Annual mileage - 15,000 too much?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Dave Hilts
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I was commuting (up until last month) 100 miles a day. Did 63k in three years. Depreciation is total (BMW dealer wont accept it as a part ex with over 60k on). I have been through 9 sets of tyres (at £167 a pair - not including the two fronts I have had to send back due to faults). Servicing has cost around £180 at 6k, 18k, 30k, 42k, and around £300 at 12k, 24k, 36, 48k, and over £500 at 60k.

And now I am facing bills for a clutch, final drive, possibly a gearbox rebuild....

Compared to my wifes car which would have cost less than £200 a time for the 5 services it would have needed, £400 for a set of tyres, but would have only needed the two sets. Her insurance is nearly half mine, petrol consumption slightly worse. And her car is still worth some 35-40% of what she paid for it new.

So cost wise, no comparison. I commuted by bike because it was the only way that was viable due to traffic conditions, but the hour a day saved has to be balanced against the very real risk of having to have a month (or more) of work due to injuries - I was hit three times in two years (though fortunately I managed to stay on the bike).

IMHO a GS is not an economic proposition for 15k per anum - you need to accept this, and be willing to pay the extra over a car for the convenience / fun whatever.

PS, commuting 100 miles a day (all but 6 on the M25) for two years dam near made me give up motorcycling completely (and I have had bikes as my sole form of transport for nearly 20 years).
 
finglonger said:

Because of motorcycle magazines and dealers expect Mr Bloggs to do 4k/year, anything more is frowned upon by them.
:beerjug:
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Interesting observation. When I traded a 1200 Bandit for my GS I was told that 14k miles was way too high for a 15 month old bike, despite it being serviced to the Suzuki standards and it was still under warranty. Also despite Suzuki saying that if "properly maintained" with regular oil/filter changes, the GSXR derived engines have a service life of 100k miles...... the amount of sucking in breathe and chin rubbing (By a well known BMW RiDE award winning dealership in southern england) had to be seen to be believed.

If you have seen the ad for a £99 a month harley V-Rod, the small print says that there's alimit of 6k a year.... how many will ever get to that? Despite being "unobtainable", my nearest HD dealer has 3 in stock with 52/03/53 plates all with less than 2k on them....

At the end of the day the dealers want their cake and eat it.
 
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Annual mileage - 15,000 too much?

kiwiAdventure said:
Now I never thought of that:beerjug:

Are you coming to NZ or not.
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Not on this trip Dean - but I will be coming one day...

Mike:beerjug:
 
DavidHolmes said:
I was commuting (up until last month) 100 miles a day. Did 63k in three years. Depreciation is total (BMW dealer wont accept it as a part ex with over 60k on).
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But surely you can sell it privately, probably for more than the trade in value would be?
 
Mouse said:
But surely you can sell it privately, probably for more than the trade in value would be?
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According to another club member at Lahinch this weekend, trying to sell a 60k plus GS privately is not that easy. Seems the buying public are as wary as the trade are.

And in fairness, whereas I would have had no quams about buying a 60k K series, I personally probably would not buy an R with that mileage.
 
Interesting ... I've always imagined (in my ignorance) that BMWs "go on forever" after having seen several 100-200k examples (boxer engines) at bike rallies etc.

Forgive me if this isn't the place to ask, but what's up with high mileage boxers? My Fazer has done 50k, and that's a cheap jap bike.
 
I don't think there is anything wrong with them. The fact is that most people have a psychological barrier when buying vehicles that have in excess of a certain mileage. Car dealers complain that it is almost impossible to sell cars that have reached 100,000 miles. There may be nothing wrong with them at all and will probably be capable of another 100,000. With bikes sounds like this barrier is at 60,000 miles.

I'm coming to the conclusion that I ought to use my bike once a week and sell it at 6 months old with just 2,000 miles. The other option is to run the thing into the ground. I prefer the latter but I get bored. I've never yet owned a vechicle for more than 2 years. Perhaps I will get to see 200,000 miles on the GS.

By the way, I found it hard to sell my 6 month old 125 with 8,600 miles when the trade told me the average annual mileage for such a bike is 1,500.
 
Well I'm about to use my 650CS as a trade in and the BM dealer reckons that a paltry 4k per year is the average mileage a bike does (mines just gone past 18k) and thus my bike ain't worth sh*t!! well, 2200ish, that and these probs with final drives, BMW uk saying first services are free but dealers doing what they like, poss engine recall (to be confirmed!!), I'm really starting to get cold feet. Hmmm, a nice cheap Honda CBR600 or something similar that won't matter if I do 9-14K a year as they start off cheap anyway!! Help guys, I'm losing faith!!
 
I sold my old GPZ900R 11 years ago with 75000 miles on the clock. It had needed an engine rebuild at 60000 (big end went), but I had all the receipts relating to that. I put it in Loot and I had my first call about it just after 8am the morning the ad appeared. By 10am, the first caller had seen it, been for a test ride, agreed a price, and gone to his building society to get a draft to pay for it. I had another 7-8 calls the same day enquiring.

I think its worth giving it a go and putting it up at a realistic price.

Bob

PS No dealers were interested in taking it as a part ex.
 
Not sure how much this helps, but I bought an RT with about 18K on the clock three years ago for £5,750. It's now over 52K and I reckon I'd get around £3K for it.

Not much out there that would rack up so many, mostly trouble free, miles for £1K a year in deprecation!

My daily commute is 85 miles and I simply couldn't do it in a car as it would double my journey time & public transport would add at least 50%.

At the moment it's an hour each way which I don't mind - in fact, I even look forward to it some days :D
 
I do 60 mile a day to work on A,B and Dual with a mile of M-Way.
Got my GS12 in May. Now has just over 8k on. I intend to keep it till it`s fooked (cue reliability gags:rolleyes:) so not really bothered about mileage. Like has been said it probably costs the same as a car to run those mileages BUT is heaps more fun en-route and you don`t get stuck in Q`s.
As for resale I really never believe all of this BM keep ther value garbage I`ve bought and sold a few bikes,cars and everyone was alleged to "hold its money" BALLS!! We just traded our lass`s GSXR6 for a 600 Hornet and they moaned at that even though it only had 3000 on after a year!!!!!

Just ride the GS when the fuel light comes on put petrol in,keep the oil topped up the tyres rubber side down and ENJOY. Thats why we all got `em:thumb2:thumb2:thumb2
 
lastcard said:
As for resale I really never believe all of this BM keep ther value garbage I`ve bought and sold a few bikes,cars and everyone was alleged to "hold its money" BALLS!!
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Depreciation on my 1200 from new to disposal at 2 years and 7000 miles was £1500.:clap
 
I think if you are worried about the cost, you already can't afford it!

The mileage is a pittance and you can service it yourself.

More about a lifestyle choice me thinks?
 
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