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(11-20-2015, 02:42 PM)kmoney_imp Wrote: I do 12-15kms a year on my bike. Almost entirely pleasure riding with an average of around 700kms per trip. I find it's easier to put big miles on the bike because it's actually fun to just ride to nowhere, something I'd never really do in my car. Getting ~54 MPG also always puts a huge smile on my face, as compared to my car (10 mpg city, 12 highway) it feels almost like it's free.
I never get the guys who put no miles on their bikes. I always talk to guys with Ducatis (not meaning to stereotype at all, it just stands out), or see them for sale, with like 3500kms on a 4 year old bike -- never understood that.
Ouch! You must be driving a big car.
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(11-20-2015, 06:01 PM)Flynrider_imp Wrote: (11-20-2015, 02:42 PM)kmoney_imp Wrote: I do 12-15kms a year on my bike. Almost entirely pleasure riding with an average of around 700kms per trip. I find it's easier to put big miles on the bike because it's actually fun to just ride to nowhere, something I'd never really do in my car. Getting ~54 MPG also always puts a huge smile on my face, as compared to my car (10 mpg city, 12 highway) it feels almost like it's free.
I never get the guys who put no miles on their bikes. I always talk to guys with Ducatis (not meaning to stereotype at all, it just stands out), or see them for sale, with like 3500kms on a 4 year old bike -- never understood that.
Ouch! You must be driving a big car.
Ouch! You must be driving a big car.
Lol. It's actually an SUV, an LX570. I think it's official rating is 14 combined, but it never comes close to that. Full-time 4wd, deep gearing, and the always thirsty Toyota 5.7.
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Never looked it up. Per year. When I lived in Minnesota and had a POS Pinto wagon, doing 12-15 thousand miles a year was duck soup. Now, with a wife, dogs, house and a pickup I actually like to drive - and three bikes - the miles just don't pile up.
The 2008 650L has under 2500. (bought new in 2010, spent at least a year on the blocks while I decided what to do about its' burnt up engine).
2013 CB has roughly 4400 miles (1K just recently put on when I took her to Death Valley), mostly a town bike.
2012 Griso has just over 10K miles but I've been able to take her on some road trips and to rally's. Typically it's my go to bike for road tripping. She is on the blocks waiting for the roller tappet conversion (flat tappets on the 8V motor are prone to failure so Guzzi has kits out to upgrade it).
Depending upon the year, I seem to average around 3K for all the bikes. I thought it was 4, math says otherwise. sigh..... Which logically means I spend way too much money on them for as little as I use them. 
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(11-23-2015, 05:29 AM)Rboe_imp Wrote: Never looked it up. Per year. When I lived in Minnesota and had a POS Pinto wagon, doing 12-15 thousand miles a year was duck soup. Now, with a wife, dogs, house and a pickup I actually like to drive - and three bikes - the miles just don't pile up.
The 2008 650L has under 2500. (bought new in 2010, spent at least a year on the blocks while I decided what to do about its' burnt up engine).
2013 CB has roughly 4400 miles (1K just recently put on when I took her to Death Valley), mostly a town bike.
2012 Griso has just over 10K miles but I've been able to take her on some road trips and to rally's. Typically it's my go to bike for road tripping. She is on the blocks waiting for the roller tappet conversion (flat tappets on the 8V motor are prone to failure so Guzzi has kits out to upgrade it).
Depending upon the year, I seem to average around 3K for all the bikes. I thought it was 4, math says otherwise. sigh..... Which logically means I spend way too much money on them for as little as I use them.
That's why I call it a hobby, if you don't count the money you spend on it
while you afford it. Still another hobby of the heart.
From May 2014 to November 2015 I drove 24.00km with the Honda, let's call it a well used hobby.
In addition to these kilometers I rode round about 10.000km
with the W800 in the same time. Only this less 'cause the CB was pretty new and
I really liked to get known to it. That meant, drive it, drive it and again...
I'll see, what the next long season, if the weather is fine I drive the whole year through,
is going to be like and which bike gets the more kilometers on its speedometer.
Wisedrum
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I know there are people who buy bikes just to own them, and not really ride them. My neighbor I mentioned is one of them. He loves owning a Harley. He freely admits he loves owning it more than riding it. He polishes it, he starts it once in awhile because I can hear it when he does (life saving pipes and all) and I understand that passion for him. His wife doesn't like him riding it, but she doesn't mind him owning it. For him the cost (cost of bike plus insurance) is justifiable.
The people I don't understand are the ones that buy with the intention of riding, but never do, Then they keep it for 4 or 5 years and turn around and take a bath on what is basically a brand new motorcycle. One would think they would know if they like to ride or not after a few months and sell while it still has most of it's value, not years later when it has lost most of it's value. For these people the cost (cost of bike plus insurance) is NOT justifiable.
I've often said motorcycles are not killed (worn out), they are more often neglected to death.
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I'm a fair weather rider. Not too hot, not too cold. Fortunately I live in Southern Utah with mild winters. I typically ride 40 to 50 miles four or five times a week. I'm retired so I can. My 2013 CB11 that I purchased in March of 2014 has 11,800 miles on it. So I guess I'm averaging about 7,000 to 8,000 miles per year as a casual rider. Right now it's 3:00 PM and it's about 60 degrees out. Think I'll take a ride through Snow Canyon and back.
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My story is I rode a bike year round for 3 years because I couldn't afford car insurance. So when I could afford car insurance and bought a car the bike sat for months. Why would I ride in the cold or rain when I did not have to. Cloudy days still depress me.
However I could not get the bike bug out of my system, so I always had to get the latest fastest bike. Then I got into touring bikes. Had to get the latest touring bike. Then they would improve the Goldwing or the Beemer so you got the latest one. Now you have a wife and kids so touring trips are few and far between. While you have the big tourers you gotta have a mid weight fun bike. I doubt if I've had a bike that went through two sets of tires. Now remember you need a pickup for chores and stuff, you need a commuter car for work. You always wanted a little two seater sports car, so you get one when the wife gets tired of climbing on and off the big tourer. It's the same thing you tell her. You love driving the two seater. The bikes sit. If I put 3,000 a year on a bike I'm doing good. I usually sell a bike by the time it needs tires and get the latest great break through bike that comes out. However I think the CB will stay around until I no longer can ride. The wife wants me to make the BMW into a trike. I'm resisting that, can't see the point. Now I have put 375,000 on a Toyota Corolla that was my commuter car, I kept it for 22 years. Best car I ever had.
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Topic drift, if she wants a trike, there are better choices than conversions. Some are kinda like bikes, some are more like cars (so why not just get a car!!?).
I used to be hot to get the latest and greatest computer; but that soured years ago. Mostly due to shock, but frankly, the "upgrade" came to diminished returns. Bikes are are a lot like that too. Major improvements occur over years, no yearly (typically). The CB brings improvements from the 1980-90's while giving you a very good bike to get off the merrigoround of constant upgrades. Few bikes offer that.
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(11-23-2015, 07:49 AM)The ferret_imp Wrote: I know there are people who buy bikes just to own them, and not really ride them. My neighbor I mentioned is one of them. He loves owning a Harley. He freely admits he loves owning it more than riding it. He polishes it, he starts it once in awhile because I can hear it when he does (life saving pipes and all) and I understand that passion for him. His wife doesn't like him riding it, but she doesn't mind him owning it. For him the cost (cost of bike plus insurance) is justifiable.
The people I don't understand are the ones that buy with the intention of riding, but never do, Then they keep it for 4 or 5 years and turn around and take a bath on what is basically a brand new motorcycle. One would think they would know if they like to ride or not after a few months and sell while it still has most of it's value, not years later when it has lost most of it's value. For these people the cost (cost of bike plus insurance) is NOT justifiable.
I've often said motorcycles are not killed (worn out), they are more often neglected to death.
That's actually sad. So much superior engineering...and so many bikes are bought and abandoned. Left in the driveway. Not ridden. Damp barns, or under tarps...not even broken in.
The top-tier Japanese manufacturers have products that rival Toyota cars and trucks for durability...if they only would just give them basic maintenance. Long time ago, when I had a BMW...while working in eastern South Dakota, and having business at the company offices in St. Paul...I had the GS to one of the Minneapolis BMW stores for periodic service.
While waiting, I was pacing outside...you can only sit still and read a cheap novel so long when the sun is shining, high summer and you have a day off. On the back dock was what was probably a trade-in...I forget what brand (not a Kawasaki) but it was a 125, a 1982 IIRC...1100 miles on the speedo.
Paint was sharp but there was rust. Including the exhaust, which had several big holes. All I could think of, was, what a waste.
Now, you all know I'm selling my CB. NOT from any dissatisfaction with the machine. And, Lord knows, not because I don't ride. I'm probably taking the Second Prize of the Mileage competition this year, with 12,800. Put all my layoff time to good use.
I'd love to keep it, but even riding as much as I do, I doubt I'd have it enough to really make it worth eating the depreciation; worth having to fight the elements and keep it sharp. I tell myself, perhaps if I'm better off in a few years, I might get another...but the reason I'm selling is, it's becoming a tad too heavy for me. And that precludes my continuing in my present work, too...income will take a dive as well.
But...whatever graces my carport...I ride. 
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(11-23-2015, 07:49 AM)The ferret_imp Wrote: I know there are people who buy bikes just to own them, and not really ride them. My neighbor I mentioned is one of them. He loves owning a Harley. He freely admits he loves owning it more than riding it. He polishes it, he starts it once in awhile because I can hear it when he does (life saving pipes and all) and I understand that passion for him. His wife doesn't like him riding it, but she doesn't mind him owning it. For him the cost (cost of bike plus insurance) is justifiable.
The people I don't understand are the ones that buy with the intention of riding, but never do, Then they keep it for 4 or 5 years and turn around and take a bath on what is basically a brand new motorcycle. One would think they would know if they like to ride or not after a few months and sell while it still has most of it's value, not years later when it has lost most of it's value. For these people the cost (cost of bike plus insurance) is NOT justifiable.
I've often said motorcycles are not killed (worn out), they are more often neglected to death. Yup. Some of these just make you scratch your head. I was at a car dealership the other day to look at a bike they had taken in on trade:
2013 Ducati 1199 Tricolore, 1100 kms, 5 year factory extended warranty (this is like $3500 in Canada), probably $1500 in rearsets, carbon fibre, etc... Being sold for $19k, so the dealer probably gave him/her 12-15 tops, on a bike that would have stickered out at ~$35k after taxes and was basically never used. Just blows my mind to waste money like that.
I guess these people are awesome in some ways though as they're a great source of sweet bikes at massively reduced cost.
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