Yammie Noob I Currently own an gen1 fz1 and yes, they do go forever, i rescued mine from scrap yard cause thats where it would have headed otherwise haha
I have a 2008 Bonneville, the last year for carbs in the US. Once I rejetted the carbs (myself) to compensate for the removal of the airbox and the D&D exhaust, I haven't had to touch anything on it other that oil, tires and an occasional battery.
Anything Honda will not die. My dad still has his very first motorcycle, a 1967 Honda CB250, it still starts up and runs like it was 1967. It has never left him stranded and pretty much only needs tires and an oil change. It has over 200k miles and the odometer rolled over for the second time last year🤣
The newer Royal Enfield 650 class maybe the best beginner bikes and nobody knows it. They are underpowered but have just enough torque, reliable and cheaper than hell. And they just look cooler than shit, with amazing color combos. I love the new Enfields I've been looking for one myself.
With 4 Hondas at my house, I have to agree with everything you said. Fuel injection on all 4 makes for the greatest long term reliability. ('23 GROM, '12 CBR250r, '14 CB1100, '10 VFR1200f) Lastly what you said about the Ducati can also apply to other bikes. I am genuinely afraid of the 2010 VFR 1200f as it is wickedly powerful and a tad too heavy for me at 76 years old. I bought it super clean with low mileage and the previous 2 owners likely were afraid of it too. The first owner had it for 6 years and put exactly 616 miles on it. The second owner dolled it up with fantastic tires, a lithium battery and barely rode it with his wife making him sell it.
Bought an '85 Honda 650 Nighthawk 2 1/2 years ago. It's a John Deere tractor disguised as a motorcycle. For a grand, it starts, runs, looks (sort of) good, and is great fun. Even the Harley guys acknowledge Hondas are bulletproof. Recommended.
My shadow VT1100 was a stupidly reliable bike. I left it sitting for like a year and a half and didn't even have to clean the carb. Just throw another battery in it and it starts right up. Such an incredible bike.
I’ve seen Honda Dreams in Vietnam and Thailand with well over 500,000 miles on the clock. And, knowing those mechanics learn how to wind back odometers in their cribs, it’s like so many times around the earth, you’re actually heading towards the end of the solar system.
I went and rented a 2019 Panigale V4 instead of buying one. So damn fast. So damn cool. And after riding, I was in some damn pain. Maybe I'm too old for that ride geometry. But at least I didn't buy it and put it on Craigslist right away.
Another I'd put on this list is the first generation Suzuki Vstrom 650. Especially the late models after 2008. I bought by 2008 in 2018, have ridden it three seasons... Started just under 10K km, have almost 70 on it now. Outside of oil changes and tires, I've done front and back brakes once and replaced the chain and sprockets. No lie. And it's fun as hell. One recommend if you get one, K&N air filter and Iridium spark plugs. You'll save yourself a lot of maintenance time and the Iridium plugs help give it a little kick in performance while still using regular gas.
absolutely, the sv/Vstrom 650 should have been at or near the top of the list. Also, what up with no mention of the Triumph triples... bullet proof and very fun.
So, I had an '82 Suzi GS650. Then in 2008 (a few years later) I wanted to buy a used vStrom, but they were so rare that used ones were almost the price of new. Then I wrangled a deal on a demo 2008 DL-1000 and I rode that for 10 years. I did notice that it preferred premium gas (and went further on a tank than on regular) but they don't like low revs. After a brief relationship with a Moto Guzzi Breva 750 (fun, light, flickable, but just too small for me) I was at the Suzi dealer to close the deal on a new (2019?) DL-650. Base price was under $10k (Canadian) but it was over $10k "out the door". And they had a fresh trade on the showroom. A 1-owner 2004 DL-650, all stock, with factory 3-piece luggage and new Michelin Anakees on it. The owner kept it stored in his heated garage, and only put 20,000 kms (13,000 miles) on this 15-year-old bike. He just traded it on the same new DL-650 as what I was planning to get. The price was $4k (Canadian, that's US$3k) -- with full luggage on new Michelin tires -- and there is only 1 scratch on the entire bike that nobody would even notice! So, I'd sold the DL-1000 for $4800- (it needed a chain, sprockets, and rear tire which would not have increased its value) and decided that I'd be stupid to pass up this "new" bike that just happened to have spent 15 years in a garage, and was serviced by the same dealer every spring. Oh, and it seems that they hadn't "cheapened out on the front suspension" yet. You know that a big advantage of the 1000 over the 650 is the adjustable front suspension. But my 2004 650 has the same suspension as my 2008 1000 had ... another benefit oldness.
I'd like to say a thing about a Honda in particular: if you stumble across a 1985 Honda Nighthawk (CB650SC) you can buy it on the spot because it got '10s level technology: that bike is indestructible, is shaft driven, is liquid cooled, it got self adjusting carbs meaning you will never have to set them up in the garage and it has stock digital gear, fuel and tyre pressure indicator. I did my msf course on one of those and I loved it. Man I want to buy one so badly
A CB650SC, Which is a Nighthawk, is air cooled. There is no such thing as a self adjusting carb. Self adjusting fueling would be fuel injection, which no Nighthawk had unless your driving a European version which I have no knowledge of. They did not have Tire pressure indicator's either. The CB650SC you describe are extremely dependable and virtually unbreakable.
Worst bike ive ever owned, a brand new 96 750SS, 8 months later the dealer gave me a full refund. It was just one thing after another after another, some small, some major. It must have been made on a friday afternoon. :-)
Yes but most Enfield owners buy them, polish them every weekend and keep them in the garage for 99% of its life. That means no many of them go back to the dealer for repairs. Therefore no records of being unreliable haha.
@@4RMS7TRONG there is a girl from netherlands that rode one from Argentina to Peru in most hiddeous conditions , looks like a strong bike really, only covid trunc her journey. ItchyBoots! that's her channel.
@@davidvarela8739 Yes and her steering head bearings failed as did her clutch...of course she may have roasted the clutch...who knows for sure on that point.
@@davidvarela8739 Yeah I follower her.. Did you hear about if she got the bike back or not? apparently they stuck it in the impound in Peru. Nobody was allowed in or out the country.
@@4RMS7TRONG no that you are saying ... no I don't know if she recoverd it , maybe she leave it there waiting for the end of this pandemic, it would be a very good starting point. Anyway I bet she found a good solution , things could go slow at Peru now but with time they get solved, I have a a couple of good peruvian friends over there, I have to say I miss Peru, specially the food.
The Ducati part is so true. My 40 year old boss was going through mid life crisis and he bought Panigale V4. he ended up selling it couple of months later as he literally soiled his pants when the bike went 150+ mph in the blink of an eye 🤣🤣🤣
I used to work as a motorcycle courier, typically running 500's as the best compromise between speed, range, reliability and economy. Hondas stood out by head and shoulders. In the 1980's through 1990's, the Maggot (that's the CX500) was the tool of choice. Later came the VT500, which was okay, but not as good. Kawasaki's pre-Zephyr GT500 & 750 fours were also honourable mentions. All shaft drives, you see. Eventually I got fed up ending my day a couple of hundred miles from home and downsized. I got a Suzuki GN250 which was good for nearly 90mpg and nearly 90mph, depending on use. The engine was bulletproof. Biggest issues were the tiny petrol tank, so you were routinely on the lookout for a petrol station, and the gear lever constantly coming loose on its splines until the splines wore out and a new shaft was needed. The trick was to spot-weld the lever to the shaft. Later, I got the almost- in-every-way-inferior Honda CB250. I hated riding in rain. Bear in mind I was out for a minimum 10-hour shift. Then, one day, Benelli produced their Adiva convertible scooter. It was love at first sight. I got one brand new. The deal was to use the Honda in fine weather and the Benelli in the wet. That changed my life. And contrary to all expectations, the little Benelli just kept on going, year after year. For 13 years, that radical roof-scoot soldiered on, keeping about 90% of the rain off me. Last year, several years into my retirement, the thing having been abandoned at the back of the garage for 5 years; I hauled it out, fitted a new battery, squirted Bradex into the air intake and swung the starter. Just 3 spins and it was running - even on 5-year-old petrol dregs. So I made its overhaul a covid lockdown project and next week hope to have it back on the road. Benelli's Adiva - the best thing I EVER bought...
Because we Indians compare it to 100cc motorcycles. I own a himalayan bs3, most notorious names in India when it comes to reliablity, but trust me REs are reliable.
@@logicalindian_777 and besides..were comparing re to a commuter motorcycle...and other countries compare re to 1000cc litre class bikes..and they say ninja 650 is reliable..or r3 is reliable..they're actually comparing it to all the big 4 bikes...it's because litre class bikes sucks in terms of heat management and efficiency...but...these 2 are capable of hitting 200km if modified..and..are nimble..and fun to ride..unlike superbikes in whose throttle is twitchy and could kill you with slight amount of throttle increase...and tankslapper etc etc..
@@logicalindian_777 Nah man, compared to the direct cost competitors, Enfields are worse and have a very picky service schedule. I had my NS200 lying in my parking for 7-8 months during COVID and it didn't give me any issue, other than a dead battery of course. That wasn't the case with many bikes, mostly Enfields, my friends own....
Well i have ny vlassic 500 for the past 3 years .. not too bad i mean sure it does cost more compared to a few bikes ... but mine was left for almost 4 in the lockdown .. and a basic service is all it needed ..... i got it new an rode for around 12000 kms in 2.5 months had i had to change the clutch plate once an thats about it ..
I had a Honda CB360 once. A guy I knew had one sitting outside in his back yard for 25 years. He bought it new, drove it for a couple miles and fell off it and never got back on again. He gave it to me thinking it would never run. I bought a manual for $15 and took out the carb, dropped it into a bucket of carb cleaner and let it soak over night. I put it back in the bike added some new plugs and battery and it kicked right over. I had to treat a rusted gas tank and put new seals in the forks, but I rode it for several years before I gave it away.
Yep, my first two wheel machine is my 2004 Honda silverwing 600 scooter! A little big and unusually powerful (especially for a scooter) but it was great to learn on! No clutch to mess with as I got used to wielding a 500+lb machine that will go triple digits with no problem. The only problem with it thus far is a moderate size oil leak from the oil seal, but should be an easy enough repair. From there I graduated to another bike on the list; the Harley Davidson 883! I absolutely love this bike! Being a new rider I don’t have anything but a scooter to compare it with so it seems like a REAL MOTORCYCLE!! After 500 miles on it I haven’t had any of the oil leak issues everyone complains about? My air cleaner is, well, clean😂🤷🏻♂️. The 883 seems like a rocket ship compared to my Honda and I couldn’t care less about the vibrations. It’s just an old school, no frills, super cool looking, motorcycle that does motorcycle things. It goes down the road on two wheels looking awesome and sounding great and that’s all I need it to do. I’ll probably trade it in one day for a bigger bike but not right now, and not for a while. Not to mention it’s super cheap to own.
I've got 60k on a silverwing. Only repair is new wheel bearings since I ride in the rain. I may need a new clutch pads soon. But It will probably hit 100k without much more.
I’m dying over here 😂. I just bought a 2022 V2 Panigale from someone for 15,000$ last week. The bike had 160 miles on it. It also included a 72 month extended warranty.
@@ritwik0 yep. Owned a honda cub, cd100 and original splendor. I still have a CD100 non SS model and a Splendor Japan model in perfect running condition. CD100 has only 36k genuine kms.
When you buy something with pistons, there are two main categories you can choose from: - Honda. - Not Honda. It all depends on one certain question. Do you want it to work ? Or not so much ?
Yeah, any Honda is a pretty damn safe bet. The lower-displacement, lower-performance Yamahas are pretty damn tough, too. In fact, any Yamaha dual-sport EXCEPT the WR (seriously, in a world with TWs, XTs, even Ténérés, why choose the WR for a reliability list?) is essentially indestructible through normal use.
We have a 2020 Triumph T120, water cooled, and its awesome. The stock water temp runs high like 230 in hot weather. I had a custom 3x bigger than stock radiator built, put in a 160 stat, now its super. Added a home built trailer hitch and built the trailer too. Its great!
@@RiskyDecisionsHQ I've got a V-Strom which has the same engine, more or less. I'd say they're pretty close. They do like fresh oil. Change the oil every 6000 km and they'll go a long time. There's a guy on stromtroopers who got 600 000 km on his, before the engine cracked. I think the only major things he changed were stators.
its a ktm reliabilty isnt part of there language but idk about road bike ktms all I know is after every weekend at the motocross track they need a rebuild and other annoying work
This video has some bad information. It also makes some interesting assumptions about newer technology like DCT. Do we know how those DCT transmissions are going to work 10-15 years down the road? Also, Enfield, Ducati and Triumph have all got pretty bad reputations for reliability, find one with 100k miles?
consumer reports rated the Yamaha Vstar cruiser bikes as most reliable, slightly above Honda get one with a shaft drive and it will go 100,000 miles with just oil, filters, plugs and tire changes Carbs are more reliable than fuel injection as long as you stabilize your fuel over the winter with an additive this video is not good. Harley is 2nd from the Bottom of the reliabiity rating list BMW is the worst. took much technology state of the art crap on their bikes that breaks.
@@kenwittlief255 kinda funny, I’ve had a few 80s Yamaha’s and they’ve been good. Love my little old virago 750. If it ain’t broke, it’s probably Japanese!
Ive had lots of bikes, one of the most memorable was my 1983 Honda nighthawk s cb700. Easy maintenance, hydraulic clutch, hydraulic lifters, shaft drive,16 inch front wheel. Very tight package. I had to commute in those days, nighthawk made it happen.
Scooter indestructible - that was a highlight of my "bike mechanic" career. I saw a girl whose scooter did not start, and went for the classic, and was lucky she had a spark plug wrench. And it really did me the favour, the electrode had partly melted and a tiny pearl short circuited it. I was able to poke it out - presto, it started again! Yes, I told her she should have a mechanic look at it, melting spark plugs mean it runs way too hot.
I have a 2009 CRF230L. Tough little bike. And a Nighthawk 750 with 41,000 miles. Runs great. Friends have had very reliable Harley's as in this video. BMW friends seem to have lots of electrical issues so I kept away.
I've read a thread by a guy that made more than 400000 miles on VStrom 1000. Same engine with SV1000, maybe little detuned. These engines are bulletproof.
I put 360,000 miles on my 1985 Harley Davidson flhtc.had it re-ringed at 220,000.not bored just honed and re-ringed.i would have gotten more miles than 360,000 but got T boned going 60mph.had probably 4 sets of lifters installed, and 4 stator's also.the early evo motors are absolutely amazing. Steel lifter blocks.i have 4 ,2 1985's and 2 1986 liberty edition bikes.long live the evo..R.I.P HARLEY DAVIDSON 1903-1999..
God I'm sick of hearing spites hate boner for carbs! "YOu nEeD To SynC ThEm EveRy MonTh, And adJusT TheM EvEry dAy". NO YOU GOD DAMN DONT!! you sync them as often as you do throttle bodies on an EFI, which is basically never, and only need to adjust them if you CHANGE something on the bike, like an exhaust or k/n air filter, or cams, And if you need to clean them everytime you go for a ride, just sell it cause you aren't ridding it but once a year!
I know! The only time you actually definitely have to synch them is when you separate the carb bodies-which you don't have to do. I've taken apart carburetors, cleaned/replaced jets and gaskets and none of that service requires separating the carburetors. I think a lot of the "hate" comes from the fact that people take CV carbs and then toss away the airbox and try to use pod filters. The reason those cafe racers could run those type of filters was due to the fact that the slide was lifted via the throttle cable (no butterfly valve and diaphragm). CV carbs don't work the same way and the airbox (in addition to holding the filter) is there to control airflow so that the jet needle goes up and down like it is supposed to.
100% true, the only time you run into issues with carbs is when some nitwit that dont know what they are doing starts messing with them. otherwise they are just (if not more) relliable than efi. I say this from my 38 years of motorcyle ownership of both carb and efi
I have owned various new and used Hondas since 1986 starting with CX500's, CB650, and a VF750, none of which required anything outside of routine maintenance/wear items. Went to Kawasaki in 2004 with a ZZR600 and had nothing but problems with that bike. Went back to Honda with a CTX700 in '16, and glad to be riding trouble free again.
I had z1000sx from new and plenty of problems. When Kawasaki tried to explain that moisture on the dashboard is normal, I sold the bike. I have 23 years old Honda scooter and no issues whatsoever
I'm a Harley junkie. I'm also a rocket junkie but I'm this case Harleys with carb are so easy to work on it's practically a mandatory carb in a shop class for newbies. No kidding. But their injectors rarely go bad so it's up to you. If you're not afraid of a wrench or do you just want to hit a button and go.
I rode a 71 flh shovel with a super e on it Gave it to my son Still going. Probably over 150k on the motor Stock rocks.those stroked out bar hoppers give hd a way worse name then they deserve
@@johnspencer2382 mine was a true Electra glide. No kicker at all. Hell, it didn’t even really have a key, just a switch on the dash, pull up the enrichment lever and push start button. Slowly push the lever back down till ya hear potatoes (potato potato potato) and you’re set. I did knock all the baffling out of the mufflers so it could breathe better with that super e but that’s it.
They have been pumping a lot more money into modernising these in the last few years. Give it another few years and the newer second hand ones should be better than the older ones.
@@logicalindian_777 The new 350 and the new CB350 Honda that competes with it both look very interesting. Here in North America we tend to think that a 350 is too small.
@@logicalindian_777 i own an RE too, no they aren't reliable literally parts fall of them once while riding my gear shifter fell off imagine that lol. in my opinion honda cb 350 is a lot better than the classic.
Back in the day i was looking at a cheap FZ1 with amazing service history for a second bike. Went with a gixxer 600 bc the fz 1 was boring. Have regreted it ever since.
Had a 1982 Honda cb900 that had 500k miles on it and after swapping out some oils, cleaning the hell out the carbs, and putting the factory air box back on it ran like a dream.
I can't be the only one who absolutely adores the Yamaha XS400K DOHC (Maxim) and XS400R (Seca) Swear to God they're bullet proof. Only issue with those bikes is replacing the coils-theyre stuck inside the frame under the fuel tank. Kind of odd.
Hey you forgot about Kawasaki!! I got a GPZ500S, which has there ER500 engine. I had a pretty bad accident, the bike was complete write off, so I got a new one and about a year later I blow it up by dropping into 1st gear at 50MPH 😵 so I went to me accident bike, and just swapped the engine, thats is no spark plugs change just fresh oil and she started and has been running just fine for the past 4 months (300ish miles) this engine had been sat in a wheel barrow outside for just over a year, nothing was wrong with it even the spark plugs were good, this is a 1995 model and it's a bike I think should get more a lot more love!!!! Please I beg you get a Kawasaki GPZ500S 1995-2001 i promise you will love it!
I've got a Honda SC28 for track days. A Ducati 900SS for daily use. A Yamaha FZR 1000 EXUP if I want it a little bit faster. All bikes are from the 90s with high kilometres. They are good bikes. Im a mechanic myself and i don't have to work much on them. I also have a Aprilia RSV Mille, 2003 and a Suzuki GSXR 1000 K4 which I use once in a while. The Mille is a very strong bike with unbelievable sound and indestructible engine. The Rotax is an underrated. Just my opinion. The GIXXER is my holy grail. Like riding on rail tracks beyond 300km/h. I would recommend them all.
I like the list, but (outside of the Japanese big 4) think it's more like if it breaks you'll find parts and it won't need specific tools and high level of mechanical expertise to fix. It may also need more regular maintenance but anyone with basic mechanical knowledge can do it easily and quickly and if done you will have a solid bike that you can put high mileage on (RE, Harley and Triumph). I think the Triumphs with the most transmission problems are the water cooled 120 series. As someone that puts high miles on motorcycles and doesn't like to rely on a dealership/mechanic for services, I prefer a motorcycle that is simple to repair and maintain on my own. I'll give up fancy bikes that need specialized equipment and knowledge just for basic maintenance even if it requires the maintenance more regularly. I'm one of those that enjoys wrenching on my bike as part of the ownership experience and it forces me to deeply inspect the bike for hidden issues that might become bigger issues. If your looking for a get on and go bike, that is pretty much low maintenance and bullet proof, I agree with the first two groups you mentioned and duel sports that haven't been ridden into the ground. If your just looking for it as transportation and don't let ego get in the way, a scooter 125cc and above from the big four are about the best thing you can get. I've had a couple and although they don't give you the full motorcycle experience, they are fun in their own way and extremely useful for their purpose. My Yamaha has almost 50k miles and with basic maintenance should be good for over 50k more. Haven't had any issues at all.
im from belgium and have a ktm rc 125 2016, and im very happy with it. reliability has been great. i got it second hand and its been an amazing bike. i don't know why lots of people dislike ktm. i mave arround 8500 km on it and no problem.
Hmm. I have and had a few Bonnevilles both aircooled and watercooled bikes. Both are excellent but the new watercooled 1200cc engine is a bit better, 47 trips down the drag strip and 9 trips running wide open at Bonneville without a whimper. I had a EVO 1987 883 Sportster for ten years and put 35,000 miles of trouble free riding except the carburetor was very sensitive to the quality of the fuel. Nothing like having the engine stop when your passing on a busy highway. I became lightening fast at turning the fuel petcock off and back on quickly to clear the obstruction. I still own a 2017 RE 500 and yes it doesn't break and no it isn't fast. However, it is the most fun you can have at 50 mph. I did manage to buy Honda's one model that wasn't reliable....1981 500 FT. The starter motor failed so many times I lost count. The suspension caused the bike to weave more than a drunken sailor.
Bought a 6,000 mile 2003 Moto Guzzi California Stone, like new for $2,800 freakin' dollars last August. Best money i ever spent on a bike. No ABS, air cooled, wet sump, drive shaft, hyd. lifter 1100cc 5 speed, dry clutch. About as simple as any bike sold after 2000 and unlike a Sportster has plenty of power. Yes, it is an F.I. engine but a very basic set up that just helps reliability wise. Great handling cruiser with the Tonti frame proven over decades in both sport and cruiser Moto Guzzi bikes. Simple, automobile like engineering and easy to maintain outside of dropping the sump once every 5 oil changes to do a filter change but even that is a blessing as it facilitates cleaning the sump of any sludge build up and allows inspection and cleaning of the oil pressure bypass. I also have a 1976 M.G. 1000cc with 55,000 miles and almost no discernable engine wear and know of a 1980 850 T3 that had 180,000 miles on it by 1995. Outstanding service! Let alone from an air cooled wet sump bike! Have a lot of faith in my 2003 Moto Guzzi with no issues at all so far. A good thing when you have no idea where your nearest dealer is but are fairly sure it is hundreds of miles away!
I was looking at buying one a few months ago. It was a few years old, but in excellent condition, with really low miles, and the guy was practically giving it away.
Ducati’s, great to look at. Just as well, as that’s what you’ll be doing most of the time whilst waiting for the recovery truck. Either that or your you’ll be doing overtime at work to pay for the servicing.
Yes and no. Ducati,. Get to know it, be intermit with it,. Do everything you can to it yourself. Guess I'm a little old school,. Where owning a bike means working in it yourself. Ducati services are through the roof expensive. But if ya buy the tools and books,. It costs you time only. And they are fine tuned machines, so yes, need to pay more attention to them. But like any track bike. Should be maintained more than riden. Coffee or tea. Bourbon or whiskey. Each to their own
@@russcole5685 Yes, and I do all my own work. But…The desmo pain in the arse valve clearance check is more frequent compared to other bikes, and a friends multi strada was very problematic, as many have found. Then there’s the long wait for expensive spares….Gorgeous to look at though !
@@douglasalexander4348 yup,. Can agree with you,. Here in Little New Zealand to try and get anything into the country,. Is terrable at the best of time's,. And now with covid around the world. Lol. Rediculas lol
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Lol...I hear Einen Kleinen Nachtmusique (sp) in the background. Nice choice. Honda Rebel 300 owner here. Great starter bike. I have Goldwing goals. 👍🏼
@@menanpopstrokes4025 ....yeah, I had either a G or H model of the DT175 that I inherited from my older brother. I flogged that bike like no other and it never let me down. After years of abuse I thought that I'd better change the piston rings....and clean the air filter, finally. 😁 My older brother also had an XR250RF (1985 model) but I crossed a line and it was never the same. I drowned it in the Todd River, central Australia, on a rare day that it was flowing and got bogged in almost quicksand. Bit of an idiot thing to do. Other cool bikes were 1983-85 KDX200 and the IT200....but the Kwaka is more bullet proof than the IT.....in my opinion.
Recently bough a 55 year old motorcycle with gas in the transmission oil, and 1200 miles. Thing dosent die and stil starts and runs wih no gas (did this after a carb rebuild on accident bc didnt realise it was out of gas). As long as its well taken care of and you make sure to treat it well, it will be reliable.
Anectodally, my 2011 CBR250R (bought in 2020) seized on me after 700 miles of owning it. It was a beater that had been dropped on both sides, but yeah fresh oil + filter didn't do the trick. Probably shouldn't gotten the valves inspected when I bought it, but now we know
Honda NT700V with 100.000kms, home made maintenance following the service manual, less than 750€ in maintenance in total(excluding tires). The only problems I've had were some bulb lights. Used everyday, winter and summer, spends many hours on the street while raining, long trips (some days with more than 12 hours of driving), used and abused on twistys at high rpms, hard braking... I've had 3 Hondas up to now, about 210.000kms between all of them, they never went to dealers or mechanics, all the maintenance done by myself. None of them has had a problem. I don't think other brands can offer that quality as I've never seen anybody that rides as much as I do have 0 problems
I bought a crusty nugget CB400T Dream for £300 in 2013 with an MOT, I ran it for a year and really enjoyed it. I then bought a CBR600F3 and a 929 FireBlade after and made a profit on both after riding them for two summers each. The only thing I don't like about Honda's is I can never seem to get them handling how I want where Suzuki's, Kawasaki's and Yamaha's seem relatively easy to get them cornering well. Downside is those brands age a lot worse and cost a lot more to keep running. Well old ones do, I think they get a lot better once you get to mid 2000's.
Good list. I knew the Hayabusa had to be there even if only honourable mention since they are one of the most common bikes at drag strips. Like Honda, most Suzuki's are pretty bulletproof.
@@neilhamill318 spoken as a guy that rides a 32 year old 1100 Katana with 115,000 km on it and a bike that's had about 7 previous owners and has seen all kinds of weather from sun to rain to snow. Yes I'd say they build a pretty bulletproof bike.
Truthfully all cars and motorcycles are dependable because of electronics. Limp mode will always get you home. In the 70’s spent more time wrenching than riding. But what you like as reliability is a small fraction to worry about.
Picked up a just shy of 50 year old Honda CB350 that had been in storage since 1985. It's damn well pristine. We realized that it actually couldn't be ridden regularly, not for mechanical reasons but because it was basically a pristine show bike that must be preserved for the future as a totally original piece. It's astounding how much work it doesn't need after a 35 year sit.
Those are terrible engine reliability, note the rubber pieces will need to be rebuilt in the engine and the timing chain system is poor. My dad has several, and he's needed several... He now curses everything Honda, haha! Also those things are absolutely gutless and heavy. For showroom, I guess, you won't be driving it much so maybe not an issue, but rebuild the engine parts that fail before taking it on a test drive.
@@MK-sk2mi I actually wanted a MT-07 bud thats was more expensive. So ended up with the NC700. Here in The Netherlands the automatic ones are more rare, most of them are manual here
Here in Asia, I own a Honda XRM 125 DSX. A low displacement motorcycle with 2 disc brakes to front and back. It never lets me down specially that our roads are uneven on the province. The shocks just do their work when I'm running 85 kph. Honda lives up to its name as one of the most durable motorcycle makers. And they made them Fuel Injected, I run mine on 66 kpl on being a defensive driver, saves me a lot of money.
Do you own any of these? Congrats, they're unbreakable! ALSO CHECK MY IG - THE TURBO FOR THE BUSA IS HERE. AT 1M SUBSCRIBERS WE WILL TURBO IT.
I have one, in my dream😞
Royal enfield and Harley are very similar, old and slow.
Yammie Noob
I Currently own an gen1 fz1 and yes, they do go forever, i rescued mine from scrap yard cause thats where it would have headed otherwise haha
G9...
I have a 2008 Bonneville, the last year for carbs in the US. Once I rejetted the carbs (myself) to compensate for the removal of the airbox and the D&D exhaust, I haven't had to touch anything on it other that oil, tires and an occasional battery.
Anything Honda will not die. My dad still has his very first motorcycle, a 1967 Honda CB250, it still starts up and runs like it was 1967. It has never left him stranded and pretty much only needs tires and an oil change. It has over 200k miles and the odometer rolled over for the second time last year🤣
wow n i must say your dad is taking good care too.
Bro really stole mikeys bike
Damn...same thing with my grandpa's Honda Supercub.
My Rebel 500 endorsed this comment! 🏍💕
That bike should be in a museum.
Royal Enfield really upped their game recently. The bikes are slow, but reliable as hell. And for old geezers like me, slow is just nice.
The newer Royal Enfield 650 class maybe the best beginner bikes and nobody knows it. They are underpowered but have just enough torque, reliable and cheaper than hell. And they just look cooler than shit, with amazing color combos. I love the new Enfields I've been looking for one myself.
As long as the name of the bike starts with letters “honda” or “yamaha” you’re good to go
Or Suzuki
And then you have me, who perfectly knows that is the sensible (the right!) choice and goes for a Ducati 996 anyways
... And buy somethink else?
Kawasaki ?
@@ProfSinged much better choice.
You should get R1 or MT10 if you’re a beginners and want a reliable motorcycle. I’ve seen owners die before the bikes themselves.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Lol
Yeah okay🤣
Busa
@@SWTrailsAndWheels My Yamahas are reliable as f**k Never had anything and dailying like made about 1700mls /month no problem at all
Triumph, Harley and Enfield you say?
How about a suzuki vstrom 650. Mine has been bulletproof for 200 000kms.
Looking to buy a used one coz the tiger800 and gs750 is too expensive and 390 adventure or himalayan is less powerful. Any suggestions?
@@aniruddha4119 Benelli trx500 or Kawasaki versays 650
@@prithvirajsainiranjan6240 no so underpowered and pricey services and maintenance cost
@@aniruddha4119 what else is available tell me😂😂
@@prithvirajsainiranjan6240 better to buy a used vstrom versys 650 than Benelli
With 4 Hondas at my house, I have to agree with everything you said. Fuel injection on all 4 makes for the greatest long term reliability. ('23 GROM, '12 CBR250r, '14 CB1100, '10 VFR1200f) Lastly what you said about the Ducati can also apply to other bikes. I am genuinely afraid of the 2010 VFR 1200f as it is wickedly powerful and a tad too heavy for me at 76 years old. I bought it super clean with low mileage and the previous 2 owners likely were afraid of it too. The first owner had it for 6 years and put exactly 616 miles on it. The second owner dolled it up with fantastic tires, a lithium battery and barely rode it with his wife making him sell it.
The first thing anybody needs to do with any bike is BUY A GENUINE FACTORY SERVICE MANUAL and sit and read every page.
Bought an '85 Honda 650 Nighthawk 2 1/2 years ago. It's a John Deere tractor disguised as a motorcycle. For a grand, it starts, runs, looks (sort of) good, and is great fun. Even the Harley guys acknowledge Hondas are bulletproof. Recommended.
Just bought my first bike,an 83 550 nighthawk
here in India escort's tractors are more reliable and preferred over jhon deere. and for bikes hondas are undoubtedly bulletproof.
My shadow VT1100 was a stupidly reliable bike. I left it sitting for like a year and a half and didn't even have to clean the carb. Just throw another battery in it and it starts right up. Such an incredible bike.
The secret of Ducati's low mileage.
In repairs
Just sold a 1959.. Ducati is an interesting bike
I’ve seen Honda Dreams in Vietnam and Thailand with well over 500,000 miles on the clock. And, knowing those mechanics learn how to wind back odometers in their cribs, it’s like so many times around the earth, you’re actually heading towards the end of the solar system.
I own a 2002 Honda Hornet CB600F2Y and it's always been reliable and will kick the arse of much bigger machines.
I went and rented a 2019 Panigale V4 instead of buying one. So damn fast. So damn cool. And after riding, I was in some damn pain. Maybe I'm too old for that ride geometry. But at least I didn't buy it and put it on Craigslist right away.
Another I'd put on this list is the first generation Suzuki Vstrom 650. Especially the late models after 2008. I bought by 2008 in 2018, have ridden it three seasons... Started just under 10K km, have almost 70 on it now. Outside of oil changes and tires, I've done front and back brakes once and replaced the chain and sprockets. No lie. And it's fun as hell. One recommend if you get one, K&N air filter and Iridium spark plugs. You'll save yourself a lot of maintenance time and the Iridium plugs help give it a little kick in performance while still using regular gas.
absolutely, the sv/Vstrom 650 should have been at or near the top of the list. Also, what up with no mention of the Triumph triples... bullet proof and very fun.
So, I had an '82 Suzi GS650. Then in 2008 (a few years later) I wanted to buy a used vStrom, but they were so rare that used ones were almost the price of new. Then I wrangled a deal on a demo 2008 DL-1000 and I rode that for 10 years. I did notice that it preferred premium gas (and went further on a tank than on regular) but they don't like low revs.
After a brief relationship with a Moto Guzzi Breva 750 (fun, light, flickable, but just too small for me) I was at the Suzi dealer to close the deal on a new (2019?) DL-650.
Base price was under $10k (Canadian) but it was over $10k "out the door".
And they had a fresh trade on the showroom.
A 1-owner 2004 DL-650, all stock, with factory 3-piece luggage and new Michelin Anakees on it.
The owner kept it stored in his heated garage, and only put 20,000 kms (13,000 miles) on this 15-year-old bike.
He just traded it on the same new DL-650 as what I was planning to get. The price was $4k (Canadian, that's US$3k) -- with full luggage on new Michelin tires -- and there is only 1 scratch on the entire bike that nobody would even notice!
So, I'd sold the DL-1000 for $4800- (it needed a chain, sprockets, and rear tire which would not have increased its value) and decided that I'd be stupid to pass up this "new" bike that just happened to have spent 15 years in a garage, and was serviced by the same dealer every spring.
Oh, and it seems that they hadn't "cheapened out on the front suspension" yet.
You know that a big advantage of the 1000 over the 650 is the adjustable front suspension.
But my 2004 650 has the same suspension as my 2008 1000 had ... another benefit oldness.
Mine hit 98k on the odometer before I sold it!
Any Honda will do, but the Cub will probably still run after Earth has been rendered uninhabitable.
Also, Suzuki V-strom.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
1984 Honda 650 Nighthawk, bought new, currently has 116k runs like a dream
I’ve owned three Yamahas over thirty five years. All of them ran flawlessly. Just keep to a regular PM schedule and they run forever.
Wish I’d never sold my ‘76 Yamaha XS360 .
I'd like to say a thing about a Honda in particular: if you stumble across a 1985 Honda Nighthawk (CB650SC) you can buy it on the spot because it got '10s level technology: that bike is indestructible, is shaft driven, is liquid cooled, it got self adjusting carbs meaning you will never have to set them up in the garage and it has stock digital gear, fuel and tyre pressure indicator. I did my msf course on one of those and I loved it. Man I want to buy one so badly
A CB650SC, Which is a Nighthawk, is air cooled. There is no such thing as a self adjusting carb. Self adjusting fueling would be fuel injection, which no Nighthawk had unless your driving a European version which I have no knowledge of. They did not have Tire pressure indicator's either. The CB650SC you describe are extremely dependable and virtually unbreakable.
1st Gen FZ1 reporting in. LOVE this bike, they’re bargains, endlessly dependable and easy to work on. No slouch either, it’s a fast bike.
One of all time favorite bikes is my 2005 Yamaha FZ1 with the 5 valve engine. Wish I still had one!
I've never--not once, ever--heard 'Ducati' and 'reliable' used in the same sentence, without the prefix 'un' at least!
Italian bikes: An hour on the road means an hour in the workshop.
The Ducati is like your red hot Italian mistress; a sexy, flashy pain in the @$$ that you can't live without.
@@donaldoehl7690 Italian bikes......an hour on the road means an hour in the workshop.
@@colinkepple7555 maybe except the moto guzzi
Worst bike ive ever owned, a brand new 96 750SS, 8 months later the dealer gave me a full refund. It was just one thing after another after another, some small, some major.
It must have been made on a friday afternoon. :-)
Bruh I have a royal enfield 500 and it's the most unreliable piece of crap I've ever ridden
Yes but most Enfield owners buy them, polish them every weekend and keep them in the garage for 99% of its life. That means no many of them go back to the dealer for repairs.
Therefore no records of being unreliable haha.
@@4RMS7TRONG there is a girl from netherlands that rode one from Argentina to Peru in most hiddeous conditions , looks like a strong bike really, only covid trunc her journey. ItchyBoots! that's her channel.
@@davidvarela8739 Yes and her steering head bearings failed as did her clutch...of course she may have roasted the clutch...who knows for sure on that point.
@@davidvarela8739 Yeah I follower her.. Did you hear about if she got the bike back or not? apparently they stuck it in the impound in Peru. Nobody was allowed in or out the country.
@@4RMS7TRONG no that you are saying ... no I don't know if she recoverd it , maybe she leave it there waiting for the end of this pandemic, it would be a very good starting point. Anyway I bet she found a good solution , things could go slow at Peru now but with time they get solved, I have a a couple of good peruvian friends over there, I have to say I miss Peru, specially the food.
I own a Honda Africa Twin, but all Japanese bikes are very reliable and reasonably inexpensive to maintain.
The Ducati part is so true. My 40 year old boss was going through mid life crisis and he bought Panigale V4. he ended up selling it couple of months later as he literally soiled his pants when the bike went 150+ mph in the blink of an eye 🤣🤣🤣
I used to work as a motorcycle courier, typically running 500's as the best compromise between speed, range, reliability and economy. Hondas stood out by head and shoulders. In the 1980's through 1990's, the Maggot (that's the CX500) was the tool of choice. Later came the VT500, which was okay, but not as good. Kawasaki's pre-Zephyr GT500 & 750 fours were also honourable mentions. All shaft drives, you see. Eventually I got fed up ending my day a couple of hundred miles from home and downsized. I got a Suzuki GN250 which was good for nearly 90mpg and nearly 90mph, depending on use. The engine was bulletproof. Biggest issues were the tiny petrol tank, so you were routinely on the lookout for a petrol station, and the gear lever constantly coming loose on its splines until the splines wore out and a new shaft was needed. The trick was to spot-weld the lever to the shaft. Later, I got the almost- in-every-way-inferior Honda CB250. I hated riding in rain. Bear in mind I was out for a minimum 10-hour shift. Then, one day, Benelli produced their Adiva convertible scooter. It was love at first sight. I got one brand new. The deal was to use the Honda in fine weather and the Benelli in the wet. That changed my life. And contrary to all expectations, the little Benelli just kept on going, year after year. For 13 years, that radical roof-scoot soldiered on, keeping about 90% of the rain off me. Last year, several years into my retirement, the thing having been abandoned at the back of the garage for 5 years; I hauled it out, fitted a new battery, squirted Bradex into the air intake and swung the starter. Just 3 spins and it was running - even on 5-year-old petrol dregs. So I made its overhaul a covid lockdown project and next week hope to have it back on the road. Benelli's Adiva - the best thing I EVER bought...
Fantastic post
The Kawi Zephyrs weren't good?
My first real street legal bike was the '79 CX500. I loved that bike. I drove it everywhere.
Had a 2009 Bonnie up until recently....great to ride, utterly dependable.
Royal Enfields are known to be the most unreliable bike in India. You don't really buy an Enfield for reliability...
Because we Indians compare it to 100cc motorcycles.
I own a himalayan bs3, most notorious names in India when it comes to reliablity, but trust me REs are reliable.
@@logicalindian_777 and besides..were comparing re to a commuter motorcycle...and other countries compare re to 1000cc litre class bikes..and they say ninja 650 is reliable..or r3 is reliable..they're actually comparing it to all the big 4 bikes...it's because litre class bikes sucks in terms of heat management and efficiency...but...these 2 are capable of hitting 200km if modified..and..are nimble..and fun to ride..unlike superbikes in whose throttle is twitchy and could kill you with slight amount of throttle increase...and tankslapper etc etc..
@@logicalindian_777 Nah man, compared to the direct cost competitors, Enfields are worse and have a very picky service schedule. I had my NS200 lying in my parking for 7-8 months during COVID and it didn't give me any issue, other than a dead battery of course. That wasn't the case with many bikes, mostly Enfields, my friends own....
Post 2018 REs are reliable bikes. Had mine for 2 years, 11000km, not one (1!) problem. I do my own maintenance.
Well i have ny vlassic 500 for the past 3 years .. not too bad i mean sure it does cost more compared to a few bikes ... but mine was left for almost 4 in the lockdown .. and a basic service is all it needed ..... i got it new an rode for around 12000 kms in 2.5 months had i had to change the clutch plate once an thats about it ..
Love that scooters got a mention here. people sleep on them but if you live in a big city or have a short/slow commute there is little better.
You said it well. I just can’t bring myself to thin the herd of the Suzuki Burgmans, they help keep the day to day miles down on my Victory Vision.
Still loving my VN750. 20 years old and still going.
Got 215 VN650. Runs like new :)
🤔 Bandit 1200. Keep seeing them over 100k miles with no issues.
I had a Honda CB360 once. A guy I knew had one sitting outside in his back yard for 25 years. He bought it new, drove it for a couple miles and fell off it and never got back on again. He gave it to me thinking it would never run. I bought a manual for $15 and took out the carb, dropped it into a bucket of carb cleaner and let it soak over night. I put it back in the bike added some new plugs and battery and it kicked right over. I had to treat a rusted gas tank and put new seals in the forks, but I rode it for several years before I gave it away.
The dump the ebay junk and put back to stock is solid idea.
Yep, my first two wheel machine is my 2004 Honda silverwing 600 scooter! A little big and unusually powerful (especially for a scooter) but it was great to learn on! No clutch to mess with as I got used to wielding a 500+lb machine that will go triple digits with no problem. The only problem with it thus far is a moderate size oil leak from the oil seal, but should be an easy enough repair.
From there I graduated to another bike on the list; the Harley Davidson 883! I absolutely love this bike! Being a new rider I don’t have anything but a scooter to compare it with so it seems like a REAL MOTORCYCLE!! After 500 miles on it I haven’t had any of the oil leak issues everyone complains about? My air cleaner is, well, clean😂🤷🏻♂️. The 883 seems like a rocket ship compared to my Honda and I couldn’t care less about the vibrations. It’s just an old school, no frills, super cool looking, motorcycle that does motorcycle things. It goes down the road on two wheels looking awesome and sounding great and that’s all I need it to do. I’ll probably trade it in one day for a bigger bike but not right now, and not for a while. Not to mention it’s super cheap to own.
I've got 60k on a silverwing. Only repair is new wheel bearings since I ride in the rain. I may need a new clutch pads soon. But It will probably hit 100k without much more.
I’m dying over here 😂. I just bought a 2022 V2 Panigale from someone for 15,000$ last week. The bike had 160 miles on it. It also included a 72 month extended warranty.
Old Hero Honda bikes are the most reliable thing on Earth after gravity. Especially the Japan model CD100 and Splendor.
FYI, Those were based on Honda Cub which in World's biggest selling bike and every biker is familiar with the Cub.
@@ritwik0 yep. Owned a honda cub, cd100 and original splendor. I still have a CD100 non SS model and a Splendor Japan model in perfect running condition. CD100 has only 36k genuine kms.
Absolutely my dad's bike got more than 350,500 km
Suzuki should have been on your list too!
"any low capacity bikes"
*Laughs in KTM RC390*
I’m actually deciding between the old R3 and the old Duke 390
@@justinlzt just go for r3. I had the rc390 until recently you would regret it
@@justinlzt I have a 2013 duke and at this point, it's 1h repair session for every 3 hours on the bike, go for the R3
@@Cyr_S oh shit bro what’re the repairs you do? Water pump? Gasket stuff?
Any KTM, really. It’s a shame, because KTM and Husqvarna make some of the coolest and most interesting bikes around, they’re just really fussy.
When you buy something with pistons, there are two main categories you can choose from:
- Honda.
- Not Honda.
It all depends on one certain question.
Do you want it to work ? Or not so much ?
wow, if that's a joke it's not even a good one
Goldwings are rolling piles of junk. 💩💩💩💩
Yamaha Super Tenere. In the top 5% for reliability. A Ducati is at the bottom of the black hole of rel.
Good thing my car has a spinning triangle. Brap brap!
Honda is not everything in bikes. I like my standards like the Triumph T120 and now 400. Honda has nothing even close.
Yeah, any Honda is a pretty damn safe bet. The lower-displacement, lower-performance Yamahas are pretty damn tough, too. In fact, any Yamaha dual-sport EXCEPT the WR (seriously, in a world with TWs, XTs, even Ténérés, why choose the WR for a reliability list?) is essentially indestructible through normal use.
We have a 2020 Triumph T120, water cooled, and its awesome. The stock water temp runs high like 230 in hot weather. I had a custom 3x bigger than stock radiator built, put in a 160 stat, now its super. Added a home built trailer hitch and built the trailer too. Its great!
We missed the 1a spot on your list that is the sv650! The most bomb resistant nuclear war surviving Cockroach bike you'll ever find!
Is it really that good? I just took my test on one and thought I like this might buy one 🤷🏼♂️
@@RiskyDecisionsHQ I've got a V-Strom which has the same engine, more or less. I'd say they're pretty close. They do like fresh oil. Change the oil every 6000 km and they'll go a long time. There's a guy on stromtroopers who got 600 000 km on his, before the engine cracked. I think the only major things he changed were stators.
@@gasdive 600 000 ? Holy mackerel !!!!
I hoped will see Vstrom 650 in the clip, but instead I saw HD and Royal Enfield... 😂
@@electron1980 Or a Transalp…
I have 2010 Aprilia mana 850 gt. Automatic. It's a beast....50.000 miles.. just maintenance and good to go... what top quality...
''All the beginner bikes'' Bro don't get an rc 390 or duke 390 for reliability lol
its a ktm reliabilty isnt part of there language but idk about road bike ktms all I know is after every weekend at the motocross track they need a rebuild and other annoying work
Because those are indonesia KTM not Euro KTM
This video has some bad information. It also makes some interesting assumptions about newer technology like DCT. Do we know how those DCT transmissions are going to work 10-15 years down the road? Also, Enfield, Ducati and Triumph have all got pretty bad reputations for reliability, find one with 100k miles?
Yes, nc700s had had dct for years with rare problems
Many 7+ years old DCT have more than 200k km
consumer reports rated the Yamaha Vstar cruiser bikes as most reliable, slightly above Honda
get one with a shaft drive and it will go 100,000 miles with just oil, filters, plugs and tire changes
Carbs are more reliable than fuel injection as long as you stabilize your fuel over the winter with an additive
this video is not good. Harley is 2nd from the Bottom of the reliabiity rating list
BMW is the worst. took much technology state of the art crap on their bikes that breaks.
...too much tech.. (typo)
@@kenwittlief255 kinda funny, I’ve had a few 80s Yamaha’s and they’ve been good. Love my little old virago 750. If it ain’t broke, it’s probably Japanese!
Ive had lots of bikes, one of the most memorable was my 1983 Honda nighthawk s cb700. Easy maintenance, hydraulic clutch, hydraulic lifters, shaft drive,16 inch front wheel.
Very tight package. I had to commute in those days, nighthawk made it happen.
I had one of those. Maybe should have kept it.
I have a 2008 Bonneville and with the exception of one starter motor, I've had no problems at all.
Scooter indestructible - that was a highlight of my "bike mechanic" career.
I saw a girl whose scooter did not start, and went for the classic, and was lucky she had a spark plug wrench.
And it really did me the favour, the electrode had partly melted and a tiny pearl short circuited it.
I was able to poke it out - presto, it started again!
Yes, I told her she should have a mechanic look at it, melting spark plugs mean it runs way too hot.
I have a 2009 CRF230L. Tough little bike. And a Nighthawk 750 with 41,000 miles. Runs great. Friends have had very reliable Harley's as in this video. BMW friends seem to have lots of electrical issues so I kept away.
Missed the SV 650
I've read a thread by a guy that made more than 400000 miles on VStrom 1000. Same engine with SV1000, maybe little detuned. These engines are bulletproof.
@@jordan9339 If they only made the sv1000 with ABS, I would totally want one.
I put 360,000 miles on my 1985 Harley Davidson flhtc.had it re-ringed at 220,000.not bored just honed and re-ringed.i would have gotten more miles than 360,000 but got T boned going 60mph.had probably 4 sets of lifters installed, and 4 stator's also.the early evo motors are absolutely amazing. Steel lifter blocks.i have 4 ,2 1985's and 2 1986 liberty edition bikes.long live the evo..R.I.P HARLEY DAVIDSON 1903-1999..
Happy riding in 2021 motorcycle brothers and sisters and stay safe!
Back atchya.
My yamaha mx 135 (carburator mc) surprisingly runs better than expected even with 100k+ km. Thumbs up for yamaha building a great engine👍
A TW200 Yamaha is pretty indestructible for just putting around town and the woods.
God I'm sick of hearing spites hate boner for carbs! "YOu nEeD To SynC ThEm EveRy MonTh, And adJusT TheM EvEry dAy". NO YOU GOD DAMN DONT!! you sync them as often as you do throttle bodies on an EFI, which is basically never, and only need to adjust them if you CHANGE something on the bike, like an exhaust or k/n air filter, or cams, And if you need to clean them everytime you go for a ride, just sell it cause you aren't ridding it but once a year!
Yes Spite, tell people to steer clear of carbs, drive those prices down.
Dude I barely ever touch my carbs tbh. You just run decent fuel and run them often
Preach!!
I know! The only time you actually definitely have to synch them is when you separate the carb bodies-which you don't have to do. I've taken apart carburetors, cleaned/replaced jets and gaskets and none of that service requires separating the carburetors.
I think a lot of the "hate" comes from the fact that people take CV carbs and then toss away the airbox and try to use pod filters. The reason those cafe racers could run those type of filters was due to the fact that the slide was lifted via the throttle cable (no butterfly valve and diaphragm). CV carbs don't work the same way and the airbox (in addition to holding the filter) is there to control airflow so that the jet needle goes up and down like it is supposed to.
100% true, the only time you run into issues with carbs is when some nitwit that dont know what they are doing starts messing with them. otherwise they are just (if not more) relliable than efi. I say this from my 38 years of motorcyle ownership of both carb and efi
I have owned various new and used Hondas since 1986 starting with CX500's, CB650, and a VF750, none of which required anything outside of routine maintenance/wear items. Went to Kawasaki in 2004 with a ZZR600 and had nothing but problems with that bike. Went back to Honda with a CTX700 in '16, and glad to be riding trouble free again.
I had z1000sx from new and plenty of problems. When Kawasaki tried to explain that moisture on the dashboard is normal, I sold the bike. I have 23 years old Honda scooter and no issues whatsoever
I'm a Harley junkie. I'm also a rocket junkie but I'm this case
Harleys with carb are so easy to work on it's practically a mandatory carb in a shop class for newbies. No kidding. But their injectors rarely go bad so it's up to you. If you're not afraid of a wrench or do you just want to hit a button and go.
I rode a 71 flh shovel with a super e on it
Gave it to my son
Still going. Probably over 150k on the motor
Stock rocks.those stroked out bar hoppers give hd a way worse name then they deserve
@@Heavywall70
So very true
I'm too old and broken to kick a motor so I'm on a FXSD 07 injected. No issues at 60 g just basic maintenance
@@johnspencer2382 mine was a true Electra glide. No kicker at all. Hell, it didn’t even really have a key, just a switch on the dash, pull up the enrichment lever and push start button. Slowly push the lever back down till ya hear potatoes (potato potato potato) and you’re set.
I did knock all the baffling out of the mufflers so it could breathe better with that super e but that’s it.
didn't expected a place for royal enfield
The 650 interceptor is the best selling bike in England.
They have been pumping a lot more money into modernising these in the last few years. Give it another few years and the newer second hand ones should be better than the older ones.
They are quite reliable, I have owned two of them!
@@logicalindian_777 The new 350 and the new CB350 Honda that competes with it both look very interesting. Here in North America we tend to think that a 350 is too small.
@@logicalindian_777 i own an RE too, no they aren't reliable literally parts fall of them once while riding my gear shifter fell off imagine that lol. in my opinion honda cb 350 is a lot better than the classic.
I purchased used 2007 PIAGGIO MP3 250IE miles on it 3708! I rebuilt it runs great right now updated it!
Back in the day i was looking at a cheap FZ1 with amazing service history for a second bike. Went with a gixxer 600 bc the fz 1 was boring. Have regreted it ever since.
Buy one,, and try and where it out. FZ1 will not die.
Boring is the last word that comes to mind when riding an FZ1 at 10,000rpn
Had a 1982 Honda cb900 that had 500k miles on it and after swapping out some oils, cleaning the hell out the carbs, and putting the factory air box back on it ran like a dream.
I can't be the only one who absolutely adores the Yamaha XS400K DOHC (Maxim) and XS400R (Seca)
Swear to God they're bullet proof. Only issue with those bikes is replacing the coils-theyre stuck inside the frame under the fuel tank. Kind of odd.
I own a xs400r for 18yrs ervyday work horse machine
Hey you forgot about Kawasaki!! I got a GPZ500S, which has there ER500 engine. I had a pretty bad accident, the bike was complete write off, so I got a new one and about a year later I blow it up by dropping into 1st gear at 50MPH 😵 so I went to me accident bike, and just swapped the engine, thats is no spark plugs change just fresh oil and she started and has been running just fine for the past 4 months (300ish miles) this engine had been sat in a wheel barrow outside for just over a year, nothing was wrong with it even the spark plugs were good, this is a 1995 model and it's a bike I think should get more a lot more love!!!! Please I beg you get a Kawasaki GPZ500S 1995-2001 i promise you will love it!
Now daddy Spite is speaking my language!
I've got a Honda SC28 for track days.
A Ducati 900SS for daily use. A Yamaha FZR 1000 EXUP if I want it a little bit faster.
All bikes are from the 90s with high kilometres. They are good bikes. Im a mechanic myself and i don't have to work much on them.
I also have a Aprilia RSV Mille, 2003 and a Suzuki GSXR 1000 K4 which I use once in a while.
The Mille is a very strong bike with unbelievable sound and indestructible engine. The Rotax is an underrated.
Just my opinion.
The GIXXER is my holy grail. Like riding on rail tracks beyond 300km/h.
I would recommend them all.
Yamaha has produced the most reliable bike's on road and off for a long time .
Except, honda makes the most reliable bikes. Thats why their output is usually lower at the same cc's, because they favor reliability and longevity.
Not saying Yamaha is bad at all but honda is definitely better at all that stuff
Totally, nothing beats the reliability of a honda
My vstar 1100 has some issues, I dunno about that statement
@@collinbetten5631 my friends virago has been the biggest piece of junk I've seen
I know you said dual sport, but the KLR 650 should be there. Then again, it's more tank than motorcycle, so I get it
Just here in Indonesia
Where a 25 year old bike still runs..
Why? Because we have to pay 125% on the motorcycle tax to make it legal.
Same in India
Though we have our own industry of bikes so at least we aren't at mercy of foreign brands
Royal Enfield is an incredible bike and has plenty of redeeming qualities. I guess simple and honest doesn’t cut it these days .
I am a die hard Suzuki fan but Honda has got it going on.
I like the list, but (outside of the Japanese big 4) think it's more like if it breaks you'll find parts and it won't need specific tools and high level of mechanical expertise to fix. It may also need more regular maintenance but anyone with basic mechanical knowledge can do it easily and quickly and if done you will have a solid bike that you can put high mileage on (RE, Harley and Triumph). I think the Triumphs with the most transmission problems are the water cooled 120 series.
As someone that puts high miles on motorcycles and doesn't like to rely on a dealership/mechanic for services, I prefer a motorcycle that is simple to repair and maintain on my own. I'll give up fancy bikes that need specialized equipment and knowledge just for basic maintenance even if it requires the maintenance more regularly. I'm one of those that enjoys wrenching on my bike as part of the ownership experience and it forces me to deeply inspect the bike for hidden issues that might become bigger issues.
If your looking for a get on and go bike, that is pretty much low maintenance and bullet proof, I agree with the first two groups you mentioned and duel sports that haven't been ridden into the ground. If your just looking for it as transportation and don't let ego get in the way, a scooter 125cc and above from the big four are about the best thing you can get. I've had a couple and although they don't give you the full motorcycle experience, they are fun in their own way and extremely useful for their purpose.
My Yamaha has almost 50k miles and with basic maintenance should be good for over 50k more. Haven't had any issues at all.
Just passed 45k on my 2017 yamaha fz10 and it's still going strong!
FZ10 is a hell of a good bike!
My XS1100 has over 50,000 and still screams. 95-110 hp. 11.75 et. Air cooled DOHC inline four. Drive shaft. What's not to love?
im from belgium and have a ktm rc 125 2016, and im very happy with it. reliability has been great. i got it second hand and its been an amazing bike. i don't know why lots of people dislike ktm. i mave arround 8500 km on it and no problem.
That thruxton rs 🤤
Just bought a used Honda Shadow 1100 and so far so good
Cowboy Yam needs to host an entire video! 💀
Hmm. I have and had a few Bonnevilles both aircooled and watercooled bikes. Both are excellent but the new watercooled 1200cc engine is a bit better, 47 trips down the drag strip and 9 trips running wide open at Bonneville without a whimper.
I had a EVO 1987 883 Sportster for ten years and put 35,000 miles of trouble free riding except the carburetor was very sensitive to the quality of the fuel. Nothing like having the engine stop when your passing on a busy highway. I became lightening fast at turning the fuel petcock off and back on quickly to clear the obstruction.
I still own a 2017 RE 500 and yes it doesn't break and no it isn't fast. However, it is the most fun you can have at 50 mph.
I did manage to buy Honda's one model that wasn't reliable....1981 500 FT. The starter motor failed so many times I lost count. The suspension caused the bike to weave more than a drunken sailor.
yeah! You have footage from my hometown Lisbon (Portugal) on the Boneville
Bought a 6,000 mile 2003 Moto Guzzi California Stone, like new for $2,800 freakin' dollars last August. Best money i ever spent on a bike. No ABS, air cooled, wet sump, drive shaft, hyd. lifter 1100cc 5 speed, dry clutch. About as simple as any bike sold after 2000 and unlike a Sportster has plenty of power. Yes, it is an F.I. engine but a very basic set up that just helps reliability wise. Great handling cruiser with the Tonti frame proven over decades in both sport and cruiser Moto Guzzi bikes. Simple, automobile like engineering and easy to maintain outside of dropping the sump once every 5 oil changes to do a filter change but even that is a blessing as it facilitates cleaning the sump of any sludge build up and allows inspection and cleaning of the oil pressure bypass. I also have a 1976 M.G. 1000cc with 55,000 miles and almost no discernable engine wear and know of a 1980 850 T3 that had 180,000 miles on it by 1995. Outstanding service! Let alone from an air cooled wet sump bike! Have a lot of faith in my 2003 Moto Guzzi with no issues at all so far. A good thing when you have no idea where your nearest dealer is but are fairly sure it is hundreds of miles away!
Good see the FZ1 get a little attention. Very underrated bike. They are getting harder to find.
I was looking at buying one a few months ago. It was a few years old, but in excellent condition, with really low miles, and the guy was practically giving it away.
@@mickeywilson8885 if your halfway interested snatch it up. They can really pepped up with a little effort.
No redeeming qualities!!! Love it!
Ducati’s, great to look at. Just as well, as that’s what you’ll be doing most of the time whilst waiting for the recovery truck. Either that or your you’ll be doing overtime at work to pay for the servicing.
Seriously yammie putting that panigale at number one was total shocker. I don't think of reliability when I think of a Ducati.
Yes and no. Ducati,. Get to know it, be intermit with it,. Do everything you can to it yourself. Guess I'm a little old school,. Where owning a bike means working in it yourself. Ducati services are through the roof expensive. But if ya buy the tools and books,. It costs you time only. And they are fine tuned machines, so yes, need to pay more attention to them. But like any track bike. Should be maintained more than riden. Coffee or tea. Bourbon or whiskey. Each to their own
@@russcole5685 Yes, and I do all my own work. But…The desmo pain in the arse valve clearance check is more frequent compared to other bikes, and a friends multi strada was very problematic, as many have found. Then there’s the long wait for expensive spares….Gorgeous to look at though !
@@jamesalvarado3961 That’s called experience . Yammie knob doesn’t own a Ducati. Wonder why ?
@@douglasalexander4348 yup,. Can agree with you,. Here in Little New Zealand to try and get anything into the country,. Is terrable at the best of time's,. And now with covid around the world. Lol. Rediculas lol
Lol...I hear Einen Kleinen Nachtmusique (sp) in the background. Nice choice.
Honda Rebel 300 owner here. Great starter bike. I have Goldwing goals. 👍🏼
Okay so I took your advice and went to look at these pasta rockets and 90% of them were under 10,000km on the clock. I chuckled.
I've heard of people who own Honda Blackbirds with over 200 000klms on the clock and have never had their valves checked.
this guy actually put a Harley Davidson on a most reliable list. maybe it's time he got some medical attention for his drug use!
I'd like to see your opinion on the 2000-2003 Vulcan 800s
If the Yamaha DT175 and Honda XR250 were still being made....they would make the Top 7
Yamaha dt is indestructible 👍🏻
@@menanpopstrokes4025 ....yeah, I had either a G or H model of the DT175 that I inherited from my older brother. I flogged that bike like no other and it never let me down. After years of abuse I thought that I'd better change the piston rings....and clean the air filter, finally. 😁
My older brother also had an XR250RF (1985 model) but I crossed a line and it was never the same. I drowned it in the Todd River, central Australia, on a rare day that it was flowing and got bogged in almost quicksand. Bit of an idiot thing to do.
Other cool bikes were 1983-85 KDX200 and the IT200....but the Kwaka is more bullet proof than the IT.....in my opinion.
@@1969cmp these day it’s hard to found one because the price of dt125 and dt175 skyrocketing.
@@menanpopstrokes4025 .....and rare.
@@1969cmp you know why it became highly price bike because of the pop culture. We had a movie triology about scrambler gang
Recently bough a 55 year old motorcycle with gas in the transmission oil, and 1200 miles. Thing dosent die and stil starts and runs wih no gas (did this after a carb rebuild on accident bc didnt realise it was out of gas). As long as its well taken care of and you make sure to treat it well, it will be reliable.
Anectodally, my 2011 CBR250R (bought in 2020) seized on me after 700 miles of owning it. It was a beater that had been dropped on both sides, but yeah fresh oil + filter didn't do the trick. Probably shouldn't gotten the valves inspected when I bought it, but now we know
I’m sorry
Thank you for all the Great buyer info. Right honest and Thorough.
Honda NT700V with 100.000kms, home made maintenance following the service manual, less than 750€ in maintenance in total(excluding tires). The only problems I've had were some bulb lights. Used everyday, winter and summer, spends many hours on the street while raining, long trips (some days with more than 12 hours of driving), used and abused on twistys at high rpms, hard braking...
I've had 3 Hondas up to now, about 210.000kms between all of them, they never went to dealers or mechanics, all the maintenance done by myself. None of them has had a problem. I don't think other brands can offer that quality as I've never seen anybody that rides as much as I do have 0 problems
Thanks for the info
haven’t seen a low maintenance ducati
I bought a crusty nugget CB400T Dream for £300 in 2013 with an MOT, I ran it for a year and really enjoyed it. I then bought a CBR600F3 and a 929 FireBlade after and made a profit on both after riding them for two summers each.
The only thing I don't like about Honda's is I can never seem to get them handling how I want where Suzuki's, Kawasaki's and Yamaha's seem relatively easy to get them cornering well. Downside is those brands age a lot worse and cost a lot more to keep running. Well old ones do, I think they get a lot better once you get to mid 2000's.
Good list. I knew the Hayabusa had to be there even if only honourable mention since they are one of the most common bikes at drag strips. Like Honda, most Suzuki's are pretty bulletproof.
Suzuki bullet proof. 😂😂😂😂
@@neilhamill318 spoken as a guy that rides a 32 year old 1100 Katana with 115,000 km on it and a bike that's had about 7 previous owners and has seen all kinds of weather from sun to rain to snow. Yes I'd say they build a pretty bulletproof bike.
Truthfully all cars and motorcycles are dependable because of electronics. Limp mode will always get you home. In the 70’s spent more time wrenching than riding. But what you like as reliability is a small fraction to worry about.
Love the going plaid part
Picked up a just shy of 50 year old Honda CB350 that had been in storage since 1985. It's damn well pristine. We realized that it actually couldn't be ridden regularly, not for mechanical reasons but because it was basically a pristine show bike that must be preserved for the future as a totally original piece.
It's astounding how much work it doesn't need after a 35 year sit.
Those are terrible engine reliability, note the rubber pieces will need to be rebuilt in the engine and the timing chain system is poor. My dad has several, and he's needed several... He now curses everything Honda, haha! Also those things are absolutely gutless and heavy. For showroom, I guess, you won't be driving it much so maybe not an issue, but rebuild the engine parts that fail before taking it on a test drive.
Man haha, i knew that backroad looked familiar hill country representing man im from mason tx myself love the vid man
Most reliable bike: Honda NC700 👌
Scooter if its automatic 🤪🤣
@@MK-sk2mi nope mine is a manual😁
@@luukwolf161 awesome lol I was so close to getting one but most the ones I found were autos. Ended up with a Yamaha 😆
@@MK-sk2mi I actually wanted a MT-07 bud thats was more expensive. So ended up with the NC700. Here in The Netherlands the automatic ones are more rare, most of them are manual here
Here in Asia, I own a Honda XRM 125 DSX. A low displacement motorcycle with 2 disc brakes to front and back. It never lets me down specially that our roads are uneven on the province. The shocks just do their work when I'm running 85 kph. Honda lives up to its name as one of the most durable motorcycle makers. And they made them Fuel Injected, I run mine on 66 kpl on being a defensive driver, saves me a lot of money.