High mileage thumpers

[Smithy]

Started at 16 in 1974, never had a break, ride all year round and don't own a car. But please don't call me a biker, I'm a motorcyclist. Originally tattooists were called tattoers but changed their name to be more like artists. That's what we are; two-wheeled artists. Just saying.

Ian

[mthee]

"It's not a chopper baby, it's a motorcycle." With apologies to my old mucker, Quentin 😁

[timbo]

I totally agree with all the above, and, its not a competition What I was getting at more, was the kind of sudo bikers, who prance about the place, with attitude, thinking they're an extra out of Sons of Anarchy, but rarely ride their bike. But, at the end of the day, its, 'live and let live'. I have bikes sitting here, which I've yet to ride, ffs! However, my intention is to ride them. I bought a bike three days ago for £200. It'd been lying in my friends shed for a good few years, and he reckoned he'd never get round to it. So I now have it completely stripped for a full refurb, but yet I have bikes that have been sitting here for years, that I havent touched, so where's the logic in that?
Just reread your post Matt, and I reckon you hit the nail on the head. Its 'in your blood'. We jokingly refer to it here, as an 'illness' 

[Moto63]

I couldn't agree more Tim,
 it's defo not a competition mate, I was just genuinely shocked when said po leece man told me the figures of 1500 miles a year. I too also agree with wot Matt said about it being in ones blood, this is the longest period of time since I started riding back in 1979 that I've not ridden and after 15 months I av to say it's starting to get to me a bit now. I do find a certain kindda substitute in the garage messing/building bikes but it doesn't quite fill the void of not riding. Defo "in the blood" my arm is mending up nicely now so hopefully be "back in the saddle" (song in there somewhere) next summer ....cheers Michael
Ps.....nice selection of bikes you've had over the years Matt...ss50, that's wot I started out on in 79. Lime green 5 speed version...rock n roll

[mthee]

I totally agree with all the above, and, its not a competition

But credit where credit's due. There's folk on here I look up to 😀

..ss50, that's wot I started out on in 79. Lime green 5 speed version...rock n roll

Ha, ha! I had the much faster red one! Well, red's always faster, innit?!😁 Still got stuffed by all the fizzies tho'😣

[johnr]

i ride very little these days. back when i was young and working in a job that required me to commute in my own transport, i went on the bike every day, rain or shine. before we had a car, i commuted from home to take the mrs to work 2o miles away, drop her off and then go to my own work which was 5 miles from home but in the opposite direction, meaning that my daily commute was 90 miles, on a gt200 x5 suzuki, it was great fun and we did it rain or shine, and through the year, snow ice and sleet. i more than once got to work with almost frostbitten fingers that took an hour to thaw out before i could do any real work. since ive had a job involving a company van and silly mileages, ive no need to commute any more. my mrs however commutes to work on her bike every single working day and night of the year. she probably does more miles than me every year on her little 125.

[Moto63]

Ha, ha! I had the much faster red one! Well, red's always faster, innit?!😁 Still got stuffed by all the fizzies tho'😣

Yeah well I got an 80cc conversion on mine via my cousin who used to work at the local Honda dealership. Used to blow fizzes n AP50's off for fun....like I say.rock nroll .....eee, those were't daze eh

[Moto63]

Oh and as you've probably gathered I still can't figure out how to do the "quote thing" correctly ....not very rock n roll

[mthee]

Ha, ha! I had the much faster red one! Well, red's always faster, innit?!😁 Still got stuffed by all the fizzies tho'😣

Yeah well I got an 80cc conversion on mine via my cousin who used to work at the local Honda dealership. Used to blow fizzes n AP50's off for fun....like I say.rock nroll .....eee, those were't daze eh

Why am I not surprised?! 😂

[Rossco500]

Been riding bikes since 1986 and have averaged about 7000-8000 miles a year on a wide and varied range of bikes. Have to put my hands up and admit its been mostly leisure mileage rather than commuting. Was talking to someone recently with both a BMW R1200GS and a KTM (don't know the model) who's been riding 25-30,000 miles a year since he retired. He's been all over Europe and North Africa but I wonder if you actually get to see much of the country you're travelling through if clocking up that sort of mileage - I'm more of a plodder who likes to stop and have a look around me every now and again.

As for commuting on bikes, I spotted this Kawasaki W650 (I'm also a w650 fan!) on ebay a few years back - interesting to scroll down and read the description of his 103,000 miles, especially his comment at the start - hopefully the link works.


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/150589903734

[timbo]

Link works, and what a great read 

[Moto63]

Touching on what Matt mentioned in his earlier post and now what rossco mentioned about the varied bikes he's owned over the years I feel that a complete new thread shud be started , not wanting to hijack this thread , on the "bikes we've owed" ya know the ones that got away, the lemons etc....