Topic: What's your biggest concern for long-term ownership/ridership of a sohc4?

[Gordon]

This is something that's been in the back of my mind for a long time, and I'm sure many of yours, too.  This can translate to basically all motorcycles, buy my main focus is sohc4s.  What do you think is going to be the end (if any) of your ability to ride and maintain your sohc4?

Some reasons that come to mind for me are:

- Cost and/or availability of replacement parts.
   As these bikes get older and there are fewer and fewer of them, parts sources will most likely dwindle and available parts will cost more.

- Cost of fuel.
   It's not getting any cheaper.  I'm sure gasoline will still be available for a long time to come, probably far longer than any of us will last, but as sources get tapped out and used up, and the infrastructure gets changed over to whatever the next main vehicular fuel will be, it will become more difficult and more expensive to obtain.  Whether that happens in our lifetimes remains to be seen, but it's a valid concern. 

- Age.
   At some point even the best of us, and under the best circumstances, will no longer have the physical strength, reflexes, or mental ability to ride a motorcycle. 

- Change of life.
   This doesn't affect me, but I can think of at least five former riders I know that quit when they either had children or entered a relationship with someone who didn't like their spouse riding. 

- Financial issues.
   In spite of all best intentions, this one could happen to anyone.  For me, my bikes would be two of the last non-essential things to go in the event of an unfortunate and long-term personal financial crisis, but if it came down to having trouble feeding or sheltering my family, the bikes would have to go. 


I don't mean to be a downer.  I plan on maintaining and riding my sohc4s until it's no longer physically possible for me, but considering my age of 36, if things go decently for me I could conceivably be riding for another 40 years or more.  Who knows what's going to happen in that amount of time?  My K1, at 40 years old, is already decades older than the vast majority of all other vehicles on the road in this country.  I'm really looking forward (circumstances allowing) to regularly riding an 80 year old antique motorcycle someday.

"There goes that crazy old dude on his rolling death-trap!"  


What are your concerns, if any?

[FrankenFrankenstuff]

Honestly right now my biggest concern is for my S90. I am almost done getting it together, clean and close to perfect (to me)...but when it is done there is nowhere safe for me to store it. I have no garage and once there is fuel in it, no more basement. Put my little gem into the shed next to the lawnmower? I told my wife that it might end up in the family room. (serious/joking) - she gave me "the look".

We all know "the look" is a sign of both pity AND disgust with a sprinkle of dissapointment.

Plenty of parts.

[Gordon]

We all know "the look" is a sign of both pity AND disgust with a sprinkle of dissapointment.

Depends on which "look".  There's the arms-folded-head-tilted-smirking "what am I going to do with you?" look, and then there's the dead-faced-dropped-shoulders-head-shaking "what have I done with my life?" look.

[cb750f-2010656]

'Till DEATH do us part.  If parts are too high/not around, retro-fit something.  If the woman says no, get another woman.  If fuel gets too high, run hydrogen (seen it done on a CBR).  If I get old, the CB and I will perish together in a glorious, flame filled accident.  Plainly put, I'm not worried about it.

[bwaller]

Gordon, my worry is we won't be able to pass emission standards that puts us on the sidelines someday. If I get so feeble to not manage the balance thing I'll bolt on some damned old sidecar. Otherwise wifey knows to get one of the boys to cut my 750 into pieces to bury with me anyway so that's covered. 

[Gordon]

Gordon, my worry is we won't be able to pass emission standards that puts us on the sidelines someday. If I get so feeble to not manage the balance thing I'll bolt on some damned old sidecar. Otherwise wifey knows to get one of the boys to cut my 750 into pieces to bury with me anyway so that's covered. 

Very good point.  I neglected to mention the possible "illegalizing" of older vehicles based on emissions requirements.  At least until this point, older vehicles seem to get held to more lax standards, but that could all change in a heartbeat. 

[BeSeeingYou]

   

"There goes that crazy old dude on his rolling death-trap!"  


What are your concerns, if any?

It's my hope that when I am 70 or 80 that's what my neighbors will say about me.

They cost so little to maintain and run that money will not be the issue.

I don't see parts as being the problem at least for my life.  For you youngsters though who knows.

The only reasons I can see are just a change of interests or just getting to old to ride.  But as long as I can take it out even for just a short trip around the lakes it's all good.

[fmctm1sw]

Before I even opened this thread I thought to myself "parts availability."

[KRONUS0100]

i have to agree with Gordon.  cost and availability of parts for BABY.
2cd would be my continuing back problems.  the surgery i am looking at is not a good one, doc has already told me it one to not be taken lighly, and it is one that no surgeon wants to perform.
that prognosis is not good, and may mean i might have to sell my 1100 suzuki. ......................BABY, however will not be goin anywhere

[faux fiddy]

Last but not least. All of the above.

Like they say, 30 years ago was a good time to plant trees, perhaps at least knowing someone who hoards parts would be good right now, or buy some parts bikes.

And yes, the "free" parts bike can cost hundreds in gasoline to pick it up, so three's that gasoline$ concern.

[Stev-o]

Personally, I have no concerns.  Parts should not be an issue, although true NOS parts will be gone in twenty(?) years. But guys like Frankenstuff will turn out parts that we really need!
Gas will not be an issue on our lifetime, even at $10 a gallon, a 30 mile ride will be a bargain.
Although I did stop riding 12 years ago when I met my wife, it didn't take and have more bikes than ever. I will ride 'till I'm 80 and hopefully longer!

"There goes that crazy old guy again..."

[Tews19]

I can relate to the age and physicality of riding... being a person who has fractured 6 vertebrae in my lower back and neck I am constantly dealing with back pain, numbness and DGG and I am only 30.. been dealing with this since I was 24... Seemingly every year my back gets worse, My beard get grey, yeah that's right, I stopped growing a beard due to the amount of white hair... But overall my back is depressing at times but these bikes keep me focused, grounded and thankful to be able to ride now... I still get a kick out of seeing 80 year old men on those big scooters on the highway.. Saw one yesterday... he looked very determined.

[dave500]

the only thing is age.

[fastbroshi]

I seem to remember some talk of compatibility of modern fuels, more specifically their ethanol content.  If or when they raise the percentages to the point that our bikes can't cope, I hope we can suffer the blow.

[trueblue]

Gordon, my worry is we won't be able to pass emission standards that puts us on the sidelines someday. If I get so feeble to not manage the balance thing I'll bolt on some damned old sidecar. Otherwise wifey knows to get one of the boys to cut my 750 into pieces to bury with me anyway so that's covered. 

Very good point.  I neglected to mention the possible "illegalizing" of older vehicles based on emissions requirements.  At least until this point, older vehicles seem to get held to more lax standards, but that could all change in a heartbeat. 

When it comes to emission regs most of them are a load of BS, I don't know how it equates to motorbikes but I read an article in a magazine we get at work through the motor traders association, that it is more environmentally sound to drive a big cube V8 from the 50's or 60's than it is to drive one of these new hybrid cars, their reasoning was that the older cars produced less emissions in their entire life than the new hybrid vehicles take to produce... But back on topic, Parts are definately going to be a problem, it has been an absolute nightmare finding bits for my 650, I had to mod a reg/rec out of a 750 to fit it, it also has a set of calipers off of a cx500 on it, because 650 ones are impossible to find, around here at least.  In the future keeping the old girl on the road is going to take more and more ingenious thinking and modifying of parts just to keep it going

[vozzy]

NOS parts running out in 20 years? I say start your stockpiles TODAY. 

[dave500]

brring,brring,,,,brring,brring,(insert pommy accent),hello david silvers,,,,,,,yeah hi i want to buy everything,,now...end joke....i keep stuff you use on hand like gaskets,brake pads and master cylinder kits,oil filters,carb stuff,the hard parts like rear brake pedal springs and switch gear will be the killer in years to come,unless we keep the demand up?

[Greggo]

NOS parts running out in 20 years? I say start your stockpiles TODAY. 

Done, and Done.  I started hoarding parts I know I'll need in the future, that are already hard to find...I'm more concerned with my own physical ability to ride.  At 26, I already get wild sciatica pain in my right leg...and riding doesn't help.

[ronnie]

...but when it is done there is nowhere safe for me to store it. I have no garage and once there is fuel in it, no more basement. Put my little gem into the shed next to the lawnmower?

You can store it in your basement... Just turn your tank valve off, let the engine run the gas out of the carbs, then take the tank off. You can store the tank in the shed instead of the whole bike. A lot easier to do maintenance on the tank being in the element then the whole thing.. Just some words for thought.

[FrankenFrankenstuff]

Good point Ronnie.

As far as parts needed...if anything is no longer avail....I will just make them and offer to the community. Anyone need some new "KO" covers? LOL.

NEW NEW

[sangyo soichiro]

My concerns are that someone might steal my bike someday, or I may get in an accident and ruin my bike.  If those two things don't happen, then I think I'll be riding mine for a long time. 

I had a guy at the gas station ask me about my bike today.  He said he sees it around quite a bit.  It's nice to be noticed.    That doesn't happen with many other bikes.  It's great to be part of the vintage crowd.   

[dhall57]

Really no concerns as far as the bikes go, but long term as far as myself would be getting to old to ride either my KO or K6 750's. Im 54 so looking at least another 30 years or so before hanging it up. They say these 750 SOHC will run 100000 miles with proper maintenance, so maybe in 30 years I'll have to do a engine pull on both bikes and freshen them up

[brycegp]

Honestly right now my biggest concern is for my S90. I am almost done getting it together, clean and close to perfect (to me)...but when it is done there is nowhere safe for me to store it. I have no garage and once there is fuel in it, no more basement. Put my little gem into the shed next to the lawnmower? I told my wife that it might end up in the family room. (serious/joking) - she gave me "the look".

We all know "the look" is a sign of both pity AND disgust with a sprinkle of dissapointment.

Plenty of parts.

I could store it in my garage...in sunny SoCal.  I'll even get her out and spread her legs every now and again...just to make sure she's running smoothly.  NO CHARGE!!

[madmtnmotors]

My biggest concern...

How freakin long am I going to have to wait till my next ride?!! Been riding mine for 25 years an hope to ride at least 40 more!