High Mileage Bikes

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Originally Posted by silverbullet132

oh alright
so my current oil should be fine for awhile (about 1500km on it over the winter)?

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As long as you fall within the specified time and mileage oil change intervals you should be just fine. Relatively low-revving and under-stressed V-twins are easy on oil.

That said, I try to time my oil changes so I have fresh oil and filter in place before the winter starts, with December 1 being my arbitrary winter oil change target. That way I have fresh and clean oil with minimal acidic contaminants in it to work on my motor's innards if the engine is going to sit for any length of time, and I have fresh and clean oil with maximum lubrication properties if I do decide to take it out for a mid-winter spin.

Sometimes that means doing my oil change a bit earlier than needed, and sometimes it means slightly extending my oil change interval to meet or get closer to that Dec 1 target date. However, that's a target. With my bike's specified 8,000 mile oil change interval, I certainly wouldn't worry about putting it away with 1500 km on the oil. For me that's not enough mileage to justify an early oil change, neither in winter nor in spring.

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Originally Posted by turbodish

Hydraulic lifters for the win. Gas and go.

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I'll take the lower reciprocating mass, simplicity and high rpm stability of mechanical adjusters any day of the week over hydraulic lifters. Besides, the first valve adjustment interval of an R1 isnt until 42K, and most owners find that all the clearances are still in spec.

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Originally Posted by Brian P

At 64,000 km, my '04 ZX10R has required nothing other than oil changes, tires, brake pads, chains, air filters, and spark plugs. I've checked the valve clearances twice and have yet to have to change a shim. As far as the way it runs and looks, aside from dirt built up in some places (I'd rather ride it than clean it), it will pass for a new bike.

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First time I checked my zx10, 1 valve was at the min, and another was just out of spec. I checked my tl1000 at 7000km and 1 valve was already out of spec.

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Originally Posted by murf

A low mileage bike will always be a safer buy than a high mileage bike if they are taken care of in a similar manner. The only difference being if the bikes are not taken care off, in which case the high mileage bike will have a much higher tendency of premature failure. Example - two owners both have a 2010 SS......none have done any maintenance (not even an oil change), except one has 5000km and the other has 25000km. Which one is a better buy? Right before the high mileage bike is up for sale he changes the oil, airfilter, chain, sprockets and brake pads and tells you that he checked the valve clearences.....the high mileage bike looks pretty good now. Not to mention the one with high mileage needs a suspension rebuild, how are you going to know? That's why high mileage bikes aren't worth much.....every mechanical device like a car or bike has a finite life span.

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As the miles are tacked on there is also compression degradation. If I were to consider buying a bike with 20+ I would be checking the compression and listening for any valve tapping. As I am not an expert I would find a bike shop and pay for an evaluation before I commit to a purchase. Also if the seller can't prove maintenance has been done you will have to assume the worst and perform a full maintenance schedule. Getting a garage to do this could be costly. These days you can never be too careful. Crossing the T's and dotting the I's is the only way to buy a used car or bike and be happy in the end.

20+? Oh wow that there's some high mileage,LOL
Dude this thread is about high mileage bikes, not one good season's worth of mileage.
You honestly believe that in 20,000 kms, a typical modern motorcycle engine would have so much engine wear that you'd see a decrease in compression? LOL
People like you spewing misinformation about topics like this are what lead to newbs and younger riders being terrified of a bike with high mileage, like 25,000 kms. This site specifically is the absolute worst one I have ever seen for this exact problem, where (sportbike riders) mostly, verbally (and usually wrongly) devalue a bike because it has "high mileage" at 20,000+ kms.

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Originally Posted by omnivore

20+? Oh wow that there's some high mileage,LOL
Dude this thread is about high mileage bikes, not one good season's worth of mileage.
You honestly believe that in 20,000 kms, a typical modern motorcycle engine would have so much engine wear that you'd see a decrease in compression? LOL
People like you spewing misinformation about topics like this are what lead to newbs and younger riders being terrified of a bike with high mileage, like 25,000 kms. This site specifically is the absolute worst one I have ever seen for this exact problem, where (sportbike riders) mostly, verbally (and usually wrongly) devalue a bike because it has "high mileage" at 20,000+ kms.

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There is nothing wrong with demanding proof of maintenance done on a bike with 20000+ on it. If no proof the buyer has to assume the worst and perform a full maintenance schedule. I would be concerned with compression and on a bike with 25 000 km and I would have that evaluated as well. If I were buying a used bike It would be contingent on a positive inspection by a garage of my choosing. As for values there is the kelley blue book and perhaps others to figure out what a bike is worth. As a seller you can advertise your bike for whatever price you want, your prerogative. As a buyer it is your right to buy a bike at the right price.

Trusting a garage to highlight problems before purchase is a crapshoot. The only time I hired one, they missed the dead battery, among other things.

I would buy a modern high mileage bike if it didn't look or sound trashed. Parts availability might be a bigger problem, if the model is discontinued/rare.

I'm surprised how many people didn't have to change shims. I think I had a few that I changed but can't remember if they were just in and I changed them because I was in there or what. 20,000km zx10, the motor definatly felt smoother after. I guess I'll see how it is on my 07 gsxr 600 with 30,000 (bought it used with that many km for a track bike.....compression was fine)

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Originally Posted by Flywheel

Trusting a garage to highlight problems before purchase is a crapshoot. The only time I hired one, they missed the dead battery, among other things.

I would buy a modern high mileage bike if it didn't look or sound trashed. Parts availability might be a bigger problem, if the model is discontinued/rare.

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How much did you waste on that inspection?
Did they cut you an awesome deal on the battery they missed?

I have 43K kms on my SV650. Regular maintenance with no issues what-so-ever. I also have records for all but one of my services. A friend of mine at work as a 650 V-Strom with I believe 92K on his. Again, nothing but regular maintenance.

I will echo what so many other have said: a regularly maintained, regularly ridden motorbike will last well over 50K.

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Originally Posted by koalaKid

I have 43K kms on my SV650. Regular maintenance with no issues what-so-ever. I also have records for all but one of my services. A friend of mine at work as a 650 V-Strom with I believe 92K on his. Again, nothing but regular maintenance.

I will echo what so many other have said: a regularly maintained, regularly ridden motorbike will last well over 50K.

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How are you going to determine if a bike is regularly maintained and has good compression? Take the sellers word for it?

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Originally Posted by ItIsWhatItIs

How are you going to determine if a bike is regularly maintained and has good compression? Take the sellers word for it?

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Compression test is pretty easy.

If the owner is the original owner (like me) and has all, or most of the maintenance records, I'd take their word for it.

If I ever sold my bike, I would give the records to the buyer to keep.