High Mileage Used Motorcycles

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mimico_polak

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Hey guys,
I wanted to start a new post as I had a question regarding High Mileage bikes. What is considered High Mileage for a 2006 bike? I see a 2006 with 77000km Hornet 599 which I'm interested in but wouldn't know what to look for. Is this a bike to stay away from?
As per my previous thread this is at the top of my list with the GS500 and now the Ninja500 also as the bikes of my primary focus.
Regards,
Wojtek
 
High mileage is not a deal breaker. In fact, for the price they are normally a great bargain. People like low mileage vehicles and there is plenty of supply in the MC market, so high mileage bikes get kicked in the balls with resale value even if there's nothing wrong with them.

Note I said "if". Always do your due diligence and get it checked out, whether it has 1,000 or 100,000km
 
I'd say that the price has to be right for the high-mileage bike, i.e. it has to be a bargain. If the owner(s) took care of the bike, it should still be in very good running condition. There are many many low-mileage bikes (i.e. summer toys) on the market, so IMHO that's why the high-mileage bikes should be a really good bargain compared to those. To me, anything over 40k on the 2006 bike would be high mileage - I bought my 2006 Honda last year with less than 13,000 km on it.
 
Often if a bike is well-kept the owner is quite passionate about the bike and can tell you everything about its history. My '06 has 45k on it now. It still runs good as new and is in meticulous condition. Most people are shocked when they see the mileage I've put on it. I also have a huge folder showing the full maintenance history with every receipt that I've spent on it showing all the oil changes, the quality parts used, all the cleaners and wax's I use on it, etc.
 
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I bought the wifes bike with 80,000km on it and then we put another 6,000km on it in 2 months. The way I look at it is for it to make it to 80,000km someone has had to love it and maintain it. Especially when it doesn't look beat to fack.
 
Most sportbikes don't seem to last above the 50,000km mark - not because of the engineering, most often the owner wads it up...

I purchased one of my current bikes with 50,000k on it. Runs like a top.
It's a '98 Honda VTR1000F. I've talked with owners that have over 160,000k on their bikes and still going strong.

If it's been well maintained, that mileage is nothing.
 
High mileage is not a big deal. I have a friend on another forum with over 111,000 miles on his GSXR 1000. Yes, 111,000 and no major issues with the bike. Regular maintenance and these machines will provide reliable service. Ask for maintenance documentation like receipts or logs.
 
Hey guys,
Thanks again for all the great tips! I think personally I'm more concerned about high mileage due to my limited resources/knowledge of maintaining bikes. I've got a buddy that rebuilds OLD bikes and he's offered me his 1969 BSA Thunderbolt or his 1966 Triumph TR6 for a good deal rebuilt...but I'm concerned that once something goes I won't be able to repair it and be stuck! Beautiful bikes too!
 
mimico_polak said:
Hey guys,
Thanks again for all the great tips! I think personally I'm more concerned about high mileage due to my limited resources/knowledge of maintaining bikes. I've got a buddy that rebuilds OLD bikes and he's offered me his 1969 BSA Thunderbolt or his 1966 Triumph TR6 for a good deal rebuilt...but I'm concerned that once something goes I won't be able to repair it and be stuck! Beautiful bikes too!
Click to expand...


There is quite a difference between a high mileage bike and an old bike. The sound, look and character of an old bike is intoxicating. But, they do need love and attention from their owners in order to enjoy them. You don't have to know how to do a major tear down and rebuild but, having access to someone that can show you how to deal with maintaining, diagnosing the issues that are bound to occur is a must. Knowledge and experience with ignition/electrical, carb/fueling, oil/lubrication systems, brakes, clutch etc. would be neccessary to have a pleasurable ownership/riding experience of those older machines.

I'm not much of a wrench but, I have performed some basic maintence myself with the encouragement of some very knowledgable friends/riders. It can be fun and rewarding when you do more than simply turn the key and ride.

But it can be a nightmare and discouraging if you don't know what you're doing and have no one to help you keep things going. The Internet can help but, there is no substitution for having access to someone that can show you.

IMO, I'd look for something within the last 10-20 years that has been ridden and maintained on a regular basis and you feel confident the previous ownership demonstrates this.

I bought a 10 year old Sporster after considering a Bonnie. It cost me $5000 and had less than 10,000 kms. But, being parked or not used very much, it still needed to be freshed up. Swapped out all fluids. Fork oil, brake fluid, new brake pads, engine and primary oil, plugs etc.

Knowing some other owners that ride their machines on a regular basis and keep them maintained very well, I'd have no problem buying a bike with what others may consider high mileage.
 
getting new triumph parts is a pain, getting old ones, good luck. If you get something, I recommend getting a ride that's somewhat common for parts support.


mimico_polak said:
Hey guys,
Thanks again for all the great tips! I think personally I'm more concerned about high mileage due to my limited resources/knowledge of maintaining bikes. I've got a buddy that rebuilds OLD bikes and he's offered me his 1969 BSA Thunderbolt or his 1966 Triumph TR6 for a good deal rebuilt...but I'm concerned that once something goes I won't be able to repair it and be stuck! Beautiful bikes too!
Click to expand...
 
I almost bought a vintage/classic bike as my first bike (looked at a GS750 and a KZ750) but bought a Suzuki Bandit 600 instead. I still want an old Japanese bike, but to start out I think I made a much better decision.

Even though I have a recent, reliable Japanese bike, I've had to work on it a little and there's been frustrating learning experiences at times. There are two or three wreckers within an hour that have parts for my bike, and I have used their services. I'm sure there's less maintenance involved on my bike than a vintage bike, and I've cut my teeth working on a more common bike.

Also, quite often it's CC's and not actual speed/performance that dictate insurance. I pay less to insure the Bandit than I would for the GS or KZ, even though it would rip up either bike in a straight line, in corners or in top end.

A bike like the Hornet or my Bandit (or a Katana, an SV650, an FZ6, a Ninja 500 or 650, ...) is a lot more versatile than a vintage bike, or something more dedicated. I've toured, chased other bikes through corners, commuted, and it does an ok job of these things. I think that versus starting on a more specialized bike, I've tried more different types of riding and have a better idea of what I want next time (maybe a dedicated tourer, which I wouldn't have guessed?)

If you'd really like a vintage Brit bike, I'd buy a more recent Triumph. At a stoplight you can barely tell new vs. old.
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