• Welcome Guest! If you are already a member of the BMW MOA, please log in to the forum in the upper right hand corner of this page. Check "Remember Me?" if you wish to stay logged in.

    We hope you enjoy the excellent technical knowledge, event information and discussions that the BMWMOA forum provides. Why not take the time to join the club, so you can enjoy posting on the forum, the club magazine, and all of the discounts and benefits the BMWMOA offers?

    Want to read the MOA monthly magazine for free? Take a 3-month test ride of the magazine; check here for details.

  • NOTE. Some content will be hidden from you. If you want to view all content, you must register for the forum if you are not a member, or if a member, you must be logged in.

Motorcycle Maintenace Costs versus Automobile

Your Corvette is iron age technology compared to a BMW ... any BMW.

Try comparing to a Mercedes SLS. Or the Audi S8 reviewed in today's Wall Street Journal. It has more power than your Corvette.


The OP started this thread to ask about maintenance costs for motorcycles vs automobiles. My post was in line with what the OP asked about and I compared my BMW RT maintenance schedule to my lowly Chebby, two vehicles I own and am familiar with. I wasn't intending to begin a road test comparison of sports cars ... the subject at hand is maintenance costs.

Norm
 
Your Corvette is iron age technology compared to a BMW ... any BMW.

Try comparing to a Mercedes SLS. Or the Audi S8 reviewed in today's Wall Street Journal. It has more power than your Corvette.

Iron age?..........Really?
Even if the Corvette is iron age technology do you think the Mercedes SLS or Audi A8 requires periodic valve adjustment, final drive lube changes, etc and so on? Of course, the first 3 or 4 years of maintenance are covered on most up-scale cars.

BMW cycle maintenance is expensive.......I blame Ducati for setting a precedent that demonstrated the potential profits to the dealerships.
 
Every time this topic has been brought up in a motorcycle forum for discussion it has been knocked around or down. I feel that the real debate gets completely lost as everyone has their own reason for ultimately buying a BMW motorcycle. However that is not being questioned at all here. It is the allocation of finite resources ( money) on present day technology. Be it cars or motorcycle or something else in the same category. Our experience with present day car upkeep is vastly different than a motorcycle. Engineering of products is a commodity so how come we need to lower our expectations for motorcycle. Especially when we are riding two wheels with limited space while sharing roads with a better engineered products.

So given the finite resources in the case of motorcycles I believe we may not be benefitting from time-tested solid technology and perhaps could be sacrificing personal safety in the long run.

Needless to say I had some hearty conversations with the service department even before I engaged the sales person to buy myself a 2006 used LT where the cost of 56K maintenance was almost 10% on top of my purchase price.

Hopefully manufacturers are reading as newer riders will surely be doing the same comparison and asking this valid question. We all deserve solidly built reliable machines as we have become accustomed to. Currently value loses to cost for the motorcycle equation.


Paul Mann
 
Every time this topic has been brought up in a motorcycle forum for discussion it has been knocked around or down.

Hopefully manufacturers are reading as newer riders will surely be doing the same comparison and asking this valid question. We all deserve solidly built reliable machines as we have become accustomed to. Currently value loses to cost for the motorcycle equation.


Paul Mann

Back in the early 2000's Ducati started charging $600 for the first routine maintenance and based that charge on maintaining the performance of this premium machine. Within a few years, the BMW rate book was revised and the BMW's also needed this "premium" level service. So, while the new BMW's might all be thoroughbred race bikes driven by the most discerning customers of impeccable taste, my 99 R11RS is driven by a tightwad engineer that is pretty confident he's seeing an excellent marketing program that depends on the vanity of the customers.

The silliness will end when the customers stop paying to be told that they are special because they ride a given brand.
 
.....30k, plus annual, plus a new set of PR3's next week, dealer's quote of about $1100 for it.
Half of that $1100 is for tires. If you did your own maintenance instead of paying a shop rate, it would drop that $1100 down to about $5-600 or so after saving money on the tires, not paying mounting and balancing and just buying the parts you need for the 30K service.

Regards to your comparison, as others have pointed out, you can't compare a car to a bike when it comes to maintenance or costs of that maintenance.

That said, try this comparison: I pay roughly $130F/$150R for PR3s on my R12RT - one for the front, one for the rear. Normally, I get a safe 10-12K out of that set of tires. I just bought a set of tires for my 535i. I paid $1360.51 for 4 tires. I paid the dealer $150 to mount and balance them, then $240 to align the car. The tires I replaced had 17,911 miles on them and they had reached a point they were unsafe.

Perspective:
I ride the sport touring bike of my choice. I buy tires and perform maintenance related to the performance I want out of that bike. Cost is not a factor in achieving that - for me. I want the performance, I want the safety - I pay the price.

I drive the luxury/performance automobile of my choice. I buy tires and perform maintenance related to the performance I want out of that car. Cost is not a factor in achieving that - for me. I want the performance, I want the safety - I pay the price.

Trust me when I tell you the car costs me more than the bike does.

I could have bought a Honda CRV grocery getter. If I had, I NEVER would have considered comparing costs between the boring use of an SUV to buy and haul the family, against the cost of the exhilaration of riding my bike [or driving my current car] through the mountains or on the track.
 
Perspective:
I ride the sport touring bike of my choice. I buy tires and perform maintenance related to the performance I want out of that bike. Cost is not a factor in achieving that - for me. I want the performance, I want the safety - I pay the price.

I drive the luxury/performance automobile of my choice. I buy tires and perform maintenance related to the performance I want out of that car. Cost is not a factor in achieving that - for me. I want the performance, I want the safety - I pay the price.

For the same reasons, Gucci and Prada have an adequate supply of customers to maintain their profit margins..........
 
For the same reasons, Gucci and Prada have an adequate supply of customers to maintain their profit margins..........

You clearly don't know Steve. Bringing in Gucci and Prada with regards to Steve just made me LOL!
 
You clearly don't know Steve. Bringing in Gucci and Prada with regards to Steve just made me LOL!
Where that's a very good point Darryl, I'd like to point out that my chapeau is indeed a Paris original. Says so right on the little tag inside it.

[sheesh] Jealous people.....:jester
 
You clearly don't know Steve. Bringing in Gucci and Prada with regards to Steve just made me LOL!

No, I don't know Steve, but the response was rhetorical and, in my opinion, correct. His justification for the expense of owning a BMW must have been music to the ears of the BMW marketing guru's. He is proud that he's worthy of the cost of maintaining a product of the marque.

BTW - isn't the speed limit in NM is something like 65 or 75 mph and I'm lucky that Tire Rack has lot's of fitment options in the $100 per tire range for my lowly 2003 330i.
 
Last edited:
I don't think we are making the proper comparison. We are comparing a mode of transportation that is normally used for mass transportation to a mode of transportation that is normally used for recreation/sport. I think a more accurate comparison is with other modes of transportation that are also normally used for recreation/sport. I think the cost per mile or the cost per hour of use should be compared to small boats, small aircraft, snowmobiles, etc. I think motorcycles compare very favorably.

I think it also compares favorably with other recreation/sport activities that are not transportation related. I have friends who are tennis or golf fanatics. When all costs are considered, motorcycles are a bargain.
 
I don't think we are making the proper comparison. We are comparing a mode of transportation that is normally used for mass transportation to a mode of transportation that is normally used for recreation/sport. I think a more accurate comparison is with other modes of transportation that are also normally used for recreation/sport. I think the cost per mile or the cost per hour of use should be compared to small boats, small aircraft, snowmobiles, etc. I think motorcycles compare very favorably.

I think it also compares favorably with other recreation/sport activities that are not transportation related. I have friends who are tennis or golf fanatics. When all costs are considered, motorcycles are a bargain.

Hmmm......comparing BMW maintenance costs those of a Continental or Lycoming engine is interesting. Of course, a boat owner has two great days...........the day he buys and the day he sells.

But, if that is what BMW wants to aim for........I'm sure they can find some customers to fund their dreams. However, I'll be looking for other places to spend my money.
 
That the motorcycle is more expensive to maintain shouldn't be a surprise. The already mentioned tire replacement interval is a case in point. But if you really follow most cars' recommended service intervals to the letter and have the dealer do the service, it's not that big a difference as you might think. How many of us change the car's brake fluid, transmission fluid, rear end fluid and power steering fluid at the recommended times? And what about timing chain replacement at 60K miles? did you have that done too? cabin air filter? I'll bet not many of us.

I think we let things go on a car longer because most mechanical failures will just make us pull over and call the tow, whereas some catatrphic failure on a M/C may be more harmful to our health.

I also agree that a M/C should be compared to other recreational vehicles since whoever uses their M/C for 100% of their travel is certainly in the minority at least in the USA.
 
That the motorcycle is more expensive to maintain shouldn't be a surprise. The already mentioned tire replacement interval is a case in point. But if you really follow most cars' recommended service intervals to the letter and have the dealer do the service, it's not that big a difference as you might think. How many of us change the car's brake fluid, transmission fluid, rear end fluid and power steering fluid at the recommended times? And what about timing chain replacement at 60K miles? did you have that done too? cabin air filter? I'll bet not many of us.

I think we let things go on a car longer because most mechanical failures will just make us pull over and call the tow, whereas some catatrphic failure on a M/C may be more harmful to our health.

I also agree that a M/C should be compared to other recreational vehicles since whoever uses their M/C for 100% of their travel is certainly in the minority at least in the USA.

I change car brake fluid every 5 years to avoid slave and master cylinder corrosion/failure. Timing belt changes at 60K are foolish to avoid. Timing chain changes I've never heard of.

But, I have lots of places that will do that work at rates well below the BMW rate book and in many cases my BMW dealership will advise me (as a long time customer) to go elsewhere to get some services at a local market price.

Equating MC maintenance rate costs to something other than cars, is just a rationalization by the customer to accept the high costs. Unfortunately, that rationalization doesn't provide any economic benefit to the customer.
 
I change car brake fluid every 5 years to avoid slave and master cylinder corrosion/failure. Timing belt changes at 60K are foolish to avoid. Timing chain changes I've never heard of.

But, I have lots of places that will do that work at rates well below the BMW rate book and in many cases my BMW dealership will advise me (as a long time customer) to go elsewhere to get some services at a local market price.

Equating MC maintenance rate costs to something other than cars, is just a rationalization by the customer to accept the high costs. Unfortunately, that rationalization doesn't provide any economic benefit to the customer.

You haven't heard of a timing chain?

You're not listening to what I was saying. I only meant to state that if you have both dealers, auto and M/C do everything that their respective service manuals state should be done, that the costs narrow considerably. I did also state that the M/C costs are greater.
 
Maintenance cost for Motorbike vs Automobile

The OP is merely asking "why" it costs more to maintain a motorcycle more, and to answer that question properly is first we need to establish how are you using the bike. And what is important to you when riding a motorcycle, this is based on how you are using the bike.

If you are using it as your main source of transportation, then you are really concerned, IMHO, in getting from point A to B. You may not be too concerned if it's parked outside all year round. This is similar to most car drivers, hence, you don't want to necessarily maintain the bike or upgrade things if you don't have to. You may pass on the 6,000 mile or 12,000 mile service and do it when it is really needed.

  • It is quite true that motorcycle is a toy (you don't need it, cause everything you do on a motorcycle can be done on a car and do much much more).
  • Motorcycling is a sport
  • Most people also fall in this category - Motorcycling is a hobby.

When you look at those three items, cost to operate starts to become of a secondary point, while the fun and safety starts to take precedence.

As someone pointed out earlier, maintaining a high performance vehicle will cost more if repairs are required. Now why do we follow the prescribed schedule is because we are scared that what if it breaks when you are hundreds of miles away from home. That is not fun, in fact, it rained on your fun event. No we don't want that to happen, hence, we take precautions. You then follow the gurus (dealership service advisers, BMW, anyone who tells you something from their experience, etc) and spend the money so we minimize failures.

You also do it because you want safety. Someone tells you if your tire pressure goes down and you chances xxx could happen, you go get TPM, if they say traction control will save you from possible fallout, you go sell your current bike and buy new with Traction Control, etc. We are scared and we don't want accidents, 'cause it hurts, hence, you will spend the money to rectify this. You don't care this if you have a car.

You spend money farkling, why? 'cause you want convenience! Extra lights for safety. Engine guard - in case you drop. Rain proof gps vs regular. I bet if I were to offer a rider a garmin weather proof gps and a nuvi at zero cost, you know which will be the ideal pick!

There, in a nutshell you spend because you WANT to, and not that anyone is imposing on you. And your reasons for "want to" can vary on your needs and requirements and how you view riding a motorcycle - commuter, enduro, touring, racing, or any combo.
 
You haven't heard of a timing chain?

You're not listening to what I was saying. I only meant to state that if you have both dealers, auto and M/C do everything that their respective service manuals state should be done, that the costs narrow considerably. I did also state that the M/C costs are greater.

Yes, I've heard of a timing chain, but the 60K change is the typical replacement interval for a timing belt on a car.
 
Maintenance

Thank you, pretty well sums it up with a direct comparison between a high performance car and a BMW motorcycle.

Another mystery to me, headlight bulbs, I might get 15k before bike bulb needs replacement. Haven't replaced 1 yet in the car.




I have a 2007 Corvette Z06 and I also have a 2012 BMW 1200 RT. The Chevy is a higher performance machine than the BMW capable of a top speed of 198 mph with the factory stock 505 hp engine. I find the following maintenance comparison quite interesting:

Maintenance Schedules of My BMW RT vs My Chevy

1. FINAL DRIVE / DIFFERENTIAL:
BMW RT: final drive fluid changed at 6,000 miles then every 12,000 thereafter
Chevy Corvette: changing differential fluid not needed

2. VALVES:
BMW RT: adjust valves every 6,000 miles
Chevy Corvette: no valve adjustments, hydraulic actuation

3. SPARK PLUGS:
BMW RT: spark plugs changed every 12,000 miles
Chevy Corvette: spark plugs changed at 100,000 miles

4. THROTTLE:
BMW RT: sync throttles every 6,000 miles
Chevy Corvette: no synchronization needed, drive by wire

5. TRANSMISSION:
BMW RT: change transmission fluid every 30,000 miles
Chevy Corvette: lifetime transmission fluid for manual transmission, automatic transmission fluid changed every 100,000 miles

6. BELT:
BMW RT: replace alternator belt every 30,000 miles
Chevy Corvette: engine accessory drive belt inspected at 150,000 miles and replaced only if showing wear

7. COOLANT:
BMW RT: no engine coolant
Chevy Corvette: change engine coolant at 150,000 miles

8. BRAKE FLUID:
BMW RT: brake fluid changed every 2 years
Chevy Corvette: no scheduled change (!)

9. AIR CLEANER:
BMW RT: air cleaner changed every 12,000 miles
Chevy Corvette: changed every 50,000 miles

WARRANTY
BMW RT: 3 year or 36,000 mile
Chevy Corvette: 3 year or 36,000 mile plus 5 year or 100,000 mile powertrain warranty

FINDING THE MAINTENANCE SCHEDULES
BMW RT: Do you feel like going on a treasure hunt?
Chevy Corvette: Printed in plain sight right in the owners manual

SERVICE MESSAGE
BMW RT: To turn off the message you must visit a dealer or buy an aftermarket GS-911 gadget.
Chevy Corvette: To turn off message for oil change, turn ignition on (but not motor), floor the accelerator 3x in 10 seconds, turn ignition off.
 
Thanks

Thanks for all the replies. I didn't start this thread to get any arguments going, just some discussion which many of you have provided. I enjoy the bike and will continue to add on the miles and learn more about doing my own maintenance.
I know it's a toy/hobby and the money I spend on it is discretionary spending. I do think it should require less maintenance than it does and the cost of that maintenance is higher than it should be. I pay to play in my other hobbies so I will continue to do it with the bike. Thanks again for the comments.
 
, and

No one had said it yet, but a motorcycle is nothing at costing money compared to a nice bass boat. 2 to 4 mpg, top speed maybe 75. depreciation, insurance, and farkles, you MC guys are rank amateurs at farkles. Self steering trolling motors, GPS Fishfinder, electric anchor, power pole. Lures, oh my lures.... And rods and reels.

You want to talk expensive, I had the most beautiful piece of fish you have ever seen. At about $200 a fillet it better be.

Rod
 
Back
Top