What is considered high KMs for a bike?

[Runty]

One of my first courier bikes in London the famous (infamous?) CX500 had alnost 200000 miles when I bought it - had 320000 miles on it - about 530000km when I got rid of it - New oil filter every 5000m and i replaced the cam chain and clutch plates once each (knew most of its history and had previously had camchain every 60000ish m and regular servicing) Splines on drive shaft went one day and I flicked it to the towie who picked me up for 35 quid - bought a "low milage" - 120000m CX later for £250 - crappy handling maggots but real workhorses

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[pritch]

No worries, you're very welcome. Just make sure you come back and tell us what you bought so we can tell you that you've made a huge mistake and "who the hell gave you that advice?!?")

Aaaah gotta share the love.

[Honest Andy]

Aaaah gotta share the love.

[Maha]

I always thought that 12-14000 kms was a bit much and time to get a new one

[oldiebutagoody]

like my axe... it's as good as the day i bought it and i've only had to replace five handles and four heads.

Never a truer word spoken.

Many many higher mileage bikes bought over the years, and by the time they were passed on, not one engine had ever failed me. The quality and frequency of routine maintenance is the key.

Though a couple of clutches, sprocket/chain replacements, straight handlebars, almost always new wheel/sprocket carrier/steering head bearings, seats recovered, levers, electrical faults chased down, .......list goes on and on. The rolling frame and the abuse it has suffered through previous owners is always the cause of problems, or at least that has been my experience.

Current bikes are on approx 143000km for the 600 teapot, and 81000km for the Bandit, both under-stressed detuned motors. Still way more power than handling currently. I would tour either of them around either island with full confidence.

I once fixed up a GS550E which had 80/80/90/90 compression. It was supposed to be minimum 110psi across all four. I rode that for a few years and it never failed to start, even touring around the North Island on long runs ......bearings/brakes/paint/seat/tyres a different matter though.

[Oakie]

I'm having that conversation with myself but at the other end of the ownership continuum. The GSR600 is a goodun (again, under-stressed and de-tuned). Bought at 16000kms and now has 42000 at about 7500km per year. It could be my last bike as it would only have about 120,000kms on it when I retire and I could just run it into the ground. Not sure though. Keep this one right through or replace in another 2 or 3 years? Hmmm.

[EJK]

I'm having that conversation with myself but at the other end of the ownership continuum. The GSR600 is a goodun (again, under-stressed and de-tuned). Bought at 16000kms and now has 42000 at about 7500km per year. It could be my last bike as it would only have about 120,000kms on it when I retire and I could just run it into the ground. Not sure though. Keep this one right through or replace in another 2 or 3 years? Hmmm.

You only live once.

Get a busa.

[bogan]

80kkms is about what I'd consider high for a bike, and 200kkms for a car. Which is not to say either couldn't go double or triple if it had been looked after, but you'd want to look pretty closer at those ks.

You only live once.

Get a busa.

They say growing up is optional, with a busa growing old is as well...

[Oakie]

You only live once. Get a busa.

Me on a 'busa ... yep, living only once for sure but plant my wrinkly old arse on that and that one life probably wouldn't last for much longer!

[Akzle]

Me on a 'busa ... yep, living only once for sure but plant my wrinkly old arse on that and that one life probably wouldn't last for much longer!

if you believe you only live once... you also only get to die once

[Laava]

80kkms is about what I'd consider high for a bike, and 200kkms for a car. Which is not to say either couldn't go double or triple if it had been looked after, but you'd want to look pretty closer at those ks...

Yep, that's a good rule of thumb I reckon as well. Late model vehicles with high mileage are likely to have been looked after well and aren't suffering from age related problems like perishing rubber and rust etc. Likewise a 20 yr old vehicle that has only done 5000kms may need a load of things like seals and bearings done, due dilligence required I guess...

[Oakie]

if you believe you only live once... you also only get to die once

I want to die when I'm 86 ... shot by a woman's jealous husband.

[oldiebutagoody]

It is said that you die twice.

the first time is when you physically die,

the second time is when people stop talking about you, forget about you and that you ever even existed.

so the trick is when you do die, go out in a blaze of glory.

[Akzle]

I want to die when I'm 86 ... shot by a woman's jealous husband.

suicide?

[caspernz]

Me on a 'busa ... yep, living only once for sure but plant my wrinkly old arse on that and that one life probably wouldn't last for much longer!

Haha, yes a 'Busa can be a handful, but in all honesty it's a very chilled out bike if you're somewhat disciplined.

Personally I've never been too worried about actual mileage on a bike, it's mostly about maintenance really. Not like you're gonna find too many GSX-R1000's that have 100k plus on the odo, but there'll be plenty of sport tourers that have double that in their lifetime. The hard part buying secondhand is getting a true handle on maintenance thru its life. Maybe that's why I prefer my bikes new or near new...

Cars are a different game to me. Purely for transportation, so yeah I've had ex-rentals when I've been between company cars. One Nissan Bluebird got close to 400k when I sold it, still going fine too. Routine maintenance works wonders