Fellow Brammophiles:
Because I purchased my standard Empulse in September, 2013, I'm eligible for what Brammo called the "Trade Program," which means I can get full MSRP value in trading for either a standard or R 2014 model. I'm considering doing this, but it's not a no-brainer. To swap a standard for a standard, I'd have to pay $3,400, which includes destination, setup, other fees and (here's the kicker) sales tax on full MSRP. California is apparently one of a few states that doesn't allow deduction of trade in value when figuring sales tax. If I move up to the R, that figure is $5,400.
Now if I had regretted getting the standard and really wanted to move up to the R, this would be a nice way to do it. But that's not the case. The standard empulse is quite a bit less torque than the R, but it makes no difference in my real world riding. The Standard suits my needs in every way.
So putting that aside, does it makes sens to pay $3,400 to replace a 1-year old 2013 for a new 2014?
As you know, the improvements are nice but not dramatic. Mainly:
1) Increased range of about 5%.
2) Redesigned dash that is probably more waterproof.
3) weighs 10 lbs less, though my understanding is that some of this weight reduction is from the new tires.
These changes aren't going to drastically change my enjoyment or use of the Empulse. My daily commute and wanderings are well within its range. Occasionally I go longer distances and then the extra 5% of range would of course help (I've already reaped the range benefit from adding a windshield). But even then it isn't a matter of whether I can get somewhere or not, but rather whether I have to stop for some charging.
So aside from all that, there is simply the benefit of renewing the entire bike tip to tail. This of course includes the batteries. I'll probably have 7,000 miles on the bike by the time I'd be trading it in, just in time for new tires. Then there is everything that suffers from wear and tear: chain, sprockets, brake pads, etc. There's value to renewing all these things, but I'm not sure I could quantify it. Maybe $700-800?
As far as battery life, how much range have I lost in 1 year and 7,000 miles? My uneducated guess would be 2-3%. If you add that to the 5% advantage of the 2014's, it starts to sound like a significant number.
I plan to keep my Empulse for a long time, but if those plans changed in the next few years, a 2014 would have at least slightly better resale value. In, say, 5 years, the difference in resale value probably won't matter.
I welcome your thoughts and advice. For sure, this is what they call a "first world problem." I'm very happy with my Empulse and will continue to be whether it's the one I have now or a new 2014.
Oh, I should add something to help you understand what $3,400 means to me. As a family, we're not rich or poor, we're doing fine. But I am subject to some pretty severe budget restrictions when it comes to motorcycles. I'm socking away pennies for my next gas bike, which might end up being something like an Aprilia Dorsoduro. So the way it shakes out is that money spent to renew the Empulse effectively puts the Dorso acquisition further off in the future. First world problems!
