How long do you keep your bike(s)?

[vifferman]

I was thinking about bikes (I tend to do that a lot :rolleyes:) and how long I keep them for. This got me wondering about what was typical, the reasons others had for changing bikes, and what I'd get next.
For me, it's like this.
Wrote off my first bike after ~15 months. Replaced it a fews months laters with a slightly bigger one, when the insurance money came through (took some legal wranglings for that to happen, as I had only third-party, and despite the other party being at fault, they tried to wriggle out of it.)
Sold second bike when I ran out of money (was a poor, struggling student).
Inherited my third bike (long story). Kept it... hmmm... several years (can't remember), then traded up (same capacity, better, newer bike) when I inherited some money (kinda appropriate).
Kept that bike for about 6 years, then I guess I got bored. Bought another bike from a dealer (bigger, 5 years newer), then eventually ( a mere few weeks!) sold the previous bike when the wife started bleating.
Had that bike about 3 years (loved it!), then a retarded car driver wrote it off. :mad:
Paused for a couple of months to think about life, the universe, the price of fish, and whether I'd buy a car....
- Nah!!
Was going to buy the latest incarnation of the previous model bike, but the wife vetoed it: "Too boring! Don't like the colour!" (silver).
Jumped up in capacity, bought an acceptable bike (red) 7 years newer.
Owned that about 18 months to two years, then bought the current bike: 4 years newer, smaller capacity (781 vs. 996), similar horsies, better quality.
I've had this bike Eggs Zachary 4 years, and I'm a bit bored.
I think.
I've customised lotsa stuff, I like riding it, but... I feel somewhat discontent. Not about anything in particular.
Just "the grass might be greener" sorta stuff.

I've had a look on TardMe, and occasionally have a gander at bikes in shops, but I don't really want anything I see. Mebbe if I was buying three or four bikes, AND keeping this one, it'd be different. :confused:

I thought about a poll, but I don't need statistics, coz they're bullshit. I'm just interested in how long other people keep their bikes, and why they change them.

So tell me - how long do you keep a bike for, and why do you change? Any regrets? That sorta thing...

[EJK]

I serously can't wait for DMNTD's story...

[LilSel]

I serously can't wait for DMNTD's story...

Thats what I was gonna say lol!!! :bleh:

[MotoGirl]

I have always intended to keep each one of my bikes indefinitely.

This is because I research the bike so thoroughly before buying it that any regrets are non existent. When it comes to what I want, I have a very definite idea and don't change my mind easily, hence I don't need to change the bike.

[EJK]

I was gonna keep my Scorpio for atleast 10 Years...

[Newblade]

I serously can't wait for DMNTD's story...

Hell yes, He will tell you that you've owned them all for faaarrrr too long:Punk::laugh:


I think when you feel that you have reached the bikes potential for what you want to do with it.Have recently updated from a 96 ZX9R to an 07 CBR1000RR:woohoo:,and realised the old girl was holding me back.Guess I must have had her for too long.:weep:
But was really sad to see her go:hug:

[MotoGirl]

I was gonna keep my Scorpio for atleast 10 Years...

There's nothing wrong with that! I think I'd be adding another bike or few to that collection, though!

[jim.cox]

I've had my current bike for nearly two decades now

In the interegnum there have been others which have come and gone

But this one is a keeper

[HenryDorsetCase]

I.
I've had this bike Eggs Zachary 4 years, and I'm a bit bored.
I think.
I've customised lotsa stuff, I like riding it, but... I feel somewhat discontent. Not about anything in particular.
Just "the grass might be greener" sorta stuff.
..

Christ, you've been reading my mind. i am on the verge of trading the Hornet pretty much for exactly the same reasons. I will get something more expensive, with a LOT less horsepower and functionally inequivalent and not "better". But it will be shiny and different.

at least I think I will. but maybe not.

[NighthawkNZ]

Longest I have owned a bike is about 15 years...

[MidnightMike]

Thats what I was gonna say lol!!! :bleh:


I serously can't wait for DMNTD's story...

FOOK!

I was gonna say that too. :rofl:

I think at one point he had a bike for each month. (something like that (was it 7 bikes in 6 months??? I cant remember))

[AlBundy]

I have a short attention span. I think the longest I've owned a bike was about two and a half years... It been nakeds, to supersports, the odd trail bike, the odd dual sport. Curently have a sport bike and a motard...

Some of them I was entirely happy with, until a minor crash, then it just wasn't the same, so the bike had to go. Others have been due to injuries and the bike not being comfortable to ride for extended periods.

For the most part, I've always had a bike of sorts, so never really took a break from them, though I may not have ridden much at times either...

[Maha]

Use to be an annual thing, the longest I have own a bike is two years, bi-annual ? Current bike, just over 4 months, bought it brand knew, I have no need to change for a couple of years, I guess by the time 2010 rolls around I will be looking.

[James Deuce]

I've had the Zed 3 years now. That's a personal record.

But I am looking, and looking at things much less sensible.

[martybabe]

.
I've had this bike Eggs Zachary 4 years, and I'm a bit bored.
I think.
I've customised lotsa stuff, I like riding it, but... I feel somewhat discontent. Not about anything in particular.
Just "the grass might be greener" sorta stuff.


.

Well I would have told you a story but that comment above just about covers it, that coupled with financial need to sell from time to time, hence 5 FJs.

I guess if I was to take out selling bikes for other priorities, namely Family, they would average about 2 years a piece but definitely, the grass is always greener in my case, no matter how good my bike is, I always feel I may be missing out on something else. I blame the big Daves of this world for temping me so much. :laugh:

[AllanB]

First bike 1 year (200cc) - wanted more grunt.
Next a new 440cc 2 years - wanted more grunt.
Then a new 750cc for 23 years............ wanted more grunt, brakes, handling etc.
2.5 years ago sold the 750 on trademe (same $ as I paid for it new 23 years before!).
Got a GS1200ss - had that for a year and a half - it was meant to be a long term keeper - but found myself on the wrong side of 160 too often :innocent:

A year ago I got my Hornet 900 :woohoo: this will be a keeper.

Unless my lotto numbers come in...............:sunny:

[sidecar bob]

I buy a new bike about every five years, & i keep the old one, Longest owned is the Katana 1100 which i bought at 18, (owned nearly 25 years) Shortest is the RSV1000 which ive had not quite two years.
The only problem with that method is that you eventually start running out of garage space.

[Squiggles]

Get them as they come, hardly ever sell them (theres err... 11 complete or part bikes in the shed now :crazy: Sold the first one out of necessity (Two up tour of the south island on an RGV might not have been very comfy!) and its replacement 6 or so months later (nice bike, but wasnt really what i wanted in the end)... I intend on adding another to the collection soon, but will sell of others to do so this time around

[Motu]

Another question that doesn't fit my profile.Sometimes I want to keep a bike forever...but of course those are the ones I have to sell.Sometimes I want to get rid of a bike right now,but no one else wants it either.Averaging my bikes over all time,it appears I go through 2 bikes a year - but I may have 10 bikes,never sell or buy any for years,dump or collect heaps one year.I may sell a bike I've had for 10 years,or have one pass through my hands within days.The bike I've had longest has been with me for 30 years.

[Kflasher]

I’m contemplating my next move as we speak, answer to your question approx. 18-24mts.

[Jantar]

I generally keep a bike for 2 - 3 years, and when I do buy a new one its generally during winter so that its run in and ready to go by mid spring.

The shortest time I've ever owned a bike is two weeks (1981 GSX1100), and the longest I've owned one is 22 years (1975 RE5). However the RE5 is a special case, and the longest I've kept a bike for general use is 8 years (GSX750 ESG).

My VStrom (DL1000K6) will be upgraded this coming winter, probably to the latest model VStrom.

[SARGE]

i've had Spooky since 2003..my new 'Ace since march.. dont plan on gettin rid of either

[Bonez]

Had 2 for 22 years. Bought one new the other was 10 years old at the time. Just bought my last one 2 weeks ago has tons of life in so will keep as long as possible. Got 6 in the shed at the moment. That number goes up and down occasionally but I'll keep those two.

[Gremlin]

zzr250... 9 months and sold (exemption came through)
zx7r... 15 months and sold (shortly after I got my full lic, the poor thing was being ridden to red line and didn't feel very exciting)

on the side, about 11 months into the zx7r, boss provided a cb900 for work

zx10r... 18 months and sold (realised that I casually spoke about 200 too often, had lost my license on demerits build up, and realised that 1, I really needed my license, 2, I was enjoying riding the cb900 more)

supermoto... 5 weeks in, I am already reasonably certain what I will replace it with, but it will only come out in 2010, so I will keep this one till then. Most fun I have had yet on a bike.

and still have the cb900, going strong, doesn't ever have a problem, and just works

Choosing a bike is a long process, lots of reading and research (and yet the one provided to me lasts the longest), and have to really be passionate about it. Once the passion is gone, or the sums add up wrong (danger to license etc) its time to move to another bike, but each bike is bought as a dream bike, can't see myself buying another upon purchase etc.

[Goblin]

Had my last bike for 9 years. Should still be going in another 9 years.:niceone:
Before that I kept most bikes for 4 years or so...except the ZX4 which I only had for 3 months.
Current bike...the Hornet is a keeper! Oh and the racebike I've had for 2 years but only raced 5 meetings.:sunny:

[Luckylegs]

5 bikes in two years... From my first 250 to today. Finally have a nice shiny (almost new one) so It'll have to do (Ive been told by her indoors) until at least 2011........... Maybe ;)

[Wingnut]

In the last two years or so I have gone from a 05 VTR1000F to a 06 Suzuki M109 to a 07 Buell XB12SS to a 06 GSXR thou and in the dirt dept have gone from a CRF450R5 to a CRF450R7 then broke a third vertibrae and decided to lay of the dirt bikes for a bit. My missus thinks I have some sort of compulsive purchasing disorder. I think I just get a bit bored with them easily.

Probably a bit of truth to the fact really.

[vifferman]

I have always intended to keep each one of my bikes indefinitely.
But then you haven't kept them, so what happened?

It sounds like a few people have a definite "plan of succession", such as deliberately not keeping a bike longer than a couple of years, but perhaps most people are like me: just riding and enjoying the bike with no real thoughts of replacing it, until one day it dies or some circumstance changes.

Even after I wrote off my VFR750, I hadn't intended to get rid of it, and saw it as an opportunity to fix and improve it. If it hadn't been for the vifferbabe's "You're not cluttering up my garage with motorcycle bits!", maybe I'd still have it. And the last bike (VTR1000), I had no thought of replacing until we went window-shopping for a helmet, and were invited to test-ride some bikes. Even then, with the "This is so much better to ride together than the VTR" response from both of us, I wouldn't have traded it in were it not for the vifferbabe and salesman ganging up on me.

I've been considering another bike for some time now, but it doesn't really add up. Unless I bought something a bit more hooligan than the VFR, it wouldn't do anything more for me than the VFR does. Maybe it's just because it's 7 years old now, and the miles are building up (around 80,000ish km, at a guess).

It's academic anyway, as there's no way I'll be 'allowed' to replace it unless it's wrecked or stolen.

[MotoGirl]

But then you haven't kept them, so what happened?
...

It's academic anyway, as there's no way I'll be 'allowed' to replace it unless it's wrecked or stolen.

You're exactly right, and as you pointed out, circumstances change. I've been lucky enough to not need to sell a bike due to needing the money.

The VTR became the insurance company's property so that wasn't sold by choice. The only bike I have sold was the GSX-R1000 and that's because we realised my riding is better suited to a twin. I was probably going to kill myself if I kept it :innocent:

I've got no intention of selling the RSVR (ever) because I can't think of anything I'd want to replace it with. Now, if it gets flogged or crashed then I'm really going to be up shit creek!

[vifferman]

I think if I had an RSVR I wouldn't want to sell it either.

[Beemer]

I bought the RG150 in 1998 and traded it in late 2002 to buy the BMW F650CS. Sold that in January 2005 and bought the Goose in March 2005.

The other half? Well, apart from the two recent additions to his stable, he bought the rest of his bikes back in the 1980s! He doesn't like to part with anything so now we have seven bikes in the garage... His excuse is they wouldn't be worth anything if he sold them!

[warewolf]

So tell me - how long do you keep a bike for, and why do you change? Any regrets?I tend to change bikes because they don't suit me any more. If I like it, I tend to hang on to them for a while, partly because it costs money to make modifications. eg bought a Triumph Trophy 900, put 75,000km on it in 20 months, crashed and wrote it off due to cosmetic damage only. Replaced it with the same thing, now 12 years later it has 175,000km, and it's hardly been used the last few years. It is now for sale (http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=184764982) because I need to cash it up to fund my other bikes. Would like to keep it as a 'vintage' bike for my retirement but that's just too far away.

So yeah, I regret having to sell it, particularly with all the work done to it, and all the memories for me & my pillion in a million.

Y'see I've crossed over (or should I say, back) to the dirty side. I went through a series of dirt/adventure bikes every couple of years as my skills & focus changed. Now I'm happy with what I've got, I will hang on to it/them for a while.

[popelli]

I keep my bikes forever now

Regret selling many of the bikes that I have sold in the past