Cost of Ownership
A few people have sent messages asking how much it has cost to run a bike to this sort of mileage.
Cost of bike secondhand (with 5,500 miles on the clock) £11,500
Servicing/Tyres/Shocks*/driveshaft (not warranty)/bevel drive etc to 144,000** miles £17,600
Motorrad Extended Warranty to 80,000 miles £1,000
*A set of Wilbers ESA at 80k miles, a revelation, possibly the best thing I bought.
**Why 144,000 miles – I just couldn’t bring myself to have the last service done, especially as I didn’t know where the bike was going to or whether it was going to be broken etc.
What is not included in the costs above are the warranty items replaced.
Whilst there are numerous threads on whether one should extend the warranty or not, my foot is well and truly in the extended warranty camp.
Items replaced under warranty include exhaust system, alternator, driveshaft, a couple of sets of rear shocks (until the 30k mark) and the rider information/dash amongst other knickknacks.
I have also found that with the warranty in place I have never had any issues with having work done, I have not had to justify anything to get a replacement. That said, I am a great customer (or so I think!), having the bike serviced at some point almost every 2-3 months.
To answer another contentious question…..what oil did I use? Other than what was put in by BMW at service time, which did change over the life of the bike, I have always stuck with the original Castrol Power 1 15W-50 4T.
Whilst it appears to be very expensive to own and run, costs could have been reduced with indy servicing or doing some of the work myself (I am actually a dab hand with spanners) but my commuting route takes me past Bahnstormers, Alton, so for me, they have provided a brilliant ride in ride out service, with loan bikes at every service, so I always had transport.
The other thing to bear in mind, for me, this is not a big boys luxury toy (Unlike my 500 EXC
) but my day to day transport. We only own one car, that my better half uses. I only have the bike, come rain or shine.
My thoughts are it’s not about the money, it’s a lifestyle choice. I love riding bikes, and in particular I love riding GS’s. Yes, occasionally I get to work, a bit wet and a bit cold, and people look at me as though I am mad, struggling to get out of waterproofs etc, and then trying to get my gear dry (Why don’t offices cater for bikers!) But, at the end of the day, I’m back on the bike with a big smile on my face, there’s nothing better!
Here’s looking to the next 150k on Bumble (my latest yellow 2010 Twin Cam, just bought in to service)
Hopefully the above provides some interest, thanks for reading, and safe riding
Dazlove