How many miles till the engines dies

[Thorag]

I know there is a similar thread started today, but I find this question more interesting. I know there are a lot of stuff influencing that, but you could name that to.

[jonathan180iq]

There isn't a set number of miles.

I mean, it all depends on the type of miles the bike produced.... Interstate or stop-n-go?
What kind of terrain? Hilly or flat?
What kind of maintenance? Strict or occasional?

Just like with a car, no two responses are ever going to be the same.

Under extreme conditions, small engines aren't going to last very long. You can prolong that life with good care and maintenance. But everything breaks down over time.

Also, when exactly a rebuild is needed is going to vary by person. If you're a stickler for clearances and things, then you'll do a rebuild much earlier than a guy who rides his leaking bike and keeps pouring in a quart of oil every single day just to keep it on the road.

It might be 25,000.... It might be 50,000.... It might 100,000. If you never did any maintenance at all, it could be as little as 8,000. Who know?

[Thorag]

The problem is that I don't have the money to buy new. So the I can't influence what the previous owner has done. I somehow can make sure he maintained it well, but I have no way of telling if he red-lined it all the time.

People who take the time to register for this forum are probably not the ones who neglect their bikes. But I heard of a couple who killed their engines, and I'd like to know how many miles they had and what they believed was the reason for the engine failure. I know this is kinda like asking how long a string is. But if 20 people tell me a string is between 15 and 20 meters, I am pretty confident that the string I end up with isn't 5 meters, even though that is still possible :)

[jonathan180iq]

I would love to feel like you could trust whoever was selling you the bike, but the sad truth is that you can't.
People sell all kinds of crap now-a-days.

The good news is that the GZ isn't the kind of bike to appeal to the first time, 17 year old, buyer who just can't wait to hop on the interstate with his Sportbike buddies and redline the crap out of it. Even at redline with the standard sprocket on this bike, it's only going go about 75-80mph.

Most people who purchse a GZ are either older, and they have experience under them, or they are ladies or middle-aged men who want to dabble in the art of motorcycling. The GZ was basically built for that purpose and it inspires great confidence in the new rider. That's why you so many buyers in that bracket.

So, you have a pretty good chance of the bike at least being in relatively good shape. It just depends on the seller. What kind of a person is her?

Look around the base of the exhaust pipes where the exit the header. You'll have some discoloration but you shouldn't have any soot coming out there. Also check and see if the airbox has been fiddled with. Check the main center seam that runs down the center of the case and see if it's seeping oil form there. Make sure the headlight gets a bit brighter as you rev the bike up and that's really all the major stuff that could be checked without taking it all apart. You'll know based on sound if the valves are whacked and you'll know by test ride if the clutch is shot. Everything else would be considered a minor fix anyway.

Keep us posted.

[Thorag]

Awesome reply, thank you! Even though it kinda hurts that I fall more in the middle aged men crowd then the hot-blooded teenager.

[minieggroll]

lol middle aged..... I'm 22..... does that count heh

[Water Warrior 2]

lol middle aged..... I'm 22..... does that count heh
Oh my, you could be the grandchild I never had..........................................Ack.. ......I've fallen and I can't get up.

[Thorag]

lol middle aged..... I'm 22..... does that count heh
I'm 31, so everyone in their twenties is basicly a toddler. You are hereby disqualified.

[Skunkhome]

I'd say 45 and under are youngsters.

[Water Warrior 2]

Yahoo, my liver spots are youngsters. :lol:

[jonathan180iq]

lol middle aged..... I'm 22..... does that count heh

There are exceptions, of course.

I'm 29 now and got the GZ when I was 24-25..... something like that. I've never owned anything larger than a 250cc and that's an anomaly too. But, as it is, stats don't lie. Most GZ owners are either older, first-time riders, or ladies.

[dentheman]

Does living my second childhood count as a youngster?

[jonathan180iq]

Totally does. ;)

[Water Warrior 2]

:2tup: :2tup:

[mrlmd1]

Where'd you get that? I need one!

[Water Warrior 2]

I have no idea. A gift from Lynda. I'll ask her soonest.

.................................................. .....................time lapse............................................. at the bike show.

[Skunkhome]

lol middle aged..... I'm 22..... does that count heh

There are exceptions, of course.

I'm 29 now and got the GZ when I was 24-25..... something like that. I've never owned anything larger than a 250cc and that's an anomaly too. But, as it is, stats don't lie. Most GZ owners are either older, first-time riders, or ladies.
Funny , my wife asked me a few weeks back in regards to my motorcycle. "Are you going through a midlife crisis?"
I laughed and answered " you're about twenty years late asking that question but thanks for the complement."

[5th_bike]

I once read a "rule of thumb" for motorcycles that said that the number of miles to be expected is about 100 times its displacement in cc. That would make 25,000 miles (all right.... 24,900) miles the reasonable life expectancy for our little GZs.

[Thorag]

I read that rule too, but it seemed too vague for me. On the other hand, I've always been told that 6 cylinder cars last longer then 4 cylinder cars. If there is at least a grain of truth in both, and if the latter rule transfers to motorbikes, I'm really going for a low milage bike.

[Water Warrior 2]

I read that rule too, but it seemed too vague for me. On the other hand, I've always been told that 6 cylinder cars last longer then 4 cylinder cars. If there is at least a grain of truth in both, and if the latter rule transfers to motorbikes, I'm really going for a low milage bike.
That is a vague rule from years gone by. Think of almost any Honda Civic built in the last 20 years and it can easily have 250,000 miles on the odo and still run factory fresh. My 1st Ford Ranger(1996) was a 4 cylinder with over 100,000 miles on it and ran like new with proper maintenance only. I replaced it because I got tired of looking at it.
The GZ could in all likelyhood easily go for 40/50 K with some care and attention and not asking it to do more than it's intended job of hauling your butt around at legal speeds.

[mrlmd1]

There are a number of members on the Honda PC800 forum with 200-300,000 on their bikes and one member on another forum I used to frequent with 2 Suzuki S50's with 75,000 on one when it got wrecked and 150,000 on the other which is still going strong. Mileage all depends on proper maintenance more than anything else.

[Water Warrior 2]

Another thing to factor in is the cooling system. The GZ is air cooled and like most other air cooled engines it is built with wider tolerances between part. This allows for more expansion and contraction of parts when heated and cooled. Liquid cooled engine are built with closer tolerances and generally will last longer. Their temp is regulated by a thermostat just like a car engine. Not to worry though, the GZ will cool just fine as is.

[blaine]

My G.Z had 46000 Km on it when I sold it.It still ran a strong as the day I bought it.It never had anything more than normal maintenance.As W.W stated a water cooled engine will last longer.My current 454 is water cooled and I expect to see 100 thousand Km before needing any major work.I know of several of these engines with over 100 thousand Km on them with no major problems.
:) :2tup:

[jonathan180iq]

I have a piece of crap China-bike, that is liquid cooled. And despite the best efforts of the previous owner (running the bike on the interstate without coolant and letting the oil get so low that it didn't even read on the dip stick) This thing is still running like a champ @ 16,000 under my tutelage. It's also a single cylinder, 250cc clone of the Honda Helix motor.

How it didn't explode into a fiery ball of cheap plastic I'll never know. But I fully intend for this hunk of junk to keep chugging at least into thr 25,000 range if I can help it. I want to see what it can do without ever splitting the case or even contemplating a rebuild. I have $1,000 invested in it. Why pour in the trouble and work until it is absolutely the only option left? Regular maintenance and a continuous check of fluid levels has kept her alive this long.

[bonehead]

Mine has 25,800 on it and still runs like a champ, but I did and still do change oil every 2500-3000 miles.

[cburgess594]

I think that depends on the capacity of the engine of your bike...

[Butternutz]

I think that depends on the capacity of the engine of your bike...




:??: what does that mean? :??:

[Water Warrior 2]

I think it relates to engine oil capacity. That is also a good point though. The smaller the oil capacity the sooner the oil may break down due to shear forces of the gears. That said, is the GZ a strong enough bike to break down oil in a short time? Probably not unless you abuse it. I think Suzuki figured out the capacity a long time ago and it seems to work. Regular service is all any bike needs unless it is ridden really hard or in extreme conditions. I may change oil early if I anticipate a trip with either bike or cage but if it will be a bit overdue at the end of the trip I don't get excited about it. Modern oils will last far longer than most owner manuals lead us to believe.