How Long Do Motorcycles Last? Maintenance Tips

How long can you expect a motorcycle to last? 25,000 miles? 100,000? 300,000?

Sure… perhaps… and why not?

To be frank, why some bikes are inherently more bullet-proof than others, any hope of hitting six figures on the odometer is more on you than the motorcycle.

If you take the necessary steps and are blessed with a bit of luck, you can make your bike effectively immortal. Here’s how it’s done:

Inspect

Inspect your bike with a brief walkaround before and after each ride. Check for leaks and see if you can spot (or sniff) anything amiss. And if you bone up on your basic maintenance skills, these inspections will go that much further. With enough time and disregard, a minor issue can transform into a significant and costly problem, so it’s best to stay on top of things.

Break-In and Warm-Up

Follow your bikes break-in instructions and continue to perform a proper warm-up routine with each ride even after the motorcycle is sufficiently broken in. Continue to perform seat-of-the-pants inspections when you ride, taking note of anything that feels off and follow up on it promptly.

Oil, Etc.

This one may be a no-brainer, but it doesn’t make it any less vital. Check your oil and other vital fluids regularly and change them based on recommended mileage/time intervals. Don’t be afraid to change them even earlier if you’re looking to extend the life of your machine, as short, infrequent rides can result in a short, hard life that might not accurately reflect the recommendations. In fact, some suggest that you change your oil each riding season regardless to ensure you have fresh lubrication while eliminating the possibility of losing track.

Battery 

Put your battery on a tender and check its voltage regularly to track its performance. Again, pay attention to your bike when starting to make sure the battery performance accurately reflects your voltage findings.

Tires

Inspect your tread as a part of the aforementioned pre-ride inspection. Proper inflation will extend tire life, but they’re going to need to be changed with regularity no matter what you do.

Obviously, worn tires need to be replaced, but even if they look new, that doesn’t guarantee that you’re good to go. Tires also suffer from chemical degradation over time, so a bike that’s just been sitting may not show visible signs of tire wear but still require replacement. Five years is a common rule of thumb.

Brakes

Monitor your brakes routinely as well. Keep an eye on your brake pads and swap them out when sufficiently worn. Change your brake fluid at the recommended intervals, and inspect your brake lines, looking for cracks or any other irregularities.

Proper Storage

Store your bike in a cool, dry place with a breathable cover to protect it from the sun and elements. A fuel stabilizer is also a good idea to prevent degradation for any extended rests between rides.

Ride Smart

Treat your bike right, and it’ll do the same for you. Don’t push it too hard when cold, and smooth technique is safer, faster, and better on your bike.

Taking this line of thinking to its natural extreme, nothing is going to shorten the life of your bike (or your body) quicker than a crash, so ride smart and defensively. Stay vigilant. 

Go Pro

While you can do a lot on your own, regular visits to a trusted and skilled mechanic will do wonders for your motorcycle’s longevity. Have it serviced regularly, and, again, if you’re shooting for 100k+, be both conservative and aggressive when mapping out a maintenance schedule, using your owner’s manual recommendations as an upper limit.

With that in mind, be prepared to open your wallet because there’s no getting around the expense required to keep your bike in tip-top shape.

But if it’s any consolation, it’s likely to be far more expensive to attempt to resurrect a neglected bike than keep a well-treated one running smoothly.