How long do you keep your motorcycles?

[Lightcycle]

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Always amazed at how often people trade in their bikes.

If you trade in your bike every 12 months or less, what is the reason? Boredom? Want to try something new? Or do you discover little irks that just make the bike unsuitable for ownership?

If you finally had to sell your long-termer? What was the reason? Hard to find parts? Maintenance costs became too expensive?

Any stories?

I generally keep my bikes for 6-7 years. I do tend to do a lot of research to find the best bike for me for a specific kind of riding and I think I've gotten pretty good about knowing both myself and the bike that I'm about to purchase.

This was my longest ownership experience. I picked up this 2006 R1200GS on March 2006. This was the first day of ownership:

After carrying me through 80+ countries, I was about to ship it from Croatia back to Toronto, the cost to ship was $1500. On a recent service, the dealer discovered it had a final drive failure. The cost to fix it was $1500. The bike was ultra-high-mileage and had seen a lot of hard miles, so only worth maybe $3-4000, if that. Problem was, I couldn't sell it in Europe, because to register it, the European buyer would need to pay import tax and VAT on the full original MSRP of the bike, which turned out to be more the current value.

I ended up selling it to a mechanic for parts for close to what I hoped it would sell for, so in the end, I ended up not having to fix and ship a bike that I probably would have ended up selling very soon after it arrived in Canada anyway.

Last day of ownership: November 2017. Almost 12 years!

Loved that bike to pieces!

Literally.

 

[Shaman]

I picked 7-10 because that's my average. It all depends on the bike and how much I like it. I loved my RSV4s but I found them punishing to ride in my early 50s and move them along (but I still have the track RSV4). I had my Tuono for 16 seasons, I loved that thing! So when I decided to upgrade to get more power, heated seat, heated bars and just something newer that wasn't exhibiting old-bike issues, I bought essentially the same kind of bike but just more advanced.



Oddly, the very fast and very custom GSX-R 1000 I build back in 2010, I only kept for two years. Its only flaw was that it really had no flaws. Carbon wheels, weight reduction, a Scott Miller built engine (175whp) with full exhaust, suspension upgrades, BrakeTech rotors, even the lightest tires that I could find. It would do 200kph wheelies on demand. Yet somehow, that bike had no heart and soul, and left me cold.

I can honestly say that I preferred my GSX-R 750, and I had the Tuono at the same time. I replaced this with my 2012 RSV4 Factory and sold the GSX-R to a friend of mine who rode with me for years and put 85K on this bike.



Edit: found a pic of the two bikes together at Deal's Gap

 

[Wingboy]

My BMW RT lasted 14yrs. My 1800 Wing 16 yrs. Most of the Ducs were about 8 yrs. Shortest was the Honda Rally.10 months for that pos. I'll probably have the Ural till i take the big dirt nap.

 

[oioioi]

My first bike, owned it for 15 years but rode if for 3 years only.

2nd bike, owned and rode it for 3 seasons.

Current bike is 3 season running and will only replace it if I find a good deal on a replacement. Once I decide what that would be.
I went with the middle vote, 5-7 years

My bikes don't get much use as my life is quite busy.
Part of why I don't want to change my bike is because I have put a decent amount of time and $ into customizing it. It's enjoayable but a lot of work and time.


BTW @Lightcycle
What's the magic potion you drink?
You dont age.. You don't look a day older then that pic from 12 years ago.

 

[Hardwrkr13]

I'm usually every 2yrs as I'll buy a bike that's 1yr old with only a couple thousand km's on it, ride it for 2yrs and sell it around the 35,000km mark as resale will still be good at that. Often buying in Fall/Winter and selling in Spring/Summer I usually break even on price.
My dirtbike I bought new and will keep forever as it's the last of the carb bikes and I've ridden newer bikes and like my 18 better.
Had my 1290R for 2yrs now but I haven't ridden a ton during my time with it so I'll do another season or two on it at least. There's nothing else made that I would like better so that makes the decision easier.

 

[timtune]

Just however long it's working for me. Here's the story on a few....

74 Honda CB360 (first bike) - was going flat out and was passed by 3 guys in a Mini- sold shortly after
78 KZ650 - sold along with the house to go backpacking in Europe
76 Honda CB750F - Built from a basketcase in 94, not going anywhere soon.
84 Ninja 900 - spun a crank bearing, replaced the crank, still sounded like a bag of hammers, sold shortly after.
86 GoldWing - sold after my hip got too bad (Miss 2up travels with the Squeeze....)
06 KLR 650 - I'll flog it as long as I can
19 KLX250 - Still enjoying the doubletrack....

 

[N234]

I can't speak for everyone else but here's my reasoning.

I'm manly. That means I'm not just a man, I'm a manly man. My bike did not quite match that energy. With each passing day, I become even more manly. I will need to change bikes again soon.



Sent from my Pixel 6 using Tapatalk

 

[bigpoppa]

BTW @Lightcycle
What's the magic potion you drink?
You dont age.. You don't look a day older then that pic from 12 years ago.

Black dont crack.

 

[ReSTored]

Purchased my 2002 ST1100 in June 2003 with 6,200 km on it. Kept it 18 seasons and sold it with about 138,000 km on it.

Primary reasons for selling included a 10 year cycle coolant hose replacement coming due, timing belt, no abs, no traction control, very top heavy and just heavy in general + just wanted something newer.

ST is a completely analog bike and very easy to work on. I did all maintenance + ST-Owners forum members are great in terms of sharing model specific info and maintenance advice and troubleshooting.

When do I miss the ST? When on the road 8 hours with another 2 or 3 more to go. You can't beat a smooth V4 with a Russell Day Long seat for all day comfort.

 

[AFJ]

Never have bought a new motorcycle - or bought a motorcycle from a dealership.
But have bought about 2 dozen "project" bikes over the years. Fixed them up if they needed
work, plated them, rode them until "something else" caught my eye.
Then onto something else.
Have kept four old bikes that I found "too good to ever sell."

 

[matt365]

Depends if I like the bike or not.

Ive bought projects that were "other people's problems". Fixed them. Rode them. Sold, or traded for something else if the opportunity arose.

Its just a machine. We all have wandering eyes when it comes to bikes.

Can't ride 'em all.

If I had more storage space, I'd moth-ball some and display them all. Pick and choose which ones I want to insure and ride that season.

No one bike is a jack-of-all.

My ideal line-up

Proper dirtbike
Dual sport/supermoto
Street bike
Track bike

I'd say 3-5years, on average (for the ones Ive liked.)

Some I didn't care for. My gsxr600 stayed for less than 1 season, 5,000km and traded for a p.o.s. that needed work, but better suited my needs.



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[Gaoler]

I'm a sentimental old fool...
I'll probably keep my '16 FJR until it blows up. Bought it new.
'Love that bike.
I can see getting another bike, but not as a replacement.. Just another one.

Before the FJR I had a '08 GSF1250 (Bandit) for 8 years... also bought new.

I've had the same wife for 30 years so... I tend to stick with stuff.

 

[TwistedKestrel]

If I didn't have other things to worry about right now I would be turning over my whole "collection". Normally it would be every 2-3 years. Part of it is that I just like trying different bikes, part of it is looking for my Goldilocks bike which absolutely is possible to exist.

 

[Mad Mike]

Just however long it's working for me. Here's the story on a few....

74 Honda CB360 (first bike) - was going flat out and was passed by 3 guys in a Mini- sold shortly after
78 KZ650 - sold along with the house to go backpacking in Europe
76 Honda CB750F - Built from a basketcase in 94, not going anywhere soon.
84 Ninja 900 - spun a crank bearing, replaced the crank, still sounded like a bag of hammers, sold shortly after.
86 GoldWing - sold after my hip got too bad (Miss 2up travels with the Squeeze....)
06 KLR 650 - I'll flog it as long as I can
19 KLX250 - Still enjoying the doubletrack....

I started street riding in the early 80s, back then I kept bikes for a year or two, and only kept 1 street bike at a time. Over those years a tried several bikes, most notable being a CB750 and a H2.

I'm the 90s I kept them a little longer, maybe 5 years. Had a ZX6 for a while, then a TS200r which I kept for 12 years.
In the 2000s, I started keeping them longer. Partly because they became easier to maintain and partly because I had the space for more bikes. I sold the few that were purposed for teaching the fam to ride - TW200, 250 Virago, 260 Ninja, 650 Savage. Also sold an M109 I bought because a friend wanted to do cruisers for a while. Kept my early FJR and my DL650exp, and accumulated a lot of older bikes that I thought were interesting or had some historic memory.

Lately ive kept them all. I have too many, so I made a deal with my wife that if I don't plate and ride bike for 4 years, it's going. There will be 3 or 4 on the chopping block next season.

 

[xrljoel]

I had my BMW K100RS for 18 years. Sold it when I saw the 2005 Triumph Speed Triple.

I was a bit bored of it at the time and though I wish I had kept it, I hate having things that I don't use. I kept the Triumph for a 3 or 4 years then bought a 2006 KTM 950 Adventure which I owned for 5 years (I think) and traded it with a guy for a 1999 Harley Davidson twin shock FXR something-or-other-glide. While it had nice power characteristics and looked really nice, as a functioning motorcycle - IT WAS A WOEFULL PILE OF CRAP. I sold it 6 months later and got a KTM 990SMT.

Most road going bikes I own for 5+ years, and dual sport/ enduro 3 or 4.

 

[Glenn/RZ500]

I`ve kept a bike from 2 years to 35+ years. Most are in the 5 to 10 year range, 19 motorcycles so far. I`m closing in on 70 years old and have lately been looking at the `26 H-D Pan Am. Why not?

 

[tat2]

I tend to keep my vehicles long term and escalating maintenance costs v. worth tend to be the primary factors.
I've been riding for about 20yrs and Bikes while I do keep, a change in riding style/needs drives the change.

First was a used 1981 XJ750. Sold for wanting a "sportier" looking ride/maintenance needs.
There was the used 2000 Katana 600, still liked the bike after putting 70K+ km on it but wanted the ADV style all the kids wanted.
Then the used 2008 KLR I've put 85K+ km. I like the bike just want something different, I stored it for a couple of years for a few reasons and plan to sell this spring after un-mothballing it.
The itch to ride again hit last fall and I bought my wife and I a used 2012 Yamaha Vino 125 to putt around on, that was quickly followed in spring by realizing I could pick up a used shaft drive big touring bike for a decent amount. Ended up with a used 2010 BMW R1200RT with 86K km with plans to keep it for many years with many more km on it.

 

[Lightcycle]

BTW @Lightcycle
What's the magic potion you drink?
You dont age.. You don't look a day older then that pic from 12 years ago.

It's called The Asian Cliff.

Asians look exactly the same age until around 60, then suddenly they fall off a cliff, age-wise, and then 30 years all catch up to them overnight.

This is the female version:

I'm due to hit "MANOPAUSE!!!" in a couple of years...

 

[Aens]

I'd never sell a single one..... if insurance wasn't the way it was. But it is and thats a whole different story.

 

[MacDoc]

I like flipping bikes...I've only had one new bike in 61 years riding....the cb500x I bought to solo cross Canada at 70. At one time I had 3 bikes in Canada briefly and two in Australia.
It's much easy to flip bikes here as no sales tax issue. Just Roadworthy ( aka Safety) which is $75 plus any parts needed and a $65 transfer tax.
Right now the market is just flat out dead.
Buddys gorgeous 2014 CB650/4 with 38k km and roadworthy is not moving at $3990. It is mint.

He has two problems....there is an identical bike right down to the colour whose owner has been steadily dropping his price.
The second issue - the 650 is open class only so not available for new riders to buy.

I hadn't realized all my recent flipped bikes were to girls new to riding looking for LAMS legal machines with low seat height. I guess if mine sold for $4k I'd pick up his.
Insurance is slightly less and who cares about fuel mileage. It's only 16 kg heavier than my CB500FA.
31" seat on mine ...31.9" on his....so that would make 5 bikes in 2025

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