Those with high mileage bikes. How often you had to check/adjust valve clearances?

I'd say you've ridden it enough to get a 14r. I'd want to keep it just to see how long it would go before you felt it really needed to be retired.

This has got be a record of some kind for digging up and resurrecting the oldest thread, last post was back in 2010, five years ago.

I think the answer to the OP's question is kinda like asking "how long is a rope", it all depends. If you drag race you won't get too many miles before the motor pops. If you cruise it and do regular maintenance it'll probably wear you out before you wear it out, somewhere well North of 100,000 miles I would guess.

* Last updated by: Kruz on 7/10/2015 @ 2:41 PM *

I know a semi stock zx14 that's got 150,000 miles and counting

I also know some that was heavy modded and raced and got 1000 miles.

Yup.It's a great motor.Definitely will go past 100K easily with proper care.I had my valves checked at 20K on my 2013.They were all very very close to spec.Didn't need any adjustment.And I don't necessarily baby my bikes.Oil changes at around 3K...air filters at every other oil change.OEM.Plugs were replaced at 20K...they looked almost new.( on my 2012).I changed out my plugs on my 2013 at around 7500 miles...after I got it flashed.They were still viable.

I know a semi stock zx14 that's got 150,000 miles and counting
I also know some that was heavy modded and raced and got 1000 miles.

Yep, about what I predicted, racing is hard on these motors, 1000 miles 1/4 mile at a time is still a lot of runs. These are tough motors.

* Last updated by: Kruz on 7/11/2015 @ 12:26 PM *

I know a semi stock zx14 that's got 150,000 miles and counting.

That is Bikelaugh hearsay and you know it!

Over 40k on my '06. So far so good.

58k on my 06. Still running great.

Mad

21,000 miles here, mine doesn't get ridden much though.

Years ago, there was a guy on svrider.com that had a Suzuki SV650 with 150,000 miles on it and it was still going strong. I'd expect that much or more out of a well maintained 14.

Well, doing the math, I bought my 14 new in '06, now 9 years old with 21,000 miles. At the current rate of use it'll be 18 years old at 42,000 miles, kinda doubt I'll keep it that long. I think I'll get tired of it before I ever come close to wearing it out.

My '79 GS1000 had 106,000 and ran great. Only issue was a little smoke from the valve stem seals at cold starts in cold weather. Gone in a minute. Have over 140,000 now but did a complete restoration at that 106K mark 15 years ago and had Vance and Hines rebuild the motor. The GS is semi-retired since I bought the 14.
I would think the 14 could get at least that many miles if taken care of and not thrashed. I keep things a long time so I'll find out.

* Last updated by: KAK on 7/22/2015 @ 8:31 PM *

I'm pretty sure there is nothing inherent in the ZX-14 design that would preclude high miles. Any modern bike, properly maintained and ridden, will probably outlast the driver. The problem, of course, is that many owners don't maintain them properly, heck some don't even change the oil. Others, and some of the same as the former, abuse the heck out of their bikes, ZX-14 or otherwise, which seriously reduces the life of the bike.

Generally folks consider a 90K miles bike as high-mileage but from the sounds of the one above, it's probably got a lot of miles and years left in it.

I think part of the problem is sadly, the bikes are wrecked well before they ever reach old age. Evora's got 10.6k on her and while I don't beat the piss out of her constantly she get's ridden very hard frequently.

I know that there is at least one on bikeland that has over 100k on it.

Sigh...

I know a semi stock zx14 that's got 150,000 miles and counting.

That is Bikelaugh hearsay and you know it!

123,710 miles as of today on a stock 06. Would have been a few K more, but I have been off the bike for a couple of months due to back surgery.

123,710 miles as of today on a stock 06. Would have been a few K more, but I have been off the bike for a couple of months due to back surgery.

Impressive! How many times did you do your valve checks? Any major work done on her?

Only 1 valve adjustment needed so far. Had to replace a couple of warped brake rotors, leaky front fork seals, & a voltage regulator. No other major issues.

Only 1 valve adjustment needed so far. Had to replace a couple of warped brake rotors, leaky front fork seals, & a voltage regulator. No other major issues.

At what mileage did you have to adjust valves?

I do valve checks every other winter-15-20,000 miles. You can tell when some start to get tight. It gets hard to start when cold. so, presently at 53K miles, having done it twice, it will be due again this off-season.

At what mileage did you have to adjust valves?

Had to adjust at 35,000 miles.

Here's a link to a guy with 150,000 miles on an 06...

http://www.bikeland.org/board/viewthread.php?FID=27&TID=78481&set_time=1439679366