How many miles does a biker ride?

  • September 17, 2009 2:32 AM PDT
    It's a 1978 Electra Glide. I still have her.
    • 834 posts
    June 6, 2011 7:04 PM PDT
    This year has been a much better year for riding. Kids have moved out, and a lot less pressure at work. So far since january I have already ridden 7,000 miles, and plan on at least 20,000 by the end of the year!
  • June 6, 2011 8:10 PM PDT
    Whats funny to me is the people I know that crow the loudest about being bikers are the ones that ride about 1k to 2k per year LOL. I really don't consider myself a so called "biker" per say rather just a guy who in the last 31 years has never owned a battery tender. I ride anywhere from 8k to as much as 20k per year. My riding totals are very simple: the more I make the more I ride!!
    • 0 posts
    June 6, 2011 9:00 PM PDT
    well here we go last year I did about 2000 on my ironhead.Riding to work everyday I did 3500 on my buell that got stolen..Just clocked over 5000 on the new buell an 5000 on the new dyna..Marni rides to work everyday..Shit we do ride a fair bit..A trip to see my family is 1500 miles each way and a trip to see Marni's family is about the same.Oh yeah we live in Queensland where you can ride 12 months of the year coz its so hot the rain dries quickly....Yeah we ride..CHEERS BOOF
  • June 6, 2011 11:45 PM PDT
    Guess we ride a fair number of miles, 47K on an '07FLHRC. Don't ride to work, I walk down the hall and graduated from biker to rider many years ago.
    • 5420 posts
    June 7, 2011 1:51 AM PDT
    Wow, this is an old post come back. I am still about the same as two years ago did right around 16,000 last year and will probably do around around the same this year.
  • June 7, 2011 2:39 AM PDT
    I guess I'm about in the middlel, I have two bikes, the Road Glide gets the bulk of the mileage, about 7500 per year, the hard tail is usually about 2000 per year. If I had more time off I would definitely ride more, damn that working for a living thing.
  • June 7, 2011 4:32 AM PDT
    Don't ride to work, Company car. My riding is all for fun and with the weather in the Pacific NW being what it is, I've averaged about 3700 mpy since I got my 94 Roadking on July 1, 94. Mileage doesn't make you a biker. Its whats in your heart and soul.
  • June 7, 2011 4:46 AM PDT
    I put a little over 9000 last year.
    • 5420 posts
    June 7, 2011 4:50 AM PDT
    You got that right JDub. I am Lucky enough to get to ride a lot, plus in my business I have to go to as many events as I can. But like you said, it's about why you ride - not how far you ride!
    • 130 posts
    June 7, 2011 5:08 AM PDT
    I'd say Rex's estimate of 8-12K is reasonable. My missus logs over 14,000 a year but doesn't consider herself to be a "real biker".
    800-1500 miles a year? Dabblers, not someone who lives and breathes motorcycles.
    • 3006 posts
    June 7, 2011 5:53 AM PDT
    LOL good post,response's too !!
    A biker isnt the number of miles its a mind set,at least thats how I would define it.
    Just broke the 53000 mark on my 03 vtx1300,tho in the last year I only put on about 5000 of that
    typically average abt 7-8000 miles,as I do use it to commute also.
    • 580 posts
    June 7, 2011 7:34 AM PDT
    In the first 7 years of having Ethel I rode a total of 8,000 miles (though that does take into account two years of not riding when I had cancer). Last year, however, I did 8,000 miles in 5 months of riding and so far this year since mid-January I have done 3,000 and plan to do many more now the season is well upon us. I know others will have different opinions but just because I did less miles didn't mean I wasn't a biker - just one that didn't have the opportunities to ride as much as I wanted to. I can honestly say, however, over the last year though my confidence has greatly improved as has my riding. Long may it continue

    Hugs
    • 9 posts
    June 7, 2011 7:48 AM PDT
    This year's shenanigans aside, I typically rode right around 5K. Only because I hate hate hate, ridin' in the rain, and as you know, sometimes it rains daily here in gatorland. However, like Pat, my confidence goes up the more I ride. So I'm not quite as wobbly as I used to be in the rain. But I still HATE it!!! That shit hurts...lmao
    Ride Free
    Tweek
    • 846 posts
    June 7, 2011 8:15 AM PDT
    I guess it depends on a lot of things and the person. Here in New England where we have an 8 month season at best (with some cold weather riding included) the average is 3,000 miles. I on the other hand I get as much saddle time as I can. I’ll put on a minimum of 8,000 miles in a season. Unless there’s a weeklong trip included then it anyone’s guess cause I will wander endlessly down the road. Then there are a few friends that have been riding for years that put on less miles than me. Then there is a departed acquaintance of mine (never had the pleasure of riding with) that would log over 10,000 New England miles a year all nights and week rides. It’s not the miles that make a bike but the heart.
  • June 7, 2011 11:12 AM PDT
    800 - 1500 sound about right for the average M/C owner (notice I didn't use biker) most folks let them sit because it's too hot, too cold, too wet, too dry, can't get the sand out of their knickers, etc. Having said that, I only get about 2k a year, no long hauls, just commuting and day trips about 8 months a year. Work sucksNeighbor hasn't riden his in 3 years.
    • 58 posts
    June 7, 2011 12:58 PM PDT
    I am gone on the job 2-3 weeks at a stretch and logged 9K on my Road King this last year (May - May). Now that the mrs is with me that could easily go up. The only thing keeps "Tami" parked when I'm home is hail, tornadoes, or freezing precipitation. Did not have a weekend home this last winter that I didn't get a ride in. But I'm not a biker..I just LOVE to ride! On the other hand, the bro-in-law's bike hasn't moved in at least a year and, come to think on it, neither has No 1 Son's. End of Rant before I get started.
    • 567 posts
    June 8, 2011 1:40 AM PDT
    I average right around 12,000 a year. I ride it sometimes to work, but that's only 5.5 miles one way. Most of the mileage is riding on my days off .. sometimes two-up if the wifey and I have the same day off.
    • 6 posts
    June 8, 2011 11:07 AM PDT
    I have no idea.... I replaced the speedo on mine last fall because mine literally came apart inside, new one is not entirely accurate... BUT, I can say that I ride every day and that based on my milage to work and such, I'll estimate for ya.... IF I get to ride to work every day here in AZ, (which is pretty darn likely), work miliage alone in one year would be around 8000. That's not counting vacations or bike nites, etc. Last year on vacation Gina and I put 960 miles on in three days. I know that there's more strenuous paces out there, but for a 400 CC bike with two people jus out havin a good time, I was kinda proud of the miles on that trip. Wouldn't give that trip up for the world, either. Sometimes it's not the miliage, it's what each mile means to you. That trip and our camping trip into PA were some of my favorite times with my wife.

    I also put a decent number of miles on doing some ministry runs of various sorts, when we were in ohio, that included several trips back and forth to detroit... easy way to put numbers on the clock there, too. I'll guess I probably average 10,000, but who knows, lol
    • 63 posts
    January 4, 2012 12:26 AM PST
    I only get between 4,000 to 6,000 per season depending on the family responsibilities.
    In 2011, I only logged; 4,275 miles,,,,,
    • 638 posts
    January 4, 2012 12:48 AM PST
    I average about 8-10k a year. But I work away from home on a 14-14 schedule so I can only ride half the month.
  • January 4, 2012 1:22 AM PST
    Had this bike 14 months now turning 8000 this week. This is all local mileage, no long distance.
    • 834 posts
    January 4, 2012 11:46 AM PST
    Well I actually hit about 17,500 last year. Amazing how much more riding you can do once your kids move out!!!!!!
  • January 4, 2012 3:40 PM PST
    Business travels keeps me in the air when I would rather be on the road riding, which I try to do if work is only a day or an overnighter weather permitting. Average about 8,000 miles when I do ride solo or in a group for weekend rides into the adjoining states (except for CA). Have done solo round trip from AZ to Canada (through 5 states) twice, with only a backpack, which I am hoping to make it an annual trip
  • January 4, 2012 3:43 PM PST
    AzRider wrote...
    Well I actually hit about 17,500 last year. Amazing how much more riding you can do once your kids move out!!!!!!