Is there anyway to know what the true mileage is on a gs500. For example, lets say someone switches tachs. Is there a separate reading located on the engine somewhere??
You mean odometer......not really.
You can get a general idea from the wear on the motor, but it's not very accurate. Shouldn't the mileage be listed on the title as well? Old bikes are sometimes exempt from displaying the mileage on the title though.
When I bought my 1980 GS450, the odometer read under 6000 miles. At first I didn't believe it because the speedometer cable wasn't even hooked up. But after opening up the motor and seeing the condition of the cylinder walls, I'm pretty certain that the actual mileage was "around" 6000 miles.
Older bikes in WA are exempt. There is no real way to know the mileage of a bike. Odometer or motor could have been changed.
Title transfers do cover:
1. True mileage
2. NOT the true mileage because of
a) odometer broken at some time
b) odometer was replaced
c) odometer is broken
d) motor has been changed
3. Odometer is in excess of its mechanical limits (i.e. it has rolled over)
4. Vehicle is exempt from listing mileage
Whatever the odometer reading is, it is entered if #1-#3 and the appropriate box is checked (sub-topics on #2 added by me because the WA laws mention the reasons for inaccurate odometer readings).
If #4, then no odometer reading has to be entered, but can be.