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View Full Version : how many miles on a bike?



curtis rosche
05-06-2014, 2:57 PM
Im starting to look for a bigger bike, I try to do as much research as possible. But one question seems to be hard to find the answer. How many miles is a lot for a bike? I know cruisers are different from touring and sports. Im looking at a cruiser that has 50k miles on it but isn't terribly old, seems to be in good condition.

Bruce Page
05-06-2014, 3:19 PM
I wouldn’t consider anything with 50K unless it were deeply discounted. Not all bikes are created equal, a BMW K 100RS would be worth looking at. A KZ1000 probably not.

Ole Anderson
05-06-2014, 3:21 PM
I was thinking a beach cruiser bicycle, but with 50,000 miles? :p Seems like a lot of miles for anything with two wheels.

Chuck Wintle
05-06-2014, 3:48 PM
I wouldn’t consider anything with 50K unless it were deeply discounted. Not all bikes are created equal, a BMW K 100RS would be worth looking at. A KZ1000 probably not.

I agree with this statement....some bikes like BMW and others are built for durability whereas others can be worn out at 25,000 miles. Depends on the bike and how it was ridden.

Rick Moyer
05-06-2014, 4:12 PM
When I had my Valkyrie I only had 15,000 on it but knew of guys who had well over 200,000 on theirs. Depends on the bike and how it was maintained. Liquid cooled would likely last longer than air cooled, at least that what the tractor guys will tell you.

Jim Matthews
05-06-2014, 7:20 PM
Bikes with less plastic shrouding tend to be driven by mechanically involved owner. I would not consider all rides equally, based on mileage. Some of the high performance scoots are ridden hard, put away wet.

Mike Chance in Iowa
05-06-2014, 7:51 PM
Bikes with less plastic shrouding tend to be driven by mechanically involved owner. I would not consider all rides equally, based on mileage. Some of the high performance scoots are ridden hard, put away wet.

I disagree with this. I know lots of riders who have "high performance" bikes who are extremely diligent about maintenance. When you think about it, a majority of the riders out there on any type of bike do the same thing as vehicle owners - they take it to someone else to do the maintenance for them. It doesn't matter what type of bike it is. There are always going to be great owners and bad owners.

Michael Weber
05-06-2014, 8:17 PM
When I had my Valkyrie I only had 15,000 on it but knew of guys who had well over 200,000 on theirs. Depends on the bike and how it was maintained. Liquid cooled would likely last longer than air cooled, at least that what the tractor guys will tell you.
I own a Valkyrie I purchased a few months back with 51000 miles on it. That's nothing for a Valk, whereas some makes V twins are worn at at that point. Six cylinder flat engine, smooth as silk and quite, at least with the OEM mufflers. Purrs like a kitten, zero vibrations and faster than your ever going to want to go. There are a few for sale here http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/board,7.0.html including one with only 4000 miles on it it northeast Arkansas.
They were manufactured from 1997 to 2004 (I think) and come in a standard, tourer, and Interstate models. They're a fun bike derived from the 1500 Goldwing engine but without all the plastic shrouding. They look like a motorcycle should. I've added an after market seat (mustang) and a cruise control. Got both on ebay.
Meet Betty Boop
288871288870
Different color schemes for different years and models. I think this is the best color combination. I like the retro look. It's 98 Tour model. check them out online and at the above link which is the Valkyrie Riders Cruisers Club. Lots of support and parts still available. Some think it the best bike Honda ever built.

John McClanahan
05-06-2014, 9:17 PM
My GL1500 Goldwing has 82,000 miles on it and is nowhere near worn out. I sold my 1200 Wing with 100,000 miles on it. Still very dependable.

John

Michael Weber
05-06-2014, 9:24 PM
My GL1500 Goldwing has 82,000 miles on it and is nowhere near worn out. I sold my 1200 Wing with 100,000 miles on it. Still very dependable.

John
LOL another vote for the Honda 1500 engine. Valk engine is the same with additional carburetors.

curtis rosche
05-06-2014, 10:32 PM
Update, It was a 1995 Suzuki intruder 800. looked nice, but 50k miles had taken its toll. The clutch was almost nonexsistant, I don't know if it needed adjusted or replaced. And at first start out like 0-10mph, the bike sounded like a golfcart when it just starts out, puttering, and the bike would shake. didn't matter how much gas you gave it. Im hopefully going to look at a virago 750 on sunday, I like the way they ride and I know theyre good for 100k

John Sanford
05-07-2014, 12:41 AM
Curtis,

Do yourself a huge favor and look at a 21st century Triumph Bonneville if you can.

As for mileage, it depends a lot on the type of bike. A supersport or liter bike, aka sportbike, aka bullet bike (gadzooks I hate that term) will often be wrung out at 50k, if it even survives that long w/o being tossed down the road. The engines are highly stressed. On the other hand, the only thing that runs as long as a Goldwing in the m/c world is a Honda ST. Sport touring bikes (which includes most BMWs) will still be going strong at 6 figures as long as the regular maintenance is done. Honda is so confident of both the Goldwing (and it's derivatives) and the STs, that they both came with 3 year unlimited mileage warranties. For a mere few hundred dollars that could be extended to 7 years unlimited mileage. Generally, the smaller the engine, the shorter it's life expectancy.

The real reason to look askance at a bike with 50k on it is that there are many, many bikes out there available with much lower mileage. Why buy the higher mileage bike when you can almost certainly get a lower mileage bike for the same cost?

Lee Schierer
05-07-2014, 7:35 AM
That's a lot of pedaling. I bike some myself, but it is pedal powered. My bicycle is about 10 years old and I think I might have around 11,000 miles on it. :eek:

Rod Sheridan
05-07-2014, 9:46 AM
Im starting to look for a bigger bike, I try to do as much research as possible. But one question seems to be hard to find the answer. How many miles is a lot for a bike? I know cruisers are different from touring and sports. Im looking at a cruiser that has 50k miles on it but isn't terribly old, seems to be in good condition.

50K, not even broken in yet.

My R90/6 is well over 200,000, my previous R90/6 went to 300,000 before it was destroyed in an accident and my wifes R60/7 has 250,000 on it.

Regards, Rod.

curtis rosche
05-07-2014, 9:54 AM
Curtis,

Do yourself a huge favor and look at a 21st century Triumph Bonneville if you can.

The real reason to look askance at a bike with 50k on it is that there are many, many bikes out there available with much lower mileage. Why buy the higher mileage bike when you can almost certainly get a lower mileage bike for the same cost?

Id love a new triumph!
I was mainly looking at it cause it was cheap, and came with sissy bar, saddle bags, and a ton of extras, thought it might be worth a shot. clearly wasn't .

jared herbert
05-07-2014, 12:19 PM
I had two Honda 750s, a 1971 and still have a 1974. Both had or have about 50 k on them.. I beat the crap out of them and they both still run strong. I would not be afraid to ride either one of them some distance at that point in their life span. An interesting aside to this, I sold the 71 on ebay a couple of years ago. I paid $1000 for it in 1978. It sold for $1175 in 2012 and was shipped back to a collector/restorer in Japan. It had not run for 10 years and I clearly listed it as such but it was complete and had not been modified. Hate to hijack the thread but I like telling people the story. Jared

Michael Weber
05-07-2014, 12:34 PM
I had two Honda 750s, a 1971 and still have a 1974. Both had or have about 50 k on them.. I beat the crap out of them and they both still run strong. I would not be afraid to ride either one of them some distance at that point in their life span. An interesting aside to this, I sold the 71 on ebay a couple of years ago. I paid $1000 for it in 1978. It sold for $1175 in 2012 and was shipped back to a collector/restorer in Japan. It had not run for 10 years and I clearly listed it as such but it was complete and had not been modified. Hate to hijack the thread but I like telling people the story. Jared
The old Honda bikes from the 70's are in demand especially if they have original sand cast engines. Just watched a 70's model 350 with sand cast engine fully restored sell on ebay for between 40,000 and 50,000 dollars.:eek:

Scott Shepherd
05-07-2014, 12:39 PM
I've seen posts by Gold Wing owners that put 50,000 miles in them in a couple of months. I think I saw some guy that put 100,000 miles on it in 3 months time. Those guys ride those bikes like no body else.

Mac McQuinn
05-07-2014, 1:49 PM
Maintenance history pretty much sums it up for me. I wouldn't touch a motorcycle without a solid, documented maintenance history. That said, there are types of motorcycles which are conducive to longevity due to their use, IE. Touring. While there's a few air cooled motorcycles which will achieve high mileage, liquid cooling typically allows tighter clearances, promoting longevity. Regular coolant changes do add to the maintenance though. Ethanol can play havoc with carbureted bikes, once again regular maintenance/fuel additives are your friend here. There's lots of variables here such as cooling, final drives, fueling, valve adjustment methods, etc. although at the end of the day you'll be safer with something which has seen a regular maintenance program.
Mac

Jerome Stanek
05-07-2014, 2:37 PM
I've seen posts by Gold Wing owners that put 50,000 miles in them in a couple of months. I think I saw some guy that put 100,000 miles on it in 3 months time. Those guys ride those bikes like no body else.

That would be about 10hr a day every day so I think you are wrong

Brett Robson
05-07-2014, 3:38 PM
On the other hand, the only thing that runs as long as a Goldwing in the m/c world is a Honda ST.


That line made me laugh. I started this morning on my assigned ST. 3 hours later I was at the shop after it blew out the right side valve cover gasket and leaked oil everywhere.

30 minutes later, on ST #2, the clutch went out!

We'll see how ST #3 holds up.

In using them for police work, I've never been impressed.

Chris Padilla
05-07-2014, 4:53 PM
Oh...a MOTORbike or motorcycle. I was thinking thigh-powered. My Trek 6500 MTB probably has close to 70,000 miles on as I've been commuting to work for 12 years at about 6-7,000 miles per year. Of course, not much on it is original and all the bearings (headset, hubs, cranks, pedals, etc.) have been replaced a few times. :)

Scott Shepherd
05-07-2014, 7:03 PM
That would be about 10hr a day every day so I think you are wrong

I think you might want to visit the Gold Wing forum. People ride them more than you can even imagine. They have the "Iron Butt" program and it's certified. I read a post the other day, a guy rode 10,000 miles in 10 days to get his certification.

Here's the paper work he had to support it :

288913

Art Mann
05-07-2014, 7:07 PM
My 1997 GL1500 Goldwing had 89,000 miles on it when I traded it for a new Wing. I would have had no anxiety about taking a cross country tour on that bike the day I sold it. I am expecting my GL1800 Goldwing to surpass 200,000 miles (if I ride that long).

Art Mann
05-07-2014, 7:15 PM
50K, not even broken in yet.

My R90/6 is well over 200,000, my previous R90/6 went to 300,000 before it was destroyed in an accident and my wifes R60/7 has 250,000 on it.

Regards, Rod.


I have a friend who did his Iron Butt 1000 on a R90/6 a few years ago. I rode it some and my only complaint is they are a little buzzy at highway speeds.

John Sanford
05-08-2014, 1:02 AM
That line made me laugh. I started this morning on my assigned ST. 3 hours later I was at the shop after it blew out the right side valve cover gasket and leaked oil everywhere.

30 minutes later, on ST #2, the clutch went out!

We'll see how ST #3 holds up.

In using them for police work, I've never been impressed.

Curious, given that a coalition of Arizona law enforcement agencies did a thorough study/review of maintenance costs of the motorcycles sold for LE use in this country, and the Honda ST1300 came out the best. I have heard though that many officers who have spent a long time riding Harleys and the old Kawis (think CHiPs) are brutal on the clutches of the STs and BMW RTs until the LEO gets the hang of it.

Brett Robson
05-08-2014, 7:33 PM
Curious, given that a coalition of Arizona law enforcement agencies did a thorough study/review of maintenance costs of the motorcycles sold for LE use in this country, and the Honda ST1300 came out the best. I have heard though that many officers who have spent a long time riding Harleys and the old Kawis (think CHiPs) are brutal on the clutches of the STs and BMW RTs until the LEO gets the hang of it.


Ya, I've read the studies. The Honda is the cheapest in initial cost by several thousand dollars, so lots of agencies buy them. At least in my experience with our fleet of them, it's false economy. They are good enough for the first couple years, them they fall apart. We have constant problems with water pumps, clutches, electrical/charging systems, you name it. Mine usually gives me a couple weeks of service before something breaks and I have to take it in.

Police work is hard on the clutches, no doubt about it. We burn up one, sometimes two per bike each year. The problem is Honda doesn't stock much of anything for the ST in the US, so a clutch costs our agency $1300, and has to be ordered from Japan, which takes several weeks. Heck, one of our new ones bought last year fried a clutch after 400 light miles with no slow cone patterns or taxing training days in there!

Our fleet manager told me last year they spent over $10,000 on parts to keep our STs running.

Maybe for recreational use they'd be ok. Given my experience with them though, I'd never buy one. YMMV