Average number years you own a bike

[pdedse]

Sitting hear trying to take my mind off the Corona virus thing--my wife just returned from Costa Rica, has sore throat, chills, slight fever; online doc says no need to test...yet.


I was looking at some 3-4 year old threads and saw lots of usernames that I don't see any more. I wonder if they've moved on from the CB1100. Which made me wonder how long riders own their motorcylces in general.

Question: What's the average number of years you have owned your motorcycles? If you have owned too many to recall, maybe just report on the last 5-7 bikes you've owned. Maybe discard bikes that you bought and then sold immediately after for whatever reason. Indicate bike and whether bought used or new.

My example:
2004 HD Sportster 1200 (new): 8 years
2007 Kawa KLR650 (used): 12 years and counting
2013 Honda CGL125 (new): 4 years
2014 Honda CB1100 (new): 2 years
2017 Honda CB1100 (new): 2 years and counting

Average # of years I own a bike so far: 28 years / 5 bikes = 5.6 years

Outliers: I owned a couple of Yamaha XS650s, but only for a few months, and I owned a Triumph Street Twin for a whole month. Not including these.

[Gone in 60]

Not as exotic but just got back from working two weeks in Tampa. Got some kind of bug on the flight home and now my wife and coworkers are keeping their distance.

The amount of time I keep a machine depends on how long I can employ it before it starts to annoy me. Either because it has aged to the point that parts availability becomes an issue or repairs start to increase to the point that eclipses enjoyment and practicality.

In terms of motorcycles my average is about eight years.

[Wisedrum]

Have no fixed plan for how long I will keep a motorbike. Things develope. My motorbike history looks like this from the point, I picked up motorbike riding again over 20 years ago:

Kawasaki 750 LTD Twin,10 years
Kawasaki W650, 4 years
Moto Guzzi California, 0,5 years
Honda VT1100 Shadow, 3 years

The ones that are keepers til now and for an unlimited future are:

Kawasaki W800, 9 years
Honda CB1100, 6 years
RE Bullet, 2,5 years

Don't want to change or sell one of the bikes as long as they run fine and don't develope into money graves.

Wisedrum

[zirconxi_imp]

Most of my bike I intent to keep for a long time.
My 1st bike, or some don't consider her a bike but a moped, Honda C100, I kept her for 20 years, runs about 230k km. Sold (still running as I sold her to my co-worker).
Kawasaki Ninja 650. 7 Years. clocked 120k km, Still riding around, no intention to let go yet.
Honda CB1100, 3 Years. 35k km, Still riding around, no intention to let go yet.
Plan to get another single cylinder scooter, a triple pots Triumph Tiger to my collection to complete my 1,2,3,4 cylinders collection, if only financially permit....

[jimgl3_imp]

sold my track bike and my adventure bike after 7 and 5 respectfully. will keep the CB and my Harley forever I expect

[teamvisegrip_imp]

I love the thought of this poll as I was in the process of writing another article for the VJMC Magazine that is an off shoot of this Poll.

But first I will stay on point here. I tend to Buy-and-Sell a lot of bikes looking for "Keeper Bikes" for my collection. I love the variety of riding so many different bikes in my life time. Some I will never sell, some I have regretted selling and others are on the chopping block you could say. For this Poll I will need to think for a bit before I answer with owning over 40 some bikes. LOL!

Now on to the other Poll or competition... who here has owned a bike for the longest time bought from the dealer new? I think this would be interesting. We can also add bought used and owned the longest too if you like.

In my article I have owned my 1986 Honda VFR 750 since new so that is 34 years. Owning a bike since new and having it become a vintage bike. Sometimes it even becomes a Classic desirable bike. I am hoping my VFR fits into this category. Its value has been on the rise.

My Brother-in-law has owned his 1972 Kawasaki S2 350 since new so that is 48 years. He has me beat hands down. His has become a true classic! LOL!

[Jfro5687_imp]

Trouble is I get so tempted by everything else out there (when it comes to m/cycles) and have very little self restraint. Luckily my wife is very understanding and doesn't even take any interest any more when something different arrives on the drive. Only here once though aren't we.......

[the Ferret]

Sitting hear trying to take my mind off the Corona virus thing--my wife just returned from Costa Rica, has sore throat, chills, slight fever; online doc says no need to test...yet.


I was looking at some 3-4 year old threads and saw lots of usernames that I don't see any more. I wonder if they've moved on from the CB1100. Which made me wonder how long riders own their motorcylces in general.

Question: What's the average number of years you have owned your motorcycles? If you have owned too many to recall, maybe just report on the last 5-7 bikes you've owned. Maybe discard bikes that you bought and then sold immediately after for whatever reason. Indicate bike and whether bought used or new.

My example:
2004 HD Sportster 1200 (new): 8 years
2007 Kawa KLR650 (used): 12 years and counting
2013 Honda CGL125 (new): 4 years
2014 Honda CB1100 (new): 2 years
2017 Honda CB1100 (new): 2 years and counting

Average # of years I own a bike so far: 28 years / 5 bikes = 5.6 years

Outliers: I owned a couple of Yamaha XS650s, but only for a few months, and I owned a Triumph Street Twin for a whole month. Not including these.

your Dr is an idiot IMO...out of country travel and all the symptoms.. get her tested! I hope she self quarantines.

I have been keeping motorcycles longer lately as I have found out what I really like. The CB has been with me since 2014. So 6 years. The FJR only 2, but it replaced the ST 1300 which I had since 2008.

[GoldOxide_imp]

Interesting poll.

Shortest: 6 months.
Longest: 8 years.

= = =

"Self Quarrantine" are the words of the season. Please be self-aware.

[Guth_imp]

Small sample size for me, lol.

1988 Honda Hawk GT (used): 11 years
2013 Honda CB1100 (new): 7 years (rounding up as I only have about 3 weeks to go)

Current average is 9 years. I highly doubt that I'll buy another motorcycle and I have no plans of selling the CB. So with a bit of good luck I expect to move into the More Than 10 Years category in a couple more years.
By the way pdedse, good distraction. I completely forgot to wish your wife a quick return to good health. As the ferret suggests, probably a good idea to test sooner rather than later. But do remember that this is the time of year that such symptoms are not completely out of the ordinary. Hang in there, the both of you