What Is Considered High Mileage for a Motorcycle?

What is high mileage for a motorcycle? It's something most people get concerned about with their cars, but is it as big an issue for motorcycles? Not necessarily. Motorcycle mileage looks different than car mileage. You can have a motorcycle with high mileage and not have to worry about it as long as other factors line up correctly.

What Is High Mileage for a Motorcycle?

High mileage is pretty subjective when you start speaking with motorcycle enthusiasts. One might consider a specific number of miles too high while another might not look at mileage as a problem at all. While it's understandable someone will worry about high mileage, there are more pressing questions to ask.

Is 25k a Lot of Miles for a Motorcycle? 

Different types of motorcycles are classified as "high mileage" when they hit a different number. A smaller motorcycle with original, factory parts has high mileage when it reaches between 20,000 and 30,000 miles. A larger bike isn't considered to have made it to that point until about 50,000 miles. Is 25,000 a lot of miles for a motorcycle? For a small bike treated poorly, probably. For a large bike that got babied, probably not.

How Many Miles Can a Motorcycle Last?

When you consider how many miles is a lot for a motorcycle, realize miles do not determine the life of the bike. You will often find motorcycles with 100,000 miles or more. Several factors play into this.

Who Owned the Bike?

If you're buying a used bike, find out as much as you can about who previously owned the bike. If it's a 40-year-old bike and has been with one owner the entire time, you can almost bet it got taken care of quite well. Owners who value their motorcycles take them in for repairs when they become damaged or worn out. They avoid bumps in the road, are gentler on the throttle, service the bike regularly, and pamper it a little more than other owners. These motorcycles are going to last well beyond high mileage.

If that same owner used it as a trainer for his kids, however, it might have received a little more wear and tear and the engine might not be as strong. In that case, high mileage could indicate a weaker engine.

If a bike changed from owner to owner for 40 years, it may not have been given the same care as one that had a single owner. They are often harder on a bike that is disposable to them. The bike may not have had the proper tune-ups and repairs, getting bought and sold several times. High mileage on a motorcycle such as this could also indicate a weaker engine and a shorter life.

What Type of Motorcycle Is It?

When you're wondering what is high mileage for a motorcycle, you want to consider the type of bike. For example, a small-displacement motocross bike can take a hard hit and reach a "high" for mileage a lot sooner than a touring bike. Motocross bikes get crashed, wrecked, and treated more harshly. Miles might be low, but it could have a shorter life due to how it got used and treated.

A touring bike is made for high miles. Riders who own touring bikes are usually very gentle on their machines. The motorcycles have low-revving engines and they accumulate miles on highways and freeways. Miles might be high, but the life of the bike could extend due to it being well cared for.

Was the Bike Used?

A bike with higher miles could last longer than a bike with lower miles if the latter didn't get used much. A rider who uses the motorcycle regularly, keeps the fluids full and clean, and maintains the bike could get up into the high range for mileage, but still have a lot of life left on the machine because the bike parts are moving and staying in shape.

Some riders get a motorcycle thinking they'll have time to go on long trips and never end up getting around to it. Their bikes sit out in the weather or inside the garage, untouched. This is when tires degrade, fluids dry up, and corrosion begins. A dormant motorcycle with low miles may not last long after these things happen.

This doesn't mean a stationary bike with low miles has to degrade. If properly mothballed, or prepared for storage, it can last as long as a bike that is well-loved and used regularly. It depends on how the owner cares for the motorcycle.

What Shape Is the Bike In?

Step away from mileage for a little while and check out the overall condition of the bike. Too many dents and broken parts are far more concerning than the number of miles it has gone. Rust and corrosion may indicate it was not properly cared for, resulting in a shorter life. Several modifications give a different kind of life to the bike when in use, but often also indicate that the bike will not last as long.

What Mileage Is Too High for a Used Motorcycle?

If you're looking at used machines and wondering what is high miles on a motorcycle, change your thinking to consider the history of the bike instead. Riders get so caught up on the mileage because that's how people learn to look at used vehicles, but motorcycles are different. No number is too high if everything else falls into place and the rest of the motorcycle checks out.

What Is High Mileage for a Motorcycle?