What Is Considered As High Mileage For A Motorcycle?
Before we start talking about what is considered as high mileage for motorcycle, we need to understand what mileage means? Mileage is considered as the total number of miles motorcycle was running on a road.
However, there is one other concept of what mileage is in India. It refers to the amount of fuel consumption per mile. The irony of the matter is that it is not true. The earlier explained definition is considered to be the true one. Well, if you are asking this question then I assume that you are planning to buy your first motorcycle which is already used.
There is a common doubt among new motorcycle buyers that which number they should consider is the high mileage for their motorcycle. There is a stereotype that high mileage means the motorcycle is not in a condition to spend money on. However, I would like to draw your attention to the important thing. This is not the only criteria you should look into to determine whether you are buying a good motorcycle or not.
Just ask all the questions to yourself which are mentioned below and try to look for their satisfactory answers. Once you put all the information on the table, soon you will realize that high mileage does not mean bad condition and low mileage does not mean good condition.
- Was the owner of the motorcycle maintaining it well? Did he follow the manufacturer’s instruction manual for its maintenance?
- What kind of oil was being used? Was the owner changing the oil as instructed by the manufacture’s guide?
- What is the brand and model of the motorcycle? Which kind of bike is it, sports bike or cruiser bike?
- What is the engine of the motorcycle? What is the cooling system of it? Is it air-cooled, water-cooled or oil-cooled?
- What is the condition of the bike?
- How was the bike ridden in the past? How often was it being used?
I assume that these are too many questions and to end up with a good deal; you need to get adequate information. You can make that task little bit easier by getting all the information given below. It concerns all of the questions presented above.
What should you consider as high mileage for a motorcycle?
Photo Credit: http://www.bestbeginnermotorcycles.com/forums/topic/what-do-you-consider-high-mileage-on-a-bike/
Well, it is the very relative term. High mileage varies for a different type of bikes. If you are taking sports bike into account, then 25000 miles are good enough to consider as high mileage.
On the other hand, if you are thinking about the high mileage for cruiser bike then 50000 miles can be considered as high mileage. It all depends on the condition of the bike which determines the high mileage for a bike.
Have you checked out for the service record of bikes from the owner?
This is the very first thing you should do if you are planning to buy a used bike. It helps because it unveils all the information about how motorcycle was maintained in the past.
The only thing you have to check whether the owner had followed all the manufacturer’s instructions or not. How many services has he missed which was necessary?
Regular service keeps a bike new and well maintained. This is the vital parameter to be considered. If you get a bike which is well maintained then high mileage will not affect that much. That bike is still worth spending money on.
Adversely, if the bike has low mileage and now maintained well, then you are wasting your money on the wrong thing.
Which engines last longer comparatively?
There are mainly three types of engines regarding the cooling system. They are water cooled, oil cooled and air cooled. However, if you are looking for the one which can last for a long while then water cooled is a good deal. They are widely known for it.
How do riding habits of the owner play a paramount role?
High mileage is not the only factor which makes the bike vulnerable. If the motorcycle is not being used so often and just standing in the parking most of the times, then look out. These kinds of bikes are not worth taking a shot. They are already damaged in many terms like the corrosion in the engine.
Photo Credit: http://www.advpulse.com/adv-bikes/buying-a-used-motorcycle/
If the bike is regularly used and safely ridden on the roads, then high mileage should not be your concern. However, if the owner was riding it recklessly then even having low mileage does not make it a good bike.
Now, if you have finally figured out what to consider determining if the motorcycle is a good deal apart from high mileage then read more. Here are some great ideas you should consider to keep your high mileage bike new for a long period.
- Start your bike smoothly and do not speed up more than it requires specific gear.
- Do not miss any service as recommended in the maintenance
- Do not forget to check air filters.
- Inspect the final drive often and keep chains well lubricated and adjusted.
- Do use best motorcycle batteries in your bike to enhance the performance of your bike.
After going through all the information, you must have concluded that high mileage is not the only concern. It does not determine whether the motorcycle is in good condition or not. There are a plenty of other factors which affect and all are well reasoned above.
All you need to do is to observe them under scrutiny, and you will be good to go. You will surely end up with a great deal even if the bike is used earlier and it has high mileage. Moreover, now a day, nobody is unaware of the benefits of a motorcycle helmet. Therefore, with a new bike, please do not forget to buy the best helmet for your safety. Choose the right motorcycle for yourself and drive safe!
