11-21-2018, 08:57 AM
Recently I have seen discussions of various costs associated with owning the RS and I thought, that would be a good thread topic for this forum community.
Many people automatically assume, usually with very good reasons, that Japanese bikes are the most cost effective and reliable bikes on the planet. I am one of those people. So that when time came to buy my BMW that was a genuine concern. The bike was expensive to begin with, and then if the anecdotal evidence on the fora were to be believed, they seem to like to go back to the mother ship to fix this or that. And sometimes the problems seemed like BS problems to me ... at least on a bike that commanded such a high starting price and had such a pedigree.
Now any time you speak of cost of ownership, the focus is on the machine as a means of transportation. As a means of deriving pleasure, establishing value is much more difficult and subjective. On the other hand, if the instrument of pleasure costs an arm and a leg, then there comes a point when one has to make a decision.
The true cost of ownership of a vehicle is often the cost per mile measure, where all costs involved in running the bike (most accessories not included) are divided by the number of miles (or kilometres) covered while incurring those costs. This cost goes down the more you ride the bike with nothing breaking, wearing out, etc., and the more the bike is fixed without incurring cost (like working on the bike yourself).
While Google searches can result in many hits on motorcycle costs per mile, with answers all over the place, I want to focus this thread a bit more on the RS.
Based on your ownership experience, how does the cost of ownership of the RS compare with other bikes you have owned? Would you be able to share a simple calculation and cost per mile total for your bike?
Many people automatically assume, usually with very good reasons, that Japanese bikes are the most cost effective and reliable bikes on the planet. I am one of those people. So that when time came to buy my BMW that was a genuine concern. The bike was expensive to begin with, and then if the anecdotal evidence on the fora were to be believed, they seem to like to go back to the mother ship to fix this or that. And sometimes the problems seemed like BS problems to me ... at least on a bike that commanded such a high starting price and had such a pedigree.
Now any time you speak of cost of ownership, the focus is on the machine as a means of transportation. As a means of deriving pleasure, establishing value is much more difficult and subjective. On the other hand, if the instrument of pleasure costs an arm and a leg, then there comes a point when one has to make a decision.
The true cost of ownership of a vehicle is often the cost per mile measure, where all costs involved in running the bike (most accessories not included) are divided by the number of miles (or kilometres) covered while incurring those costs. This cost goes down the more you ride the bike with nothing breaking, wearing out, etc., and the more the bike is fixed without incurring cost (like working on the bike yourself).
While Google searches can result in many hits on motorcycle costs per mile, with answers all over the place, I want to focus this thread a bit more on the RS.
Based on your ownership experience, how does the cost of ownership of the RS compare with other bikes you have owned? Would you be able to share a simple calculation and cost per mile total for your bike?
Regards,
Grumpy Goat
2016 BMW R1200RS
2023 Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro
Grumpy Goat
2016 BMW R1200RS
2023 Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro