Milage when purchasing a bike?

Originally Posted by merlin427

Most engines will last well over 30K miles if treated correctly. Run it in right, keep good oil in (at the correct level) and don't rev' the gonads off it when cold. Problem is many owners don't do this as they see the long term life of the engine as someone else's problem. Also if they're only managing a couple of thousand a year, how many short trips has this been made up of?

most engines will last over 120,000 miles if treated correctly like you say, keep oil changes frequent, dont be nasty until the engine is warm and treat it nicely, keep it clean etc. Any bike engine should last and last!

5000 miles per year average is a good gauge, which means my 10 year old SV with about 39,000 on the clock is below my average...meaning I would buy it from myself

[jambo]

My ZX6R has 51,000 on the clocks and starts every morning, as I have put the last 48,000 of those on the bike in 5 years I feel confident I know how it's been treated. Had it not been over a couple of times it would look nearly perfect.

Mechanically it's good as gold.

I hope to get over 100,000 out of it before it's gone "too far"

But it's much easier to get obsessed about the odometer reading than look over the vehicle properly.

Jambo

My CB500 had nearly 60k on the clocks, apart from showing its age there was absolutely nothing wrong with it. Likewise, the Dragstar I had in Mallorca had just under 90,000 (miles? possibly kilometers. Still a lot. The rental guy was very excited that I was going to be the one to take it over 90k) and you honestly couldn't tell.

So yeah, a good engine, well looked after, should outlive just about every other component.

[Viney]

Lots. As said elsewhere, depends ont eh rider, the condition, the maintainece etc.

I bought a car once with 110k on the clock. Done another 50k before a bus hit it. My 1st car when it was habded down to me had 120k on the clock, i part exed it with 3 mile short of 200k on the clock (i know, i should have gone round the block a few more times) Both cars has little or no issues, and were serviced by me.

Originally Posted by Viney

Lots. As said elsewhere, depends ont eh rider, the condition, the maintainece etc.

I bought a car once with 110k on the clock. Done another 50k before a bus hit it. My 1st car when it was habded down to me had 120k on the clock, i part exed it with 3 mile short of 200k on the clock (i know, i should have gone round the block a few more times) Both cars has little or no issues, and were serviced by me.

Maria's parents have an 18 year old BMW. It hasnt always had regular services (for a while last winter, when the car started up the oil pressure light stayed on for a minute before some temp got into the engine!), but it has always started first time. I'm personally amazed by it.

The milage you ask? +180,000.

They call it the "old lady". I think it more to be a whale, the way it wallows about pretty robust car though!

Spannerman commneted on my engine, saying it felt very good for a 39,000 mile item. He also told me a story about a girl and a guy with VFR400's...the girl used her's and it had lots more miles on, and the guy kept his as a bit of a showey bike, so it had less miles on. The girls VFR, used, abused, but regularly serviced, apparently had a much better engine (more power, freeer feeling) than the guys one.

As northwind once remarked on here

"30,000 miles...well, that'll be just about run in then!"

or words to that effect

Mines got 9800 on the clock and its just about 18 months old now. Its been serviced by the dealer to keep it in warranty and its only done long runs as it's never been commuted or used for a pop to the shops. I've just put it up for sale.

the 'parkers' type advice is 3k per year is 'avaerage' miles for a bike.... spo if bike is 3 years old with 18k thats average, if its 6k its giood if its 36 then not (not bad...) would be used more, so likely to have more things that can go wrong need replacing, but saying that bikes with high miles with an owner who cares for bikes is probably as good as someone who only puts in petrol and nothing else on a low mileage bike.... so it would apear from my answer nothing matters...

[Dave20046]

I had an insurance bloke telling me today that I was ridiculous to insure my SV for upto 5k as I'd never use it He said average for that kinda bike is 1.5k, he was a chuff head though...

[yorkie_chris]

Originally Posted by richie95

the 'parkers' type advice is 3k per year is 'avaerage' miles for a bike.... spo if bike is 3 years old with 18k thats average, if its 6k its giood if its 36 then not (not bad...) would be used more, so likely to have more things that can go wrong need replacing, but saying that bikes with high miles with an owner who cares for bikes is probably as good as someone who only puts in petrol and nothing else on a low mileage bike.... so it would apear from my answer nothing matters...

Exactly, just because 90% of bikers here are weekend warriors who don't use their bikes properly doesn't mean a bike which has been used is a moneypit waiting to eat its engine!

Originally Posted by Dave20046

I had an insurance bloke telling me today that I was ridiculous to insure my SV for upto 5k as I'd never use it He said average for that kinda bike is 1.5k, he was a chuff head though...

You need to change companies. Quoted for the GPZ something like £150 with no NCB, quote for 10k miles a year.

Also, with SV, declared fitting race cams, premium increased by £4.60 lol.

[Dave20046]

Originally Posted by yorkie_chris

Exactly, just because 90% of bikers here are weekend warriors who don't use their bikes properly doesn't mean a bike which has been used is a moneypit waiting to eat its engine!



You need to change companies. Quoted for the GPZ something like £150 with no NCB, quote for 10k miles a year.

Also, with SV, declared fitting race cams, premium increased by £4.60 lol.

I'm currently looking at a policy that has unlimited miles, see what deals best.

Interest it didn't raise it much - cheers for that!