Getting a 2nd bike (hopefully)

I'm going up to Birmingham on Friday to check out a 2003 Yamaha Serow that I hope to buy if its as good as it looks. This is it on ebay. Ebay serow

I really wanna try some greenlaning and got my heart set on a Serow because of the combination of very low seat height (for a trail bike), electric start and its nice and light (108kg dry weight). But they don't come up very often and I don't want an old one 'cause I know nothing about mechanics so can't recognise if I'm buying a bike that would break down on me on the top of a mountain.

This one has mousse filled tyres (not mouse filled tyres as the ad says *squeek*). Looking at the pic of them does anyone know if I'd have difficulty riding the 100 miles back to Abergavenny on them? I've heard knobblies are not good in the wet on tarmac but haven't any experience with them. I'm contemplating chickening out and getting a company to van it down to me but I'd prefer to save the money.

I hope that it all checks out on Fri as I'm really excited to get off tarmac and explore the local countryside by bike.

Link?



coool, ive never understood this, whats greenlaning?

The link was on the words "Ebay Serow". Here it is again

Greenlaning is legal off-roading. If you ride off road in Britain without the landowners permission then you are breaking the law. If you get caught twice your bike can be seized and crushed by the cops. Greenlaning is using the old byways with rights of way to motor vehicles. So you are riding off tarmac but on legal paths. There are some roman roads in Wales which are unsurfaced but still count as a road. I have a few places in mind locally.

Ahh sweeeeeeet

Ill have a look at the link now

Ahh I've heard of that, but I never knew what it was. That could be a lot of fun in Wales Rhap

Oh that sounds like fun , good luck with the bidding

I've been greenlaning, used the info you got for me leastime
You defo want ther electric start! haha

I wouldnt get that bike imo..

The tyres are filled why?
When you need to change them, you might have to get new rims aswell.

When you fill a flat tyre with 'tyre weld' or whatever, it ruins the rim, and cant be used again. lol

If it has a tubed tyre, then it should be ok

If you want me to come just ask. lol

Even if I have to change the rims I think I can get the bike at a really good price so I'm not so worried if there's a little bit extra to pay on it at some point.

Just been reading up on mousse filled tyres. It seems that although they do prevent punctures the life of the mousse is very short (as little as 6 months) and they don't take well to higher speed road riding (it heats it up and degrades it faster), so I guess I'll be wanting to get shot of the tyres unless they are very new.

Yeah tyre replacement is only very cheap, I wouldnt let it put me off a bike

I chose not to buy the bike so I'm very dissappointed. Too many things were not to my satisfaction.

1) Condition of the bike. Lots of minor corrosion all over it. Dunno if this is normal for a 6 year old trail bike. But chain starting to rust and no brake fluid (so the back brake was pretty much non-existant). The guy selling was a crew technician for a world class enduro racer so why didn't he top up the brake fluid unless he knew there was a leak somewhere. The overall condition made me think it hadn't been cared for and although it was low miles that they were all rough ones on the trail, rather than the road.

2) Not happy with all the answers. Questioned him about the mousse filled tyres. He told me totally different stuff to the Michellin website about lifespan and road use.

3) It had a fresh MOT but I don't see how it could have passed with the knobbly tyres, making me think he had a pal who just okied it for the certificate without testing it properly.

4) He was selling very cheap but clearly as he was a big dirt rider he would know what the bike was worth.

5) The V5 wasn't in his name! He said he had taken the bike as part exchange 2 months ago when he had sold on a bigger trail bike to a guy called Andrew. It was Andrew's name who was still on the V5. It wasn't like it was a mate of his, he isn't even in regular contact with the guy. The HPI check did not register it as stolen, and we viewed it at the seller's house but all the same we couldn't have done the paperwork as the registered keeper (who was Andrew, rather than the seller) was not there to sign the paperwork. The seller just tried to fob us off that this wasn't important.

It rode fine on a short low speed test drive. The supension seemed ok and the lights all worked. The forks looked ok to. It started up first time from cold.

I think I did the right thing not to buy, but perhaps the risk would have been worth it. Looks like I just have to be patient and keep waiting for another serow. But they are very rare. I did learn one thing though, the height is perfect for me so I suppose it wasn't a total waste of a 200 mile journey.

BTW Greg, thanks for all your advice and help!

There is plenty more out there!

And they will be cheaper the more into winter we become.

The longer you wait it out, the better example you will get aswel .lol
I did this with my RS.. Was wiling to pay the £1000 and get one, then redo the engine. Got it for £300!!

You will find a bargain out there.
You checked the dirtbike forums?

Atleast they will know how to look after it

Ahh hard luck, but atleast you know that its the right bike for you

we live and learn, too many things there to be happy with ur purchase.

never mind, next time maybe.

other low traillee bikes maybe usefull are maybe the honda xlr or the later xr 125 even the bigger brother xr 250 ect can be had for few penneys and are fucking bomb proof , shame about your exeprence with the sorrow but top marks for doing the research and using yoyr nugget with the brake fluid rust y chain as you said hes obviosley a cowboy of some kind as for knobblies on the road if there the sort of knoblies that you find on kmxers dts ect there be fine if there full on crosser knobblies there tear them self to bits with in miles and at the same time there fooking dangrous.

are post some pics up later (i promise ) of both types the same rd use and the sucide tyre jsut so you know for future refernce

Can you actually see the tyres? lol
They were road legal and really good i the wet considering they were OR tyres

Get some good lean on them too, pity I didnt get a pic of the chicken strips, would of done the forum proud!
Nearly washed out a couple of times on the roundabout (Actually seeing how far over I could get )


And MX tyres are generally like mountain bike tyres, except wider. lol
They arent meant for leaning over, so dont have to be rounded..

Thanks for the advice Benney and Greg. Thats gonna be useful to know about the tyres.

Benney - I've been looking at Honda XR 250s but it seems that only a certain age has the lower seat height + electric start (most of the ones I see advertised are just kick), so I haven't found one of those that suits yet. And like most bikes its heavier than the Serow which is important if I drop it. I'm currently not considering a 125cc at present as I have to drive some miles to get to the greenlanes and I don't want to drop back to that sort of power if I can help it.

If I do end up with a Serow it looks like it won't be a cheap bike so I'm wondering if I should try and have a go offroading before I commit so much money. Either try a day's course somewhere or see if my mate can get in touch with a fella who might be able to let us have a go on some scramblers at his farm.

Lissee - Thanks for the sympathy. I know that you understand how gutting it is to not get the bike you were hoping for. I'll have to make sure I don't get my hopes raised so high next time.