Motorcycle engine life?

[mark247]

I was just wondering whats the highest amount of km's you have seen on a motorcycle without it having had an obvious rebuild? I have seen an old 1980's Kawasaki 250 ( i think ) which looked shagged but was still being ridden with 110,000km on it. Whats the highest km's you guys have seen?

Cheers people.

[Finn]

Ixion told me his bike has been to the moon and back 3 times. Personally, I find this hard to believe as surely it would of burned up at re-entry.

[Disco Dan]

My GSX has 102 thou on the clock and still runs like new....

The more you look after it, the more chance the engine has of going longer!

[SuperDave]

127,000kms on my old ZXR250. I don't think it had much engine work done but maybe I'm mistaken. If aff-man sees this he might correct me since he owned it a few years before I did.

[mark247]

Yeah my GB400 is getting on, nearly at 70,000km and it burns a bit of oil ( probably 1L every errr 2000km. I dont know if thats heaps or if thats not much because i cant compare it with anything, i just top it up a little bit every 10 days or so so it stays right topped up. I hope it makes it to 100,000km!

[ManDownUnder]

I had a GPz 550 (A1) with an estimate 160,000 kms on it. Speedo cable broke at about 130,000 and I errrr... didn't fix it too quickly.

It was my daily commute (as is my RF900). The RF's going to hit 80,000 today and she's not missing a beat

[Sanx]

My dad's old FJ1200 covered over 80,000 miles - 128,000 kms. Was still running well when he sold it.

[xwhatsit]

Yeah my GB400 is getting on, nearly at 70,000km and it burns a bit of oil ( probably 1L every errr 2000km. I dont know if thats heaps or if thats not much because i cant compare it with anything, i just top it up a little bit every 10 days or so so it stays right topped up. I hope it makes it to 100,000km!

I'd do the camchain and tensioner before then, Mark, as you did mention that it's a bit rattly.

A nice uncomplicated engine like yours and mine apparently should last forever, as long as you remember to change the oil and do all the other maintenance good things. I blame eight previous owners and a long history of abuse for my engine problems.

Ask Ixion about the BMW boxers. They do ridiculous amounts of kilometres.

[Kwaka14]

I have a mate with a Suzuki 750 ES with 295000km on the Clock and a Bandit 1200 97 with over 200000 on the clock.... Both still as quiet and smooth as new (benefits of regular servicing)

[mark247]

I'd do the camchain and tensioner before then, Mark, as you did mention that it's a bit rattly.

A nice uncomplicated engine like yours and mine apparently should last forever, as long as you remember to change the oil and do all the other maintenance good things. I blame eight previous owners and a long history of abuse for my engine problems.

Ask Ixion about the BMW boxers. They do ridiculous amounts of kilometres.

Yeah i will get the chain and tensioner done, when i need the money. I dont think its as bad as i said, because i have listened to other engines since and mine is not exactly louder and any other i have heard. But when it does start getting noisey, i will get it done certainly.

[scracha]

My Xj550 had over (I say over as the speedo wasn't working for a year and a half till I replaced it) 170,000 MILES. As it drank so much oil I never bothered changing it in the 4 or so odd years I owned it. I couldn't for the life of me blow it up. Even the security guards at Lucent Tech looked at it distastefully when I used to bring it to work. Never failed to start. Some crazy restoration nutter bought it for more than I'd paid for it (300 pounds!). Ugly bike though, who let the dog out.

[Blackbird]

Some of the early Blackbirds in the UK have now racked up around 200,000 miles with only routine servicing and new cam chain tensioners. Big engines are hugely understressed for much of their lives on the road.

[mark247]

wow... some of these numbers are making my 66,300 look very small...

[BigG]

I'm looking at a GXR600 on trade me done 65k it seems like this aint a bad mileage, what do you reckon:yes:

[Bass]

There was an article in a Ulysses magazine about 8 months ago, from someone who went to the last Aussie Ulysses AGM. He ran into a guy there who bought a beemer on the day that he retired in 91 (I think it was an R 100 but don't quote me). He had looked at replacing it recently when it tipped over 500,000 km but decided that the modern stuff was too complicated and so spent the money giving the beemer a complete overhaul - ready for the next half million.

[Ixion]

Ixion told me his bike has been to the moon and back 3 times. Personally, I find this hard to believe as surely it would of burned up at re-entry.

Not much friction at the speed I ride.

[Ixion]

I've seen a K100 with over 700000km. Plated bores, if the oils changed there's not a lot will wear.

[mark247]

There was an article in a Ulysses magazine about 8 months ago, from someone who went to the last Aussie Ulysses AGM. He ran into a guy there who bought a beemer on the day that he retired in 91 (I think it was an R 100 but don't quote me). He had looked at replacing it recently when it tipped over 500,000 km but decided that the modern stuff was too complicated and so spent the money giving the beemer a complete overhaul - ready for the next half million.

That it awesome man, 500,000km!!!!!! i have actually seen a beemer with 350,000km now that i remember...

[crashe]

101,000 on my VIRAGO :love:
:yes: :scooter:

[Bonez]

I've seen a K100 with over 700000km. Plated bores, if the oils changed there's not a lot will wear.Know of a k75 that lost the tops off it's pistons at 200,000kms.

[Bonez]

wow... some of these numbers are making my 66,300 look very small...
It's all relative. My Gbs done 67,000kms, cx500 200,000plus and really needs a new set of rings-oils cheap though, Gerty 127,000kms(burnt exhaust valve and a few other bits and bobs at 52,000kms), Rondas done 147,000kms (did engine work at 72,000kms), Gasaxes engine is nearly brand new at 22,000kms.

[jtzzr]

My Blackbird has just gone 26000ks , is that alot? p/t

[Disco Dan]

The speedo on Skidmarks honda that he had 'breifly' had 4k's on the clock... :innocent: twas a new speedo though ;)

[Blackbird]

My Blackbird has just gone 26000ks , is that alot? p/t

Geez, you slacker John. Bluff and back for you tonight mate. C'mon, get yer kit on:yes:

[MaxB]

On my OE I met a courier in the motorway services near Heathrow Airport who had posted 600000 miles on his BMW R65. His run was London-Cardiff every day. Oil Change every 2 weeks, servicing every month paid for by the company. He swore it had not been rebuilt except for crash repairs.

My BM only has 202000km on it so I have a long way to go. Had it apart at 160 sure I would have to do something but the bores were clean as. I checked everything and stuck it back together.

[NighthawkNZ]

my old XJ Special had 139,000 before it need anything serious

[Eddieb]

200,000 miles on the company GT550 hack in London. I had it for a few days while my bike was being serviced. Rattly as hell but still went ok. Was only just over 2 years old too.

[FlangMasterJ]

My friends Aprilia SXV550 went KABOOM after 40km's.:gob:

[Forest]

I bought an ex-rental R1100GS with 110,000km on the clock.

I sold it at 240,000km and it was still going strong. As far as I know, the heads had never been off the engine when I sold the bike.

[fishb8nz]

Quote from "Black Belt Forum"
My CS is now at 160,000 miles and still uses no oil between 6,000 mile changes.
Original engine and everything on the engine except the waterpump seals....
I replaced the waterpump seals at 85,400 miles and again at 136,000 miles. The oil got coolant in it the first time, so I decided to replace the seals at 50,000 mile intervals, they hadn't started to leak when I replaced them the second time.

I bought the bike with 4,454 miles on it, it was a dealer loaner bike. I changed the oil at 6,000 miles and used Wal-Mart 15/40 equipment oil and a BMW filter. At 12,000 miles, I installed a Scotts stainless steel oil filter and Mobil 1 15/50 synthetic auto oil. I used the Mobil 1 until I could no longer get it at Wal-Mart, at which time I switched to Rotella 5/40 synthetic. The mileage when I switched to Rotella, was at 142,000 miles.

I checked the valves every 6,000 miles to 100,000 miles and since no valve had changed since 43,000 miles, I went on a 10,000 mile interval at that time. I still haven't had to change a shim since 43,000 miles!

I replaced the lower steering head bearing at 112,000 miles. The rear wheel bearings have been replaced at 75,000 and again, with the rear axle, at 142,000 miles. The belt has been replaced twice. I've never replaced either sprocket nor a fuel filter. I replace the spark plug every 50,000 miles. The right hand front wheel bearing was replaced at 93,000 miles. I don't have my log here, I'm not at home, but I believe that's everything except a bagfull of bulbs and the battery.

This has been the most troublefree bike for the miles traveled, that I've ever owned, including all the BMW twins.