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How long do you think a motorcycle should last?

How long do you think a motorcycle should last?

  • Forever: I'll fix anything that breaks

    Votes: 46 40.0%
  • 20 years and 500,000 miles. Round trip to the moon

    Votes: 21 18.3%
  • 10 years and 250,000 miles. One way trip to the moon

    Votes: 40 34.8%
  • 50,000 miles just like Dads Oldsmobile

    Votes: 2 1.7%
  • Doesn't matter, I stay new and under warranty.

    Votes: 6 5.2%

  • Total voters
    115
Longer than my next ride, my wallets capacity and my interest.

But this is a trick question and you want a mathematical answer...42 ...:lurk
 
Bought my 1977 R100RS with 68,000 miles on it in 1986.

501,515 miles so far.

As long as I can still get parts for it I will ride it!

there is no end in sight!
 
Some BMW models need a top end rebuild about every 100K miles, and lots of carburetor and ignition parts over the miles. ...... For the right bike I vote forever.
That pretty much speaks to my 73 R75/5. Two top ends, one bottom end and a handfull of diaphrams in 387,000 plus miles. I loved that bike and planned to ride it forever. I did the bottom end just a few thousand miles before I sold it. I sold it, and a number of other motorcycles about a year after I had a stroke and was told I'd never ride again, when it really looked like that was true. Now - I'd like to be able to have my old friend back.
 
I tend to buy and hold, and do my own maintenance and any other repair work I can.

but I know when I'm out of my paygrade and these bikes get to the point where yes, they'll last because they're ultimately rebuildable... especially the airheads... or bulletproof like the early Ks, so I don't think I'll ever see 500k in any bike that I personally own.

I sure do admire people who can keep them running so well for so long. :thumb

Ian
 
They will last forever with proper maintenance

BMW's that is!!!!!!:nyah

Unless!!!


My personal experience says they'll last until the first deer jumps out in front of you and destroys the bike.

Or

The garage burns down!!!

Now continue :fight
 
How long should a bike last? Good question, too many variables. My 2 Airheads should outlive me and they are willed to my boys. They can ride them, sell them, put them in their living room. But.... that is what I am thinking right now.... My Airhead guru may die and he has a lot to do with my Airhead experience; I might get sick; I may need the money; I may loose my mind; like I said too many variables. Interesting question though... If I can I will ride them forever and only add bikes to the garage, not sell them.... (and of course keep them up to par)

No need for harsh words though, but some folks have a sharp tongue...
 
It comes down to how much are you willing and able to spend.

Ditto this and add that it also depends on how much of an emotional attachment you have to the bike.

Another factor could be the state of the art of engine management technology and will it be supplanted by new and maybe incompatible technology. Who out there is using a 30 year old computer?
 
It's an interesting question, and highly subjective of course.

The limiting factor to me is parts, or ability to fabricate parts. My buddy just restored a 1937 Lincoln and it looks and runs like it was new, including the interior. Of course he spent about $40k to do it. But PARTS are available.


My 2005RT: Will the computer chip be available in 40 years? I sort of doubt it. Maybe, since BMW is pretty good about parts for old bikes, but I don't know.
 
A good pre-electronic BMW airhead should last you a lifetime, especially if you casually spend an hour or two a month on ebay stockpiling spares. I've had my '86 R65 since new and I expect it will easily outlast me.

Ub
86 R65
05 K12S

PS: I have a '64 Corvette and there is not a single part on it that I cannot buy brand new at very reasonable prices. I had a good chuckle recently when I needed a new wheel cylinder - it set me back $9.50 at the local chain auto store, and it was in stock.
 
I expect that most new bikes, if maintained with any sort of care, are going to outlast internal combustion as the mainstream source of propulsion. We'll be zipping around on Hydrogen or battery power in 50 years and my GSA will be an interesting footnote in motorcycle history. I hope somebody rides the wheels off of it before then though. This is not my desire...I love internal combustion as much as the next gearhead...but I can't help but think that we're going to see significant shifts in the next 20+ years.
:bikes
 
Reminds me of the ol' man braggin about his 50 year old Chevy truck. He says it has lasted 400000 miles. Yep, its had the motor rebuilt 3 times, transmission twice, and 'restored' the body twice! Just don'tmake em like they used to!

I guess how long it should 'last' is a question that could be answered 10 different ways by 10 different people. A nice topic to ponder for sure.

The vehicle that 'lasted' the longest for me was a 1985 Volvo 240 (Swedish brick!). Paid 1000 bucks for it in 2004 I put over 300000 miles on it with only tires, brakes, fluids and ball joints. Had 500000 on it when I sold it for 500 bucks! That car definately 'lasted' a long time.
 
I've kinda gotta go along with Merle Haggard on this one...he sang, "Let's make a Ford and a Chevy that still last ten years, like they should." I figure anything beyond ten years is gravy, and there's a lot of gravy in my '87 K100RT. Still, on the upside, there's virtually no limit to the lifespan of a properly maintained machine. On the downside, every company make lemons, if you let them run out of oil.
 
There are things you can miss by maintaining an older bike - TC, ABS, hydraulic clutch, 6th, even 5th, gear.
 
All things considered I think a reasonable figure for me might be 150,000 miles with routine maintenance before anything outside of that shows up.
 
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