If you're looking a smaller bikes then safety aside, the most important thing to say is avoid Chinese crap and stick with Japanese. Can't stress that enough.
A Jap 4-stroke ten to fifteen years old will be easy enough to maintain, and simply won't depreciate any more as long as it is running. Keep the oil fresh and she'll keep running.
Yeah, a ten year old Jap bike will be the same money as a new Chink one. Which one do you think will still be running in another ten years?
It also means that if you do want to upgrade you'll never loose money. I have two 125cc 4-stroke dirt bikes for my guys to use at work. I could sell them both after three years hard use for the same as I bought them, despite the extra 25k miles on each. Age and miles become irrelevant on older Jap bikes, so long as compression and chassis are good then they hold their money.
A Jap 4-stroke ten to fifteen years old will be easy enough to maintain, and simply won't depreciate any more as long as it is running. Keep the oil fresh and she'll keep running.
Yeah, a ten year old Jap bike will be the same money as a new Chink one. Which one do you think will still be running in another ten years?
It also means that if you do want to upgrade you'll never loose money. I have two 125cc 4-stroke dirt bikes for my guys to use at work. I could sell them both after three years hard use for the same as I bought them, despite the extra 25k miles on each. Age and miles become irrelevant on older Jap bikes, so long as compression and chassis are good then they hold their money.
They who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety- Benjamin Franklin, as if you didn't know...