Miles on a motorcycle

[Saint Nick]

What would constitute "high miles" for a motorcycle, whether it be a sportbike or a cruiser?

 

[rstrohkirch]

25,000

It's not really that high for a bike, but at this point, lack of proper maintenance is going to have taken it's toll on the bike.

I would have no problem buying a bike with this many miles on it, but I'd be extra picky during the inspection and test ride.

 

[Jahee]

Originally posted by: jndietz
What would constitute "high miles" for a motorcycle, whether it be a sportbike or a cruiser?

Strange, i was talking to a friend about this yesterday... I don't think i've seen a bike with much more than 20,000 on it..

I'd like to know this too.

 

[Triumph]

The reason you don't see high miles is because 90% of the people who buy a bike, buy it to be cool and barely ride the thing. Or they crash it because they bought a bike that was too big for them and thought they could handle it. Or they put it on a trailer, and drive 1,000 miles to Sturgis so they can idle up and down a main street and rev their engine. But most modern bikes are capable of a hundred thousand miles, easily.

Here's a good thread to read about "high mileage" bikes: http://www.sport-touring.net/f...php/topic,13708.0.html

 

[Saint Nick]

There is a Suzuki that I'm looking at that has 12,000 miles on it, and I think he mentioned he layed it down in the ad. But it looked like it was in pretty good shape. Buying one is going to scare me because I don't really know how to inspect a motorcycle. I guess its the same as inspecting a car, huh? If thats the case I shouldn't have anything to worry about...

 

[TBone48]

12,000 isn't a lot. I use mine to commute and put on almost 9000 a year. Check for leaks, smoking, odd noises when running, that sort of thing. Hopefully the seller will have some maintainance records available.

 

[rstrohkirch]

Make sure you test ride it before you purchase it as there are a LOT of issues that you will not know about until it's driven.

Most common things you should be looking at are:
- The bike shifts fine through all gears and doesn't slip back into neutral
- The suspension feels good with no leaks coming out of the forks or odd feelings over bumps
- The steering stem turns free of clicks/notches and does not clunk over bumps or track oddly
- If the bike is an older pre 98 gsxr model than check to make sure the carbs don't have any rich/lean spots through the entire range

 

[jagec]

It really depends. There are a fair number of people running around with 100,000+ miles on my bike (Suzuki DL650). Service records mean a lot more than mileage IMHO.

 

[zashiratori]

E=Triumph;24070573]The reason you don't see high miles is because 90% of the people who buy a bike, buy it to be cool and barely ride the thing. Or they crash it because they bought a bike that was too big for them and thought they could handle it. Or they put it on a trailer, and drive 1,000 miles to Sturgis so they can idle up and down a main street and rev their engine. But most modern bikes are capable of a hundred thousand miles, easily.

Here's a good thread to read about "high mileage" bikes: http://www.sport-touring.net/f...php/topic,13708.0.html[/QUOTE]

That's probably the reason why the majority of Harley riders keep their bikes for years (and why indians will as well) most of which ive seen at least over 120,000 miles but when you see the Japanese bikes they always break down. You can't even ride them. Sport touring bikes aren't so good in that regard for racking on the miles.

 

[Harabec]

Zashi...what??
There are multiple DL650\1K's here in Israel with 100K miles and more that look and go like new. My own CBF600 has 60K and feels great. My old TDM850 had twice that, and someone I know has an old VFR750 with nearly 170K miles on its original engine, still a daily driver.

A lot of americans seem to buy bikes as toys and think they'll fall apart after a couple of miles so they buy new ones. Fortunately there are also plenty that do ride, quite a lot from what I've seen.

Maintain them properly, replace the clutch and timing chains when needed, most will last forever.

 

[Fenixgoon]

Most people don't ride their bikes that much. They are toys. A few thousand miles a year is pretty average

 

[K7SN]

Most of my bikes don't have an odometer - I don't think I ever owned a bike that had 10,000 miles on it; but the miles were rough and hard and no problems when I parked them.

 

[Greenman]

It all depends on the bike. I've never seen an inline 4 with more than 50k on it, but I know of lots of V twins with well over a 100k. I know a fellow with a V-Rod that has over 200k on it and the cases have never been cracked.

 

[jlee]

E=Triumph;24070573]The reason you don't see high miles is because 90% of the people who buy a bike, buy it to be cool and barely ride the thing. Or they crash it because they bought a bike that was too big for them and thought they could handle it. Or they put it on a trailer, and drive 1,000 miles to Sturgis so they can idle up and down a main street and rev their engine. But most modern bikes are capable of a hundred thousand miles, easily.

Here's a good thread to read about "high mileage" bikes: http://www.sport-touring.net/f...php/topic,13708.0.html

That's probably the reason why the majority of Harley riders keep their bikes for years (and why indians will as well) most of which ive seen at least over 120,000 miles but when you see the Japanese bikes they always break down. You can't even ride them. Sport touring bikes aren't so good in that regard for racking on the miles.

That's kind of an odd first post for an 8 year necro.

 

[WackyDan]

I have 30k on mine. I probably overly maintain it to a degree. It is my touring machine so If I'm getting ready for a three week ride and the oil only has 2000 miles on it... Well, it gets changed. *I don't trust dealers to even change the oil.

Seen many Spyders with well over 50k and a few over 100k.

I almost bought an 86 Yamaha Fazer the other week with 18k on it. It is all about how they maintained it.

I'd be more suspicious of a 20 year old bike with only 20k or less miles on it as that is the sign of someone who isn't a serious rider and probably doesn't take maintenance serious either.

 

[MongGrel]

Most people don't ride their bikes that much. They are toys. A few thousand miles a year is pretty average

I tend to agree actually.

Have had many friends in the past had them, many of them are dead from owning them to be honest.

Sorry if I'm raining on anyone's parade.

 

[pauldun170]

What would constitute "high miles" for a motorcycle, whether it be a sportbike or a cruiser?

Use the same guideline as you would use for cars.
10K to 15K a year.

For total mileage
250,000 miles on the engine of any properly maintained street bike.
15,000 to 25,000 miles on a stunters bike


Having seen CBR600's\R1's\countless BMW's and touring bikes with hundreds of thousands of miles on them it all comes down to the owner.

I've know folks who are doing trackdays with 300K+ on stock untouched engines.

 

[unokitty]

What would constitute "high miles" for a motorcycle, whether it be a sportbike or a cruiser?

Blue Book

If the bike is a sportbike 600 c.c. to 999 c.c., and since these bikes are traditionally weekend only bikes, you can expect to see lower miles, about 3,000 miles per year. Tourers or Sport Tourers usually see a lot of miles, but these are generally freeway miles, between 5,000 to 6,000 miles per year.

I've bought 6 motorcycles, 3 used, 3 new.

I had good luck finding unmodified bikes that would be a few years old with 10 to 12 thousand miles for about half their original price. Would try to buy from original owner. Autumn or winter, prices would be lower.

In addition to the bike, I would also evaluate its owner. And I would never buy from someone selling for 'a friend or relative.'

Nothing particular against higher mileage bikes. But with so many low mileage examples available, I never felt the need.

Best of luck,
Uno

 

[jdoggg12]

I've never put less than 10k miles/year on my bikes - I like to ride... a lot. I agree with what most everyone else has said, it's about how the bike was taken care of. I've seen bikes die at 5-10k miles b/c the person never did any services... I've also seen bikes with 50-100k miles run like new because the owner did religious service intervals.


The best think you can do is to bring a friend with wrenching experience to look at the bike. Check the filters, chain/sprocket conditions, look at if bearings are greased, see how it starts/runs, etc.


That being said... the good thing about bikes is their relative cheapness to repair vs similar problems in a car. It's a PITA to do, but thankfully it probably won't break the bank. If you can't afford to fix one major issue after buying the bike, you probably can't afford to be riding in the first place.

 

[JulesMaximus]

That's probably the reason why the majority of Harley riders keep their bikes for years (and why indians will as well) most of which ive seen at least over 120,000 miles but when you see the Japanese bikes they always break down. You can't even ride them. Sport touring bikes aren't so good in that regard for racking on the miles.

This is the biggest load of bullshit I've ever heard. Every Japanese bike I've had has been very reliable. If you maintain them, they are usually bulletproof. I put 16,000 miles on a 2008 Suzuki I bought new and had no trouble with it whatsoever. Wish the Ducati I replaced it with was as reliable but it wasn't. I just don't tend to keep bikes for more than 3 years or so and I tend to put 5-6k miles on per year. I bought my current bike last December and I have almost 6k miles on it currently (bought it new).

I know guys with 30k+ miles on Japanese bikes with no trouble. That isn't a lot of miles, I know, but once you start getting into 40-50k miles the bike loses a lot of its value primarily because it is so easy to find bikes with lower mileage for not a lot of money.

BTW-Sport touring bikes are fantastic for racking on the miles. They are very comfortable, have decent wind protection and they allow you to actually carry stuff easily and safely. To say they are not good for putting miles on is contrary to the design of a sport touring bike... it is just nonsense and I can't imagine anyone saying that who knows anything at all about motorcycles.

As far as what to look for. Look for damage, rash, broken plastics, fluid leaks, etc. Ask for maintenance records and do some research on what maintenance intervals are for the model you are considering. Make sure the bike starts up quickly and runs well. Start it cold and ride the bike, run it through all the gears, make sure it shifts smoothly. Check the chain for neglect, dry, rust, chain really loose, worn sprockets. If this is neglected, chances are the entire bike is neglected.

Sportbikes probably get the most abuse and are the most likely to be neglected because they are fairly inexpensive, younger guys buy them and finance them and just don't have the money to maintain them. Be very wary of a neglected bike. Even if the price is right, I wouldn't buy a sportbike with rash or signs of neglect. There are so many to choose from that I would recommend you walk away and find one that has been well cared for.

By the way, I asked a couple guys who tow bikes what kind of bikes they tow the most and with ZERO hesitation they both said Harleys.

I also wouldn't recommend a sportbike as a first bike for anyone. Learn on something smaller, lighter and less powerful. You will learn faster and become a better ride in a shorter amount of time.

 

[malbojah]

Blue Book

Quote:
If the bike is a sportbike 600 c.c. to 999 c.c., and since these bikes are traditionally weekend only bikes, you can expect to see lower miles, about 3,000 miles per year. Tourers or Sport Tourers usually see a lot of miles, but these are generally freeway miles, between 5,000 to 6,000 miles per year.

Where's my snickering emoticon when I need one. Bought my first bike used with 25k miles on in and put an extra 80k on it over the next decade. Replaced that one with a newer FZ1 and racked up 20k miles in 2 years. In the 2 years I've owned my current FZ1 (crashed the first one) I've already put 26k miles on it.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Where's my snickering emoticon when I need one. Bought my first bike used with 25k miles on in and put an extra 80k on it over the next decade. Replaced that one with a newer FZ1 and racked up 20k miles in 2 years. In the 2 years I've owned my current FZ1 (crashed the first one) I've already put 26k miles on it.

You would be the exception, not the norm.

 

[Zenmervolt]

By the way, I asked a couple guys who tow bikes what kind of bikes they tow the most and with ZERO hesitation they both said Harleys.

Really? The bikes that make up half of the US motorcycle market are the most frequently towed? Shocking!

The biggest reason why Harleys are the most frequently towed is the same reason why the Honda Accord and Civic are the most frequently stolen. There are just more of them out there. Harley is far and away the largest seller of motorcycles in the US. Any time one brand makes up half of the market, with the other half distributed among a dozen or so other players, the brand that makes up half the market is going to be seen most by repair and towing people.

Throw in the fact that the majority of Harleys are purchased as mid-life crisis toys by people who don't know eff-all about machinery or maintenance and it only makes sense that Harleys will be seen more frequently by people who tow bikes.

I don't mean to say Harleys are perfect. They're not. The perpetually weeping rocker box gaskets on my Sportster are a pain while my 33-year-old Honda's original seals are all still just fine. But Harley just isn't a complete mess as they were in the late 1970s.

ZV

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

I think quite a few of them get totaled before the mileage racks up. Especially with crotch rockets.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Really? The bikes that make up half of the US motorcycle market are the most frequently towed? Shocking!

The biggest reason why Harleys are the most frequently towed is the same reason why the Honda Accord and Civic are the most frequently stolen. There are just more of them out there. Harley is far and away the largest seller of motorcycles in the US. Any time one brand makes up half of the market, with the other half distributed among a dozen or so other players, the brand that makes up half the market is going to be seen most by repair and towing people.

Throw in the fact that the majority of Harleys are purchased as mid-life crisis toys by people who don't know eff-all about machinery or maintenance and it only makes sense that Harleys will be seen more frequently by people who tow bikes.

I don't mean to say Harleys are perfect. They're not. The perpetually weeping rocker box gaskets on my Sportster are a pain while my 33-year-old Honda's original seals are all still just fine. But Harley just isn't a complete mess as they were in the late 1970s.

ZV

Man, you sure do have a hard-on for Harley Davidson.

Does Harley make up HALF the US motorcycle market? I'm not sure I believe that. Even if that were true the other half would be Japanese bikes and the numbers should be pretty much be 50/50. Oh, I tow about as many Harley's as I do Japanese bikes. Granted, it was a purely unscientific study on my part... I'll give you that.