How long should you keep a bike?

mirramaxx
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mirramaxx 5/10/2021 8:02pm
5/10/2021 8:02pm
Bought my 08crf250 new in FEB 09, still going strong! Been a great bike !
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Agent717
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Agent717 5/10/2021 8:16pm
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.
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profeshenal125 5/10/2021 9:54pm
5/10/2021 9:54pm
Motox627! wrote:
Anyone else worry a whole lot less about this before hour meters were a thing?
I never thought of installing one. I own the bike, I ride it, maintain it. I can feel when it needs a piston. Change trans oil every ride. It’s a cr125 there very durable.
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Motodave15
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Motodave15 5/10/2021 10:22pm
5/10/2021 10:22pm
In all honesty, I deadass want to put 300 hours on my moto husky... so right now I'm at 75.9 on my 18.5

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NacNac721
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NacNac721 5/10/2021 10:47pm
5/10/2021 10:47pm
Agent717 wrote:
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...
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.
I thought I was the only one…
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wildbill
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wildbill 5/10/2021 11:36pm
5/10/2021 11:36pm
Once that frame's stretched...
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Monk
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Monk 5/11/2021 4:51am
5/11/2021 4:51am
Rickyisms wrote:
Paging Monk to drop his KTM 350 long term review in
Lol, 700hrs on a stock 16 350xcf... Maybe due for a rebuild? 😂😂🤔🤔
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kb228
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kb228 5/11/2021 8:05am
5/11/2021 8:05am
RPM68 wrote:
25-30 hours maximizes resale value. Depending on your competing market...
Thats not even broken in yo
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MPJC
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MPJC 5/11/2021 8:13am
5/11/2021 8:13am
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.
Titan1 wrote:
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...
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.
I basically keep mine stock. I did buy AER forks for my 16 SXF but then sold the stock forks. I also added a steering stabilizer, which I took off before selling. But if I had a lot invested in the bike in mods, that definitely would be a reason in favor of keeping the bike.
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Brent_Apodaca 5/11/2021 8:31am
5/11/2021 8:31am
RPM68 wrote:
25-30 hours maximizes resale value. Depending on your competing market...
b_kowalsk wrote:
This would mean getting 3 new bikes every year which seems a little excessive to me.
Especially in this market. I was lucky to find 1 YZ 250 in my state. I cannot imagine finding 3 brand new bikes and having to sell the other 2.
Rickyisms
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Rickyisms 5/11/2021 8:40am
5/11/2021 8:40am
Rickyisms wrote:
Paging Monk to drop his KTM 350 long term review in
Monk wrote:
Lol, 700hrs on a stock 16 350xcf... Maybe due for a rebuild? 😂😂🤔🤔
Please keep us updated if/when that thing pops! I've been following you on TT for many years now regarding that bike.
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Monk
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Monk 5/11/2021 9:36am
5/11/2021 9:36am
Rickyisms wrote:
Paging Monk to drop his KTM 350 long term review in
Monk wrote:
Lol, 700hrs on a stock 16 350xcf... Maybe due for a rebuild? 😂😂🤔🤔
Rickyisms wrote:
Please keep us updated if/when that thing pops! I've been following you on TT for many years now regarding that bike.
My wife moto'ed it Sunday for a couple hours... Still trying to figure out how she broke a lever with full wrap handguards? 😳
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DynoDan22
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DynoDan22 5/11/2021 2:41pm
5/11/2021 2:41pm
KTM needs to buy Monk's 700hr 350 back and place it in the lobby. Haha. That's unreal.
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LungButter
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LungButter 5/11/2021 3:00pm
5/11/2021 3:00pm
DynoDan22 wrote:
KTM needs to buy Monk's 700hr 350 back and place it in the lobby. Haha. That's unreal.
They'd prefer the story doesn't get out so people keep buying new ones.

There is a guy who rode a 500EXC around the world, up and down all over the place. Thousands and thousands of miles and hundreds of hours on a very stock bike. He documented it well and grew quite the following. KTM basically wanted to nothing to do with him Laughing
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27thmx
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27thmx 5/25/2022 11:22am
5/25/2022 11:22am
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. 🤣
Same lol
Dirty Points 5/25/2022 11:37am
5/25/2022 11:37am
As long as you like it. But not so long that you have thoughts of, "I should get rid of it but..."
Falcon
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Falcon 5/25/2022 11:39am
5/25/2022 11:39am
SmokinJoe439 wrote:
I kept my 06 yz125 and yz250 for 15 years. They both had 300+ hours only had to rebuild them top to bottom engine wise once...
I kept my 06 yz125 and yz250 for 15 years. They both had 300+ hours only had to rebuild them top to bottom engine wise once. And when I sold them they were still going strong.
I still have my '06 YZ250. Doing a top end on it now; still haven't touched the bottom. The thing just won't give up. I don't have an hour meter on it, but I'd guess it's in the 300 hour range, which means it's probably more. Grinning


Although the engine is still pretty strong, the rest of that bike is HAMMERED. There are lots of little things I could fix.
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Dirty Points 5/25/2022 11:56am
5/25/2022 11:56am
SmokinJoe439 wrote:
I kept my 06 yz125 and yz250 for 15 years. They both had 300+ hours only had to rebuild them top to bottom engine wise once...
I kept my 06 yz125 and yz250 for 15 years. They both had 300+ hours only had to rebuild them top to bottom engine wise once. And when I sold them they were still going strong.
Falcon wrote:
I still have my '06 YZ250. Doing a top end on it now; still haven't touched the bottom. The thing just won't give up. I don't...
I still have my '06 YZ250. Doing a top end on it now; still haven't touched the bottom. The thing just won't give up. I don't have an hour meter on it, but I'd guess it's in the 300 hour range, which means it's probably more. Grinning


Although the engine is still pretty strong, the rest of that bike is HAMMERED. There are lots of little things I could fix.
If ever you are looking at everything it needs and are like: "Well I could get a parts bike for less than that..."

It's time to cash in those chips.
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hubbardmx50
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hubbardmx50 5/25/2022 12:03pm
5/25/2022 12:03pm
Selling bikes at 50hrs because you don't want the hassle? That's cute. Do you think if I run this piston to 300 it'll be fine? If it starts and has power why do a rebuild?
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Dirtdemon 5/25/2022 12:15pm
5/25/2022 12:15pm
Motox627! wrote:
Anyone else worry a whole lot less about this before hour meters were a thing?
KTM made a smart move, with an hourmeter.
Im 46, back in the day we talked yearmodel and not hours.
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SmokinJoe439 5/25/2022 12:24pm
5/25/2022 12:24pm
I kept my 06 yz125 and yz250 for 15 years. Had like 250+ hours on the 125 the 250 had over 300 on the 250. I did rebuild them both once.
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Dirty Points 5/25/2022 12:32pm
5/25/2022 12:32pm
SmokinJoe439 wrote:
I kept my 06 yz125 and yz250 for 15 years. Had like 250+ hours on the 125 the 250 had over 300 on the 250. I...
I kept my 06 yz125 and yz250 for 15 years. Had like 250+ hours on the 125 the 250 had over 300 on the 250. I did rebuild them both once.
The motors can do that, but you still deal with just plain 'ol clapped out shit every ride.It gets exhausting.
Hudd_421
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Hudd_421 5/25/2022 1:01pm
5/25/2022 1:01pm
My strategy is as follows:

Buy new bike (say 11k) financed at 3 years
Ride for about 100-120 hours - generally takes a year and a half
Sell bike for around 5-6k which is usually close to the remaining balance

I just accept the fact that I'm going to have a $250 payment in perpetuity. I'll never pay off a bike before I put too many hours on it.

I'm a local 25/30+ A rider, so I need to do pistons every 50-60 hours, but by selling at 100 hours I can get away without touching the crank

I know vet B/C riders who put in 3rd gear with 100+hours and the stock clutch plates are perfect, pike doesn't need a piston/crank. So it really depends on how fast you are. KTMs come with superior internals, so you can get away with 200+ hours on a crank easy.
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Leeham
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Leeham 5/25/2022 1:07pm
5/25/2022 1:07pm
Brothers 19 YZ250F has over a 100 hours. Piston at 70 hours. Honestly a waste of money to do it lmao. Piston looked good. Cylinder looked great. Valve seals replaced last weekend. Seats look immaculate. Other than the occasional problem, don't know how people blow these things up. Previous owner was a AA woods racer put 60 hours on it. Bike lost coolant once for 5 or so minutes and another time lost oil for 3-5 minutes.

Long story short, todays machines are pretty solid. You can run them for a LONG time with good maint.
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mbw479
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mbw479 5/25/2022 1:15pm
5/25/2022 1:15pm
Michael_Stanley wrote:
I currently have a 2019 Ktm 350 sxf. I like to sell a bike a before it loses too much value and get a new one...
I currently have a 2019 Ktm 350 sxf. I like to sell a bike a before it loses too much value and get a new one. However I have 65 hours currently on my bike and thinking about getting suspension done. If I did that I’d keep the bike for the years to come, doing the occasional rebuild on the motor, and other major maintenance intervals that come with owning a higher hour bike. I’ve never owned a bike past 70 hours so just getting everyone’s opinion on the matter.
How much are you willing to lose?

If you buy a new bike and sell it 1 year later with 100 hours for $3000 less than you paid for it, that has cost you 3000/100 = $30 per hour

At 20hrs 3000/20 = $150 per hour

I sold my last 2 Huskys with 120hrs, and never had an issue with either.
Moto Nomad
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Moto Nomad 5/25/2022 1:43pm
5/25/2022 1:43pm
I've had my RM250 for 17 years and it runs great, but I don't ride or race that much anymore. In that time, an RMZ450 came and went.
Supermega1
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Supermega1 5/25/2022 2:08pm
5/25/2022 2:08pm
rohleder644 wrote:
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
Offroad guy here. I am at 10 years, 600+ hours, and I've been averaging 1000-2000 miles a year for the last few years. Just did my first piston and a new cylinder back in January.

I should probably go on the ever 5 year interval for pistons though.

She's paid off and isn't falling apart so might as well just keep her going.
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mattyhamz2
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mattyhamz2 5/25/2022 3:27pm
5/25/2022 3:27pm
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
Johnny Ringo wrote:
28 years old and riding vet? Hmmmm
25+ Jr Vet

Over The Hill Gang 30+ is Age 28-38.
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karsmakers
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karsmakers 5/25/2022 4:49pm
5/25/2022 4:49pm
Until your wife threatens to leave you three times. Usually the forth time she really means it!
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