Mileage

[BockingBandit]

His average mileage was just over 100,000 per year (2.2 million miles in total) and I believe that most of them were completed on the M4 working contract jobs running between Swindon and London several times a day. What you've got to understand is that despite the 'perception', those of us who've been despatch riding for a good number of years are quite gentle on our bikes. It's the only way to stay alive and keep out of the bankruptcy courts. My weapon of choice was the Bandit 600, 2 of which covered more than 250,000 miles before being cruelly written-off in accidents. Rear tyres last for 20,000 miles, chains & sprockets 50,000 miles and rear brake pads forever. People look and laugh ''Why don't you clean your bike mister?'' ... But, the grime is intentional. If you want your new bike to last for several years, coat the cycle parts in Chain Wax and let the road dirt sit on top of it for the life of the bike. To reduce costs, ride gently, smoothly and use tyres such as Metzeler Z6's (no centre-line to wear) and never use 'Slime' or other additives as they tend to increase wear and if you do get a puncture, it's probably safer to know that you've got one. As for covering high miles on a daily basis, you just melt into the bike, RELAX and get on with it. Watching some less experienced riders pull into the Ace Cafe with aching limbs after a hundred miles of riding, you just know that they're simply 'holding on too tight'. Handlebars are simply a convenient place to hang switches and levers, and the perfect place to rest your hands. If you’re holding onto the bike with your hands, then you’re doing it wrong. In town and on twisting roads, ride on your toes and grip the bike with your knees, you’ll have far more control and a lot less pain at the end of the journey.
As for my other despatch bikes, my BMW K100’s and K75’s all served me well, but the 2 R1100 SS’s not so much ... but they did make me smile every day.

[bikesnbones]

I used to despath in my yoof.
My weapon of choice was the CX500.
Shows how far I go back.

[oyster]

I recall a couple who took their CX500, an elderly bike at that time, around the planet. Long before it became a popular idea via the tv. They zig-zagged across every continent, ensuring they saw everything. Huge panniers and top box. They sourced another engine en-route when something serious happened; the beauty of using a world popular bike at the time, spares could easily be found. I have an idea that they did 250 000 miles, and wanted to go and do it again almost immediately they got 'home'. Not sure how they fared, hopefully they did manage to go off again!

[bikesnbones]

I recall a couple who took their CX500, an elderly bike at that time, around the planet. Long before it became a popular idea via the tv. They zig-zagged across every continent, ensuring they saw everything. Huge panniers and top box. They sourced another engine en-route when something serious happened; the beauty of using a world popular bike at the time, spares could easily be found. I have an idea that they did 250 000 miles, and wanted to go and do it again almost immediately they got 'home'. Not sure how they fared, hopefully they did manage to go off again!

Yes indeed, and a magazine, (I think BIKE), regularly ran features on their travels.
They both had good jobs and a house which they offloaded to realize their dreams on their old CX500.
No funding, no spares and technical back up.
It made the long way down look like a trip to Brighton.
I think they're both home now, and still together.
http://www.easy-speak.com/files/speakers/s03.htm

[herrman]

http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/escap ... 04_moscow/

Just wish I had the "bottle" to do something like this when I was younger,

Peter

[Hayden]

http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/escape/epicrides/122_0104_moscow/

Just wish I had the "bottle" to do something like this when I was younger,

Peter

Ditto, what a trip, fantastic.

like alot of people, ever concious of the small mileages I do a year, I always envy those who spent more time on the bike than I do, but high mileage and `quality` time on a bike I suspect are two very different things?

"(2.2 million miles in total) and I believe that most of them were completed on the M4 working contract jobs running between Swindon and London several times a day. "
Jeez, How fookin boring must that have been.....

Peter`s post above, or the exploits of Ted Simon`s `mere` 63,000 miles to me seem much more appealing, and just as unobtainable...

[bikesnbones]

"(2.2 million miles in total) and I believe that most of them were completed on the M4 working contract jobs running between Swindon and London several times a day. "
Jeez, How fookin boring must that have been..... :

More boring that getting up at 7am every morning, sitting on a packed sweaty train, to sit between the same 4 walls every day for 8 hours, before getting back on that same sweaty train, arriving home with just about enough energy left to watch TV for a couple of hours ?
There are far more boring jobs than being on a bike all day.

[Hayden]

"(2.2 million miles in total) and I believe that most of them were completed on the M4 working contract jobs running between Swindon and London several times a day. "
Jeez, How fookin boring must that have been..... :

More boring that getting up at 7am every morning, sitting on a packed sweaty train, to sit between the same 4 walls every day for 8 hours, before getting back on that same sweaty train, arriving home with just about enough energy left to watch TV for a couple of hours ?
There are far more boring jobs than being on a bike all day.

...I guess so, I`am also glad I don`t do that either!...

[bikesnbones]

"(2.2 million miles in total) and I believe that most of them were completed on the M4 working contract jobs running between Swindon and London several times a day. "
Jeez, How fookin boring must that have been..... :

More boring that getting up at 7am every morning, sitting on a packed sweaty train, to sit between the same 4 walls every day for 8 hours, before getting back on that same sweaty train, arriving home with just about enough energy left to watch TV for a couple of hours ?
There are far more boring jobs than being on a bike all day.

...I guess so, I`am also glad I don`t do that either!...

Point being, which would you rather do if it came down to a choice

[Hayden]

"(2.2 million miles in total) and I believe that most of them were completed on the M4 working contract jobs running between Swindon and London several times a day. "
Jeez, How fookin boring must that have been..... :

More boring that getting up at 7am every morning, sitting on a packed sweaty train, to sit between the same 4 walls every day for 8 hours, before getting back on that same sweaty train, arriving home with just about enough energy left to watch TV for a couple of hours ?
There are far more boring jobs than being on a bike all day.

...I guess so, I`am also glad I don`t do that either!...

Point being, which would you rather do if it came down to a choice

neither, there is no choice, both as boring but in different ways.

ask a fighter pilot if he`d like to fly long-haul.......

What I`am trying to say is I used to be impressed by and even jealous of high mileages, but have come to understand that its not the length of the journey that`s important, just the fun of the journey.

Spend a couple of days blatting around Scotland with your mate, get over the channel through France to the Nurburgring with some mates or go on a Boxertrix weekend, none particuly high mileage but a thousand happy memories, that`s all I meant by `quality` miles.

ask that chap which part of the M4 he remembers most........

[bikesnbones]

"(2.2 million miles in total) and I believe that most of them were completed on the M4 working contract jobs running between Swindon and London several times a day. "
Jeez, How fookin boring must that have been..... :

More boring that getting up at 7am every morning, sitting on a packed sweaty train, to sit between the same 4 walls every day for 8 hours, before getting back on that same sweaty train, arriving home with just about enough energy left to watch TV for a couple of hours ?
There are far more boring jobs than being on a bike all day.

...I guess so, I`am also glad I don`t do that either!...

Point being, which would you rather do if it came down to a choice

neither, there is no choice, both as boring but in different ways.

ask a fighter pilot if he`d like to fly long-haul.......

What I`am trying to say is I used to be impressed by and even jealous of high mileages, but have come to understand that its not the length of the journey that`s important, just the fun of the journey.

Spend a couple of days blatting around Scotland with your mate, get over the channel through France to the Nurburgring with some mates or go on a Boxertrix weekend, none particuly high mileage but a thousand happy memories, that`s all I meant by `quality` miles.

ask that chap which part of the M4 he remembers most........

Are you a bit dense.
He's doing it as a job.
Is it really beyond your comprehension that anyone could possibly enjoy riding for a living ?

Sure, it probably is boring at times, but is it any more boring than any number of any other jobs.
If you can't get the point I'm making perhaps I should draw you pictures.
As for your rather stupid fighter pilot analogy, is that how you see yourself.

OK OK, so you're a low mileage weekend warrior.
Maybe the biking equivalent of a jet ski er but don't knock people who do use their bikes for a bit more than just a trip to the local park & pose
Believe it or not, I enjoy every minute of the 20,000 miles I do a year.
I could explain, but I doubt you could possibly understand,

[Hayden]

OK OK, so you're a low mileage weekend warrior.

I could explain, but I doubt you could possibly understand,

I use my bike 7 days a week, every week, every month, I just got a raise, my boss doesn`t think I`am dense.....don`t assume too much

Oh, and I make parts for your BMW....be nice!...

lighten up dude, weekend warrior, me.....

[bikesnbones]

OK OK, so you're a low mileage weekend warrior.

I could explain, but I doubt you could possibly understand,

I use my bike 7 days a week, every week, every month, I just got a raise, my boss doesn`t think I`am dense.....don`t assume too much

Oh, and I make parts for your BMW....be nice!...

lighten up dude, weekend warrior, me.....

But you didn't answer my question.
Can you not accept that someone could actually enjoy riding a bike for a living, just because you can't.

[Blackal]

It's entirely probable that there are those who enjoy using a bike commercially - but I wouldn't be surprised if it tempers their enthusiasm for recreational biking.

Take the average Mon-Fri worker - come the weekend, they are probably keen to get out on their bikes

The fella who's spent all week on his bike - has probably sated his desire when the weekend comes around. "busmans' holiday" springs to mind.

Al

[bikesnbones]

It's entirely probable that there are those who enjoy using a bike commercially - but I wouldn't be surprised if it tempers their enthusiasm for recreational biking.

Take the average Mon-Fri worker - come the weekend, they are probably keen to get out on their bikes

The fella who's spent all week on his bike - has probably sated his desire when the weekend comes around. "busmans' holiday" springs to mind.

Al

Not so sure you can generalise like that,
My uncle was a traffic officer in the Met on bikes, (back in the days when we had a proper traffic division).
He rode all day, every day at work, and in his free time was always either riding, or working on one of his several bikes.
He lived and breathed bikes, and I'm sure he's not an isolated example
Ironically, what finished his riding career were injuries sustained falling out of a tree trying to recover his Grandsons frisbee.