revtothelimit - motorbike forum

When you buy a fresh bike,how long do you usually plan to keep it?

Does how long your ownership lasts impact on which modifications you will fund?

Is there a cutoff point with cost of mods,for example would you spend 3k on wheels,or limit it to something like an aftermarket screen?

I tend to keep stuff fairly long term and over that period I wouldn't like to tot up what I spend on odds and ends,but so far I've never went big,such as spendy lightweight wheels. Once I'm happy with how it handles,then the rest is usually fluff.

Come change time,I know folk who strip off all the goodies and sell them separate from the bike,which is probably very sensible,but when the notion strikes me for change,I can't be bothered and sell it as it sits.

Then start again with the new bike.

Couchy need not reply to this thread.

I've traded one bike (scooter) in, I've sold one (CCM), the rest I rode until I killed them, Oh except one which I gave to the wife.

I had the Speed Triple for 13 years, and aside from fitting a sat nav didn't spend a penny on mods.
I'd had the Harley about a week before I dropped about a grand on stuff, but it's here for the long rode with a fairly straightforward path for mods (stage 2, stage 3, stage 4 etc.)
No mad rush, I'll get to them when I get to them.

Wasn’t going to do anything to the NC but put screen risers and an exhaust.
The Fireblade needed money spending on it from the off including bodywork and a new tyre.
I want a new exhaust but I want to tidy up electrics first and ride it

Usually only kept until the warranty ran out.

Never fitted tat or bling. Only changes were rear shock and a race can.

Usually, I’ll consider the screen, crash mushrooms, any fittings required for soft luggage and the tank bag, nitrous, etc.

Normally keep them until my attention span runs out on them, which, to be fair, is getting longer. My go to mods used to be race can and fuel correction, but now its more suspension improvement, albeit minor ones. I still like a louder can round London though, used to be for myopic pedestrians but now its for the mad cyclists.

I buy them intending to keep them, usually at the scratty end of the market. The bits that are replaced are either needing to be, or it's just my tinkering.

Generally i go in with the best of intentions, keeping bikes forever, but it doesn't really work like that. They're modified with whatever i think they need to make them work better, the XSR900 for example has a rear shock, front fork internals and a set of heated grips. They're just things that make it do what i want when i want. Making more noise isn't a priority though, that's all a bit 1990s for me. But i'm certainly not against spending cash to make things as good as i can.

Regarding prices of mods, well, really motorbikes are not my biggest interest taker these days, so i'm less inclined to spend £1000 on an upgraded part than i once would, but it's as much down to the fact i don't think the bike NEEDS that much on it too.

When I bought my 990 Superduke it was still a relatively new model. I was definitely guilty of putting "990 superduke" into ebay just to see what was available !

I ended up with GB racing 'crash kit', some rearset plates, reservoir covers (bought used, but ultimately they are just tat). Later on I bought a full akro and upgraded forks.

Sold it with all the bits still fitted.

I like to buy an old bike and fiddle with it, I'm not too worried what I spend on it as for me fiddling with it is part of the hobby and it tends to be more of a trickle spend, not so good at selling them and I seem to be amassing 30 to 40 year old Yamahas.

I buy intending to keep, and do tend to keep them for as long as possible.

Mods tend to be for practical, usable reasons now, rather than noise or +0.25% of performance.

Le_Fromage_Grande wrote: Wed Jun 23, 2021 9:20 am I like to buy an old bike and fiddle with it, I'm not too worried what I spend on it as for me fiddling with it is part of the hobby and it tends to be more of a trickle spend, not so good at selling them and I seem to be amassing 30 to 40 year old Yamahas.

I first read that as you have 30-40 old Yamahas.

Skub wrote: Wed Jun 23, 2021 11:21 am

Le_Fromage_Grande wrote: Wed Jun 23, 2021 9:20 am I like to buy an old bike and fiddle with it, I'm not too worried what I spend on it as for me fiddling with it is part of the hobby and it tends to be more of a trickle spend, not so good at selling them and I seem to be amassing 30 to 40 year old Yamahas.

I first read that as you have 30-40 old Yamahas.

Come back in a few years and I probably will have, I've got 2 complete Yamahas, one in bits, a YPVS frame, an FZ750 race engine and a load of other bits and pieces, and a 1982 Kawasaki that's got a Yamaha front end.

inewham wrote: Wed Jun 23, 2021 1:46 pm I mostly buy them and keep them forever, albeit many in a perpetual state of painfully slow rebuild

I'd love to do that,but lack of space and funds always kept me sensible.

inewham wrote: Wed Jun 23, 2021 2:14 pm t was easier to just buy a KH500 to play with, I need to finish that.

Yes,yes you do.

Or I'll give you a fiver for it now and solve all your problems,cos I'm that type of guy.

inewham wrote: Wed Jun 23, 2021 2:14 pm

Skub wrote: Wed Jun 23, 2021 2:01 pm

inewham wrote: Wed Jun 23, 2021 1:46 pm I mostly buy them and keep them forever, albeit many in a perpetual state of painfully slow rebuild

I'd love to do that,but lack of space and funds always kept me sensible.

My space and funds are limited. I've been forced to dismantle my LC350 to make space, the H1B is likely next

Part of the problem is registration, the H1B has been on the track and its like triggers broom I don't think the frame or engine numbers match the logbook any more, I still have the original frame but its been de-lugged and welded. I'd wind up with a Q plate.
It was easier to just buy a KH500 to play with, I need to finish that.

I think so long as you can prove what year it was manufactured and it hasn't been previously registered you should be able to get an age related plate - I don't think the DVLA ever bother with inspecting a bike to make sure most of it is from the year the frame was manufactured.

Skub wrote: Wed Jun 23, 2021 2:21 pm

inewham wrote: Wed Jun 23, 2021 2:14 pm t was easier to just buy a KH500 to play with, I need to finish that.

Yes,yes you do.

Or I'll give you a fiver for it now and solve all your problems,cos I'm that type of guy.

I'll go up to £10 if it can be posted.

Yorick wrote: Wed Jun 23, 2021 4:20 pm

Skub wrote: Wed Jun 23, 2021 2:21 pm

inewham wrote: Wed Jun 23, 2021 2:14 pm t was easier to just buy a KH500 to play with, I need to finish that.

Yes,yes you do.

Or I'll give you a fiver for it now and solve all your problems,cos I'm that type of guy.

I'll go up to £10 if it can be posted.

£15 and I'm out.

Skub wrote: Wed Jun 23, 2021 4:30 pm

Yorick wrote: Wed Jun 23, 2021 4:20 pm

Skub wrote: Wed Jun 23, 2021 2:21 pm

Yes,yes you do.

Or I'll give you a fiver for it now and solve all your problems,cos I'm that type of guy.

I'll go up to £10 if it can be posted.

£15 and I'm out.

I only get €15 a month spending money. And I have to pay the pool cleaner out of that.

I seem to more less borrow everything off of ebay for a while. Bikes, exhausts, other higher value bits.
If you buy stuff used in good nic, chances are you get back what you paid, plus or minus 10%. I've been moving the same lump of cash around for a decade or more. I don't do too many miles on anything and I look after it. Occassionally the bike fund takes a hit if I crash or buy a bike off a dealer.