Engine expectancy

[billyfields]

After almost 25 years on airheads I took up an 98 RT three years ago. I know that where ever there is an airhead there is to be found a tale of longevity - "60k is the break in" and "150k and all original" and so on. Heck, I had my own tale on the 76 R90/6 that I finally rebuilt at 160k miles. But I have not picked up on such legendary achievments in the oilhead realm, which has me concerned. In fact I had a fairly savy mechanic tell me that high mileage oilheads (100k+ miles) would go dirt cheap because "if nothing else the timing chains need to be replaced" and on oilheads this was a much bigger (more expensive) job than on airheads.

So I would like to know if anyone out there has a high mileage story on an oilhead - or, dread I ask it, the opposite.

The best I have personally seen is 230,000 km (~150,000 miles) on a local RT (98 or 99 I think) who's owner claims that the motor and transmission are original and run like a top. Thats what I like to hear!

Can anyone do better?

[kbasa]

Voni has 300K+ miles on her red RS. I've only got 75 on mine, so it's just getting broken in. I think Darryl's old RS had 180K on it before it got a heart transplant.

They're around. They've only been in production for a decade and it takes a bit for the big mileage bikes to start to show up.

[dbrick]

Mine will turn 87K Sunday afternoon. Runs like a top. Uses maybe a pint of oil between services.

[DarrylRi]

My '94 beta bike R11RS went 182k before the engine blew up (http://darryl.crafty-fox.com/motorcycles/2004TheEnd.htm). Got a new engine for about $2500 installed (in Germany, no less). I have had to buy a transmission (had about 110k on it) and a new driveshaft (150k) also.

At home I have an '02 R1150RS. It recently turned 60k with no driveline problems. I expect to get at least 180k out of it, too, if not more.