Milage on Motorcycles...

[anutz]

So, i have an FZS 600 with almost 20,000 miles, i have no plans on selling it, i suspect i will keep it for a long time as i have done so much to it...

But i will be looking at different bikes next year, my question is, when looking at motorcycles, what are typical high and low mileages, for example is 40,000 high....


Is buying something with 40K+ on the clocks asking for trouble?


On the flip side, lots of bikes out there that have been bought and hardly uses i.e. 4K on the clocks.....


Anutz

[davey boy]

I knew an instructor a few years ago and she had an old cbr 600f with 100000 miles
Mind it looked it proper rat bike held together with duct tape and cable ties

[Hedgetrimmer]

It largely depends on how well looked after any given bike has been. If it has a full service history and is in clean, fully working and maintained condition, the mileage will not be so important, so these criteria should be considered together. If, on the other hand, you wish to consider resale value at a later date, mileage will usually affect what you can get for the bike.


I am of the view that most modern (certainly with regards to Japanese) bikes are fully capable of going round the clock if properly maintained, i.e., work is carried out promptly as required, good quality oil and parts are used etc.

[Fazerider]

The majority of owners get bikes for the pose value. The marketplace is well stocked with machines that have spent more hours being washed and polished than ridden, as a result anything that's covered more than about 3000 miles a year is regarded as high mileage.
But, aside from resale value, there's not much reason to avoid bikes that are over 40k provided it's been looked after and had regular oil changes and doesn't have a bad reputation.
For example, I expect to get at least 90k from an FZS600 engine before it needs more attention than I can be bothered with (i.e. cam chain & guide replacement).

... I am of the view that most modern (certainly with regards to Japanese) bikes are fully capable of going round the clock if properly maintained...

You do know the clock on our bikes is million-mile one? 

[Hedgetrimmer]

... I am of the view that most modern (certainly with regards to Japanese) bikes are fully capable of going round the clock if properly maintained...

You do know the clock on our bikes is million-mile one? 

People are living to ever greater ages these days; this doesn't apply to bikes as well then? 

[Fazerider]

... I am of the view that most modern (certainly with regards to Japanese) bikes are fully capable of going round the clock if properly maintained...

You do know the clock on our bikes is million-mile one? 

People are living to ever greater ages these days; this doesn't apply to bikes as well then? 

Just calculated I'll need to keep riding for another 83 years to achieve this at my current annual mileage.
OK, challenge accepted.

[Jacko]

Mines jut got to 83,500
wouldn't put me off if price was right

[mark g]

I bought a Honda Big One a few years ago, it had 73000 on the clock, the paint work had just been done and it looked great but after owning it a few months you knew it had done a big mileage, electrics started to play up, wheel bearings had to be replaced and it just felt tired out. Surprised me because I thought the old Honda would have been good for massive miles, I guess it had a hard life previous to me buying it but it has put me off buying anything over 40 thou miles. Don't forget an old bike bike can do too little miles as well which can be just as bad........I guess it's luck of the draw

[anutz]

Thanks for the comments, i think as some have said, depends how its been treat....i will see whats around when i look for another bike, have 20,000 on this FZS600 and a spare engine thats supposed to have done 12,000 but not sure how i validate that! lol


Anutz

[joebloggs]

Glad some mentioned Japanese when talking about reliability, a certain American company manufacture engines reliability can be measured in meters and it'll rust even faster........

[esetest]

Providing a bike is well looked after with service history i would be more concerned with age than mileage , an older bike may have been well looked after but the wiring and connectors are still deteriorating .

[mark g]

Just recently got rid of a BMW 1100R on a 97 plate that had done 37000 and that was a good bike but it had been used in the winter and the rot had got under the engine paint making it look rough. Lets face it no bike will thank you for running it through the winter months

[Ben Diesel]

I have two bikes in my garage - one just approaching 66,000; the other showing over 96,000 but that doesn't include the 4 months when the ODO wasn't working so true mileage must be well over 100k.

As mentioned before, cleaned and maintained regularly, they run and run.

[anutz]

I will be looking for a well maintained GSXR750 i suspect when the time comes but want another year on the FZS 600 first....


Thanks for the comments...

[stevie-g1968]

My fzs600 came to me with a whole file of history for every little thing it has ever had, the bike was a bit rough to look at, but it was an honest bike that mostly all ive had to do is clean. It came with 67k on it and now has 73k showing... the only expense other than servicing has been replacing the fairing, it goes ver well... doesnt smoke or use oil... not coolant loss, and the rear brake works as it should too

ive owned it coming up for 2 years in the new year and think its a cracking bike that does what it says on the tin.... so much so that I will be taking it to Australia with me when we emigrate at the end of 2016 

[anutz]

suspect i will keep mine for a long time, done that much to it, and its spot on for most things.....will but do want to venture into sports bike territory...

[fazersharp]

The marketplace is well stocked with machines that have spent more hours being washed and polished than ridden, a

Err that would be me than 

The thing is that for me its a toy I dont need to ride it as my only transport, I would like to do more than the current 1,000 per year but life shit just always gets in the way of a ride. Sometimes just knowing its there for me is enough without having to get on it. Its an 17 year old bike with 18k miles on the clock

[fazerscotty]

In 2003 bought a GSX1100F with 27,000 miles on the clock. 2012, flogged the GSX1100F, which seemed to want to go on forever. That went to a new home with 96,000 miles registered, Bought an FJR1300 with 21,000 miles on the clock. Promptly put 23,000 on it over two years before it got written off when I collided with a deer. Bought the Fazer 1000, with 41,000 on the clock last July ('14), now showing 53,000 miles. I think that Japanese built bikes, if they are looked after correctly and ridden regularly, will really go the distance without any drama's. Although having said that, I've got an '82 reg GS650 with 67,000 on the clock and in the past, I sold a 79/80 reg GS550 with 85,000 on the clock. As a courier in the 80's I put some stupid mileage on some stupid bikes though - I don't think any of them have survived!

[lew600fazer]

My fzs600 came to me with a whole file of history for every little thing it has ever had, the bike was a bit rough to look at, but it was an honest bike that mostly all ive had to do is clean. It came with 67k on it and now has 73k showing... the only expense other than servicing has been replacing the fairing, it goes ver well... doesnt smoke or use oil... not coolant loss, and the rear brake works as it should too

ive owned it coming up for 2 years in the new year and think its a cracking bike that does what it says on the tin.... so much so that I will be taking it to Australia with me when we emigrate at the end of 2016 

I would seriously think hard about that bet you will be paying big bucks to get it shipped out there , likely as not you will need a new Headlamp unit, me I would sell it and then buy when you get out there again

[His Dudeness]

Got nearly 120k on my current bike (cough cough a Honda cough). It's certainly showing it's age but mechanically it's fine and I know it's had a hard life. I think if you have the mechanical skills to do the work yourself there's no reason why a bike can't keep going and going at a reasonable cost.

[the cueball]

I used to be worried about mileage on my bikes, hence why I took 3 years to find the perfect (for me) ZX12-R.


However, my little donkey fazer has now nearly got 20k on it, used all year road and it's running great, and I recently purchased a 25 year old Honda Pan which I used to ride nearly 15k around Europe without any issues this summer., it's now sitting with over 70k and it really opened my eyes to how good some bikes can be.


always, always buy bikes/cars on condition and gut feel... sitting in a garage for most of the year isn't always the best, service history can be fake and/or doctored... so you really need to be careful these days...


oh, and anything with a main dealer history is a no, no for me! 


I would much rather see a well maintained bike/car via specialist and owner maintenance... I've seen far too many cases of main dealers just not giving a f**k about what they're doing to 'gush' over seeing their stamps in a book...


 

[7omly]

Two things to bear in mind.
What bike and how well has it been looked after.
A 30 odd year old ex learner Rd250 Elsie with 20 thou on it will have been snagged more than a Westminster rent boys botty.
An old BMW R80 of the same age could have 5 times that mileage but have been serviced by an anally retentive OCD sufferer who almost has a stroke if he gets caught out in the rain on it. Common sense tells you before you buy it how well it's been looked after.

[anutz]

looking at a GSXR 750, seem to commonly have 10-15K or 40K on them, but as you say, and many others do, depends on how its been looked after....


about a 1000$ difference between the ones that have done more as well so its not a cheap decision..