Motorbike Running costs????

[coolmodee01]

hi all

after writing up a post in the is it worth thread i thought i would make a thread directly relating to the running costs subject

so get your calculator out and add it up be prepared and keep this thread hidden from the missus

so i worked it out to include the following
Cost of bike - obvious
Fuel - i worked on the fact that i ride at least 40 weeks of the year
Oil - i do a change every second ride depending on how big of a ride
Replacement parts and spare parts including bling thump

remember travel expense and all the rest goes on top of that but we will leave it at the bike for now

here's mine

ciniworx pro 150ms
bike cost $3300
i've spent $2500 in 12 months
broken down a bit there's a complete set of spare rims complete $440 top and bottom end rebuild cost me $500 and there a set of tapers there $150 just cause i didn't like the bend on the spp bars

it's probably more i reckon i've gone through a couple of chains 2 rear sprockets fork seals

ciniworx cxf90
bike cost $1000
spent since june this year $350
mostly spent on bling and plastics and a set of pro tapers oil and fuel

plus the travel and entry fee's and a race license
then my gear is worth about $1400 that's including $900 worth of knee braces

it certainly adds up

so share the pain my friends


p.s i should say i get looked after on prices so if i had to pay retail for it all you could near double my spend.... ouch

 

[thump*140]

Replacement parts and spare parts including bling thump


ciniworx cxf90
bike cost $1000
spent since june this year $350
mostly spent on bling and plastics and a set of pro tapers oil and fuel

....and you point your finger at ME???? ha ha hah a...

Great post this one, should sticky it for the people who come on here asking what bike should they buy with their $5 pocket money...

hmm, gives me an idea for another one...
Should sticky this in How-to/Bike-setup as well..

just a thought.

 

[coolmodee01]

go for it mate sticky away

yeah i like the bling to (yellow is not my colour)

carn thump get your calculator out it would be interesting to compare the running costs of the 4fif to the high end pitty's

 

[DvDRip]

I don't keep track of my spending, but In the last year I'd say I've spent about $2k+ maybe $3k not including the bike but including fuel/oil/getting to the ride spot.

it's all worth it, but If I had spent that 2k on getting a decent bike instead of a POS pitpro that needs pretty much every component upgraded I reckon I'd be looking at under $1k to keep riding for a year

 

[coolmodee01]

work it out man as best ya can mention the bike and some of the bigger dollar items you have bought

 

[thump*140]

Mate you'll like this. I'm sure many people will yell *cough cough bull**** cough cough*, but here are the running costs for my 99 YZF400...
Keep in mind, i did two full race seasons on this bike, and when i was racing, i practised 5 days out of 7, and raced on the sundays... This bike literally has hundreds of hours on it. It's still a 1-kick starter, and still trounces my 4fif in a straight line...
I bought it new in January 2000... Tax exempt... $6400. ( I KNOW!!!!)
I have spent the following on it.
chains and sprockets: $400
Tyres: (rears only - still on original front tyre) $750
Top-end rebuild: Free with spares kit. Did spanner work myself.
Pro-tapers: $120
Fork and shock revalve: $320
Spark plugs: $50-60 (gay throttle pumps and ******** scrutineers that have to twist your throttle)
Ringmasters graphics kit and black plastics: $200
Water pump impeller: $50
Rear linkage bearing kit: $60
Couldnt put a figure on the fuel bill.. we're talking ten years of ownership and riding here.

So, this bike has cost me $8360 including purchase and repairs/parts...

Clearly this doesnt take into account racing-related costs, travel, fuel, licenses or fuel etc, but it is the total of the purchase and repairs on the bike.
OVER TEN YEARS OF OWNERSHIP.... and it is still a reliable bike, that still manages to scare the bejesus out of me from time to time, and it has done a squillion hours...

pretty good really, and yes, i understand you cant buy an open class MX bike for six and half grand tax exempt anymore... but look at the running costs/replacement parts...

so if you think running a mini would cost less, i've easily spent a similar amount of money on the bling-40, in ONE YEAR of ownership... Not including fuel, oils, travel etc... purely on the build, tuning, tinkering, new or different parts, replacement parts, tyres chains etc... i'd say confidently i've spent $6500 on the Bling40 since i started building it in August 08... so lets say the Bling40 is still running in ten years time... average running costs per year maybe 2 1/2 -3k?? there's $30k there...

 

[DvDRip]

ok $1300 for the bike.
$100 on engine oil
$120 on non-engine oils and c leaning products
$30 on busted tube and fitting
$60 on fuel for the bike
$300 on fuel getting to ride spots
$50 on locktight
$30 replacing dud bolts
$120 on maintenance tools
$90 on engine parts
$20 bash plate
$400 on new motor after I killed the stocker
$230 on decent rims, stockers folded like cheese
$120 on bars and 2 sets of grips
$15 repacking exhaust
$25 on gaskets

now these bits are just upgrades that weren't 110% necessary
$300 on decent forks, the USD's on pitpro, DHZ etc are rubbish for jumping
$130 on carby upgrade
$70 1/4 throttle
$80 on plastics graphics
$90 brake pedal
$15 on kick lever

=$3695

there's alot more than that but that's what comes to mind without sitting here all night thinking about it

and I need new tires and rear brake pads now so that's another $120 i'll be spending soon

 

[coolmodee01]

hurts dont it

the fuel you put through the 400 in a year and oil change every 20 hours???? carn have a guess per race season even.....

dvd rip thinking about it now should you have saved up ya coin for a while longer and bought a better quality bike straight up??

 

[DvDRip]

hurts dont it

the fuel you put through the 400 in a year and oil change every 20 hours???? carn have a guess per race season even.....

dvd rip thinking about it now should you have saved up ya coin for a while longer and bought a better quality bike straight up??

yes it would have saved a LOT of shed time and been easier on the wallet, I spent $1300 on a bike that is very needy and unforgiving, I think If I spent $2500 on a decent ride I'd be about $1k - $1.5k ahead by now.

BUT... with everything breaking and going wrong I've been forced to learn ALOT about these bikes, I can completely pull a pitbike to pieces in 30mins and confidently tear down and rebuild an engine, plus tuning knowledge etc.... What I've learnt working on this bike is priceless And I'm more confident working on cars/mowers etc. because of it.

 

[thump*140]

was gonna do one on the 4fif, but if it became public knowledge that i have ridden it less than 20 times in 3 years, and it has under 40 hours on it, people might try and take it off me.. ha ha...
ok ball park on the "running costs" of a race season...
B grade Clubman Open class, state series...
Car fuel to practise track 5 days a week. $70
Bike fuel for practising: tank of fuel per session: $50
Car fuel to race meeting: 8 race meetings, $120 fuel per meeting=$960
Bike fuel per meeting: Premium Unleaded + octane booster to run "BadMan Fuel 101"= $15 per meeting. 8 meetings = $120
License fees: $225
Ambulance cover: $80
Club membership: $125
Race entry: 8 x $45= $360
Oil Changes: 8 "race changes" = $80
Oil changes: Practise changes one per week=$520
total = $2590...

So there you go... that's the rough cost of a clubmen level race season... keep in mind this is back in 01-02.. so the prices are probably higher now...
Then, if you come off, or have mechanical failures, expect some more big outlays...
I was lucky, i never really come off, and i have very few failures, as i do a lot of maintenance on the bikes...
But if you were to race a mini, the costs would be similar.... license fees, entry fees, ambulance cover remain the same... fuel costs a lot more now, and minis are actually pretty thirsty...
even if you were to ride a mini "socially" every second weekend, you could probably take maybe $1k off the above figure...
so yeah, bikes are an expensive hobby...

 

[no_crf50_here]

there is no way i'm going to try work out how much i have spent in the past 12 months. I know there has been over 2g in upgrades & replacement parts in the past 2 months! the rest scares me. I must learn to say on top of bike not under.

 

[DvDRip]

we need some crf50 riders in here to give an Honest report (not just oh yea my super cool jap bike doesn't need any money spent on it ever ****** ******)

 

[tomy251]

we need some crf50 riders in here to give an Honest report (not just oh yea my super cool jap bike doesn't need any money spent on it ever ****** ******)

HAHAHA!

Yeah DVDRip! Ill do a little write up of my HONDA CRF50 88 Lim

Thought must say havent spent as much as you guys have...but still enough to burn the wallet haha...BUT all worth it at the end of the day!

 

[topguntravis]

I like how DVDRip separated the "essentials" from the "unnecessary". Gives people better idea of what the HAVE to account for.
Let's face it, graphics kits and bling parts don't necessarily make the bike stronger/faster...unless its red
I'll be keeping track of my motorbike expenses once I get the new bike so I'll have a breakdown of costs as I go along.

 

[MXGIRL]

Mini Dirt bikes whatever your choice are much cheaper in the long run then any other race bike.

But as long as you are living your life and enjoying it then money is just not a factor. You can not take it with you!
Sorry had to edit that it was depressing looking at it.

 

[FMX_22]

Mini Dirt bikes whatever your choice are much cheaper in the long run then any other race bike.

But as long as you are living your life and enjoying it then money is just not a factor. You can not take it with you!
Sorry had to edit that it was depressing looking at it.

yep got that rite .but you can spend as mutch as you want on a mini bike the cost never ends . should i do a write up on mine?