New (ABS!) vs. Used - First bike in Portugal

[dust]

Hi all, first time poster here. I recently moved to Lisbon, Portugal and want to get a PCX for cruising around town / weekend excursions. My wife will ride on the back pretty regularly. We test drove the brand new model at the dealer yesterday. Would have loved a little more power for tackling hills with a passenger, but I liked the bike overall and for now I'm restricted to 125cc anyway. A new bike is EUR 3200 registered & ready to ride home, plus we'll have to get safety gear.

I'm a moderately experienced rider, having ridden a road bicycle around London traffic for a few years and owned a Yamaha Nouvo for a year in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. I had a little Honda envy in Asia, so excited for a PCX.

Riding conditions here in Lisbon can be a little treacherous -- lots of hills, cobblestones, tram tracks, wind, impatient drivers, etc. Rain is common in the winter, but I'd avoid riding in that. With the wife on the back safety is obviously a big concern, but I also don't have a parking space, so street theft / bike value is also an issue.

I'm leaning towards buying a recent, low-mileage used bike over a new one, but the ABS on the new model has me torn.

Reasons for buying Used:
- EUR 400-700 new bike premium in my pocket
- A bit less of a target for thieves
- Less money at risk if stolen (Theft insurance is pricey at ~10% bike price/year. Will invest in a good lock instead.)
- Less worry about a scratches / weather deterioration as I'm parking outside for now.
- Accessories like top box & windshield are already available.

Reasons for buying New:
- ABS!
- Longer service interval, 4000km vs. 2500km
- Easier and slightly less risk buying from dealer

Apart from the new bike premium, depreciation here seems to be very low here [local classifieds].

Overall, I'd feel more comfortable with less money invested in the bike and sitting on the street, but ABS here is a biggie. Would love to hear everyone's thoughts.

[NADman]

You sound like an experienced rider. IMHO ABS is not worth the extra $$$$.

[gn2]

Hi and welcome
A used Yamaha Nmax would be another option, as would a used S-wing ABS or Forza 125
Unlike the PCX these three have ABS on both wheels.
The S-wing and Forza offer far better pillion accomodation and bigger underseat storage than either the PCX or Nmax.
For a 125 scooter parked outdoors in a European city, theft insurance is essential, you need it AND locks.
Classifieds are never a true indicator of depreciation because they only show the asking price, not the actual price paid at sale.
Sold listings on eBay are a better guide of what a used scooter is really worth.
Good luck with your search, if you do decide on the PCX its a brilliant wee beastie and I'm certain you'll have a lot of fun on it.
And whatever you buy, make sure you get ABS, only a fool would want to be without it in a city like Lisbon.

[you you]

Hi and welcome
A used Yamaha Nmax would be another option, as would a used S-wing ABS or Forza 125
Unlike the PCX these three have ABS on both wheels.
The S-wing and Forza offer far better pillion accomodation and bigger underseat storage than either the PCX or Nmax.
For a 125 scooter parked outdoors in a European city, theft insurance is essential, you need it AND locks.
Classifieds are never a true indicator of depreciation because they only show the asking price, not the actual price paid at sale.
Sold listings on eBay are a better guide of what a used scooter is really worth.
Good luck with your search, if you do decide on the PCX its a brilliant wee beastie and I'm certain you'll have a lot of fun on it.
And whatever you buy, make sure you get ABS, only a fool would want to be without it in a city like Lisbon.

Why Lisbon in particular?

[gn2]

OP is resident there.

[Mel46]

I would think that a Forza 125 would be more comfortable if you are riding 2 up. You might check the specs on used ones. Since they have only been out for a few years now it would be like riding a new bike at a lower price...if you can find a used one.

Also an option is the possibility of unsold overstocked previous year models of various scooters you are interested in. You could probably get a good deal on one.

Good luck in your hunt. Remember that the newest PCX does not have full ABS, but rather it is only in the front. The rear brake is still a drum in most cases. I know they have some out in Asia with rear disc brakes but I don't think they have arrived in Europe yet.

[gn2]

the possibility of unsold overstocked previous year models

I can tell you what the possibility of that is: nil.

[you you]

OP is resident there.

But why is ABS required more there than other cities? Could you get away with it in, say, Manchester?

[PCX150Rider]

Welcome. . .!

Any used Honda Clicks in Portugal? Just another option. . ..

[gn2]

OP is resident there.

But why is ABS required more there than other cities? Could you get away with it in, say, Manchester?

Stop being such a a pleb, you're more intelligent than that.

[Mel46]

I can tell you what the possibility of that is: nil.

They don't have overstock in Europe?? I didnt realize they were that popular in Europe. Here in the United States you can find all sorts of new previous year bikes that are unsold. In fact, I have seen dealers advertising a two year old new bike for sale. Motorcycle and scooter sales here must not be anywhere near what they are in Europe.

[dust]

Thanks for the suggestions / feedback everyone.

With respect to getting a bigger bike - the Forza looks nice, but the cost exacerbates the money-on-the-sidewalk issue. It's also heavier than I'm used to and feels like it deserves a bigger engine, license permitting. If I had a parking space and a bike was our only way of getting around I'd give it a lot more consideration, but there's lots of public transport here and we'll probably end up with a car eventually. The PCX is far from perfect, but it ticks a lot of boxes... mobile now, future 2nd vehicle, easier to sell if necessary, etc.

@PCX150Rider - I saw a lot of Clicks in Asia but don't think they're common in Portugal. The smaller bike available here is a Honda Vision at 110cc.

@gn2 - Good point on actual sale price. I can't find much in Spain / Portugal on Ebay, but will take the classified prices with a grain of salt.

@Mel46 - The dealer had a couple old models in the shop that were already sold. Only new bikes available now.

As for the ABS thing - I definitely wasn't comfortable enough on the dealer's bike to trigger / test it out. I never needed ABS in a decade of driving a car in the US, but I guess that's how it is with safety equipment. Not sure whether it's pretty much the same story on a motorbike or what.

[gn2]

You don't need ABS right up until the second you do.
So the time to get ABS is before you need it.