I know there's a few of you on here with 'high' mileage bikes but I was wondering what the general feeling is, when you're looking to buy, your thoughts on a 1995 SS with 40,000 miles.. Is this considered to be just too high ? more trouble than it's worth. Would it not bother you if the bike had been well maintained with receipts and invoices to prove ? What would you expect the bike to have done at that mileage ? 2 new clutches ? I'm looking at a few and the high miler's just aren't shifting, seems 25K is the barrier when we're no longer interested... Welcome your thoughts.....
I had my first day out on the road as a black taxi driver today. After dropping off my first customer I said, "That's £144,656 please." He looked at me and said, "You mean £7.40?" I said, "No mate, nice try, the meter says £144,656." He said, "That's the mileage you fool."
If it's been well maintained and the price is right it wouldn't bother me. It's better being used than stood idle IMO. Steve
What year is the bike? It should have had new wheel bearings I guess. Needs checking for frame and swing arm cracking. Original cylinder head studs? SS's of a certain vintage where prone to breaking! Valve guides wear and can cause increased oil usage and smoke! Piston rings would probably have needed replacing. Usual stuff like wheel bearings will need replacing if they allready havent! Emulsion tubes in the carbs are prone to wear but not a universal problem. Top gear teeth have been known to strip but again not a universal problem. Original rear shock will be tired! head stock bearings to! My 900 bitsa has done 34,000 miles. It had done 17,000 with no service history when i bought it. I have replaced lots of bit but I have only replaced the pistons in the engine. Same clutch that came with the bike. I run FCR's with Hi comp pistons and I rag the ass off it. Still going strong. As you allready said, its all about the service history. Count.
my 750 on 48,000 and according to the ducati history is all original apart from the dynojet kit. I think its how the miles are ridden more than the miles them self that's important. Remember they are there to be used, mine hasent been on the road for 11years!!! =]
Wouldnt be for me theres always plenty about with a lot less than that . As already said there is more to it than the engine . How many times has the suspension been up and down , the wheel bearings , the head stock bearings , the clutch rod etc . A 20k one will have half the wear a 10k one will have quarter the wear etc.
depends on what you are looking for. If it's a project surely the mileage is fairly irrelevant because you are going to strip and rebuild. If you want a daily rat or a weekend fun bike and are prepared to sepnd time keeping the bike running again the mileage is not a primary concern. If you need something reliable think long and hard and probably buy something younger. My 1962 Norton 650ss had over 150,000 miles on the clock when I eventually sold it and it reappeared having had a mint spent on it but looked and ran like brand new. Andy
I've had some high mileage bikes in the past, and I've currently got a Beemer with over 50k miles on the clock. I find that however well maintained they are, and even with loads of new component parts, they still feel like they are carrying that amount of wear, wether it be in the bearings, the shocks, the brakes, the controls, etc. Not necessarily causing any problems on their own, but definitely not as good to ride as a fresh one.
