Bikes breaking down

[The Dude]

Hi fellas. This is just something i'm wondering about. It seems to me from reading this forum and my own experience on bike thus far (2 years) that bikes just seem to have more problems than cars. I have had my fair share of problems with both new and second hand bikes over the past 2 years and to be honest it is starting to put me of bikes in general. Is it just me or are bikes in general a less reliable form of transport? I really want to stay with bikes and get a new bike in the future, something that will not only get me to work everyday without any problems, but also something to have fun on at other times and maybe go traveling. I'm not really looking for a list of reliable bikes here. Just some opinions and feedback from those of you who have experience of reliable biking life.

[Bendy]

IMO it comes down to what state it was in when you bought it and how much you spend maintaining it.

I bought a nice bike, reasonably expensive and haven't had any significant troubles with it. I'll spend money to keep it in good mechanical shape.

I buy cheap cars with high mileage and while I haven't had any breakdowns (touch wood) I've had a few problems. I'm more likely to drive them into the ground and bin them than to spend lots of cash on servicing.

Also take into account the kind of bike... a highly strung sportsbike will be more prone to problems than a bulletproof commuter. When you're comparing to cars, you're comparing to low-end 'normal' cars designed to be largely ignored for tens of thousands of miles between services.

[Ste]

[The Dude]

So would it be safe to say that if someone were to go out and buy a brand new bulletproof commuter bike, they really shouldn't expect to have any problems with it if it was looked after properly? It just seems to me that bikes in general are a little less a reliable form of transport, especially in winter. I'll admit, i have started of my biking life with an new Aprilia RS125, which as well as being a 2 stroke are known for not being reliable. So it's probably safe to say that i may have started of on the wrong bike.

[0ni]

If you compare the servicing and general running cost of say a Gixxer 600, to a car of similar performance (porsche? ferrari?) then I believe you will see the value for money in terms of breakdowns and servicing. Yes bikes require more regular attention maintenance wise, for example keeping it relatively shit free, chain lubed etc but these are for the most part things you can do yourself. I would imagine that a motor in a lower state of tune than a sports 600+ would give you longer intervals and less costly maintenance than a car.

My wee Honda CB 125 built way back before I was born in 1983 is running strong on 40,000 miles. Although this isn't an astonishingly high mileage in terms of a car it is a smaller engine that has had the absolute tits ragged off it by 13 previous owners and then by myself. I don't give it a second to breathe, rarely change up under 9k rpm and treat each ride like its my last. 6 days a week.

I change the oil regularly, keep it clean and keep the chain in good nick. It works.

Oh and if people people on this forum could just stop binning their bloody bikes..
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Its a lovely day, just wait until some bastard spoils it.

[Zoffo]

Ditto

Will never spend more than a grand on a car coz to me they are a neccesary evil. But will sell my granny for a nice shiny new bike and spend what it takes to keep it that way.

Also have some good friends who are forthcoming with advice and help with the spanering if I need it. That makes a big difference.

[Kram]

my SR125 was bulletproof, crashproof, and never had any problems, except the services, everything reliable, but it depends how you look after it
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FS1E -> SR125 -> CB400N -> CB650 -> FZR600 Genises -> VFR400 NC21 -> CBR900RR Fireblade -> Renault Clio 1.4

[The Dude]

Ok well i know i said i didn't want a list of reliable bikes but i'll ask this. I would eventually like to get my hands on a BMW F650 GS or F650 GS Dakar in a year or 2. Would you consider those to be good reliable commuter bikes as well as a good bike to do a little traveling on?

[wildcat]

Bikes are an expensive hobby, My brother just had to give up his bike coz he lost his job, he said it's like losing an arm.
The thing with bikes is when one thing gets broke/needs replacing something else will go shortly after. But bikes give value for money, who want to get stuck in traffic in a brand new porche???
Look after your bike, spend a little money keeping it right and hopefully nothing major will go wrong.
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https://www.bebo.com/Z1000-Wildkat

[Kickstart]

Hi

Bikes do tend to be less reliable than cars, but then cars are more engineered to last a long time and put up with low maintenance.

Suspect the average life expectancy for a bike is 20k~30k. Few bikes seem to last 100k, yet few cars have that short a life (ignoring those that are crashed).

Maintenance wise bikes are not cheap, as there are not that much effort made to reduce servicing costs. Few cars have oil change intervals less than 10000 miles, few bikes are as high as half that. Few cars need the valves adjusting, which virtually no bikes have hydraulic tappets.

Your RS125 may not have seemed reliable, but that engine is putting out the same kind of power relative to its engine capacity as a Moto GP bike.

The F650 might well make a decent commuter, but I would go and have a decent test ride first. You might well find it fairly boring after a sports 125, and it is unlikely to be much faster.

All the best

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

[Gazdaman]

I'd be severely pissed off if a bike gave up the ghost at 20-30k.

ATM my XJ is on 72k and still going strong, although we're shopping for a new engine for *when* I blow it up.

Gaz

[Kickstart]

[garth]

I'm cheap, so my bikes break
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You ain't a has been if you never was

[mrchips]

I run mine till it breaks/nearly breaks then fix it myself. Best system. Even gave it an oil change the other night after about 6000 miles.
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Northern Irish? www.nibikers.com

[Blink]

The Dude - you couldn't be more wrong mate.

How many cars rev up and onwards of 10'000rpm? Not many.
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The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it.

[madbikerbabe]

well out of all the bikes ave had over the many years...only had a fuse blowing problem with my old Z'd and a clutch cable go.....thatz about it
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"yep !!!..there is a party going on in my head...invitations only"

[kasandrich]

I have a CBR1000fm,

goes like a rocket, goes round corners quick enough for me, and not missed a beat in 18months use and 3,500 miles

I think you need to consider buying a Honda
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Richard

CBR1000FM