Too many kms?
- Thread starter Shivw1
- Start date
Good news is there are really no bad bikes anymore. Most bikes seem to have maybe one known "issue" that might or might not crop up. Bike specific forums are good for that. Properly serviced bikes will last a very long time. All things being equal($$) I would choose the lower mileage bike because, quite frankly, I don't always trust that it was serviced by the book and on schedule.
I know of a Honda CBR600 (F4i? not sure) in the USA that is beyond 260,000 miles. The engine was just recently apart for the first time to fix worn gear engagement dogs. Rider does track days regularly with it, too.
I've gone well past 100,000 km on two different bikes, and there are others here who have done that.
Or someone can trash a bike in 5,000 km, it all depends.
This topic does come up regularly ... search.
I've gone well past 100,000 km on two different bikes, and there are others here who have done that.
Or someone can trash a bike in 5,000 km, it all depends.
This topic does come up regularly ... search.
zeta_immersion
Well-known member
I have an 06 Ninja EX250 and put 8k on it in the past summer =total about 18000km. I ride it slow, I ride it fast, anywhere between 5Km/h to 170km/h is a fair game.
Oil change and filter is a must as well as a yearly checkup in the spring before it goes on the road.
Oil change and filter is a must as well as a yearly checkup in the spring before it goes on the road.
That's incredible! I know that searching will yield results all...Just wondering if anybody has ever experienced any bikes like Brian. I guess it all boils down to maintenance as well. Good to know that bikes can do a lot of kms though.
zeta_immersion
Well-known member
A 250 that does 170? That's incredible in itself.
As said, anything maintained properly can last. I've seen bikes that are well over 150k still being used daily. They're not fragile things. Keeps its service up to date and away you go
I did it once and I had the legs and hands jitter and shake 1h after getting off the bike. Mind you was a bit downhill and only way 65kg.
If any police officers read this. I did not go that fast. The speedometer has a built in error of 70kmh
LoneRonin
Well-known member
I did it once and I had the legs and hands jitter and shake 1h after getting off the bike. Mind you was a bit downhill and only way 65kg.
If any police officers read this. I did not go that fast. The speedometer has a built in error of 70kmh
I have gone up to an indicated 167 on GPS, speedo was touching 180...
I didn't suffer any abnormal vibrations, maybe they fixed it on the newer model. Mine has been ridden HARD and is currently at 81xxx km.
robmack
Well-known member
Age is another consideration and, in some cases, may be a more compelling reason to reject a bike than KMs. Rubber and plastic bits deteriorate over time, especially when exposed to UV and weather. An older bike with few kilometers on the clock will probably have been garaged a great deal of its life and may not have hit its major service milestones. These bits will have deteriorated to the point where many need to be replaced, at great expense because they are rare and hard to find in some cases. Given a choice between a 20 y/o low km bike and a 20 y/o high km bike, I may seriously consider the latter over the former (assuming a documented service record is available for each). The high km bike will probably have had the major service items replaced in the course of its life.
This argument probably doesn't hold for more modern bikes, 10 y/o or younger.
This argument probably doesn't hold for more modern bikes, 10 y/o or younger.
Cool man...Thanks for the info!
I guess newer bike with low kms would be the win win...
Of course, but everyone is looking for those. Don't discount a higher-mileage bike with a mature and knowledgeable owner who has taken good care of the bike. Usually you can tell the good from the neglected pretty easily. Higher-mileage bikes are hard to sell. When selling, that's in your disadvantage. When buying, that's in your advantage. If you only plan to keep the bike a short time, it may not work out. If you plan to keep it a long time, the eventual resale value is irrelevant.
I wouldn't waste my time with a high mileage bike unless it was dirt cheap. And I mean DIRT cheap. Like it could blow up next year and "oh well, at least I got a season out of it". I'm the one taking the gamble, not the previous owner. He's moving on to greener pastures or getting out while he can. This applies to bikes I consider appliance>toys. Classic bikes assessed on case by case basis.
20g is fine. I was chatting with 70g Versys rider. I made all the appropriate noises reaffirming lovely bike etc. He assured me it's not the gem it once was and rattled off a bunch of minor age related annoyances. He's going to move on sooner rather than later but needs to finance the new ride with favourable resale of the clunker. No thanks. Que 650 Versys owner with 180g trouble free kms in 3..2..1...
Perfect example. What about all the swingarm linkage bearings? Wheel bearings? Rotors? Fork bushings and seals? On and on. What if all that stuff is only half worn? Does one want to ride a 160hp bike with half worn everything? That's all easy peasy for the enthusiast. What's the cost taking all that to a proper mechanic? Do I have to buy chinese all balls to make it worth it? I'd want the selling price to reflect the burden, that's all.
skip
Well-known member
Yup there are a few of us here that have run up high mileages on bikes. I have had a few just under 200k. My current wee I think is around 90k....
