After having a lazy Sunday morning chat with Geoff about servicing bikes (he serviced ours yesterday) this developed into a conversation about service intervals and mileages and I discovered that Geoff has done some staggering (to me) miles in his biking career. I don't know how many in total but I think it was the one bike he sold with 185,000 miles on the clock after buying it on 12,000 and owning it less than 4 years, that had my eyes bulging from their sockets!!!   Anyway, I was feeling quite proud of my 11,000 since April but I now realise that compared to some of you, it's a teeny amount.   I know I won't be keeping up my mileage, it'll drop off a lot in winter although I won't be putting the bike to bed and I don't think I'll go out as much next summer, opting for quality over quantity. Mostly it's the cost though which lead to the above conversation.   Anyway, I figured there must be quite a few of you old timers that have got eye popping mileages to tell of - care to share?                                                                                                                                                                              

Old timers!!!                                                                                                                                                                             

Please define oldtimers Rachel lol                                                                                                                                                                              

having been biking (properly) since 16,I wouldnt have the first idea of how many miles I've clocked up in those 5 years. Oh sorry,did I say 5 years?? I really meant 31 lol                                                                                                                                                                             

Ermmmmm, thinks how to answer this without wedging both feet in mouth. I meant old timers in the sense of biking lives so was thinking of someone who's been riding for at least 15/20 years but thinking about it, scrap that as Geoff probably did 100,000 miles in his first 5 years which is quite possibly more than some would do in an entire lifetime of biking.   So, forget the old timer bit, it's not relevant.                                                                                                                                                                              

I think you got out of that quite well Roachy lol  ever thought of being a diplomat?

I think i come in to the old timers catagory having been on bikes for 42 yrs.

To be honest i dont know how many miles i have clock but its a lot...
                                                                                                                                                                             

I've sat down and head scratched. I have been riding on the road since 1990 and did 45,000 over 2 years on my first 125 before that was sold to a mate. I think I'm on about 250,000 personal bike milage and God knows how many on test kit and other peoples bikes. Its quite an average yearly total but I dred to think how many miles I have clocked up over the course of being a professional driver.

HA!! You got 11 years on me you old git!!                                                                                                                                                                              

I'm very impressed with those figures , the experience gained...tremendous , i tried to calculate mine which is plenty but not in that league ..about 170,000 km's i think                                                                                                                                                                              

well done rach, thats quite an impressive 1st summer, think ive done just over 6k, need to get meself out more!                                                                                                                                                                             

Keep it up roachy you catch geoff up soon lol                                                                                                                                                                              

As a pilly I hate to think over 26yrs!!! 100s of 1000s of miles....

I have done 4700 miles on Mini V in two months...since 26th August when I got Ruby I have done 1100 miles...and most of that time the girls were off school...so I am sure it would have been a great deal more..

Well done Roachy for clocking up the miles along with everyone else...bikes are meant to be ridden and NOT looked at!!

well only do about 5,000 ,miles a year due to work committment having to use the van, plus having my kids half the time means the bike stays where it is, but i enjoy it when i can, its hard for me to go for long distance ride outs as if i ever could not get back in a emergency for the kids i would be gutted.........thats why i will bide my time for a few years till there all grown up then hopefully  LC and i can do some touring

Ian, do some touring NOW mate, seriously.  Touring is one of those "maybe next year" things for far too many people.   Plus you've got the perfect bike.  You could set off tomorrow morning and head down to Plymouth for the very nice mini-cruise ferry to Santander on Wednesday morning and be in the Spanish Pyrenees by Thursday evening!!   Then spend a few days following the Pyrenees to the South of France for another few days heavenly biking before heading north to Calais and back home.   Wonderful!!                                                                                                                                                                              

In a perfect world geoff that would be great, but kids come first, if i am gonna spend money on a holiday it would be with the kids and my lady, my touring days will come.....eventually                                                                                                                                                                             

do u have kids Geoff??                                                                                                                                                                              

Like your Style Geoff Tis a lucky few that can just drop it all and take off. Great if you can do it.   Do you have your kids Full time Ian can tie up a lot of your time. Dont mean that in a negative way.                                                                                                                                                                              

kids are not a "tie". they come first when considering our wishes, we chose to have them so they dictate our future moves                                                                                                                                                                              

we split having them 50/50, and i take mine to school every day, i see them most days too.....