High kilometerage?

[docc]

In the States, we have long considered 100,000 miles as being "high mileage." Much of this stems from the days when a car that had 100,000 miles was pretty much clapped-out needing every system completely rebuilt from drive-line to brakes to suspension. Cars seem to last a good bit longer than that now, but we still regard that nice, round 100k as a bench mark.

 

But I wonder, what nice round number rings true for "high usage" on the metric scale?

[Bjorn]

Here in the Netherlands most motorcycles will be unsellable after reaching 100.000 km (~62k miles). The only brand with some resell value will be BMW motorcycles. The tend to hold their value past this mileage. I think most of this is in our brains. I had a Suzuki V-strom 2 years back. It had done 60.000km and im betting it would easily do the 100.000km.

 

Cant say im free of the whole high mileage judgment..... I know that proper maintenance will get you there. I could argue that i would rather have a high mileage bike with a good maintenance history vs. a low mileage bike w/o maintenance history. But most the bike I have bought lean towards the last  

[captainkcorb]

New member here, I get my V11 tomorrow and hope for a happy relationship.

 

I tend to agree with Bjorn on the mileage side, that most bikes will do 100k km or more with proper mileage, and maintenance is a larger factor than mileage.

 

I think time is the real enemy here as most bikes I see rarely top 50k regardless of age. They sit in garages most of the time and deterioration occurs there, probably faster than if they were on the road.

 

In Ontario I've seen Harleys with 150km running fine but that 150k was typically put on over less than ten years. I've got 250K+ on my 2000 BMW RT and it looks and runs like I'll get another 100K (always the optimist). Even my '67 Bultaco Metralla Mk2 was running great at nearly 40K when it met a fiery death in '74.

[The Monkey]

it is odd isn't it, we want something with less use when we buy (or marry). yet look at our bikes. we maintain them and feel stiffed when confronted with their market value.  Consumption has its price. I think Mitsubishi brought the big 3 up to task with the 10yr 100,000km guarantee up here. suddenly we have better options all around on 4 wheels.

 

buying used 130-150km is ok but up around 200km is considered long in the tooth for autos. It is entirely maintenance, my pickup has 497k on it, just replaced the headgasket and crosshatch is still visible on the bores. unsellable.

 

The great guzzi has just 98k on it and really doesn't get ridden enough. it is nowhere near half life, but is most likely unsellable

my panhead has equitable kilometrage, yet the market remains open despite being (engineering wise) a dwarf against the guzzi. nonsensicle

 

the market is reality and consumption rules, the first world (N. America anyway) apparently has dropped off the Walmart precipice.

 

I bet the ceiling for desireability lies about 33-35k today in the M/C world

[Cabernet]

I sold my Deauville with 187,000 miles on it as a going concern. The buyer assumed the Odometer was correct, which it was, just on the second lap. He was happy.

The Honda before that, a CB500 with 89,000, also sold as a going concern.

Saw two Suzuki VX800 at near 90,000 a piece before they packed in and a third at 65,000 when I sold it. Could sense it was going the same way as the other two.

I was a motorcycle despatch rider by the way.

One lad on the circuit had A Pan European St1100. He was boasting 342,000 miles.

 

I used to reckon on "the engines cc" x 100 = terminal mileage. Now I reckon on x150 for most Japs and x75 for Germans.

[docc]

 

I used to reckon on "the engines cc" x 100 = terminal mileage. Now I reckon on x150 for most Japs and x75 for Germans.

And the V11?

[Cabernet]

I hope I was unlucky popping a crank an 15,500 miles. 

 

New crank in now and running sweet.

[docc]

That's only cc x 14 - so, I would say "just unlucky."

 

My Sport is sitting on cc x 87 . . .