High mileage

[brucy69]

Hi there Lads and Lassies,
Just bought a GS500 as my first big bike and I love it. I think the mileage might be a bit high though it has 42,000 kilometers on the clock. Would this be considered high and what could I expect the max kilometers I could put on it over its lifetime. Its a 2003 model. Thanks in advance

[pomme123]

Mate. These beauties just keep going. A shop lent me one with 65k kms on it and it still rode beautifully. You have to take care of them but I've seen and heard of people taking them round the clock and still going strong.


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[Watcher]

A member of this forum has had his around the clock and still going, more than one IIRC.

Keep it oiled and fill it with gas 

[brucy69]

Thanks for the response lads....

[gsJack]

My 97 GS that I bought new ran 80k miles with only routine maintenance and required no major repairs.  Many oil and filter changes, plug changes, valve checks/adjustments, and new tires were all it required.  Bike was totaled at 80k miles mostly due to high costs of replacing tank and body side panels that had relatively minor damage.

It was replaced by my current 02 GS that I bought in 03 with only 4k miles on it.  The 02 had a tight bucket (tappet) that I decided to let go to see if it would wear in with more miles since it loosened up within a minute after starting up and was no bother.  One freezing cold morning the valve stuck wide open while cranking to start and bang, the exhaust valve broke off with 20k miles on the clock at that time.  Pulled head and fixed and then went another 80k miles without further troubles beyond routine maintenance. 

Starting up this spring I got a serious knock from the engine that turned out to be a loose starter clutch I repaired and I am still riding it now and it runs as good as ever as it always has.  Only about 700 miles on my 02 GS now, it turned over 100k miles late last year.  The GSs have been good to me.

[Twism86]

^^ Just see above 

[Wagoneer]

Mine has 36,000km and runs like a top.

Just keep in mind it's an air-cooled engine so it needs lots of oil changes, and an occasional valve clearance check. And that's about it.