How long should you keep a bike?

RPM68
Posts
1591
Joined
11/18/2006
Location
DFW, TX US
5/8/2021 6:42pm
25-30 hours maximizes resale value. Depending on your competing market...
2
9
RCMXracing
Posts
889
Joined
8/10/2011
Location
N., TX US
5/8/2021 7:13pm
I say ride your bike until something better comes along or a bike that you just WANT. Why tie yourself to a bike just because you did suspension or something?
1
crusher773
Posts
2009
Joined
12/23/2009
Location
Coweta, OK US
5/8/2021 8:11pm Edited Date/Time 5/8/2021 8:14pm
Back in the day every other year. $10k bikes means buy one, set it up and keep it forever. I'm still riding a 2011 KTM 350 SXF that has about 203 hours as of today. It has had 1 top end and that's it. The only way you get your value is to keep it longer. I'd love a new bike but a new bike is not going to make me $10k worth of faster. Manufacturers really screwed up when they raised the prices so much. I would have had 3 or 4 in 10 years if they were $5k OTD still.

You guys selling these things with 20-30 seems pointless to me you took that hit and lost the value. If I'm going to buy one that low hour it's going to be close enough in price to a new one that I'd just go new.
24
3
Broseph
Posts
1187
Joined
4/28/2018
Location
Stevenson, WA US
5/8/2021 8:24pm
Rickyisms wrote:
Paging Monk to drop his KTM 350 long term review in
Where’s our friendly Canadian offroad local pro when we need him?
4
1

The Shop

Paw Paw 271
Posts
3639
Joined
4/3/2013
Location
Benton, LA US
5/8/2021 9:13pm
Sell a good bike? Do people do that?
I have always felt I should hold on to them and keep them in my barn.

Paw Paw
11
LungButter
Posts
8684
Joined
1/9/2016
Location
Yellow Pine, ID US
5/8/2021 9:17pm
RPM68 wrote:
25-30 hours maximizes resale value. Depending on your competing market...
I rode 30 hours in 2021 before February was over. 🤣
11
MelonFan123
Posts
1548
Joined
8/20/2006
Location
Ventura/LA County, CA US
5/8/2021 9:34pm
JM485 wrote:
[img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2021/05/08/491868/s1200_0AD93A31_C399_498D_AE98_DA3D146DA36E.jpg[/img]

No shit........I ride off road, so maybe I’m just putting way higher hours on them than you moto guys. But, damn! 40 to 50 hours and...
No shit........I ride off road, so maybe I’m just putting way higher hours on them than you moto guys. But, damn! 40 to 50 hours and I’m barely getting a feel for a freshie
Ha! Same here. I ride almost exclusively off road, on a weekend camping trip I’ll put 10-15 hrs on my bike. Modern 4 strokes are amazingly reliable. Guys I ride with put 200+ hrs a year on their bikes with just basic maintenance
5
5/8/2021 10:43pm
RPM68 wrote:
25-30 hours maximizes resale value. Depending on your competing market...
Man that’s so little time. I guess there really is a lot of sitting around in motocross. Obviously do what you want but I’d be replacing a bike 2-3 times a year if I replaced them that quick.

I’ll put 25-30 hours on a bike in our yearly vacation. On race weekends (off-road) it is a minimum of 2.5hrs run time during the day (almost double that for enduros depending on transfer sections),
2
5/8/2021 11:51pm
Spudnut wrote:
Sell it while the market is high and enjoy your new steed
If you can find the right stead!
FreshTopEnd
Posts
13018
Joined
8/16/2006
Location
Sacramento, CA US
5/9/2021 8:50am
As long as you want it.
3
5/9/2021 9:16am
Razor85 wrote:
Interesting topic. Does anyone know how long manufactures are required to offer spare parts for a particular model year?
For ever, I bought parts for a 71 trail 70 4sp heal toe shifter, parts where in stock. My 04 cr125 I resently bought is tighter than a 90,s rm125 with 8 hrs on it. The 04 feels tight like a new bike, no reason to sell for 10 yrs. 04 chassis is better than any 2021, install a 250 or 500 engine and it’s still Great.
3
5
Wildeye511
Posts
772
Joined
10/1/2014
Location
Las Vegas, NV US
5/9/2021 3:59pm
If you are enjoying riding it, keep it until you get that desire that you really want a new one.
1
1
yz133rider
Posts
5033
Joined
8/1/2013
Location
Avondale, PA US
5/9/2021 4:03pm
Wildeye511 wrote:
If you are enjoying riding it, keep it until you get that desire that you really want a new one.
My problem is I get that feeling a month later. Different bikes are just fun.
5
sandtrack315
Posts
2823
Joined
7/19/2013
Location
Philadelphia, PA US
5/9/2021 4:12pm Edited Date/Time 5/9/2021 4:17pm
Really depends on a ton of variables. If you keep your bike mostly stock, it can be as cost effective to sell it and buy a new one instead of paying someone to rebuild it. If you have exhaust that won’t work on a new model and revalved suspension, it doesn’t make sense, financially.

It’s really just personal preference, how many hours you are comfortable between rebuilds (motor and suspension), how much you are willing to spend to make it easy, and how hard you are on bikes.

For me, that’s 50-60 hours. I have Enzo do the suspension at 30. I put in a clutch when it needs it. Good resale and I typically keep the bike 1 to 2 years, as I don’t ride a ton, so I’m not always swapping out bikes. At my age, I’ll leave the motor rebuilds to someone else and just start fresh. Note that I only ride motocross, and a lot of sand.
1
cloud41
Posts
277
Joined
8/28/2020
Location
Chicago, IL US
5/9/2021 4:22pm
28 year old vet A rider. I generally go 100 hours. By then, the wheels are generally trashed, and everything starts to loosen
4
xrmark
Posts
1123
Joined
9/9/2019
Location
Lake Elsinore, CA US
5/9/2021 5:02pm
I’ve had a 17crf 450r since 2017. I didn’t get to ride it as much as I liked in the beginning but have put 110 hours on it. Just oil, oil filter and air filters every other ride. One payment left on it and then plan to keep it and build it into an X and buy another bike. Sure it’s not the newest of the new but Honda still pumps them out so I feel okay about it
1
Nairb#70
Posts
3609
Joined
2/25/2020
Location
Ivoryton, CT US
5/9/2021 5:34pm
You should never sell a bike, just start a collection. Think of how cool it will be to look at them all when you're old and grey and everthing is electric. (Not a prediction, just a guess)
6
Johnny Ringo
Posts
7971
Joined
1/11/2016
Location
Tombstone, AZ US
5/9/2021 5:39pm
cloud41 wrote:
28 year old vet A rider. I generally go 100 hours. By then, the wheels are generally trashed, and everything starts to loosen
28 years old and riding vet? Hmmmm
20
Viewsonic
Posts
33
Joined
2/1/2012
Location
Mc Kean, PA US
5/10/2021 4:23am
Typically sell my bikes after 500 hours or 3 years whichever comes first. We ride off road, not a big deal to get 20 hours a week.
3
Mcflurry98
Posts
235
Joined
7/30/2020
Location
Canton, GA US
5/10/2021 5:07am
The question that you really need to ask yourself is what you value more. Time or money?

If you value money the most, then ride that bike as long as the frame is good. Just be prepared to have something break on the bike pretty regularly once you reach a certain point. Or be prepared for some long hours in the garage overhauling the bike every 75-100 hours.

If it's time, then sell once you get to the 80 hour range and buy a new one.

I personally value time more. I have 2 little kids and a wife that I'd rather spend time with when I'm not riding instead of wrenching in the garage until late at night. Everyone is different, though.
4
3
walleyeguy
Posts
463
Joined
5/9/2011
Location
Centerville, PA US
5/10/2021 5:11am
150 hours on my 17 FX350. Nothing touched. Can't justify close to $15,000 I'd have into replacing it with the upgrades. Run her till she pops.
5
PNWRider
Posts
474
Joined
1/31/2021
Location
Stanwood, WA US
5/10/2021 6:07am
If you really like it, keep it. Twice I’ve sold bikes I really loved (96 CR250, 07 CRF450-went to 97 CR250 and 09 Kx450 respectively) and immediately regretted doing so when I rode the new one.

All my others were generally buying something new, but not necessarily different.
2
Motox627!
Posts
747
Joined
5/16/2018
Location
P-ville, TX US
5/10/2021 6:21am
Anyone else worry a whole lot less about this before hour meters were a thing?
19
yz133rider
Posts
5033
Joined
8/1/2013
Location
Avondale, PA US
5/10/2021 6:27am
Motox627! wrote:
Anyone else worry a whole lot less about this before hour meters were a thing?
I also wonder how much it’s our minds getting to us. Some of these bikes look and feel damn near new with 80hours on them. And then you see guys at the track who clearly haven’t been bitten by this idea and you can tell there’s 3,4 maybe 500 hours on their bike and it still fires right up and they’re out there having fun same as you.
9
MPJC
Posts
2020
Joined
5/18/2017
Location
CA
Fantasy
5/10/2021 2:25pm
There are a lot of variables here. Two big ones: Can you rebuild an engine yourself or do you pay someone to do it? How fast are you? For me, the answer to the first is "no", and the answer to the second is "not very" So I don't want to put the money into a rebuild. But since I'm slow and easy on the bike, I can go quite a while without one. I sold my 250 sxf this spring with 105 hours. For a faster rider, that may be a lot, but I don't know if I ever touched the rev limiter on that bike. I always kept the oil fresh (4 - 5 hours) and the filter cleaned. But other than that, it was just wear items like tires, chains, sprockets, plus having the valves checked (they never moved). I would have put money into a top end and suspension service at minimum this year. Instead I sold it and my new TM should be arriving any day.
mtndoc_842
Posts
71
Joined
2/10/2019
Location
Cortez, CO US
5/10/2021 2:57pm
Pro/AA racing HS/enduros. I run two bikes at a time, for the first year a bike is a race bike then gets demoted to a practice bike for the next year. I usually trade my austrian 350s in with around 200hours on them, I never touch the motor, last one I never even looked at valves. I know many other pro’s with similar numbers and maintenance habits.
3
Titan1
Posts
9407
Joined
2/3/2010
Location
Lehi, UT US
5/10/2021 4:07pm
MPJC wrote:
There are a lot of variables here. Two big ones: Can you rebuild an engine yourself or do you pay someone to do it? How fast...
There are a lot of variables here. Two big ones: Can you rebuild an engine yourself or do you pay someone to do it? How fast are you? For me, the answer to the first is "no", and the answer to the second is "not very" So I don't want to put the money into a rebuild. But since I'm slow and easy on the bike, I can go quite a while without one. I sold my 250 sxf this spring with 105 hours. For a faster rider, that may be a lot, but I don't know if I ever touched the rev limiter on that bike. I always kept the oil fresh (4 - 5 hours) and the filter cleaned. But other than that, it was just wear items like tires, chains, sprockets, plus having the valves checked (they never moved). I would have put money into a top end and suspension service at minimum this year. Instead I sold it and my new TM should be arriving any day.
I would also add how much are you spending on modifications.

To spend thousands on suspension, exhaust, and other mods, economically, it just doesn't make sense to switch bikes as often since you can't recoup the price of the mods at resale....you'd be out thousands every time you switched bikes, so you'd have to keep them longer to "get your moneys worth".

But riding a bike stock, or mostly stock, getting a new bike every other year, or about 100 hours, or so makes more economic sense...because for about the price to pay a shop to do all the major maintenance (top end, valves, clutch, bearings, etc.) you could sell the old bike and take that cash and buy a new one...so why not buy a new one?

Again...that's from an economics perspective...I've got a buddy that buys a new bike every year-well about every 100 hours, which is about what he rides every year-(usually a KTM 350...he's on the Kalib Russel edition now)...buys a new bike, puts in a $1100 rekluse clutch, cone valves, trax shock, titanium exhaust, flex bars, gpr stabilizer, a ton of hard parts (armor), bibs, IMS tank, plus some fancy seat and few other things...and he looses that money every time he sells his bike. But for him, its not an economics decision (he has the money) he just doesn't like repairing bikes, and likes riding new ones, so he gets rid of them before they start to break.
1
1
TeamGreen
Posts
36605
Joined
11/25/2008
Location
Thru-out, CA US
5/10/2021 6:05pm
RPM68 wrote:
25-30 hours maximizes resale value. Depending on your competing market...
LungButter wrote:
I rode 30 hours in 2021 before February was over. 🤣
30 hours was almost enough to break-in, race a few Motos & then develop a good off-road package for The Rip to Cabo on my new “X”.

30 hours? Grinning
2
mirramaxx
Posts
921
Joined
12/15/2011
Location
NE US
5/10/2021 8:02pm
Bought my 08crf250 new in FEB 09, still going strong! Been a great bike !
5
Agent717
Posts
587
Joined
9/6/2009
Location
Cedar Park, TX US
5/10/2021 8:16pm
I always convince myself at about 35 hours to do a refresh to keep me interested and prevent me going all out for a new bike. Usually spend a bunch of money on suspension, graphics, chain/sprockets, piston/rings. Then I sell it at 40 anyway and make sure all that money I just put in it is properly wasted. Never learn from my mistakes. Repeat.
14

Post a reply to: How long should you keep a bike?

The Latest