Putting on the miles

[wfooshee]

Let's try a little math exercise. It's probably not statistically valid, includes estimates, doesn't include maintenance, etc....but intended to be illustrative of a simple point.
2008 with 3700 miles $9500, bought new about $13,500. That means those miles cost about $1.08 per mile.

2005 with 11,000 miles $7300, bought new for about $12,500. That's $0.47 per mile.

My 2005 with 92,000 miles, estimated value $4000, bought new for $12,500. That's $0.09 per mile.

Skooter's 2004 with 185,000 miles. He estimates value at $1500, bought new about $10,500. That's $0.05 per mile.

The point: Ride the piss out of it! The more you ride it the better value.

This math is exactly why the HD guys who are selling bikes with XXXX$$$$ "invested" work out to $2.50 and $3.00 a mile. They don't ride it enough, trying to keep the miles down/resale up.

And Scooter's is worth more than that - it's got a new starter!!!!

 

[Foxhuntr]

Don't know about the rest of you, but my experience with my ST1100 and FJR are the same in one respect: the more miles I put on, the more I love the bike. I'm already thinking ahead. When my '07 has 100,000+ miles on it, I'll just get one of the FJRs on Cycle Trader that are 3-4 years old and have 6,000 miles and then put 100k on that one.

 

[SkooterG]

Don't know about the rest of you, but my experience with my ST1100 and FJR are the same in one respect: the more miles I put on, the more I love the bike. I'm already thinking ahead. When my '07 has 100,000+ miles on it, I'll just get one of the FJRs on Cycle Trader that are 3-4 years old and have 6,000 miles and then put 100k on that one.

NO........when your 07 has 100k+, you just put another 100k on it.

 

[ynotride]

I had my last bike for 5 years bought it used with 3000 miles and only put 18,000 miles on it and sold it for what I paid for it. I have already put 14,000 miles on my FJR that I got back in March of 08 and have plans to add another 6000 next month.

I am never going to sell this bike. I plan to ride it until it falls apart :yahoo:

 

[wheatonFJR]

Don't know about the rest of you, but my experience with my ST1100 and FJR are the same in one respect: the more miles I put on, the more I love the bike. I'm already thinking ahead. When my '07 has 100,000+ miles on it, I'll just get one of the FJRs on Cycle Trader that are 3-4 years old and have 6,000 miles and then put 100k on that one.

NO........when your 07 has 100k+, you just put another 100k on it.

Jes make sure if you crash it that they don't total it...otherwise they take it away from you. Still want my original '04 back...

...I got another nice '04 which I plan on keeping until it dies or I do...whichever comes first.

 

[Fingerflicker]

To hell with resale value. I didn't buy it to sell it. I bought it to ride. I look down at the odometer and actually impress myself with the way it is climbing. when this one wears out I will just buy another. I am going to try my best to wear it out!

Amen Brother. Spent my hard earned dollars to buy it, you bet I'm gonna ride it!

 

[Big Sky]

Much wisdom on this board.

When we bought our camp trailer for $9,000, we used it six times the first year - it cost us $1,500 per useage - wow, that's expensive! But after eight years of use, it is now down to about $180 per use and has become justifiable economically. But to hell with using logic to justify our pleasures.

I bought my '03 in Feb. '03 with 1,300 miles and paid $9,000 cash. When I bought it, it was with 10 years ownership in mind (I rode my '83 CB 1100 F for 14 years). It was stolen in '05 and trashed and totalled by the insurance company. I bought it back as salvage and restored it, since I could think of no other bike I wanted to own in its place. Yup, salvage title, now with 52,000 miles, probably not worth maybe $3,000, but... $6,000 (net cost for seven seasons - $850/year to own) is a pretty damned good value in my book. When I get my 10 years in, that will drop to about $700/year. Of course, I'll probably keep riding it after 10 years. Just keep driving the unit cost (miles or years) down.

 

[mattster31]

Let's try a little math exercise. It's probably not statistically valid, includes estimates, [SIZE=14pt]doesn't include maintenance, etc.[/SIZE]...but intended to be illustrative of a simple point.
2008 with 3700 miles $9500, bought new about $13,500. That means those miles cost about $1.08 per mile.

2005 with 11,000 miles $7300, bought new for about $12,500. That's $0.47 per mile.

My 2005 with 92,000 miles, estimated value $4000, bought new for $12,500. That's $0.09 per mile.

Skooter's 2004 with 185,000 miles. He estimates value at $1500, bought new about $10,500. That's $0.05 per mile.

The point: Ride the piss out of it! The more you ride it the better value.

Did you factor in the cost of gas and maintenance???

 

[Ignacio]

I bolded and underlined in your post for you.

 

[canucklehead-biker]

Let's try a little math exercise. It's probably not statistically valid, includes estimates, doesn't include maintenance, etc....but intended to be illustrative of a simple point.
2008 with 3700 miles $9500, bought new about $13,500. That means those miles cost about $1.08 per mile.

2005 with 11,000 miles $7300, bought new for about $12,500. That's $0.47 per mile.

My 2005 with 92,000 miles, estimated value $4000, bought new for $12,500. That's $0.09 per mile.

Skooter's 2004 with 185,000 miles. He estimates value at $1500, bought new about $10,500. That's $0.05 per mile.

The point: Ride the piss out of it! The more you ride it the better value.

Once again I'm reminded of aviation... funny how often that happens in relation to the FJR...

Owning your own plane doesn't make sense UNLESS you "fly the piss out of it", to paraphrase Iggy. Fixed costs are the killers: insurance, loans, etc, and have to be factored in per mile... so the more you ride the lower the per mile cost. As for variables (fuel, maintenance), on the FJR they are are pretty damned reasonable, especially if you do a lot of the work yourself (this forum, FJRTech.com and others make that REALLY easy).

One homebuilt aircraft manufacturer (Van's) likes to talk about the "RV grin" in relation to their product. They are right... they make a product that is just plain FUN. Switching back to motorcycles, I honestly think that as a group, our community of FJR-addicted nutbars probably gets more smiles per mile than any other enthusiast group I've come across. Maybe this thoroughbred sport-touring bike brings out the best in us...

Like so may others, I plan on riding this bike LOTS and for a LONG TIME... and given how reliable they seem to be, I might be pretty long in the tooth and grey in the whatever I've got left in the hair department before that happens.

Ride on folks... the more miles the better

 

[Mcgyver74]

Did you factor in the cost of gas and maintenance???

I put that in the same line item as "Food" in my budget

 

[SHRuuM]

Are you guilty of MalNar (malignant narcissism)? Now that you mentioned it , why yes, yes I am, thanx for askin'.

 

[griffithds]

Let's try a little math exercise. It's probably not statistically valid, includes estimates, doesn't include maintenance, etc....but intended to be illustrative of a simple point.
2008 with 3700 miles $9500, bought new about $13,500. That means those miles cost about $1.08 per mile.

2005 with 11,000 miles $7300, bought new for about $12,500. That's $0.47 per mile.

My 2005 with 92,000 miles, estimated value $4000, bought new for $12,500. That's $0.09 per mile.

Skooter's 2004 with 185,000 miles. He estimates value at $1500, bought new about $10,500. That's $0.05 per mile.

The point: Ride the piss out of it! The more you ride it the better value.

I love it when someone actually uses facts to make a point! :thumbsup:

 

[Bellerophon]

Much wisdom on this board.When we bought our camp trailer for $9,000, we used it six times the first year - it cost us $1,500 per useage - wow, that's expensive! But after eight years of use, it is now down to about $180 per use and has become justifiable economically. But to hell with using logic to justify our pleasures.

I had the same problem with snowmobiles. Insurance alone was $300 per sled per year. We went about 6 times each winter, so it was $50 per ride just for insurance, let alone fuel maintenance and depreciation. If you've ever owned a snowmobile you know how much they depreciate. They are worth about half what you pay for them new after one season.

 

[For the Joy of Riding]

Nate,

Quit being a wuss and just ride the darn thing! :big_boss:

 

[mikepa]

Isn't that like dating a 20 year old "Super Model" and not doing her because you don't want to stretch it out? <_<

 

[Leskid]

Once again I'm reminded of aviation... funny how often that happens in relation to the FJR...

A former boss of mine, who is filthy stinking rich and who has many many toys, once gave me a piece of financial advice that comes to mind when I see canucklehards aviation remark.

"If it flies, floats or f**ks, you're better off renting it"

he is a smart man, lol

 

[Nate]

"If it flies, floats or f**ks, you're better off renting it"

lol

 

[Big Sky]

Once again I'm reminded of aviation... funny how often that happens in relation to the FJR...

A former boss of mine, who is filthy stinking rich and who has many many toys, once gave me a piece of financial advice that comes to mind when I see canucklehards aviation remark.

"If it flies, floats or f**ks, you're better off renting it"

he is a smart man, lol

Funny, I had a brilliant and very successful boss who told me the exact same thing. He was a pilot and owned a plane, owned a boat (lived on Flathead Lake) and had a beautiful wife and four kids. He is divorced, now. Don't know what happened to the boat or plane. He is/was also an avid motorcycle rider - mostly BMWs. He did not include bikes in the "rental" philosophy.

 

[Wee Willy]

To hell with resale value. I didn't buy it to sell it. I bought it to ride. I look down at the odometer and actually impress myself with the way it is climbing. when this one wears out I will just buy another. I am going to try my best to wear it out!

+1. If (when) I sell this thing, it will be what it will be. This is not a value proposition measured in $$. It's measured in f(un).

W2