New UK Skyteam V-Raptor 250
 

Hi,

Have just ordered a new 250 Raptor in Blue. Dealer has had it in stock for ages so I got it at less than cost price of a new one on-the-road and delivered as well. Also, Skyteam now keep all stock in Germany for distribution and for the forseeable future, only black machines are being imported, so if you are after a different colour, then get one quick!

I hope to get it in the next week or so, just arranging insurance for it.

Like everyone else, I will be adding to it and hope to make a few mods over the coming months

• Small topbox (removable) to put helmet in when left at the station, otherwise removed.
  
• Side panels repainted black, or maybe carbon-dipped
  
• Front and rear mudguards / fenders painted black (? too expensive to dip?)
  
• LED headlight bulb or maybe xenon (BA20D bulb fitting, I believe)
  
• Investigate extra cree front lighting / light modulator
  
• Brake light modulator / flasher (flashes 5 times then on)

Hope to post some pics soon . . . . .

Jeff

Welcome; we are glad you joined us. :hi:

Congratulations on getting a great deal on your new motorcycle. :tup: We eagerly await your photographs. :)

Thanks!

How do you get the threads to display #1 to #99 rather that the latest post first? This is the only site I have this issue with - I have a Macbook Air.

Photos soon, I hope!

Jeff

I suggest you check the settings in your user control panel. I am unfamiliar with your Macbook Air. By default, the posts should display in ascending order. :shrug:

Thanks, found it, it wasn't showing on the drop down, just Linear / Hybrid / Threaded - UNLESS you went to CP and then up-arrowed in that section and "Linear Newest First" / "Linear Oldest First" became visible. It was set to "Linear Newest First" as the default.

All the best

Jeff

Wow, I thought the default setting was 'linear oldest first.' :shrug:

I'm glad you corrected the problem. :)

Welcome, Jeff! Congratulations on your new bike.

Thanks, hopefully the insurance will be sorted today. Here, before you can get the vehicle registered with the Government and get the vehicle excise licence (annual road tax £38/USD60) you have to produce an insurance certificate.

To get insurance, you need a vehicle registration number and to get that . . . .

You get the idea!

Then we have to attach the registration plate on the bike that measures a whopping 9" x 7" so as to be clearly seen by the ANPR camera system used in the UK to check your tax and insurance are all up-to-date (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) as well as speed cameras etc. I agree the system is useful and necessary but the 'plate is the size of a small advertising hoarding!!!

A lot of people have "show" plates made which can be smaller, but are illegal to use on the road - and can lead to a £60 fine and penalty points on your licence which can increase your insurance costs when you renew as you have to declare any points received.

Ah, for the care-free days of getting on a bike, tying down the flaps of your cloth cap and "thumping" along the country lanes for a ride-out (possibly with your man-servant following along in the Bentley with a buffet lunch). I wish.

Jeff (who has been riding motorcycles for 45 years without the luxury of a man-servant)

...and trying to attain the elusive ton, which is suitable for bragging rights at the local transport caff.

Yep, and picking the flies out of your teeth before the obligatory tea and bacon butty - equivalent of the fishermans "it was that big but it got away" trip out on a boat around the harbour :)

Well, change of plan - the dealer has let me down badly - he had had the bike in stock for a year so was going to give it to me at cost. He then sent photo's of the bike and there was a small scratch on the tank, not an issue as it was an almost invisible mark. In the photo's the frame looked dull so I questioned him and it would appear the bike had been in the shop window and the sun had faded the black paintwork on the frame. It looked like chocolate goes when it is stale, a kind of milky film.

I asked him if it would polish-up and he said he would get back to me. 4 days later . . . nothing heard.

Anyway, if he wasn't bothered if I bought it or not he can keep it! I didn't fancy a bike that looked "old" even with no miles on the clock. So . . . . still looking around.

Jeff

If the price was right, I'd deal with a little fading. Paint is cheap.

Yes, in principle I agree. But if the dealer is that bad trying to sell it, what kind of support will I get going forward?

Also it looks like the Skyteam dealerships are imploding and a lot of dealers are dumping their stock of these. There are very few 250's and 125's are going for £1200 / $1800. Difference in price between a 125 and 250 is not worth double - the 250 retails at £2300 / $ 3400 in new condition.

So it looks like these bikes are not popular and dealers are walking away.

Time, I think, to step away and review.

I may get a little cheap scooter for the summer to ride to and from the station / shops and keep an eye out for something "special" in the meantime.

It's probably a good time to share that you'll largely be on your own with a China bike. They require a good amount of independence and a good sense of humour.

That's the very reason that this forum was created; we support one another.

I really wish we had the 250 V-Raptor in Canada.

I'm not quite sure what the "strategy" of the UK Skyteam importer is, but this week I wanted again to get some parts for my 250 V-Raptor and once more was just struck with the prices on http://www.skyteamparts.com/

11.88 pounds for a turn signal light?! Really?! I ordered a set of 4 of pretty much the same turn signal lights for 8 pounds from ebay.

Or 15.18 pounds for the headlight back cover (which is just a freakin' black plastic bowl, for heaven's sake!!!)? And on top of all that shipping costs seem as if they personally will drive to deliver the parts to my door...

I guess they've forgotten (or missed completely) why we buy and ride "Made in China".

Welcome Jeff, I also ride a V-Raptor 250. Have almost 8000 KMs on it. This bike needs love and attention, but if you don't have a Problem with that you will have alot of fun with her. The black paint on the Frame has also faded on mine. With a can of black and some Newspaper it will look like new again. Like weld said, take it with a sence of Humor.

Eric

Hi, Thanks for the comment - I have kept the "stiff upper lip" through all this. Another dealer has offered a machine at list, delivered in 3 days.

I phoned the dealer (again) wondering why he hadn't returned my call from last Monday. He said the cat had died, his mechanics were off ill, his mechanics were on a training course, he was very busy and so on. O.K. I lied about the cat, but then again, he may have just forgotten to add that.

He said the bike was in the workshop a week late and had the tank and seat off and they were "working on the paintwork". He did offer to bring the bike up to me in his 'van (90 mile trip) so I could decide on what to do - fair enough. He even said that the price is negotiable, even at below cost. He has promised photo's by tonight or tomorrow morning - so I will give him one more chance.

Looking at the vacation and business trips I have planned, I don't see myself riding it very much this year anyway! I have a business visit next week to Moscow, then pencilled diary dates for Mexico and Beijing and a 5 week holiday to the Faroes, Iceland, Greenland and Canada. That's the summer gone, and I am, at my age, a "fair weather" rider - bugger the water running down your back and a soggy crotch from the so-called water-proofs!

Jeff :)

Jeff, it sounds like you have an amazing year ahead of you!

:)

But after a lot of health scares, operations for "C" and a small stroke 18 months ago I am making sure I get to enjoy the benefits of having worked so hard for so long. Early retirement and some consultancy work. Having said that, the consultancy is almost as busy as a full time job :tdown:

I used to believe "live fast, die young and have a good looking corpse"

Now I believe "any day you wake up is a Good day" . . . . :yay:

Jeff (full of life and enjoying every minute)

EDIT : Getting a bike again took some negotiating skills from "SWMBO" . . but agreeing to a 35 day cruise helped.

(She Who Must Be Obayed)

I could make considerable SWMBO progress with a 35 day cruise!

Oh, I have, I have . . . . . . .

For the price of a 35-day cruise, it makes more sense to "buy" a brand new, fully spec-ed SWMBO :D

:hehe:

Ah, but the trade-in price and remaining lease costs would wipe out any benefits. :lmao:

And, SWMBO may think the same and trade ME in and then I lose out - who will do the cooking and ironing while I am out riding? :crazy:

Jeff

Good News . . .

No, not the SWMBO trade-in

. . . but the dealer came back to me with the photo's of the paintwork that is being polished / t-cut and/or restored and it looks reasonably O.K. so I am going ahead with the deal and am just awaiting the licence plate details so I can get insurance and the bike can be registered.

Hopefully, more positive news soon.

Jeff

Good for you, Jeff. :tup: Of course, we expect to view copious photographs of the new bike. ;)

Will do . . .

A couple to start but a proper post when I get it.

Picture of frame "bloom"
http://i908.photobucket.com/albums/a...12%20Small.jpg

Picture during polishing
http://i908.photobucket.com/albums/a...05%20Small.jpg


Jeff

It looks great! I hope it gives you many happy miles.

Can't do it. I already married up.

X2 on both points. :)

Damn, my frame also looks "faded" like that but I think I messed it up when I tried to wash with some degreaser for ovens :D

Now, I just "polish" it after every wash by wiping it with the greasiest rag I can find in the garage. Once wiped with a thin coat of oil (plus whatever else happens to be on the rag), it's all good until the next wash.

Success - deposit paid, just awaiting the licence plate number to be issued and I can arrange the insurance (fully comprehensive, rider only, £185) (USD290). Delivery one evening next week . . .

:tup:

Congrats! I'm looking forward to seeing it.

IT's ARRIVED. The dealer turned up last evening at 20:00 with the bike, sun was out so could inspect it. Looks very good, the re-polish of all the paintwork worked. There are a few marks on the soft fenders but I intend to have them painted / dipped at some stage, so not bothered. Today it is pouring with rain :( I have de-decaled the side panels, the stickers are like those that come as security stickers, they peel off tiny bit-by-bit - took me ages. Now the bad news - I am off on a business trip early hours tomorrow so won't get a chance to ride it for over a week :0 It's like a Christmas present where you dont get any batteries and can only stare . . .

Our number plates are huge - 9" x 7" so they can be read by the ANPR cameras (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) - these check youu have paid your road tax and are insured (all insurance companies link to it). However, I have put one on that is 8" x 6" so it doesn't look so big. It is now the same width as the rear fender. Its a $50 / £30 fine if they stop you and want to create a fuss - but my numbers and letters are legal size, so I should be OK.

I have list of tweaks to do so I will make separate posts / photo's when I get a chance on my return from Russia.

ATB

Jeff

Awesome news! Looking forward to pics and details when you can.

How is the vodka in Russia?

Some very good Vodka indeed, trouble is, I am almost tea-total these days. The UK recommended max alcohol intake a week for men is 21 units. (14 for women). A pint of beer or a glass of wine is 1.5 to 2 units. If I drink 2 units a week, I would be surprised. Luckily my colleagues in Moscow recognise this and dont try and push too many toasts at me, or if they do, they dont mind if I just sip rather than down the shot in one go. It does updset them though, they think it is totally weird to sip a spirit drink. Eating though, thats a different story. They have sent me a list of where we will be eating every night. Three of my favourits are on the list - the Pushkin Restaurant, The Sky Lounge and the White Rabbit. The White Rabbit is the only restaurant in Russia that appears on the top 100 restaurants of the World (#71 from memory). It's a hard life . . . . . but someone has to do it.

Thanks for taking one for the team.

I'll try to stay under 12 units for the weekend.

I'm glad the bike looks good. :tup: Have a good time in Russia. ;)

Weldangrind, I appreciate the support. :)

Spud, I have been visiting Russia since the 80's and things are a lot safer now. The first time we went we had very visible minders and we were not allowed to go anywhere without them. Now it's like anywhere else in the world, big cities, too much traffic, same label goods you can buy anywhere, Coke, Pepsi, sidewalk cafes. The museums and theatre are possibly the best in the world though. I was recently treated to go see Ivan the Terrible at the Bolshoi - I had never appreciated ballet, especially when you see it on T.V. and wonder what the heck it's all about. Now I would happily go anytime (but not at Bolshoi prices - cripes, I could buy a new motorbike for what a couple of good seats cost my client).