Hey I'm looking into maybe getting a bike soon, and I'm wondering just in generalities how long motorcycle engine's last, because I'm definitely buying used.

just like a car, it depends on how its is taken care of, and abused. i've seen bikes running great with 30k plus on the clock.



in search of a new 2g....

Originally posted by dsmracer
just like a car, it depends on how its is taken care of, and abused. i've seen bikes running great with 30k plus on the clock.

I realize. But it has to have some sort of range. Like cars ussually run till about 120k-200k miles.

Eleventy five miles :wavy




But this is a tough one because it seems that bikes are not quite like cars in that, probably because of the drivers and bikes living up in the R's, there is a bit of fluxuation between miles and different bikes. A car you can get away with lazy maintenance. A bike will not be able to put up with it. It will break down quickly.

That being said I'll go in generalities; rice burner - I wouldn't go more than 17k unless I was looking to put some time and money into the engine. The touring class - I would limit at around 22-25k. The later Harley's normally will go over this into the 30k area (remember the R's are much lower). And the Beemer's are gonna last longer too.

This just to give you an idea. There are so many maintenance and ownership variables it is just hard to say.

let me just say this, i agree with the whole, depends on how it's been taken care of. i changed the oil on my 03 600rr every 3,000 miles or less, checked brake fluid, coolant, chain, etc...she had about 26,XXX + on her and she still ran strong. if you are looking for just strait line 1/4 mile then i'm sure i was a tenth or hundredth off from my best. but in the turns and track days, as long as my suspension was adjusted just right for the track/ride, she felt like a million bucks. just a heads up on what to look for. hope that helps you out.

later

For primary transportation? I wouldn't buy one. Before you buy, take the MSF course.

As everyone has already said, it really all depends on the conditions. A track bike isn't going to have the longevity of a touring bike. It's rare that you will find any sportbike that hasn't been ridden 'spiritedly'. Anyone who says 'always rode easy, never raced' is full of shit. Maybe they never raced another bike, but you can bet they've had some WOT pulls to redline, which is racing the motor.

On the other hand, I know of several busa's (if you buy one, I'll personally drive to where you are and slap you in the face with a dead trout) that are at 20k+ and still rollin with zero problems. I've only got maybe 11k on mine (I never look, just leave it on the trip odo).

Take my advice, look at a Ninja 250 or 500ex, or Suzuki GS500 or sv650, but don't just buy what you think you want because it'll bite you in the ass later. You can buy older for cheaper, but you will have to put money into it and probably work on it. Stay in the 98-02 range and you're looking at probably around $1500+ (depending on make & model). Look at the tires and buy one that has good (almost new) tires already. M/C tires aren't cheap.

The Ninja 250 is a great bike. I'm sure you're thinking, "yeah right, a 250," but out of the box, it'll outrun any car you've owned at this point (except maybe your turbo 1g when running perfect). Get some seat time on it (6-12 months) then sell it and buy a 600. I've got both, my busa and a gsxr600 (which I just bought a few months ago). My brother even sold his bus to buy a 600. Those things are so much fun and pack a very large punch for their size.

Oh, and before I forget, take the MSF course ;)

I second the vote on the small kawasaki. Before I married my eclipse, I was looking into a bike, and every one who knew anything told me : "if you are a begginer buy a 500 or lower if you dont want to kill yourself..." Anywho. I found a couple 250's, and when i was ready to buy... my mother and my cusins ( and the rest of the family) went crazy on me, and made me buy something with four wheels.

Lame...i know :(

My girlfriend REALLY doesn't want me to get a bike. I told her I'd only be dead by 21 or so. So she'd still get 3 years out of me probably. I've never ridden one but I know if I got on one once I'd be absolutely and completely hooked.

I didn't get my first street bike til i was 21, but it was an old POS FJ600. I sold it almost a year later and bought an FZR600 in pieces. I didn't finish putting it together until almost a year later (somewhere around april 03). I rode the shit outta that bike. Almost threw me over a guardrail on one of those high-rise interchanges once, and crashed it once. Sold it around feb 04 and bought a 97 YZF1000R (in 98 it became the R1). That was a big jump, but luckily I had learned a lot more respect than what I originally had. I sold it in August of 2004 and picked up my first busa (1999), complications arose from the guy I bought it from and he never produced a title. I think I only had it three months when I sold it and bought my 2002. I remember getting it like December of 04 and been riding it since. I'm a lot more reserved than I ever was on my bike, but I still got fuckin hit by a car and thrown across the freeway.

Point of the story, start small, don't be cocky, respect the fuckin bike, don't be a fuckin squid, and know that you will fall one day. Riding is not something to be taken lightly. At least once a month, a local rider is killed here.

I was looking at used bikes, and it seems like once a bike has 10,000 miles on it, or 5 years old, it's considered used up and people want to sell them to avoid maintenance. I'm sure they last much longer, and I have no experience with bikes at all, but 10k seemed to be a common theme.

My Honda (yes honda)bike purrs like a kitten. Granted its got 19k miles and needs some adjustments.

Like everyone says, If its well mainteined there shouldnt be a problem. The thing is, most people dont maintain them. They want a machine that has insane redlines but they dont want to change the oil too often, let them warm up, or adjust the head components.

Most sell their bikes at 10 to 16k due to the cost of adjusting lash, or chains, etc. Its not that the bike doesnt have much more, theese people are just ignorant or lazy.

another vote for MSF course. Althought, in caly its 210 while your still under 21 ( take advantage of that!) after that its 300 +.

In other states they get it for like 30-80 bucks.

Originally posted by cougar694u
I know of several busa's (if you buy one, I'll personally drive to where you are and slap you in the face with a dead trout)

Buy the Busa! I'll even kick in for gas ;-)!

Oh, first bike? Then go over Cougar's first post. Fully agreed upon.

MB