How is it possible for some of you to get all that mileage on your Spyder

[bikerbillone]

15,000 miles a year -that’s for amateurs! I ride over 30,000 miles per year and I have done that almost every year since I started riding Spyders in 2010. The first two years we lived in snow country and the bikes were parked for the winter. My new bike is not quite 7 months old and I turned 16,000 miles on it this weekend and next weekend will be another 1,000 mile trip then we get into serious traveling with trips of 3,000 to 5,000 miles at least once a month between March and October.

Joe and I have one car that we lease, 3 years 36,000 miles, we never go over on mileage on the car.

Impressive mileage to be sure. You say "we" I'm guessing you have 'two' Spyders, otherwise I sense a packing problem with those long miles?

 

[Bob Denman]

Don't worry about the actual number of miles. You could rack up lots of miles commuting on the slab day in day out in places like LA. But compare that to running the 11 miles twisties at Tail of the Dragon or up PCH for lunch. I'd rather spend a weekend having fun than running errands on the Spyder. So relax and have fun, the odometer is only useful in watching your oil change intervals.

:agree: It's not the miles: it's the Smiles...

 

[Little Blue]

Spider Smile Miles

Like many others have said Enjoy the SPYDER. The time and miles are yours to choose. Good Luck

 

[SpyderConvert]

Not to worry my friend, it only gets worse with age. At 78 (come April 7th) I am not about to cave in. We "seniors " don't need all those Spyder miles. It is not the amount of miles one rides but the enjoyment of the miles one rides. I rode for years with a gung ho guy that bragged about how many miles he rode each day and each trip. He was only obsessed with that. He was so focused on that I do not think he ever enjoyed riding. For me it is the "spiritual" part of the ride I enjoy most. Nothing to do with religion. Some will know what I am talking about, some will not.

​Jack

I agree, it's not the destination, it's the journey!

 

[C. Lee]

Hey Everyone, I've been reading the responses to this thread and see everyone with the same response. I agree totally with everyone's comments and agree with the spiritual side of riding. My business can be stressful at times and as long as there isn't salt on the roads, I am riding. It keeps me in touch with my God and helps me reflect on the bigger picture of life. It keeps me grounded i guess. So I don't ride for mileage sake but I am surprised at how fast the miles add up when one rides daily. I purchased my RTL end of July last year and have 6K on her already with no trips. The miles climb quickly. In closing, ride your ride for your enjoyment and don't worry about miles. This isn't a contest after all. Chris

 

[ARtraveler]

15,000 miles a year -that’s for amateurs! I ride over 30,000 miles per year and I have done that almost every year since I started riding Spyders in 2010. The first two years we lived in snow country and the bikes were parked for the winter. My new bike is not quite 7 months old and I turned 16,000 miles on it this weekend and next weekend will be another 1,000 mile trip then we get into serious traveling with trips of 3,000 to 5,000 miles at least once a month between March and October.

Joe and I have one car that we lease, 3 years 36,000 miles, we never go over on mileage on the car.

My almost two year old Subaru just turned 8,500 miles this weekend. The rest of my miles are on two or three. We may have a contest of sorts on riding miles for Spyder in a year or two. For now--you are still the champ. :firstplace::firstplace::firstplace::firstplace:

 

[UtahPete]

.. when I travel long distance I use my SUV to carry suitcases & stuff. Some of you average 15 K miles/yr. Snow & rain doesn't bother you? I'm thinkin I'm tough to kill, but 15K Spyder mi per year seems excessive. Don't you have other transportation?? Darrell

Snow, yes. Rain, no. It helps to live in a place where the ryding can be year-around, or have a way to transport the machine to warmer weather in the winter.

 

[easysuper]

High Mileage

I thought I put a lot of miles on per year even while working full time, then my little bride at 65 decided to buy her own RTL after getting her endorsement on mine while racking up about 12,000 miles in a few months, then before the year was out she put over 25,000 miles on her new bike ! and this is a woman who had NEVER ridden a bike by herself until she got on my spyder to get her endorsement. She's on her second RTL (2015) now and there's no slowing her down. It must be true that blondes have more fun.

 

[Rogue Hawk]

My Spyder was a lemon so I avoided using it, and I certainly would not go somewhere far away. I have 20K on my Ninja 650 and use it whenever weather permits. No issues so far.

 

[UtahPete]

I thought I put a lot of miles on per year even while working full time, then my little bride at 65 decided to buy her own RTL after getting her endorsement on mine while racking up about 12,000 miles in a few months, then before the year was out she put over 25,000 miles on her new bike ! and this is a woman who had NEVER ridden a bike by herself until she got on my spyder to get her endorsement. She's on her second RTL (2015) now and there's no slowing her down. It must be true that blondes have more fun.

The OP was wondering HOW someone is able to put that many miles on a bike in one year. Particularly living in snow country as you do.

 

[UtahPete]

My Spyder was a lemon so I avoided using it, and I certainly would not go somewhere far away. I have 20K on my Ninja 650 and use it whenever weather permits. No issues so far.

Doesn't really answer the question, does it?

 

[easysuper]

The OP was wondering HOW someone is able to put that many miles on a bike in one year. Particularly living in snow country as you do.

Like I said, we just ride our Spyders, It only snows in the higher elevations where we live, but our rain gear gets used a lot!

 

[pegasus1300]

I guess I'm not a long distance bike rider & when I travel long distance I use my SUV to carry suitcases & stuff. Some of you average 15 K miles/yr. Snow & rain doesn't bother you? I'm either envious or very content with my distance riding--I hope old age isn't my problem although the last 2 yrs have given me my share of health problems--broken low right rib paralyzed my right lung diaphragm, prostrate cancer, back fusion surgery. If I'd have know I'd be living to age 74 this march I'd have taken better care of myself. Skydiving accidents, downhill snow ski racing, land speed racing motorcycle crash at 170 mph. I'm thinkin I'm tough to kill, but 15K Spyder mi per year seems excessive. Don't you have other transportation??
Darrell

I am 71 and have been riding since 1964. I would like to be a long distance rider,but family and church obligations have kept me pretty close to home.One of the things I have always done that has run up my mileage is I am a Moto-commuter. I drove every day to school and after school everyday to work. I would only drive a car when rain or snow would drive me to it. I guess I have a European mindset when it comes to Motorcycles/3 wheelers. I believe it is a transportation vehicle that is also a lot of fun even when doing yeoman duty.As a result,if I can haul it on the bike,I do. If I can go there dressed properly,I do. If I don't have to take more people then the bike will hold,I go on the bike. My 1st wife didn't ride but she was fine with me riding. Wife #2 rides but not as much as I do,so sometimes we take 2 vehicles.She doesn't like long distances,so sometimes we trailer. But the bottom line is whenever I can ride,I do. And you would be surprised how many miles you get that way.

 

[sandeejs]

Use it for transportation

I use my Spyder for daily transportation, unless its wet. Or hot. Or cold. At times I've fit a weeks worth of groceries on the Spyder. (It was a lot harder to fit those groceries on my 250 Nighthawk, let me add.)

When I had a job, I'd ride in as often as possible. As that always ended up at work, it wasn't as fun as it seemed.

The spyder itself makes it hard to pile up the miles. Every time I stop for gas, people want to ask about the tryke, and tell me about their riding adventures when they were young. Maybe they wouldn't be so chatty if I didn't have a head full of grey hair.....

I rode by myself to Deadwood & Nova Scotia. The Quebec trip was with other Michigan spyder-ites.

~Sandee~

 

[DGoebel]

My Spyder was a lemon so I avoided using it, and I certainly would not go somewhere far away. I have 20K on my Ninja 650 and use it whenever weather permits. No issues so far.

I take it the Ninja 650 doesn't have a user forum, Oh, yes it does http://www.riderforums.com/kawasaki-ninja-650r/. I had a lemon once, traded it in for a newer model , i don't even remember what her name was... (oh, that was my ex-wife)... RogueHawk, if you got rid of your lemon, are you just hanging around here because of how nice everyone still is.....???
MY Spyder has been phenomenal! I've done 1000 miles in 15 hours, with a long lunch and short dinner break. No problems. I've got 20,000 miles the first year and live up north in MN where we stlll have 10" of white ground cover.

 

[MRH]

I live in Los Angeles, where the weather is great. When I need my car, there is a good chance I'll also need the battery I bought to jump the car because the one it has charged down. That said, it's about enjoying your bike, now who has the highest mileage count.

 

[SpyderAnn01]

Impressive mileage to be sure. You say "we" I'm guessing you have 'two' Spyders, otherwise I sense a packing problem with those long miles?

Joe, my husband, rides 2 wheels and I ride the Spyder. I pull a RT-622 trailer with our tools and most of our gear, my trailer probably has nearly 200,000 miles on it.

 

[DGoebel]

Ann, my calculator tells me you have 209,548 smiles on your Spyders over the years. Or are there some unpublished miles on top of all that, you just travel too far too much to keep the signature block current?

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

I guess I'm not a long distance bike rider & when I travel long distance I use my SUV to carry suitcases & stuff. Some of you average 15 K miles/yr. Snow & rain doesn't bother you? I'm either envious or very content with my distance riding--I hope old age isn't my problem

How much we ride is all a function of time, health, and personal priorities. Those who ride 20k+ per year just place a higher priority on riding than does the one who rides 3k per year. The one who rides only 3k/year may have priorities that may include family, church, civic responsibilities, and who knows what all that rank above riding miles and miles. For me, my priorities change from year to year. As of now riding 15k this year is taking second place to home and church projects. Next year, who knows!!

Many days I'd rather get up lazily and enjoy a couple of hours at the coffee shop with friends than go on a hundred mile ride!! :thumbup:

 

[Bfromla]

:shocked: & I NEED lots of :helpsmilie: & had I not been injured in 2012 with a TBI that disabled me I very well might not have a spyder & certainly not the 41k miles I have acquired on it. nojoke Thank the LORD :bowdown: I was left above ground & regained enough functions to enjoy it afterwords & after a 2yr+ argument with SS I just recently received a fully favorable decision on my disability. Much relief from such legal :banghead::barf: stupidity. Hopefully I won't screw up too much more & can ryde it on to 100k & more:doorag: