Mileage Vs Age

[ScaredyCat]

What's the general consensus on age Vs mileage with bikes? For example:

2009 @ 22k miles Vs 2007 @ 3k miles

Both have full service history and are the same spec - price difference is negligible.


Andy
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Honda CBF125 ➝ NC700X
Honda CBF125 ↳ Speed Triple

[Irn-Bru]

Depends, maybe the newer one is an updated model and has more power, or certain faults are fixed etc. But typically I'd favour lower mileage.
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KTM 990 SMT & Suzuki DR-Z 400 SM

[Martay]

Ive never been bothered by mileage. Ever since ive seen my '94 vauxhall with 135,000 vs my dads '51 ford with 60,000 miles. Mine is fine, his burns oil, rattles like fuck, and has bits falling off.
Or theres my neighbors peugeot 406 with 440,000 miles! I didnt think it was possible, i used to be used as a taxi.
Service and maintenance is what matters.
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Eat well, poo hard
Drives: Cavalier 2.0 16v
Rides: Slightly ratted Honda City Express

[Seb]

How it's been stored and looked after is a bigger factor imo. If it's a dry weather toy that's been stored in a warm garage and carefully cleaned then the age is pretty much meaningless, my 2004 ZX9 could have easily have been passed off for a brand new bike but that's not always the case.
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2010 Triumph 1050 Sprint ST

[ScaredyCat]

Ok, thanks.

What's regarded as high milage for a bike? 20k? 50k?

Andy
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Honda CBF125 ➝ NC700X
Honda CBF125 ↳ Speed Triple

[Hevra]

Agree with Seb; I bought my Divvy in May with 3k miles on it... it's 17 years old. Normally such a low mileage on such an old, non-classic bike, would have set the alarm bells ringing, but it'd been stored in a garage and owned by someone who worked at the bike shop. He had over 20 other bikes (bastard) so ended up never using the Divvy.

I did replace the 19 (!!) year old ditchfinders that were on it, mind.
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_MJS_ : TLDR; MTFU, RTFM, DIY, tits and Gary. It's the only way you'll learn
CBF125 > XJ600S > V-Strom 650

[Efes123]

[Matt B]

[barrkel]

[oldenuff]

There have been a number of automotive problems associated with engines, and other bearing supported parts, standing idle for long periods especially if there is any vibration e.g. passing heavy traffic. This is like a small hammer hitting a tiny area on the bearing shell over and over again. Back in the sixties Ford had a problem with cars sent by rail to California and were then plagued by wheel bearing failures. That is an extreme example but the principle holds.
The second thing to think about is that the drive train has sat with the oil slowing draining from the working surfaces for long periods and minor corrosion sets in with bad effects when it is eventually re-started. If a bike has low mileage is it because it has only been used a few times a year or has it been used more often for very short journeys where the oil never really gets up to temperature? That would not be an ideal situation.

[garth]

I just bought a 40,000 mile 125 from neil on here. It's been well looked after, doesn't smoke, has good compression and rides well.

[Rogerborg]

Age vs Mileage? Winner is... condition.

Sight unseen I'd tend to favour the older, lower mileage bike from those two. But bear in mind resale. As you pile on the miles, the relative difference will look less, and the older bike will lose value faster.
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Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[P.addy]

[kawashima]

I think longer mileage on tourer models has less stress than short mileage on racing bikes used for tracks. If I choose from SS model, I will choose longer mileage one with non track use.
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own:2020 Serow 250
owned: 2012 YB125SP, 2008 TDM900, 2005 W650, 2002 LS125R, 2002 CB400SF, NS50F, C50 / Trip to UK(2009), Hokkaido touring(2013)

[Teflon-Mike]

CONDITION IS ALL

Cars get used much the same way, so mileage is a fair 'guide' to how much life is still in them. Bikes, way they can be used, the style and type of bike dictating more likely use, all far more widely variable, to the point that mileage is almost completely accademic.

On a Sports-Bike, low miles likely to indicate a weekend toy; so you could expect it to be in very good cosmetic condition, probably garaged, hardly ridden, but also as likely to be neglected between use, never cranking up the mileage for service intervals, and age related service periods ignored becouse its just not used.... but when it is... thrashed mercilessly.... taken to the extreme, could be a track bike..... ten race meets in club season calendar, twenty five miles a race, and a few practice sessions could put less than 500 miles on the oddometer! But BOY are they all hard miles!

High miles on same bike,. suggests use. More likely to be lighter ever-day use, but also likely to engender more 'enviromental' degredation, dirt crud, road crap getting into everything, suspension bouncing around wearing out, and stuff, but in use cranking service intervals, likely to have had the maintenence.

Tourers? Low mile tourer? What's likely use? Eleven and a half months sat in the garage, a mile or tow to the MOT center, and then two weeks cranking couple of hundred miles a day on thier holiday.... then sat bearings siezing rings gumming in the garage until next year. High miles? Well could be every day commuter, could be despatch hack.

Its only a very notional indicator to how a BIKE is used and life remaining in it.

Go by the over all condition, go by the 'feeling' you get from the seller, go by what you can see IN THE METAL.
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My Webby'Tef's-tQ, loads of stuff about my bikes, my Land-Rovers, and the stuff I do with them!
Current Bikes:'Honda VF1000F' ;'CB750F2N' ;'CB125TD ( 6 3 of em!)'; 'Montesa Cota 248'. Learner FAQ's:= 'U want to Ride a Motorbike! Where Do U start?'

[Efes123]

[ScaredyCat]

Ok, so I guess I shouldn't be potentially buying form the sofa..

There's also a local ER6n, 2010 plate (C9) with 27878 on the clock that's been used as a commuter. They still want £3,495 for it. Seems a little too much to me - but then my buying experience is pretty much zero.


Andy
____________________
Honda CBF125 ➝ NC700X
Honda CBF125 ↳ Speed Triple

[Efes123]

That the one from Ling's? They always seem to be very expensive, but that's probably not too far off for a main dealer price.

This is a better price;

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2006-KAWASAKI-ER6-N-POPULAR-MODEL-VERY-GOOD-CONDITION-/290774971266?pt=UK_Motorcycles&hash=item43b389f382
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Honda Goldwing GL 1000 Current love
Honda VT500 ED - SOLD
Projects Suzuki GS125 Done, then stolen - Kawasaki GPX750R SOLD - Honda VF750S SOLD

[ScaredyCat]

[Efes123]

If you don't mind travelling to Ipswich, try this guy;

Bob Nicholls - 01473 659091

He's about the cheapest dealer I've found. He doesn't have much, generally 2 or 3 bikes in at a time, but a good guy
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Honda Goldwing GL 1000 Current love
Honda VT500 ED - SOLD
Projects Suzuki GS125 Done, then stolen - Kawasaki GPX750R SOLD - Honda VF750S SOLD

[ScaredyCat]