Vision Vs Similar Bikes

[Re-Vision]

I know the Vision is capable of running a 100K miles but the average appears to be around 15-20 K. I'm assuming this is because of carbs and other Vision related problems. Anyone know which bikes have the best track record for high mileage and dependability? How does the Vision stack up against its contemporaries as well as more modern bikes? Curiosity caused me to ask these questions. Hope someone has some answers.    BDC

[Hartless]

The newer Vfr'a are known to last many miles and of
Coarse the goldwings. I think it just has a lot to do with how they are ridden. The vfr and Goldwing are geared more toward touring rather than lets say a gsxr. I do find
The vision in a strange place though, a cross between a cruiser and a
Sport-tourer. As for the older bikes other than the Goldwing, it seems it's the 20,000 mark....

[Jimustanguitar]

They're meant to be ridden. A lot of longevity issues are caused, in part, by not getting the bike out on the road regularly. Grease dries out, rubber cracks, gas varnishes...

Bikes don't age well when they're parked or in storage.

[Rikugun]

I'd have to agree with the VFR's. My brother belongs to their forum and has reported some impressive mileages. They are sport tourers so that might be part of the equation - they are ridden often and far. Of course the bike has to have the longevity to pull it off. There are probably other bikes that can do it and I'm sure care and maintenance contributes heavily.  I've even heard some well cared for HD's approached the century mark but I tend to doubt the older models would achieve that with out at least a few valve jobs. Then again, some air head BMW's are purported to have gone the distance too. Improved cooling of the cylinders and heads seems like it would be more likely on these though.  ;)

[zore]

Most new bikes these days will get mileage with out much issue.  My Triumph Sprint ST had almost 50k on it before I totaled it via a deer.  My Triumph Daytona 675 had 34k on it before I totaled it with yet another deer hit. 

Some of the issues we see with these bikes are there due to not being used and just age.   Not riding a bike or driving a car is the worst thing you can do for it.

[George R. Young]

Put about 96000 km on my '82 before selling.

Had to replace rings at around 60000 km. Compression was fine but the second rings were so worn they didn't create enough vacuum for idling/low speed conditions. It wouldn't idle under 3000 RPM and no it wasn't a carb problem. The rings start out life chamfered and these were worn nearly vertical.

Plain old cast iron rings like a lawnmower. In my opinion, Yamaha should use chromed rings for a bike with a shaft drive presumably intended for long distance and life. But it's sort of like the stator.

[motoracer8]

 I have a BMW R75/6 with 170,000 miles on it. It got a top end and a clutch at 90,000.  It's had few probblems over the years and no carb or charging issues.

New motorcycles are much like cars, ride, change oil, ride, repeat.

[RedBaron]

I'm thinking  you're right. It's how they are maintained. I have a GMC truck with 279,000 and it does not burn oil and I credit that with using synthetic oil which I understand avoids the majority of wear on any engine, that occuring at startup when regular oil will not flow well enough, when cold and thick, to prevent damage.

The oil cost is about the same with synthetic because even though you pay twice as much for such oil you can run it twice as far before changing oil. For example, where I normally would change regular oil at 3500 miles I run synthetic till 7000 miles and it still has a great color when I change it.

Guess I'm suggesting synthetic oil for your truck. I'm not sure about the XZ but I suppose the same reasoning applies?

RB

[zore]

I've used nothing but mobil one in my XZ since I received it.   Everything I own gets synthetic except the lawn mowers.

[RedBaron]

There you go.

Besides, a water cooled motorcycle should avoid the killer of all air cooled motorcycle engines that being the extreme temp changes in an air cooled engine which requires air cooled engines to be built with looser tolerances to keep from seizing when very hot, making the xz550 capable of running as long as any water cooled high end engine like the Honda gold wing engine, not that I claim the XZ engine is as good, but simply that it should be a long runner.

[fret not]

BDC, by contemporaries of the Vision, do you mean of that time period?  Like the Honda CX500/650 and subsequent issues, and Honda VT500  Ascot (shaft drive) and on into the 600/650 and 700/750 versions of that basic motor?  I'm not aware of other V twins of near similar displacement other than "cruisers" and they don't count, do they?  If you are considering more recent bikes then we get into the Suzuki SV650/V-Strom and Honda Hawk type bikes.  The modern versions like the latter mentioned group should run for a long time.

[Re-Vision]

Fret, I've owned a Vision that I bought in 82 and a Honda Silverwing a couple of years later. I enjoyed both bikes. My curiosity was aroused about what would make a good replacement for the Vision whether old or newer. I don't think I'll ever find a bike that will bring more pleasure than the 550 but I would like to know what would be the best machine to replace the Vision with a more trouble free bike. Definately love the shaft drive and water cooled engine.   BDC

[Rick G]

I love my  1990 VX 800 Suzuki . Its water cooled , shaft drive and a standard , not a cruiser , It weighs almost the same as the Vision  and has better brakes. Its a generation newer  and has more modern styling. The valves are easier to adjust  but require more frequent adjustments. Carbs a simpler. It makes one less HP than the Vision . It has a longer stroke  and has a lower red line.  Mine has had  a stator failure  at 25,000 miles  and 21 years , The clutch was slipping in 5th under acceleration so I replaced that (easier to do that a Vision , as the water pump is elseware on the engine. ) other than that nothing has needed replacement . Mine was a 500 dollar junker. I had it on the road in one month and completed in a year . A good one goes from 1500. to 2500. There is a good forum.  It was made for 3 years, but the Suzuki intruder has many of the same engine parts. You could do a lot worse  that this bike . It has many of the  same qualities as the vision , in a more modern package . It has damping adjustments in the rear shocks and 41 mm forks , tapered rollers in the T stem, and needle bearings in the swing arm.  Take a look at one,

[VisionMeister]

Cycle recently had the FZ1 featured in its best used bike column and mentioned that one owner had a blog posting documentation of 200k miles and maintenance record.
When I was a Barber Motorsports for the AHRMA event I was hanging with some guys from Arkansas, one of which had a GS with 200k on it, another had a Guzzi with 140k +.
I think the Vision revs too high to expect similar longevity. I've got about 60k miles and it is starting to show its age in oil usage.   

[motoracer8]

 Craig, chrome rings don't wear very fast, could be valve stem seals.

[VisionMeister]

I've thought that, and intended to do the job last winter. I canned the effort when I pulled the covers and discovered the seals I had were the wrong size. Poor homework on my part.
I did discover a broken thread insert on my rear exhaust cam and swapped out with a spare cam.

I've been suspicious of the stem seals on my Ducati as well. Rearward facing exhausts on the rear cylinder don't give much potential for good cooling on the 100 degree days that are so common to us for summer riding.

Any way, I've got my choice of maintainence project after the holidays.

Merry Christmas

[supervision]

  My bike is sitting in the Sun,  awaiting me to change oil so I can go for a ride.