 do you agree
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Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 3,816
Freelance Jedi Knight
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OP
Freelance Jedi Knight
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 3,816 |
"the majority of motorcycles do not get that many miles on them. It's a relatively small percentage of owners (those of us who post here pretty much) who are absolutely nuts and put a lot of miles on. We do not represent the average owner, we tend to be the more dedicated enthusiast" not mine ...taken from another forum but I really like it  81000 miles on mine 
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Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,669
Learned Hand
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Learned Hand
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,669 |
You know Grzegorz, I was just thing of something similar. I was gonna ask for a sound off on this, such as length of ownership and miles. Myself had her 3 yrs 6 mo and shes at 27,328 miles all by me 'cept the first 2. I'd like to be to get more riding time but working 10 hrs M-F and 5 on Sat leaves little time, especially when I have a 6 year old son and my hot wife, both of whom I actually like spending time with.
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Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 3,937
Loquacious
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Loquacious
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 3,937 |
Quote:
I'd like to be to get more riding time but working 10 hrs M-F and 5 on Sat leaves little time, especially when I have a 6 year old son and my hot wife, both of whom I actually like spending time with.
Poor priorities! 
And you may see me tonight
With an illegal smile
J. Prine
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 7,643
Monkey Butt
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Monkey Butt
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 7,643 |
A bit hard for me to say as I started off in 2004 with the america, I put a lot of miles on it in 4 years then chucked it in for a new speedmaster in 2008. Then went back to a 2002 america and the the Thunderbird 1700 and now the Thunderbird sport. I suppose over the years I woud of put a few miles together. The america I have finally got everything I want for it and I will start to rebuild it.
Ray(UK)
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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 2,146
Oil Expert
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Oil Expert
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 2,146 |
I think that's true. My gosh, I seen seven year old bikes for sale with 800 miles on them.
I had a period a couple years back where I had neurosurgery on my back and, 2 weeks out of rehab, I broke my clavicle mountain biking. Went nearly a year without turning a wheel.
Today is a KLR day, though. Look out woodland creatures.
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Re: do you agree
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 23,225 Likes: 62
Fe Butt
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Fe Butt
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 23,225 Likes: 62 |
Last 2 years I haven't been able to ride as much since I took my daughter and grand kids in and have been working on the house all that and 11 hrs a day at work doesn't leave much time for riding.I was putting about 6,000 miles on a season more or less before that. This year I only managed about 1,500.
I learned all I need to know about life by killing smart people and eating their brains.
Eat right ,Exercise ,Stay fit, Die Anyway!
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 6,060 Likes: 6
Worn Saddle
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Worn Saddle
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 6,060 Likes: 6 |
Many years ago, I read in Cycle magazine that the average owner put 7,000 miles a year on their bike. I thought that was wrong, even with averages calculated, cause I rode every minute I could when I wasn't driving a car or working, and I put about 8 K on my one bike then. Now, I split the riding between three bikes, with a little more attention spent on the America, and then the "57", and some town riding on the Russky. I still managed to put 5 K on the America, though. But I have known many, MANY owners who put about 1000 miles a year on their bikes (honestly, H owners) and bragged about how much they rode. Around here, in my crowd, I cant' get one person to go on my ordinary 4-6 hundred mile "day trips". Everybody starts cryin after a hundred miles or so, so I almost always ride alone. BUT, I have a young cousin (age 14) who just got his first bike last summer, and I got a feelin that he'll want to go with me. He's a nice little dude, so that'll be cool. Only trouble is, he can only work part time with his schooling and boxing club, so I'll probably have to buy his gas. Still, cool.
Fidelis et Fortis
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Re: do you agree
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 23,225 Likes: 62
Fe Butt
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Fe Butt
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 23,225 Likes: 62 |
I ride alone here for the same reason, none of the people I know here will ride all day and that is what a 400 mile more or less ride takes with food stops and such.
I learned all I need to know about life by killing smart people and eating their brains.
Eat right ,Exercise ,Stay fit, Die Anyway!
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 12,164 Likes: 1
Should be Riding
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Should be Riding
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 12,164 Likes: 1 |
I'll have to agree, most of the people around here are nuts.  Right now I am only averaging about 5752 miles a year on my bike. The last couple of years, I just have not had the time or money to travel as much as I want.
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 395
Adjunct
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Adjunct
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 395 |
It's the quality of the miles not the numbers for numbers sake.
"Big" Jack Wilson
Mishawaka,IN.
2010 Thunderbird
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 6,681 Likes: 1
Bar Shake
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Bar Shake
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 6,681 Likes: 1 |
That's true Jack. Also it's the people you meet along the way.
"Catching a yellow jacket in your shirt at seventy miles per hour can double your vocabulary" Author unknown
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 7,694 Likes: 22
Monkey Butt
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Monkey Butt
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 7,694 Likes: 22 |
I am about 6k a year but travel about 6 months. Then again many of us have longer riding seasons.
Actually I thought the average nationally was about 3500 a year.
I try to aggravate one person a day. Today may be your day.
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 20,096 Likes: 2
Fe Butt
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Fe Butt
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 20,096 Likes: 2 |
Quote:
I'll have to agree, most of the people around here are nuts.
Well, to answer the question posed here, I think the amount of mileage racked up by an individual rider depends upon a number of different factors...among them are the age of the rider, the amount of "free time" the rider has at his or her disposal, the type(not necessarily the brand) of motorcycle the rider primarily uses(meaning: is the type of motorcycle geared toward long distance touring or not), and possibly the climate in which the rider lives.
(...oh, AND if the rider truly has motorcycling "in their blood", and didn't just purchase a motorcycle because "it's the latest cool thing to do")
Yep! Just like a good Single Malt Scotch, you might call me "an acquired taste" TOO.(among the many OTHER things you may care to call me, of course)
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Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 64
Member
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Member
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 64 |
I've never had trouble finding a bike with low miles, so I'd assume there are plenty of people who just don't ride them much. When I was looking at Americas this summer, one local was selling an 03 with 30k mi for 4,500$ and another was selling an 06 with 6k mi for the same price. I definitely see higher miles on cruisers than sport bikes though.
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 20,096 Likes: 2
Fe Butt
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Fe Butt
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 20,096 Likes: 2 |
Oh, btw...I've just thought of one more possible reason why some folks don't ride quite as much as other do.
And THAT would be if they have almost 17 THOUSAND freakin' POSTS on some website's message boards!!!
(...I mean, there ARE only 24 hours in a day, RIGHT?!)
Yep! Just like a good Single Malt Scotch, you might call me "an acquired taste" TOO.(among the many OTHER things you may care to call me, of course)
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Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 3,995 Likes: 10
Loquacious
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Loquacious
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 3,995 Likes: 10 |
That's where I'm at these days.
From the age of 17 until I was 21 I only owned a motorcycle,didn't even have a car licence so I rode every day,rain,hail or shine.
Nowadays my bike is for quality time.
Dinosaur.
"Oh Man I only ride 'em.I don't know what makes 'em work". Donald "Oddball" Sutherland
"Don't let the bastards get you down". Kris Kristofferson
"I am only paranoid because everyone is against me". Larry [Frank Burns] Linville
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Re: do you agree
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 23,225 Likes: 62
Fe Butt
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Fe Butt
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 23,225 Likes: 62 |
Quote:
That's where I'm at these days.
From the age of 17 until I was 21 I only owned a motorcycle,didn't even have a car licence so I rode every day,rain,hail or shine.
Nowadays my bike is for quality time.
+1 I had to ride no matter what to get to work so I would ride no matter the temperature, rain , snow, ice, sleet, hail, etc... Now I ride for enjoyment so if the weather is bad I don't ride. I have not had the money or time to ride like I normally do last couple years. No multi state rides like almost every other summer. Just didn't have the money to do it.
I learned all I need to know about life by killing smart people and eating their brains.
Eat right ,Exercise ,Stay fit, Die Anyway!
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Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 2,623 Likes: 2
Loquacious
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Loquacious
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 2,623 Likes: 2 |
Quote:
It's the quality of the miles not the numbers for numbers sake.
Agreed. 
In my first 7 years of riding I've got about 108,000 miles spread over a handful of machines.
We do almost 20,000 a year now and avoid the slab at all costs. It's the back roads for us.
We have met a lot of great folks and seen a lot of beautiful places in America along the way.
Ride often, ride hard, ride well and ride safe.
Kevin - Luceo Non Uro
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 6,060 Likes: 6
Worn Saddle
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Worn Saddle
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 6,060 Likes: 6 |
Quote:
Quote:
It's the quality of the miles not the numbers for numbers sake.
Agreed.
In my first 7 years of riding I've got about 108,000 miles spread over a handful of machines.
We do almost 20,000 a year now and avoid the slab at all costs. It's the back roads for us.
We have met a lot of great folks and seen a lot of beautiful places in America along the way.
Ride often, ride hard, ride well and ride safe.
Right on! Slab riding stinks. The biggest problem for me is that after riding the same 100 mile area for thirty years, I get tired of the same roads. So I have to ride for a couple of hours just to see some new sites. Still, all riding is good. I'd rather ride a day in the rain on the slab than work one day at work!
Fidelis et Fortis
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Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,393 Likes: 1
Second Wind
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Second Wind
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,393 Likes: 1 |
Some of us have a bike as primary transportation, like me.
I have no faith in human perfectability. I think that human exertion will have no appreciable effect upon humanity. Man is now only more active - not more happy - nor more wise, than he was 6000 years ago.
Edgar Allan Poe
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Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 2,623 Likes: 2
Loquacious
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Loquacious
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 2,623 Likes: 2 |
You make a good point about the difficulty in finding new and fun roads close to home. This is a challenge I enjoy and it always amazes me when I do find a previously unridden gem near home. That being said, we find our trips take us farther and farther out to explore new roads. It's all good on 2 wheels. 
Kevin - Luceo Non Uro
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 23,225 Likes: 62
Fe Butt
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Fe Butt
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 23,225 Likes: 62 |
I make it a rule to not come to back the same way I go.
I learned all I need to know about life by killing smart people and eating their brains.
Eat right ,Exercise ,Stay fit, Die Anyway!
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Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 348
Adjunct
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Adjunct
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 348 |
I always make it a point to get a fold out map when I get to a new place and I highlight what I ride over. Then by the end of my tour, it turns into a quest to highlight and I see a country that I normally would not. The goal is to have some wall art in my garage of the different countries I have rolled my Trumpet over once I get back home. 
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 2,420
Oil Expert
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Oil Expert
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 2,420 |
Hey!!!! It's Jack!!! How you doing, buddy? I hope your getting on OK with treatment. And you're right about the miles. Quality, not quantity. But since it was mentioned, I do at least 10,000 a year but I ride all year round as long as there isn't snow or ice on the streets.
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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 2,146
Oil Expert
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Oil Expert
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 2,146 |
Quote:
I ride alone here for the same reason, none of the people I know here will ride all day and that is what a 400 mile more or less ride takes with food stops and such.
I've gotten to be a hermit, I suppose. I ride alone or with Ruth. I'm not into being in a line of traffic, no matter what kind, and I don't want to learn about the riding peculiarities of strangers. Most of the people I know around here that ride want to get in line with a bunch of Harleys and ride all day at 5mph under the speed limit with 70 of their closest friends.
Pass.
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 23,225 Likes: 62
Fe Butt
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Fe Butt
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 23,225 Likes: 62 |
I like to ride with 4 or 5 guys or even me and 1 other person. Everyone I used to ride with is dead or in prison. We used to ride and not slow at all even though most were on Hardleys.
I learned all I need to know about life by killing smart people and eating their brains.
Eat right ,Exercise ,Stay fit, Die Anyway!
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Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 2,623 Likes: 2
Loquacious
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Loquacious
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 2,623 Likes: 2 |
Quote:
I've gotten to be a hermit, I suppose. I ride alone or with Ruth. I'm not into being in a line of traffic, no matter what kind, and I don't want to learn about the riding peculiarities of strangers. Most of the people I know around here that ride want to get in line with a bunch of Harleys and ride all day at 5mph under the speed limit with 70 of their closest friends.
Pass.
I'm with you Chet. There are a very select few folks we'll ride with any more. A "group" ride is right out and there's only one specific charity ride we'll do each year.
It's usually just me and the wife on the back. But that's how we like it.
Kevin - Luceo Non Uro
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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 2,146
Oil Expert
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Oil Expert
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 2,146 |
Ruthie has her own black on black Bonnie and we each have a KLR (She bought hers first and I took it out for a spin. Those things are so much fun).
To be perfectly honest she rides more than me as it's inconvenient for me to use my bike for work. Unless it's snowing or just pouring down rain she pretty much only rides one of her bikes to get around. She switches bikes every day so no feelings will get hurt. That being said, I have a 30 year head start on her.
I live in a log cabin in the mountains and my hot wife is all about motorcycles. I'm in man heaven.
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,240
Oil Expert
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Oil Expert
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,240 |
As this is my first and only motorcycle, I guess I took motorcycling seriously when I got it.
I managed to put 1000 miles on it the first month, 10K the first year, and I've just tried to maintain that pace, despite a couple months off after knee surgery one year, another couple off after back surgery last year...
I rolled over 89K last Friday before my pickup coil gave out on me in the Hill Country. I've had the bike 8 years this past June. I do not ride it to work, though I could, but the season is year-round here in S.E. Texas, and I do bank at an institution 30 miles from home...so I get to make that round-trip weekly to drop my wife's check in the nite-drop...some weeks, that's the only riding I get in.
Though I have done a better job lately of weaning myself off the Interstates, I still like and appreciate how well the SM handles the freeway at over-80 mph speeds, and she can cover long miles comfortably for hours on end when necessary.
A 8-10 hour day in the saddle is not unusual for me, but, there are not many who like putting those kinds of hours/miles/days in...so I do ride alone more often than not.
And finding the new gems in old familiar territory is always on my mind. I will take the longer route, if it means a few extra minutes in the saddle and fewer cages in my mirrors or in front of me on the road.
Simple goals. Ride whenever possible, wherever possible.
I might even just cash in my pickup for a 'Stitch and a new Trophey!
Keith
Houston
Ridin'Texas
'04 Speedmaster
AI removed, Pingle, UNI Filter, 1 shim, straight-through slash-cut TORs, Stage 1 DynaJet, 140 mains, 3 turns, 16/42 final drive, 115K
2020 T120 Black
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 395
Adjunct
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Adjunct
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 395 |
Thanks for asking Chris,I'm on my third chemo weekend.I'm going to ask the doc to up the poison as I'm tolerateing these doses no swet.
"Big" Jack Wilson
Mishawaka,IN.
2010 Thunderbird
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Joined: May 2011
Posts: 754
3/4 Throttle
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3/4 Throttle
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 754 |
Jack, good to hear from you, and my prayers for successful treatment abound for ya. I dunno...this year has been a pitched battle for me to ride or take the cage to work as my BA is just shy of 15K. the first year I had Black Beauty I ran on the order of 6K miles. Time available to just flat out roll has been limited, and between healing, repairs and work responsibilities this year. But for me the ride has never been about the miles, more along Jack's thinking it's the quality of the ride and the people ya meet along the way. I have to say after meeting a bunch of you fellow mems at the midwest rally I am glad to and proud to know each of you.
Karl
Odessa, MO
'07 America, Cinnamon Girl (aka: Black Beauty or Ol' Penny) - Sit Down, Shut Up & Hang On
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,382
Learned Hand
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Learned Hand
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,382 |
I got Elvira in '06 and am approaching 50K. Most of the riding is by myself. Like yall I find it difficult to find someone else who wants to leave at daylight and return at dark. But, that's ok... I go where I want, stop where I want and generally just relax.
'06 TBA - Black, AI and Snorkel removed, K&N Drop In, Gutted Stock Pipes, 145/42, 2 turns out.
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Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 413
Adjunct
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Adjunct
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As in most things I seem to be the odd one. I put about 4500 to 5K miles a year - but most of it is on commuting. The bike tends to sit on weekends as life intrudes. If I am lucky I get in one trip a year.
Still, I'm approaching 18K on the 08, with another 6K on the 08 VStar. I see these ads, "07... with 700 miles" - how the heck do you do that ?
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,174 Likes: 15
Learned Hand
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Learned Hand
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,174 Likes: 15 |
i would say that on my bikes I am at 8-10K miles per year. I do ride by myself for a lot of that, mostly because whenever possible I ride for work related travel and that racks up miles. I am not going to say they are all fun miles but I do try to find interesting routes to and from various plants and vendors. I do get some extra miles on from renting bikes at work locations that I fly to (which is fun) and some vendors that I work with have spare 'shop bikes' to ride (read HD sportsters).
If I lived in a less wintery climate probably I would ride a lot more.
you have got to love those low mileage, low cost bikes. Often the owners will include the practically new riding gear as well.
05 speedmaster - 1100cc, 11:1 racing pistons, Carillo rods, thunderbike cams, ported and polished head, 2mm over intake and exhaust valves, Barnett kevlar clutch, scepter pipes, oversize manifolds, 45mm HSR's, TTP stage 4 firestarter
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 3,467 Likes: 3
Loquacious
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Loquacious
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 3,467 Likes: 3 |
I have a set work schedule now, so I hate commuting by bike. Before I was constrained by the timeclock, I loved it, because I could take any detour I wanted and even fit in a lunch ride on occasion. Now it's just easier to hop in the car for the 30 minute trip.
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Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 407 Likes: 2
Adjunct
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Adjunct
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I would agree with the original thought.
I got back on a motorcycle for transportation. My car sits still most days. Commute and errands are much better on two wheels, unless cargo or weather pushes me to the car. Pleasure rides happen once in a while as well as the occasional 2 or 3 day trip. Had a very pleasurable run (~300 miles) in the Alabama country side earlier this week. Should have run the curvy 41 out of Monroeville sooner, lots of fun.
09 America, some modifications
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,152
Oil Expert
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Oil Expert
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,152 |
I think most motorcycles don't do more than 10,000 miles before they're put away or sold. It's amazing how many low mileage older bikes there are. I rode for 40 years off and on before I got my america and i don't think the total mileage i put on all those bikes would be as much as I've done on her.
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Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 10,730 Likes: 5
Should be Riding
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Should be Riding
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 10,730 Likes: 5 |
Quote:
I would agree with the original thought.
I got back on a motorcycle for transportation. My car sits still most days. Commute and errands are much better on two wheels, unless cargo or weather pushes me to the car. Pleasure rides happen once in a while as well as the occasional 2 or 3 day trip. Had a very pleasurable run (~300 miles) in the Alabama country side earlier this week. Should have run the curvy 41 out of Monroeville sooner, lots of fun.
Right now that is the primary use of my bike. I run my errands on the bike if I can, but a lot of the time I need to haul loads of whatever and the truck is just easier. But, at 12.5 mpg, I only drive the truck if I really have to.
Always remember to be yourself. Unless you suck. Then pretend to be someone else.
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Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 12,964
Stickman Yogi
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Stickman Yogi
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 12,964 |
There are a lot of bikes out there with low mileage. I picked up my '03 TBA in '09 with 2000 km on her. Now she has around 60,000 km so she's finally broken in!
Live to love, love to live.
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Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 499 Likes: 5
Adjunct
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Adjunct
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 499 Likes: 5 |
I seem to ride 6-7000 miles per year, if the last year and a half is any indication (no idea how much I rode "back in the day") - I don't generally commute on the bike - but I ride every other available second when I'm not with my kids.
...you're gonna feel a little pressure....
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