Running costs.

photomike666 · Post by **photomike666** » Mon Apr 24, 2006 1:37 pm

Lets make an assumption that we keep said bike for umpteen years, and therefore have to add in major services and parts changes as well as the minor ones...

Every 20,000 we have to have the valves checked, every 30,000 we need chain and sprockets. How often do we change fork oil & seals, how often do we flush & bleed the brakes. How long will the rad last. Every 100,000 we'll need a timing chain. These are costs that start piling up the longer we own the bike. They also have to be added into the running cost from new, as even though they are not changed for ages, they will eventually need doing.

If we are going to trade the bike in for a new one every so on, it's not just depreciation but additional on road costs that need to be added in to the overall running cost.

If we're comparing the cost of running the bike against a car. What are the service intervals and costs of your bike? On a car they can be upto 20,000k with an oil change at 10,000. How long do your tyres last compared to a car, and what is the comparative cost.

As mentioned above, riding gear also has to be taken into account. How many pairs of gloves do you have, and how often are they replaced? How many Ks will you get froma set of leathers or a pair of boots? How many years will a crash hat last? All of these costs have to be factored in, as they as part of the on going cost, and a cost not associated with other forms of transport.

Finally, how much time do you save taking a bike rather than a car? What is your hourly wage? Calculate who much your time is worth and therefore the saving the bike makes you.

Felix · Post by **Felix** » Mon Apr 24, 2006 1:42 pm

photomike666 wrote:Finally, how much time do you save taking a bike rather than a car? What is your hourly wage? Calculate who much your time is worth and therefore the saving the bike makes you.

Ah, but I use the bike after hours, so that gets into overtime, time and a half, double time, and triple time for public holidays...+ meal breaks and allowances...

Damon Z1000 · Post by **Damon Z1000** » Mon Apr 24, 2006 2:42 pm

Hey Javaman......

except oil which is $17 for 6000k

Where the fark do ya get it and what the fark type of oil are ya using that seems awful cheap for motorcycle oil

Or is it the local takeaway oil that gets decanted at the end of the shift

Vince....

well, in the 12 months i've had a bike:
1. i bought a zxr250 and gear for $6,000
2. Insured it for $400 (3rd party)
3. Stacked it and spent $1500 fixing it.
4. Sold it for $5000
5. Spent $1500 getting it prepped for sale.
6. Bought a zx9 for $6000
7. Just spent $400 on sprockets, chain and chain breaker
8. Bought a new helmet and jacket for $700
9. Stacked bill's scooter - $300 for parts, further $1500 for cosmetics and $5000 for the car i hit.

Not including running costs,
6000 + 400 + 1500 + 1500 + 6000 + 400 + 700 + 300 + 1500 + 5000 - 5000 = 18,300 in one year.

What the hells goin on mate, is someone tryin to tell ya somethin, thats a seriously expensive passtime ya have

Spose your enjoying yaself

Best thing to do, not bother thinkin about it and just enjoy, worry about it when ya can't afford it

diesel · Post by **diesel** » Mon Apr 24, 2006 3:11 pm

Damon ZX9R wrote:
Diesel wrote:well, in the 12 months i've had a bike:
1. i bought a zxr250 and gear for $6,000
2. Insured it for $400 (3rd party)
3. Stacked it and spent $1500 fixing it.
4. Sold it for $5000
5. Spent $1500 getting it prepped for sale.
6. Bought a zx9 for $6000
7. Just spent $400 on sprockets, chain and chain breaker
8. Bought a new helmet and jacket for $700
9. Stacked bill's scooter - $300 for parts, further $1500 for cosmetics and $5000 for the car i hit.

Not including running costs,
6000 + 400 + 1500 + 1500 + 6000 + 400 + 700 + 300 + 1500 + 5000 - 5000 = 18,300 in one year.

What the hells goin on mate, is someone tryin to tell ya somethin, thats a seriously expensive passtime ya have
Spose your enjoying yaself

Best thing to do, not bother thinkin about it and just enjoy, worry about it when ya can't afford it

exactly.
i probably got a bit ahead of myself, but fark i've enjoyed my first year of riding.

HemiDuty · Post by **HemiDuty** » Mon Apr 24, 2006 7:52 pm

Mine's a little different.

Bike cost $600, depreciation is negligible, tyres should last a stupidly long time coz they are so damn hard and crappy, although it does use a fair bit of fuel (probably the way I ride though).

The racebike on the other hand, is really not great value if the fun factor is not taken into account. 200kms out of a set of tyres if I am lucky, nearly a dollar's worth of fuel per lap, 200-300 kms out of a set of $140-$150 brake pads if I don't kill them earlier, Motul oil and race filter change every 200kms at about $75, brake fluid also every 200 kms at $25 a hit. All that is without crashing of damaging anything. Factor in race entry fees and all the other costs and the running costs are pretty friggen scary, and ain't measured in cents per km.....

But man is it fun.

Neka79 · Post by **Neka79** » Mon Apr 24, 2006 11:49 pm

strika- thanks ya mongrel..u really put a dampner on my fun habit didnt ya??

i see wot ur saying..but i dont really give a shit

each ride could cost me $300 and id probably still do it (albeit not as often of course)...i ride cos i love it..and if it means i have to stop drinking,so my kidneys can recover,so i can sell one to pay for rego/tyres/insurance...so be it!!

bonester · Post by **bonester** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 8:08 am

If costs are buggering you, why not buy a shitter to commute on, and leave the better bike for the weekend. Older bikes generally have narrower tyres that are far cheaper- the Shinkos on my GT cost $180 the pair fitted, and they last longer than sports rubber too! I can highly recommend the GT for cheap transport- paid $500 for mine, and it owes me around $1200 incl rego. Over 20km/L on the highway loaded to the eyeballs, two up- 430km range on a tank. No chain maintenance (shaft drive) great on dirt roads, cheap if you drop it, no radiator to risk damage to etc. Clean the airfilter, plugs, change the oil, balance the carbs, and check the valve clearances and that is your service done.

Strika · Post by **Strika** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 8:20 am

Neka79 wrote:strika- thanks ya mongrel..u really put a dampner on my fun habit didnt ya??

i see wot ur saying..but i dont really give a shit

each ride could cost me $300 and id probably still do it (albeit not as often of course)...i ride cos i love it..and if it means i have to stop drinking,so my kidneys can recover,so i can sell one to pay for rego/tyres/insurance...so be it!!

I doubt anyone in here could give two hoots how much it costs!!!! Like we would give up!! Maybe cut back to an affordable amount, but never give up!!!!!

But it was interesting to see what one really does cost as an exercise!.............

Neka79 · Post by **Neka79** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 12:17 am

Strika wrote:
Neka79 wrote:strika- thanks ya mongrel..u really put a dampner on my fun habit didnt ya??

i see wot ur saying..but i dont really give a shit

each ride could cost me $300 and id probably still do it (albeit not as often of course)...i ride cos i love it..and if it means i have to stop drinking,so my kidneys can recover,so i can sell one to pay for rego/tyres/insurance...so be it!!
I doubt anyone in here could give two hoots how much it costs!!!! Like we would give up!! Maybe cut back to an affordable amount, but never give up!!!!!

But it was interesting to see what one really does cost as an exercise!.............

"interesting" ...thats not the word id use...

ty · Post by ty » Wed Apr 26, 2006 8:35 am

I've never sat down to do all the totals - it'd scare me.
Someone said $20 a week on petrol? I spend upwards of $60 and do >800km/week.
New front tyre every 2 months, new rear every 3 (maybe stretch to 4).
Service it myself every month - just plugs and oil (where the hell do you get $17 oil?) and a full service by a mechanic every 20000kms.
I'd hate to work out the cost/km of that.

However, comparing to catching the train I feel I'm better off. A weekly ticket is $50, so petrol is only marginally more expensive. But I save 2hrs per day in travel time - that's several hundred dollars in pay I'm essentialy loosing by catching the train.

Therefore, I stay on the bike.
ty

FrogZ · Post by **FrogZ** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 8:51 am

Still one of the cheapest drugs I know and NOTHING makes me feel this good......

Neka79 · Post by **Neka79** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 10:05 am

frogzx12r wrote:Still one of the cheapest drugs I know and NOTHING makes me feel this good......

yea must agree....mmmm adrenaline....

Smitty · Post by **Smitty** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 10:30 am

diesel wrote: 9. Stacked bill's scooter - $300 for parts, further $1500 for cosmetics and $5000 for the car i hit.

But fark it's worth it

save $6800 and don't ride the scooter...ok?

btw
that will also save Bill some grey hairs as well

Smitty · Post by **Smitty** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 10:32 am

Strika wrote:
I doubt anyone in here could give two hoots how much it costs!!!! Like we would give up!! Maybe cut back to an affordable amount, but never give up!!!!!

But it was interesting to see what one really does cost as an exercise!.............

Strika
cost? naaah phark it I enjoy it too much
you never buy a 12 for cheap motorcycling
(I had a Gpx750r for that)

btw
can u do it for your car (with fuel at $1.45) ...and really cringe

Gosling1 · Post by **Gosling1** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 7:21 pm

Smitty wrote:........you never buy a 12 for cheap motorcycling...

truer words never spoken..........

on the 3rd set of tyres in well under 12 months, at least the first set were free !!!!!

so there is a grand straight away, add juice at $20 per week *just* for commuting, and we are looking at an even 2 grand per year *just* for fuel and tyres

my old Zed used tyres like, once very 3-4 years

and heaps cheaper as well........