Looking for a sport tourer...used mileage question

[vixobs]

I'm a relatively new rider, coming up on 3 years. I started off on a Ninja 250, put 7k on it in a year. My current bike is a 2009 Triumph Street Triple. I have almost 34k on it from a combination of commuting and touring. I'm looking to get a sport touring bike. I'm not getting rid of my Triumph, just adding another bike to the stable  
Something with a windshield, fairings, hard luggage, etc, within the $5-7k range.

I have a few friends that ride Ducati ST3's and they really enjoy them, so that's on my list. I'm also looking at the Aprilia Futura and Moto Guzzi Norge. Both the ST3 and Futura have parts availability/dealer network issues, Aprilia more so than Ducati. The 2011 Norge seems like it will have all the upgrades/improvements it needs but I'm not buying anything new.  BMW F800ST and Honda VFR800 are on the list as well. I don't think I could find a BMW that would fit within my budget. The VFR is just on the list because I've heard so many good things about it but I'm kinda lukewarm with it.
I'm 5'4" with a 29 1/2" inseam so seat height is a concern but not major deciding factor. I'd probably be more likely to modify the seat than the suspension. Half an inch can make a big difference.

So my question is, I've noticed that a lot of the used bikes I've seen for sale really don't seem to have what I would consider to be high mileage for a sport touring bike. Assuming that it's been properly maintained, what would be considered absolutely too many miles for a used bike? I know for the style of bike my Triumph is (naked sportsbike), the mileage would definitely affect its resale. But what about something meant for touring? How much is too much or do you just try to find the one with the lowest mileage?

[Justin]

That's a loaded question, as you will find bikes with mileage that runs the gambit. I always say, get the lowest mileage bike you can afford for the price you want, but don't be scared by a bike with 30-40k miles; as long as they were well cared for. I've got 30k on my current bike now and it runs like when I bought it and I've had bikes in the past with 100k on them. Modern bikes are quite reliable, but like anything else, only if they are maintained. So if you find the bike you want and the price is right, but the mileage is higher than what you see on the average sport bike, don't let it scare you away.

[Mr.Black]

There is a guy here that has 150,000 miles on his FJR and it seems as it will keep going like the energizer bunny.

Keep looking/asking questions.

STN is a sea of information.

Some if it is good.

[vixobs]

That's a loaded question, as you will find bikes with mileage that runs the gambit. I always say, get the lowest mileage bike you can afford for the price you want, but don't be scared by a bike with 30-40k miles; as long as they were well cared for. I've got 30k on my current bike now and it runs like when I bought it and I've had bikes in the past with 100k on them. Modern bikes are quite reliable, but like anything else, only if they are maintained. So if you find the bike you want and the price is right, but the mileage is higher than what you see on the average sport bike, don't let it scare you away.

That's kinda what I thought. Thanks  

[Jmac_bandit]

Also make sure you check the fairings out if the bike has higher mileage and has had a lot of stuff loaded onto it.  My bandit's rear fairing looked fine on the outside but half of the mount tabs inside had cracked.  It may seem like a just a cosmetic issue but fairings for some bikes are quite pricey even used and you already have a naked so you don't want to turn your new bike into another one.  Also if it has high mileage, then the front fairing has been taken apart and put back together several times for valve checks and oil changes etc so make sure all the little screws and fasteners (easily lost while doing maintenance) are accounted for.

[Yankee Dog]

I would be surprised if the manufacturing/assembly techniques are significantly different for a ST type bike than for any other. Mileage is mileage.  How the mileage was put on might make a difference however.

Yankee Dog

[Ack535]

In that price range, it's hard to beat a used FJR...

Pete

[Mr.Awesome]

Being as you already own a triumph, I'm really surprised you do not have the Sprint St on your list. Engines are bullet proof. As said above, with today's bikes I would not be afraid to get something with higher mileage. But, would buy the lowest mileage bike I could find.

[mxvet57]

There is a guy here that has 150,000 miles on his FJR and it seems as it will keep going like the energizer bunny.

Keep looking/asking questions.

STN is a sea of information.

Some if it is good.

Acutely it's 175,000 miles.

[jsanford]

Don't let mileage keep you from looking at a used bike--particularly if it's a BMW.  Their owners tend to be fastidious about them.  

Take a look at Adam Glass' Used Motorcycle Evaluation Guide.  I turned the article into a checklist, and bought my first motorcycle using it (30k miles, 8 years old).  It had the smoothest single-cyllinder motor I've ever ridden on.

They have a low-seat and low-chassis option on the F800ST.  I've noticed some trade-ins at my local dealership with decent prices.  

Mileage is just one factor. I looked at several used Monsters before purchasing my new one. I ended up buying new as most used ones were priced no more than about $2500 less (even when several years old) and they all looked like they'd been left out in the rain when not out getting flogged.  Some bikes have a reputation for suffering neglect.

The Sprint ST is a nice bike, but the used parts market is almost nonexistant. They also have plastic luggage rails.

[kyzrex]

Don't believe that you need a BIG bike to sport tour on, especially at your ( and my ) size.  I've found that 600 will work just fine, and think that a 750 is just about perfect.  Big bikes, like you have listed, can really get heavy, especially when loaded for a trip.  Might want to look at some more mid- sized bikes.  As others have said, mileage doesn't really tell a true story.  Don't forget to look at maintenance costs for the bike.  More powerful and heavier bikes use up tires much quicker.

[garry]

You could do a lot worse than finding a previous gen (2002-2004) Sprint ST 955i in nice shape. Might find it under $4K even. Then use the money you save for trips and tires :-) Relatively light, 50 MPG, sporty handling, generally reliable. I had a 2002 Sprint RS that was trouble-free for 43K+ miles and it's still running good (sold it to a co-worker).