Scared of High Mileage

[Chriss]

Hi

Recently looking for winter hacks, and after the GPZ500 I had started to eat it's own weight in oil each week, probably thanks to the piston rings, I've been scared of bikes with high mileage! The GPZ500 only had about 46,000 miles on, which I don't really consider to be alot for a bike, but obviously is.

Is this normal? What sort of mileage do bikes normally get up to before dying? Is there a big difference between engines, ie inline four, twins etc?

Many thanks in advance

Chriss
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TheShaggyDA: I've got 3 or 4 pairs that predate my wife, so at least 11.5 years old.

[feef]

in my garage I have the following:
'99 Thunderace with 56000 miles
'98 Firestorm with 62000miles
2003 FJR with 64000 miles

my old GPZ which died cos I embedded it in the front of an Astra, had 76000 miles

as long as they are well maintained, a highmileage bike will work fine. In fact, probably better than a VERY low mileage bike which has been used so little the oil isn't covering much of the internals, and the seals are all dry, and cracked.

a
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[Kickstart]

Hi

More down to how well it is treated. Charlottes last GPZ500 got nicked at about that mileage bit still burnt virtually no oil.

To an extent buy based on the owner rather than the bike.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[panrider_uk]

Engine size will also have a bearing.

Over 100,000 miles on a Pan (1100cc V4) isn't uncommon as its a very unstressed bike.

Buzzy sportsbikes will have a shorter engine life due to their high-revving nature.

Mark
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Current bikes: Honda ST1100 Pan European. Moto Guzzi V85 TT Travel

[Kickstart]

[BorderHooner]

My firestorm had about 5K miles on it when I bought it - I sold it close to 9K and in those 4000 miles or so it needed a litre of oil every 500 miles.

There is no sure formulae to work out oil consumption. Some drink some don't.
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[jimbothe]

My FJ12 (hack) is now sitting on 92k, uses a little oil but still nothing that I would be concerned over just yet and thats mainly only the valve stem seals from cold.

Ex FJ owners club bike so kept in extremely good order and changed every 3000 miles.

But as said before r.e. the Pan European, it's a bike designed to do plenty of miles.

I spoke to a chap a little while ago and told him mine was on very high miles and he said it was nothing for one and his had done 125,000 He reckons with regular servicing including the interims and just basic routine maintanence you can push a FJ in excess of 160,000

I sold my 500s quite a few years ago now with 38,000 on the clock and the guy three streets up from me is still riding it daily but only a local commute. Last time I looked it was on 54,000.
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[brier88]

[nynfortoo]

[SuziCat]

I believe some bike engines can do high miles - no worries. Take for example the Yamaha Diversion 900. These engines are superb and can easily do over 100K. (I researched all this out before buying mine in 2003).
Even back in the 70's/80's the Suzuki GS bikes could also do similar high miles. Regular maintenance is the key I think.
If you want a decent winter bike, and no chain oiling to worry about the Diversion should be on your list. They really are good bikes (although a bit heavy)
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[Wafer_Thin_Ham]

It seems related to particular models of bikes too, like Daytona 675' have got a reputation lately for being an oil drinker. Early R1's like a sup too.
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[Kickstart]

Hi

Litre of oil every 1000 miles is a hell of a lot, but regarded as the limit for acceptable.

Seems to vary greatly. For example the early FZ750 used virtually no oil but later ones (and the FZR1000 did). They changed to slipper pistons for the later ones.

The old 8 valve GS engines were very long lasting. From memory they used roller bearings on the crank, hence didn't care nearly so much about oil quality or pressure.

Suzuki screwed up a few years ago on the Bandit 1200 and released a batch with the oil holes in the pistons drilled in the wrong place. Very excessive oil consumption.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[panrider_uk]

Surely a bike that drinks oil is unacceptable and has a problem?

I thought only a 2-stroke should use oil and 4-strokes should lose very little unless there's a problem?

Mark
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Current bikes: Honda ST1100 Pan European. Moto Guzzi V85 TT Travel

[instigator]

[Chriss]

See, the owner of the GPZ before me was a BCFer, who definately knows quite a bit about bikes, and before him was a bloke who had it serviced by Kawasaki up until about 30k miles!

Is the best way to look at it that it's a bit of hit and miss? You can try look out for the best things, but there's no sure way? I'd certainly expect my SV to last to 100k miles or so...
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TheShaggyDA: I've got 3 or 4 pairs that predate my wife, so at least 11.5 years old.

[Kickstart]

[instigator]

[Chriss]

It was an 1994 model, but the newer shape. Test rode it first, from jumping from a k3 GS500 to the GPZ, the GPZ felt much stronger. I think this is all part of what's spooked me, everything felt so good, the only down side to the GPZ was the rear end was spongy as hell. But it also looked like the original shock..
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TheShaggyDA: I've got 3 or 4 pairs that predate my wife, so at least 11.5 years old.

[Timmeh]

My CBR's done 58,000 miles and only burns a teeny bit, like half a litre every 3,000 miles, which ain't bad.

Having said that, I'm religious about letting it idle for a few minutes before pulling away, and even then I don't go above 7,000 rpm until the temperature gauge's out of the blue.
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[sickpup]

The ER-5 I use for work ended up needing a new head, barrels and pistons at 49k and I know that was well serviced as I had done most of it for the previous 20k.

Not got a lot of respect for these GPZ engines, they often seem to need a lot of work and rattle like a bag of nails.

[bish777]

Ive generally found that the larger the motor the longer it last simply because you spend less time revving the balls off of em.

My FJ1200 racked up 30k, going from 50 to 80 thousandish without any issues. That motor barely left tickover in anything than motorway use.
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[tatters]

My old GT550 had done around 150,000 at a guess and my current VFR750F has 70,000 on the clocks and still runs great plus burns no oil, although l,ve had to replace the rear shock/ exhaust system and fork bushes
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[Wafer_Thin_Ham]

[kitty kat]

I ride a MK1 Fazer 600 38000 on clock, 25 000 done in 12 months and the only time it has had oil put in it is during an oil change
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[panrider_uk]