How many miles are on YOUR motorcycle?

[mikethebike]

"I buy motorcycles to ride not as investments" was a point of argument in a now closed thread.....so.....how many miles have you guys ridden...on a single bike and total? Do YOU ride in the rain? Snow (check my avatar...Parris Mtn in Feburary...8" of snow during the day...rode home at 5pm)? How about cold weather. When we left for Key West in March it was 14 degrees.

The XLCH just turned 200,000 last year. Due to work load and building a new house before retirement last year the BMW doesn't have the number of miles I anticipated it would have at this point, but that is about to change.

 

[whoaru99]

Dangerous ground, this one...but I'll play...

2,500 miles on my Vulcan...I've been driving it roughly two, two-and-a-half months. I think around 28K on my Suzuki rocket, which I've had for four years and put on roughly 16K of those miles, with most of one year riding off due to ruptured disks/back problems.

I'll ride in the rain if I have to but I don't make a plan to drive in the rain. Cold weather, well, I live in MN but I don't drive the motorcycles when it's time to drive the snowmobile.

How many miles per year total you drive is probably a more telling number than how many miles on a motorcycle. Sure, 200,000 is an impressive-sounding number of miles, but if you've had the cycle for 30-35 years it's not really a huge number of miles per year. I've been around 5,500 miles per year, but it'll probably be more this year. Guess it depends on the statement you're trying to make...bike durability, or biker durability.

 

[mikethebike]

Dangerous ground, this one...but I'll play...

2,500 miles on my Vulcan...I've been driving it roughly two, two-and-a-half months. I think around 28K on my Suzuki rocket, which I've had for four years and put on roughly 16K of those miles, with most of one year riding off due to ruptured disks/back problems.

I'll ride in the rain if I have to but I don't make a plan to drive in the rain. Cold weather, well, I live in MN but I don't drive the motorcycles when it's time to drive the snowmobile.

How many miles per year total you drive is probably a more telling number than how many miles on a motorcycle. Sure, 200,000 is an impressive-sounding number of miles, but if you've had the cycle for 30-35 years it's not really a huge number of miles per year. I've been around 5,500 miles per year, but it'll probably be more this year. Guess it depends on the statement you're trying to make...bike durability, or biker durability.

Rode the XLCH from 1977 til 1986 as my primary means of transportation. Parked it til 1996 (wanted to make sure I didn't leave the 2 boys and wife on their own) when I rebuilt from the frame up. Rode from 1996 til 2004 as my primary transportation. If you work those numbers you're looking at 10k+ per year on the Sporty.
Bought the R-1150-rt in August 2004 because H-D wasn't going to use the V-rod engine in a competitive package. Rode it as my primary transportation until I retired last year and as soon as my granddaughter can touch the rear pegs I'll be taking her to school on it. But trust me on this...you don't want to pay even the standard maintenance bill on a BMW...if nothing ever breaks or wears out it will cost you right at $.10 per mile. I don't call them Big Money Wasted for nothing!! Just the 12vdc servo motor for the power assisted brakes has a price of $2700.00 not including r/r. And resale value? Pitiful. With the Sergeant seat, Givie case & rack, big lids, lights, tank bag, cylinder protectors and a few more accessories I have $20,000.00 or so in it. I might be able to get $9k for it if I sold it. Had I bought and equipped a H-D for the same price (if you don't jump on the flashy chromasexual models you CAN buy and equip an Electra-Glide for around $20k) it would be worth around $15k. I knew that going in and I don't plan an selling it. If I didn't need a car for other things I'd have nothing but bikes in the garage and the list would be something like this:

Knuckle-head
Panhead
1971 Super-Glide
1977 Low-Rider
1977 XLCR
1958 XLCH
1977 XLCH
1982 XR-1000
1974 Norton (right foot shift)
1981 Katana (the first radical one)
ST-4S Ducati
1098 Ducati
Vincent Black Shadow
Michael Hailwood 900 SS
BMW R115-rt
BMW GS Adventure

 

[Fred Sanford]

Down to only one bike now (Honda CB750), sold 4 others pretty recently, so it's tough to tell the total miles (I never really paid attention). Current bike has ~28,000 on it, we've had it since '99 but for most of its life it was only used for 2-up riding. It's now ridden year-round in VA, but I work from home- when we were in NYC the dual-sport was ridden year-round (Suzuki DR-250S) and all of the bikes were sometimes used for commuting.

Ain't scared of rain, but I'm not stupid, either- the ~250 lb. dual sports were a hoot in the snow, but still not a wise choice in traffic. The ~500 lb. standard just isn't any fun in the snow.

je

 

[mikethebike]

Down to only one bike now (Honda CB750), sold 4 others pretty recently, so it's tough to tell the total miles (I never really paid attention). Current bike has ~28,000 on it, we've had it since '99 but for most of its life it was only used for 2-up riding. It's now ridden year-round in VA, but I work from home- when we were in NYC the dual-sport was ridden year-round (Suzuki DR-250S) and all of the bikes were sometimes used for commuting.

Ain't scared of rain, but I'm not stupid, either- the ~250 lb. dual sports were a hoot in the snow, but still not a wise choice in traffic. The ~500 lb. standard just isn't any fun in the snow.

je

The BREMBO abs and ParaLever anti-dive on the RT are primary reasons I bought it. (those brakes will pull you down from 125 to 75 NOW) The rain doesn't bother me anymore whereas on the XLCH I would ride with 2 fingers on the front disc to keep it dry during heavy rains. When I lived in Charleston, SC and the monsoon season hit areas would flood. Leaving the 2600 Meeting St work center one day I went north towards Rivers Ave. Rode through a section of road that had water 2" below the air cleaner! On the 'lower' side a new '78 Grand Prix was sitting stalled with water up to within 5 or 6 inches of the driver side window. I'll ride in snow if I have no choice, but I do live in SC so very seldom is that a problem.:thmbsp:

 

[HandyHamlet]

150,000 on my Kaw 750LTD from 1989-2003. In the early years it was my only transportation at times. The best adventures of my life were on that bike. It's retired in the garage.

Our bikes are insured year round. We ride all year. Only now it is for fun and I have a full fairing. We had a traditional ride on X-mas Day for years till I moved. Up here they have the Frozen Snot Run.

From '03 on my riding has been split between several bikes. My riding has decreased significantly each year. I still don't think I have broken 200,000.

I've purchased several bikes and parts as an investment. Haven't ever actually sold anything though. I bought a Honda Trail 90 to flip. I made the mistake of riding it. It is way too fun to sell.


Oh yah, Today Is Two Wheel Tuesday up here. Appropriate topic! Every Tuesday the biking scene gets together around the S.E. part of the state. We gather at various locations to hang out, talk shop, and look at the eye candy.

 

[whoaru99]

PS: Cycles have never been a primary means of transportation for me, always just for pleasure. That factors a lot in how quickly the miles rack up...especially if you've got a fair hike to work every day. Me, work is only 1.5 miles one way so even if I drove it to work and back every day for years it still wouldn't add up to much.

 

[marne]

There are round about 50.000 miles on my Suzuki Katana 750 from 1982, which I own and ride for over 10 years now. Vintage that really sounds good:thmbsp:

 

[gearhound]

In 1998, I bought a 1981 Yamaha XJ750 Seca, with 9,000 miles on the odometer.
Fast forward to 2010, and it went over the 100,000 mile mark in 2009.
Except for the gawd-awful Hitachi carbs needed work almost yearly, the old Yamaha has been relatively trouble free.
My mileage has been going down yearly also, as Arthritis claims more and more of my body parts.

Steve

 

[BrianR]

Roughly 37,000 miles on my '85 Katana 750. It was an import from Canada, so the odometer is in kilometers.

 

[x_25]

1,653 on my 1970 Yamaha HT-1 Enduro. It was driven a bit in the 70's by my uncle then got parked in a shed. I am working on getting it running so I can drive it.

 

[Andyman]

I sold my GS1100GKZ probably about 10 years ago, but between it and the other bikes I owned i probably rode over 100,000 miles.

The list:

1972 Suzuki T500J
1975 Yamaha DT175B
1972 Suzuki GT380B
1972 Yamaha R5 (RD350 precursor)
1979 Suzuki GS1000
1982 Suzuki GS1100GKZ

Since those bikes were my only wheel many times I rode in all sorts of nasty weather. Rode the DT175 to UWM in Milwaukee down to 0; prayed for a lot of red lights to warm up at on those rides. Rode the T500J in 4" of snow; spun out in the first 100' and let the dropped the tires to darn near flat and did 1st and 2nd gear all the way home. Countless rainstorms, including a ride back to Munich from the KonigSee in Germany soaking wet WFO on my buddy's Suzuki GS400. 160 kph and the big black Mercedes were flying by
Yeah, I've logged a few...

 

[ibdplummer]

I have 3753 on my 09 DR-650se ! I am surprised it has taken my abuse that long
My last one left at , I think , 5400
Why have toy's if you can't enjoy them :scratch2:
Everyone have a Great evening :thmbsp:

 

[glum]

Harley davidson FXS lowrider 1978 1/2 one of the first 1340's 210,000+-iv owned it for 13years
Rain, snow, hail ,desert,moutans what ever when ever.I bought it with 30,000

 

[glum]

Before that i rode a honda cbr600.It had 120,000 when it was retired to the track.this second one is my son 15 years later on his sporty.He averages 10,000mi a year to all weather.
same kid same love for the bikes.

 

[Cogito]

"I buy motorcycles to ride not as investments" was a point of argument in a now closed thread.....so.....how many miles have you guys ridden...on a single bike and total? Do YOU ride in the rain? Snow (check my avatar...Parris Mtn in Feburary...8" of snow during the day...rode home at 5pm)? How about cold weather. When we left for Key West in March it was 14 degrees.

The XLCH just turned 200,000 last year. Due to work load and building a new house before retirement last year the BMW doesn't have the number of miles I anticipated it would have at this point, but that is about to change.

My current ride, a '08 V-Star 1300 I bought new last week of April '09 (A leftover) currently has 12,700 miles on it. I average about between 7-8k/year here in Maine from mid April to early December. The Most I have ever put on a bike was about 14k as I trade in every couple years and I never buy used. I avoid rain like the plague. Not because I fear it, but I am VERY anal about keeping my ride clean and I hate the two hour cleaning I feel compelled to do afterwards. As for snow... I'm not that suicidal. However, I have ridden many times in below freezing temperatures.

 

[kx250rider]

The R1 I just got, has 22K miles... Doesn't seem to burn oil, and the engine isn't too noisy. My '85 VF1000R has 30-somethingK, and also is tight & quiet. My "parts" VF1000R (topic of recent thread) has 291 miles and is 24 years old! Not even broken in.

Once a motorcycle has over 30K, I start to be concerned about engine wear. (I've owned mainly Japanese sport bikes; no experience with American or Euro bikes except for a Harley (AMF) dirt bike I had in the 80s)

Charles

 

[mikethebike]

The R1 I just got, has 22K miles... Doesn't seem to burn oil, and the engine isn't too noisy. My '85 VF1000R has 30-somethingK, and also is tight & quiet. My "parts" VF1000R (topic of recent thread) has 291 miles and is 24 years old! Not even broken in.

Once a motorcycle has over 30K, I start to be concerned about engine wear. (I've owned mainly Japanese sport bikes; no experience with American or Euro bikes except for a Harley (AMF) dirt bike I had in the 80s)

Charles

I re-ring every 100,000. Not because the rings or cylinder is worn but the rod-length-to-stroke ratio on a Sporty is kind of short so the pistons will scruff at the bottom of the skirt. I install .010 over each time. Over the winter I will go up .010 and be at .030 over.
BMW has been using silicone impregnated nickel liners in the twins for about 30 years now. If you wear THAT out and you've been keeping good clean oil in the engine you have done something. An acquaintance has an old RT-80 with close to 400,000 on the original rings. He uses nothing buy 20/50 GTX. With the Japs using silicone impregnated aluminum like the Mercedes big v-8 have for 35 years you should go a very long time assuming you don't abuse it and keep good oil in it.