Question, bike value? Pampera...

 

I recently discovered a 97 Gasgas pampera, I think it is just the 250, it
was the grey color.  they are asking 1400, it was a wife bike, looks good
needs carb cleaned, runs.  Any thoughts?

 


GasGas, in general, has absolutely horrible resale value, at least in
these parts - true value for that Pampera falls into the "anything
that looks good and still runs is worth $1000" category - the bike
itself has no intrinsic value, so the value is in the eye of the
beholder.  Also, the Pampera is too big for kids and too small for
men, so its a dedicated wife bike - which makes its market very
small.  In any case, $1400 is high for a '97, particularly in the
current marketplace.  OTOH, those particular bikes are kind of cult
classics, so if you really want one...

JayC

 

Thanks JayC,

I sure hope more people chime in.  I need some more knowledgeable guys like
you, to lay out some info and opinions.  I get some what filled in my head
that "heck if I don't want it, someone will," and "seems cheap,"  But I
really don't have a clue what bikes are worth or more to the point,
bringing...  My thought was to buy it (since I am a die hard trials rider)
and since it is street legal, it would pretty much be instead of the class
type bike I want, which is the Yamaha xt (or whatever they are now) dual
purpose bike.  I'm not picky but I feel I am more comfortable working on
2strokes than 4 strokes.  Plus I have this dream of making one of them ADV
things in Colorado sometime soon...  I'm short (5'7") but old and kinda
heavy, so do you think these bikes are too weak to ride much more than in
town?  I just seem to recall someone on here loves these bikes, (might be
newer ones, and yet there were lots of posts about it being "broken"?

But I could have a hard time getting rid of it if you are right, and I live
in a much smaller "Market" area.  Most likely this bike will wither and die
on our farm, if it doesn't work out for me, if I go buy it.  I bet he knows
he is a bit high priced.

I'm not one of those people who buys the odd duck and expects to make money
on it, I just hate like hell losing extra money on it, because I was lacking
knowledge.  Maybe I would be better spending a little more on an XT or one
of those newer XT replacements that Yamaha makes now, like a WR250 / 450F?



GasGas, in general, has absolutely horrible resale value, at least in
these parts - true value for that Pampera falls into the "anything
that looks good and still runs is worth $1000" category - the bike
itself has no intrinsic value, so the value is in the eye of the
beholder.  Also, the Pampera is too big for kids and too small for
men, so its a dedicated wife bike - which makes its market very
small.  In any case, $1400 is high for a '97, particularly in the
current marketplace.  OTOH, those particular bikes are kind of cult
classics, so if you really want one...

JayC

 

Hey, it's only money. If you want it offer $1000, then meet him half
way at $1200. Life's too short agonize over a few hundred bucks. :)
Just do it. :)

 



They're just plain easier, simpler, and in my mind more fun. Agree
with you on that one.


Hmm. Pampera and adv riding? Don't think they are very compatible.


Probably correct. Although you CAN change one of those three <g>,
there is a recurring thread of broken frames if you look hard enough.


Mostly WoodsChick. She tends to LOVE whatever she's riding at the
moment, but she hasn't "loved" her Pampera for quite awhile. And she's
got a big stable to choose from. I'm pretty sure she managed to both
break one of the rear frame downtubes as well as the headstock.
 

I'll admit I have a somewhat irrational bias towards Yamaha (has a lot
to do with my early childhood) but IF you're serious about riding the
high mountain passes in Colorado, riding around town, and using the
same bike to do both I'd look at the WR250R. I know that's going to be
my next bike. Be careful, because Yamaha's becoming almost as bad as
KTM in the way they name their bikes. They make a WR250F (off-road
only, meant for enduro-type racing), a WR250X (street only, as in
super-moto) and the WR250R--this is what I'd describe as a true
dual-sport bike. They've managed to get as close to the sweet-spot
anyone has yet, from the reports I've read on advrider and some other
wr250r forums I've come across. The bike is very well mannered on the
street and is amazingly fun to ride off-road. It's fuel injected (very
well done) so you don't have to fool with jetting when you're at
14,000 feet going over Engineer Pass or down in Death Valley. It has a
well-designed 4 stroke engine that doesn't require its first valve
check until 26,000 miles. It's light, well-suspended, excellent brakes
and a comfortable saddle and powerful enough to cruise at 65+ on the
freeway.

The best thing (what's really sold me on it at least) is that a number
of experienced off-roaders who have multiple bikes from multiple mfrs.
in their garage have been absolutely amazed at how fun this bike is
once they ride one. Guys like Mark Sampson (bigdogadventures.com) and
HighFive (from advrider--himself an accomplished expert trials rider
as well) have pretty much stopped riding their KLR/TE610/DRZ/KTM
950-525/F8/GS's and they are gathering dust in the garage while
they're out whooping it up on the little 250. One of it's biggest
advantages over something like the LC4 and the TE is that it is very
light, and it rides light as well--reminds me of what gasgas'ers like
to say about their bikes. It seems to be well balanced both in terms
of the machine itself, and it's capabilities.

(Note: I've only test ridden the bike for a few minutes; every opinion
I've written is based on anecdotes; it's likely I'm completely wrong.
I've never ridden an LC4 or a TE, and WoodsChick does, almost every
day. And she's offered multiple times to let me ride their bikes which
I've always found a reason to decline. In other words, what the hell
do *I* know...My theory is once I've got the RR I'll have something to
offer in return for her kindness.)

The RR was first sold in 2008; there have been few changes since, so
if you can find an '08 you're not giving up anything over the '10. But
they haven't been around long enough to get a really low cost. You can
probably find a used one for about $3750, new will go from $5-7K
depending on how desperate the dealer is.

Good luck!

--
Charles
'99 YZ250