sell it! And get back on those Ducati's. You can perform unlimited journalistic duties owning and reporting on them. I know I wish my friend who's a Ducati nut would write about his adventures with his.

Mustang 'DontHitTheCrowd' GT > Stupidru
08/29/2014 at 15:40

and when they "test ride" it, they'll crash it.

avboden > matt miller
08/29/2014 at 15:41

The best bang for your buck will probably be trading it in to the dealership on another BMW that's better for you. Say...an F800GT? Then again a dealer might not want to give you cash on top with a trade. Private sale in that case would be best. But talk to your dealer first, they might snap up on the chance to get a mildly used HP4

TheCrudMan > Mustang 'DontHitTheCrowd' GT
08/29/2014 at 15:42

That's fine. Get comprehensive insurance on it that includes people test driving it for sale (see those mayhem ads) and then (what with the carbon fiber and all) you'll get write it off when they crash it and only lose your deductible.

IPFreely > matt miller
08/29/2014 at 15:43

Kinja'd!!!

And just what the flying fuck is this thing?

NigelAstydameiaburn4 > matt miller
08/29/2014 at 15:43

Whatever hit you take will be softer than pavement. Lose that deathtrap (but don't include "deathtrap" in your ebay description).

Computerbudda > matt miller
08/29/2014 at 15:43

Wrong question bro, "What kind of hit do you think I'll take if i keep it?" There fixed it.

MFEJAL grey because who knows... > matt miller
08/29/2014 at 15:43

If you can solve it with money, its cheap. Move on. (And buy another bike)

AmericanMagpie > matt miller
08/29/2014 at 15:43

Two quick questions. Who's the rider in the top photo (or whatever slang you journalists use) and the dredlocked dude in the pic with Nate Kern.

Plecostomus is a starred commenter > matt miller
08/29/2014 at 15:44

HEADLINE: Man buys motorcycle he is not capable of riding, gets hurt - Noone Surprised

This is why you start with a smaller displacement bike - rather than a fucking superbike. shit, even a 600cc bike often has 100hp+ these days - I simply do not understand these fellows who buy these superbikes with the idea their machismo needs to have bragging rights for whose bike is technically fastest. Fuck that; that's entirely the wrong attitude. The rider is just as much a part of the machine as the engine. You are an integral part of that vehicle. It can't operate without you, or even stay upright.

As you get faster and faster, things become more difficult and challenging to control. I think I broke 100 a handful of times on my Katana 600, "taking it easy" with its 79hp, if it even still made that, but that was certainly more than enough for me to be faster than most sports cars. It's critical that you be comfortable and feel in control of the machine.

Imagine that your average "standard" motorcycle (anything sportier than cruiser, really) which is comfortable to ride and easy to manage day to day but still moderately quick is like firing a pistol at the range. You have control, time to react, adjust and respond.

With a superbike, it's very much akin to trying to handle an Uzi at full auto. It will bite you in a second if you are not in absolute and total control of the thing. Not to mention superbikes, designed for the body position of someone racing, are not comfortable for long rides.

I can't fathom buying a motorcycle you don't like riding. What is the point if you cannot use and enjoy it?

PumpedSump > Mustang 'DontHitTheCrowd' GT
08/29/2014 at 15:44

Well, that's why you never let someone test ride your motorcycle unless you are holding the agreed upon purchase price in your hand. They crash it, they just bought it! They don't crash it but decide they don't want it? Give them the money back. Problem solved.

Turbo-Brick > MFEJAL grey because who knows...
08/29/2014 at 15:45

My boss has a saying:

"Anything that can be solved with money is not a problem, it's an expense."

ACESandEIGHTS > matt miller
08/29/2014 at 15:46

Argh. That stuff is gut-wrenching. Hopefully you only take a $2K-$3K loss on that, plus whatever you paid for aftermarket.

Too late to say this, but also can't say it soon enough for your next purchase: BUY USED.

MFEJAL grey because who knows... > Turbo-Brick
08/29/2014 at 15:46

I stole the phrase from a bodyshop.

Plecostomus is a starred commenter > Plecostomus is a starred commenter
08/29/2014 at 15:46

and much like the average joe isn't prepared to fire accurately with a gun like an Uzi on full auto, the average rider, contrary to his belief, is not adequately skilled enough to use accurately.

This is why you sometimes see Ninja 250s blowing liter-bikes away at trackdays.

PumpedSump > Plecostomus is a starred commenter
08/29/2014 at 15:46

Did you read the article? He says he has spent years on Ducatis. He even said he has done a trackday with the standard S1000RR.

pedal-force > matt miller
08/29/2014 at 15:47

The word "I" is generally better received when capitalized. I guess you didn't hear. Just a heads up.

Vortex > matt miller
08/29/2014 at 15:47

It's not the horsepowers that go fast, it's the donkey sitting on it.

may be you could keep a little, turn the handle more gradually ... and get faster over time.

PumpedSump > matt miller
08/29/2014 at 15:47

Can we get some photos of your modifications? I'm interested in your seat and handle bar changes and what you were attempting to accomplish with them. If it's comfort, I'm confused on why you stayed with Ducatis for so long.

matt miller > CAR_IS_MI
08/29/2014 at 15:47

to be fair, i did make that point in the post, and it's also one that's been going through my head, over and over for three weeks. so thanks.

Ultrakill > Mustang 'DontHitTheCrowd' GT
08/29/2014 at 15:48

"cash in hand test ride, you crash, you buy" then you just sold the bike weather they like it or not.

benji > matt miller
08/29/2014 at 15:48

Why didn't you just get a BMW S1000R to start with? Handlebars and clip ons for comfort? That's what the S1000R is for...

CAR_IS_MI > matt miller
08/29/2014 at 15:49

Yea, I know. Just rubbing it in...

guppysb > matt miller
08/29/2014 at 15:49

You dieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!111!!!!!!!!!!!!!11!!!!!!!!!!!1111111!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

UKPDXWRX > matt miller
08/29/2014 at 15:50

Go buy a SV650, do 5 track days on it, then buy a GSXR600, do 5 more track days on it, then put this thing in Rain mode, do three track days on it... and you might start to enjoy it properly in tarmac mode.

You bought a race bike, plain and simple. Best bet is to develop some track skills and it might start to be fun. But take that goddam handlebar off of it. That's a 70 year old on viagra nailing a playmate.

nermal > Plecostomus is a starred commenter
08/29/2014 at 15:51

Yup. 600 and 1000cc sportbikes belong on a racetrack.

Never seen a Ninja 250 blow by a liter bike, but have seen quite a few SV650s that can on tighter tracks.

250cc 2-strokes, on the other hand....

Stephen > matt miller
08/29/2014 at 15:51

Is BMW the only manufacturer to do asymmetrical headlights?

Kinja'd!!!

bbutle01 > TheCrudMan
08/29/2014 at 15:51

I like this idea! Basically you still get out of the bike, but it's with someone else dying, not you! Charge them a cash deposit for the test drive equal to the deductible and you get out for free!

matt miller > pedal-force
08/29/2014 at 15:52

I feel like that's a little too self-important, plus this is a blog post on the internet, so you're lucky i even use vowels at all.

Goshen, formerly Darkcode > matt miller
08/29/2014 at 15:52

Moral of the story: don't buy litrebikes unless you're actually gonna track them.

55_mercury > matt miller
08/29/2014 at 15:53

I rode for 7 years and quit because I realized I was starting to become careless. Bikes like these almost invite people to be stupid because they are so fast.

GOAT__RODEO > matt miller
08/29/2014 at 15:54

Kinja'd!!!

... he's a badass.

norcalnorway > matt miller
08/29/2014 at 15:58

If I am not mistaken, didn't they only bring 150 competition and 240 standard HP4 into the USA? To me that is a massive value-add due to the current markets obsession with exclusivity and rarity. With that being said, I don't ride motorcycles so Im sure there is a another person here who has a greater understanding of the motorcycle market conditions.

Louis > matt miller
08/29/2014 at 15:58

Good job, good article. You made a mistake and own it, and you put it out there for everyone to learn from or commiserate with. We all do this shit, but the smart guys are the ones who recognize it, adjust and move on........alive.

Zachary Oberle > Mustang 'DontHitTheCrowd' GT
08/29/2014 at 15:59

We have a winner!

nermal > matt miller
08/29/2014 at 15:59

The HP4 is to the S1000RR what the S models of Ducatis are to the "regular" ones.

In other words, you probably won't notice much of a difference on the street, until you hit speeds that will risk serious damage to your person as well as your license. How was this particular one that much scarier than the one you'd already ridden?

I vote keep it and do trackdays with it, as intended. Learn to tame the beast in a safe environment, and become a better rider as a result. Buy a cheap non-sport bike if you still wanna ride on the street.

AKnolly > matt miller
08/29/2014 at 16:01

I'll trade you my Ninja 250 race bike for it. I mean, I have passed an S1000RR on the track with it, so you might not be able to handle the 30 hp of fury.

(Disclaimer: I passed the S1000RR not because I'm that great of a rider, he just happened to be a very slow one)

Cigarette Butt Plug > matt miller
08/29/2014 at 16:01

That's a shame man. I totally understand the impulse to getting an HP4. I definitely had buyers remorse on a motorcycle before. Keep it and become as great as the bike is. Just make sure to be the antonym of frugal when it comes to protective gear.

pedal-force > matt miller
08/29/2014 at 16:03

Well, just know it makes it annoying to read. I almost gave up.

PedalHead > 55_mercury
08/29/2014 at 16:03

Yes, I realized that even on bikes that are considered "safe" and slow by todays standards (RZ350 and NT650) that shit happens very quickly when things go bad. I got off them and only miss them every now and then. I can't imagine these 100hp+ bikes. I'd be a skid mark so fast...

AKnolly > Plecostomus is a starred commenter
08/29/2014 at 16:04

You mean like this?

http://www.theonion.com/articles/break…

none8239487234 > matt miller
08/29/2014 at 16:05

Matt. Don't give up so quickly. Yes. It's a powerful bike BUT it has multiple power modes. Stick it in Rain mode until you get used to it. Out of all the really super powerful bikes the HP4/S1000RR is one of the most easy to ride ones because of it's TC and ABS systems.

Nobody was born riding a powerful bike like this. Consider some rider training. Trackdays and Schools can provide you a LOT of help in getting used to the handling. I have taken all 4 levels of the California Superbike School and have been amazed at the confidence and skill that I have picked up every single time I have ridden with them. Possibly the MOST enjoyable use of these bikes are Track days. There's nothing quite like having massive power available to you and an open track with no speed limits, no cars and the ability to learn more about yourself and your bike.

Bike Track days are WAY cheaper than car ones. Less hassle for tech inspection as well. Here's a photo of my S1000RR this past weekend at Roebling Road.

Kinja'd!!!

If you do sell don't worry. The HP4 holds it's value quite well so you won't be out much. It sounds like yours is a competition model and those are the most desirable. When I bought my S1000RR I wanted an HP4 but the dealer did not have any in stock and there were none local in the used market. Somebody will snap it up fast.

matt1994xj > matt miller
08/29/2014 at 16:05

I'm curious as to what your previous bikes were. You said years and years of riding Ducatis and now the HP4 is too much. If you could speak to your riding experience I think that would add to your opinion.

Drakkon- Most Glorious and Upright Person of Genius > Stupidru
08/29/2014 at 16:06

Methinks you've sold a bike before.

f5alcon > matt miller
08/29/2014 at 16:06

Timing on this article is great, my coworker is picking up is 626 supersport today upgrading from a 300, 4X the HP

the_wheelerZ > Plecostomus is a starred commenter
08/29/2014 at 16:07

HEADLINE: Guy doesnt read article, slams author anyways - Noone surprised.

Maybe thats not what you are saying, but you come across as being pretty negative on this sunny friday afternoon! Guy says he has ridden Ducatis for years which sounds like it could be a reasonable work up to a superbike.

none8239487234 > Stupidru
08/29/2014 at 16:07

I don't think he's going to take a 10K hit. It's an HP4 Competition. Even the standard S1000RR's are holding their value quite well in the used market. The bike has only existed for 4 years and there's not many out there. If he bought the Japanese equivalent you would be QUITE correct on the resale value hit.

CRider > matt miller
08/29/2014 at 16:07

Well once you sell this you'll probably get just enough to buy that used S1000RR.

Stupidru > Mustang 'DontHitTheCrowd' GT
08/29/2014 at 16:07

My rule with bikes: no test rides unless you have the cash on hand, sign a waiver, and leave the cash while you take the bike.

none8239487234 > CAR_IS_MI
08/29/2014 at 16:08

Maybee a 2010 or 2011. Not a 2012 or newer. The second gen has a lot of improvements.

Cale > matt miller
08/29/2014 at 16:08

The HP4 is not more powerful than a Formula 1 car. What is wrong with you?

paqman > Plecostomus is a starred commenter
08/29/2014 at 16:08

A friend of mine was recently trying to sell his 2000 Maxima, and had an offer to trade it for a Kawasaki ZZR600. Well that particular bike was crap, but it got him stuck on that exact make and model. He has never even sat on a motorcycle before, but now he has to have that EXACT one. Since I'm his "experienced" (2 years riding) biker friend, he is asking me for advice. So tried all I could to get that bike out of his head and push him towards a Ninja 250 or something like that, but he just had to have this bike. He found a clean example on the local ads, a 2007 with 7000 miles on it for $3k. He wanted me to come test drive it for him, and ride it home for him, which was 50 minutes on a crazy freeway. I went down and test rode it, and the thing scared me. I'm used to my low, slow, 2007 Suzuki Boulevard M50, not this beast. I told him, while it seemed like a clean bike, nothing mechanically wrong with it, and $3k was a good price on it, I was not comfortable riding it home for him. I hoped that would make him think a little bit, and at least get a couple days to think about it. I made sure to tell him my thoughts on that bike for a first bike. But he found another buddy willing to ride it home for him that night, and he bought it. It's only been a week, and he hasn't taken it out of the neighborhood yet, as he doesn't even have his endorsement yet, but man I hope he's careful on that thing.

AKnolly > nermal
08/29/2014 at 16:10

I've done it on my 250 plenty of times. I'm a middle-of-the-pack rider, but there are always slow riders that you can outbrake or pass in the corners. Just carry enough corner speed and they won't be able to make up the difference on the straights.

At 8:17 in the video below is a particularly dramatic example. I actually messed up and should have passed the last bike too, but I misjudged what line they were going to take. Without anyone there, in that first little corner on the 250 I'm full throttle and only tap the brake a little with a downshift for the one after.

Gill > pedal-force
08/29/2014 at 16:11

What does that matter if you aren't offering $25,000?

Gill > pedal-force
08/29/2014 at 16:11

What does that matter if you aren't offering $25,000?

Stupidru > Drakkon- Most Glorious and Upright Person of Genius
08/29/2014 at 16:12

Once or twice. My favorites are the "lol I love your bike lol!!!!!11!!! 1!!!1! I'll come up tonight with $2k cash." Umm... the money is going into my bank one way or another and I don't care if it's cash or a cashier's check. We will meet at my bank if it is a cashier's check. I'm not buying cocaine or hookers with the money, so I don't need cash. Also the ad says "$7000 FIRM. Don't waste my time with anything lower, because you're already getting a good deal on it"

Assholes, I tell you. Cars are one thing. Motorcycles bring a whole different animal out of the wood work.

none8239487234 > Plecostomus is a starred commenter
08/29/2014 at 16:12

You could easily learn to ride on an HP4. One button on the handle bars transforms the bike from a fire breathing monster into a quite easy to handle bike for regular roads. Take it out of Race mode and stick it into Sport or Rain mode. The problem is the temptation rather than the power. In rain mode the bike is VERY tame.

dj1298 > matt miller
08/29/2014 at 16:12

You are a little off base with this story. Keith Code actually teaches his SuperBike school on s1000rrs. They actually saw a big decrease in crashes switching from the 600cc to the BMW. Motorcyclist did a write up on this a few years back. http://superbikeschool.com/machinery/

Yes I know there is a difference between HP4 and s1000rr, but it still has all the electronic gadgets to make this a great learning bike.

dj1298 > matt miller
08/29/2014 at 16:12

Yes I know there is a difference between HP4 and s1000rr, but it still has all the electronic gadgets to make this a great learning bike.

dj1298 > matt miller
08/29/2014 at 16:12

Yes I know there is a difference between HP4 and s1000rr, but it still has all the electronic gadgets to make this a great learning bike.

BiffMagnetude > matt miller
08/29/2014 at 16:14

It sucks you are going to take a big hit on the bike. But don't beat yourself up too much. We all make mistakes and a bigger one would have been to put yourself in the hospital or morgue because of stupid pride.

dr861 > matt miller
08/29/2014 at 16:14

What you're paying for when you get a whole car around you, even though it is much more expensive than a bike, is the knowledge that if you are in a crash, you are many times more likely to survive.

Bikes look like fun, they really do, but no thank you.

matt miller > Plecostomus is a starred commenter
08/29/2014 at 16:16

i may not have made it clear that i've been riding ducatis for years and years, though i did write ``after years and years of riding ducatis'' in the post. while i agree that people should start with smaller displacement bikes, and i had two vespas before i got my first 600 and then a 900 and then a 1000, 1199, 1200 and now a 1100, i feel like you might be one of those people who likes to make this point as often as possible on various fora.

you can't fathom buying a motorcycle you don't like riding, but for most people, the reality is you have to buy a motorcycle before you really know if you like riding it.

Craig > matt miller
08/29/2014 at 16:16

All very interesting until the smug comparison with a F1 car.

The old motorcycle trick of quoting stats without an 80kg rider screwing up the figures, try 193bhp at 249kg and 710 bhp at 771kg as they sit on the grid for a slightly more realistic view.

As I said, good until the smug.

Satoshi "Zipang" Katsura > matt miller
08/29/2014 at 16:16

Might as well buy a CB919F or a CB1000R...

Drakkon- Most Glorious and Upright Person of Genius > Stupidru
08/29/2014 at 16:18

$2000 cash and I'll bring you my sister's George Foreman grill and clean your gutters (kind of). I'll see you at 6:30 after I get off of work which mean quarter to nine and I swear, I will be back on Wednesday to clean your gutters. I'm not afraid of heights at all, that shit doesn't phase me. Do you have a ladder?

matt miller > nermal
08/29/2014 at 16:20

i actually have three other bikes that i love riding on the street, so i don't need it for that. i will buy another (the first one got hit by a truck) panigale for the track — used — that bike fits me right out of the box.

i have an m900 city, and 1100 evo and a multistrada pikes peak.

Dos531 > matt miller
08/29/2014 at 16:21

Stop being a little bitch. Go take a class, hit the track and learn to ride it!

Sincerely,

Fellow hyperbike rider

Stupidru > none8239487234
08/29/2014 at 16:26

Having never owned such an expensive toy, I just guessed based on my previous history with bikes and cars. I had a Buell 1125R with <3000 miles. Even though every site said I could easily command $7000 for it, nobody bit or remotely showed interest at that price. I ended up selling it for $4500 because I was tired of my wife nagging me to sell it, it was taking up precious space in my garage, and I wasn't receiving many offers, so I just took the highest offer at the time. Unless you live in CA where a bike can double as your personal transportation 363 days out of the year (it rains 2x a year in CA, another number I just pulled out of my ass), then the bike immediately becomes a toy. A fast toy, at that. My dad owns a few Harleys that easily cost as much as this bike, but he's far too old and fat for something like this. Why am I telling you this? Because it's rare for someone to A) Have the desire to go this fast, B) Have the cash to do so, and C) Be young and stupid enough to ride something like this.

shirosake > matt miller
08/29/2014 at 16:26

All I could think of when reading that is "PLEASE capitalize just one 'I'"!

nermal > matt miller
08/29/2014 at 16:27

Probably better to just cut your losses in that case. See if the dealer you bought it at will sell it on consignment. HP4s are pretty rare (only 3 used ones on Cycletrader). You'll definitely lose $$$ on the deal though. Good luck!

michael > matt miller
08/29/2014 at 16:28

I have a very similar story - 15 years of Ducati then a HP4. After 2K miles and 2 track days I love the ugly HP4. I wrote several rants about it but it is damn good.

Tohru > matt miller
08/29/2014 at 16:28

Put it up on Craigslist for trade for a 2014 Miata.

Receive trade offers from people with 3rd gen Camaros and riced-out 240's.

Have someone show up to test drive it and slam it into a Suburban.

Insurance company pays it off.

Problem solved.

RandomTask008 > matt miller
08/29/2014 at 16:29

As someone who's been in the market for these bikes for a while, you're barely going to take a hit.

I swear, two months ago, I found a base model, absolutely stock with 5k miles on it being sold for $15.5. Seller said "Absolutely no way you can find a cleaner bike for this price." My thought? "Yeah I can. . . the dealer." To my utter amazement, the bike sold two weeks later.

SeaTownDude > matt miller
08/29/2014 at 16:29

I have no problem with mine, very happy with it 2013 #1029! It takes some getting used to but you made it sound like its the bike's fault? I don't know you and your riding history, but IMHO, it takes at least 300-400 miles getting to know the bike; assuming you coming from a SS Ducati. Additionally, I think you would have a better time with it if you didn't do all the mods immediately like you did, and take some time to adjust to how the HP4 is, ease into the power slowly. BTW Did you try adjusting the suspension? Also, the stock rear set is adjustable as well...

SeaTownDude > matt miller
08/29/2014 at 16:29

Doug Nash > matt miller
08/29/2014 at 16:30

Doug Nash > Goshen, formerly Darkcode
08/29/2014 at 16:32

...or, if you weigh 500lbs, thus, mitigating the deadly power-to-weight ratio.

Spike_africa > Stupidru
08/29/2014 at 16:33

I let them ride with cash in hand at full asking price. If they wreck it. I sign the title and hand it to them and keep the cash. Nothing simpler then that.

Racescort666 > Stupidru
08/29/2014 at 16:33

Buying motorcycles is equally as painful although much more like buying into an enthusiast car. You get a bunch of people that forget that you're supposed to subtract the price of your mods and not add it to the base price of the vehicle.

alucard5559 > matt miller
08/29/2014 at 16:36

You don't really address why the bike is too fast in your post. What is the problem with it more specifically? I am just curious. I seem to remember it has power settings too so you can make the throttle more subtle or is it just the twitchy handling that put you off?

ApriliaFutura > matt miller
08/29/2014 at 16:37

After discovering the nirvana that is the used Aprilia market, I don't know if I can go for a brand new bike again, ever. Top shelf suspension, brakes and engines combined with basement resale prices means you get an amazing bike for next to nil. You also don't see them very often. People frequently mistake the Futura for a current model bike (although no one around here can even pronounce Aprilia (heard of Ducati? it's the "other" Italian bike mfgr)). I can't recommend them if you can't or don't want to turn your own wrench though.

Having said that, the Rotax 990 vtwin isn't even in the same league, ballpark or even state as any of the current litre bikes. S1000RR power wheelies at speeds that are almost max for my bikes. I spend about 2hours on one in LA - I'm over it. Give me the reassuring explosive rumble of a big bore vtwin over the nuclear detonation shriek of i4's; I spend 90% of the time >4000rpms anyway. I like not having to constantly kick gears around when the road gets twisty. I'm not running a time trial on weekend rides after all.

Track use; I'd probably opt for something a lot smaller like a Daytona675 - not having to worry about wearing the bike as a hat if I give it too much throttle on a corner exit is enticing. I can't use the 120ish HP I've got, I wouldn't know where to begin on this beast!

The new MV Agusta triples though.....aaaaahhhmmmmmmmmm sexy.

alucard5559 > UKPDXWRX
08/29/2014 at 16:38

Yes! It is soooo the wrong bike to mess with the ergos that much. And I actually thought it was pretty comfy stock, next to a Ducati. And track days on SVs with sticky tires are awesome.

matt miller > dr861
08/29/2014 at 16:40

i don't love to be that separated from my environment. the bike puts you out there and is literally about a thousand times more fun than a car. dangerous, yes — i almost lost a leg last year. worth it? for me is it.

Andrew's Ennui > Stupidru
08/29/2014 at 16:41

I used to sell bikes at a H-D dealership.... don't get me started.

flabberboozled > matt miller
08/29/2014 at 16:43

Kinja'd!!!

See's title "I've made a huge mistake." Expects Job from Arrested Development. Disappointed.

HlDymh5cE5hWLKD > matt miller
08/29/2014 at 16:44

last pay check was $9500 working 12 hours a week online. My neighbour's sister has been averaging 15k for months now and she works about 20 hours a week. I can't believe how easy it was once I tried it out.

This is what I do,,,,,,,,,,

www.netjob40.CoM

VashVashVash > matt miller
08/29/2014 at 16:44

Is there much difference between that and the japanese liter bikes? The figures don't seem too far apart.

TheChafing > matt miller
08/29/2014 at 16:47

Why don't you just, like, get better at riding it? Do track days on it, or something.

marcoaml78 > matt miller
08/29/2014 at 16:47

So it's really THAT quick huh?. i've drove modern 1000cc japs, and i've decided that a cbr600rr is my limit, i've never actually owned anything faster and i like it that way.

Raphael Orlove > matt miller
08/29/2014 at 16:52

Wait, where'd you get those F1 cost figures? Source?

Forester guy > matt miller
08/29/2014 at 16:54

i can only imagine how brutal the HP4 must be for someone that owned a 1199 Panigale say that its "too much".

I cant say where to go next, but since you own some fast bikes, i'd go for a BMW HP2 Enduro. Always loved that bike.

Im starting my onroad bike career now. I always rode on dirtbikes, I have had a '92 Yamaha DT200, a '07 Honda CRF 230, a '07 KTM 250 EXC-F and currently own a '11 Husaberg FE450. Now i bought a used '96 Suzuki DR 650 RE to go to work. My next bike will be something around the Ducati 695...Those things are expensive in Brazil, they cost like 8k for a decent 2005 example!

willmederski > matt miller
08/29/2014 at 16:56

i don't get it.

you finished the story with a photo of you injured, in the hospital, but no explanation?

TurboZ31 > Stupidru
08/29/2014 at 16:57

same. haven't had anyone crash one on a test ride yet. But one guy almost ran the 600RR into my 350z. So, i learned... as well as the cash in my hand.... make sure the bike is away from anything else i own when they take off.

Agent47 > matt miller
08/29/2014 at 16:59

I can fathom buying a bike i didnt know id like or not....bought myself a new '12 8484evo in Arctic White Silk as a college graduation present to myself when i was 20. Had to drive 4hrs one way out to Boston to go get it. I don't have it anymore, due to rider error in a surprise downpour. Id buy another 848 or even the 899 in a heartbeat if i can get my Duc's back in a row.

Kinjago > matt miller
08/29/2014 at 17:01

Kinja'd!!!

dr861 > matt miller
08/29/2014 at 17:04

Yes exactly. Is it?

velyse > matt miller
08/29/2014 at 17:07

Matt, would you like to trade for a S1000RR? :shiftyeyes:

I keep hearing people talk as if the HP4 is night and day but I don't see it, some different traction control and the DDC. Aside from that a S1000RR should be just as fast. Either way, I have been enjoying mine and don't feel it will kill me anytime soon.