What is your bike worth to you?

Had an interesting conflict of opinion arise during a conversation with a friend of mine over a beer after work:

To you, how important do you consider your bike?

Now I’ll fill in the precursor here in that I’m a race nerd and parts geek with an A&P card.

Be it a new bike from the dealer or a used FB Market special, I have a strict hourly routine with my bike.

Every 60 hours, I’ll take it down to frame and check everything over. Maybe do a compression check or inspect the cylinder walls.

Hey, costs nothing but time and gaskets right?

To me, I almost give it F1 like treatment. I like to keep it clean and always check things on it. I go by “buy once, cry once.” Build to your comfort/desire for how you feel works best, you do it right the first time without cheaping out and just maintain routinely.

Call it an obsessive compulsion to work on things, take pride in that work and you know… have nice shit you built, ride and take care of.

Now the other opinion - It’s just a dirt bike.

Let’s be honest, they aren’t exactly investments. Why ever do a build? Keep it stock, ride the piss out of it. If it breaks, fix it.

It’s not a ‘66 Chevy SS… it’s just a fucking dirt bike and you aren’t a pro rider.

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Was curious to hear thoughts and opinions on the topic. Are you prideful of you ride, or is it just another toy to you?

Now I base my argument that I’m too broke to get into aviation or car racing, so motocross satisfies my needs for building engines, throwing tools across the garage at the speed of Mach holy shit and the daily dose of leaded race gas.

For me, it’s an obsession. For some, it’s just a hobby.

Happy shreds, folks.