Verifying mileage

[Shasta]

Hello all

I have a deposit down and am picking up a 98 Tourer tomorrow (hopefully if all is as it should be).  It is advertised as super low milage...like 5000 low. 

Is there a way to tell if that is in fact fact 5000 and not 105000?  I hate to think this way but need to be cautious.

In my research so far I have heard things like check the rubber on the pegs and shifter or use my instincts.

I plan to do this but does anyone else have any other advice?

Thanks and I hope to check this board tomorrow evening as a Valkyrie owner!!!!

Matt

[Firefighter]

I don't know of an absolute way, but you had better check the tires and see if they are origional, there dated in code, If they are origional change them and install metal valve stems,,, soon!

[Shasta]

Thanks

The shop put on new metzlers and said they did 1700 dollars of work including new fluids, carb sync, and replaced a lot of rubber (including tires) related to a low mileage 18 year old bike.  Also they mentioned valve plates or something like that.  I will have access to those records tomorrow.

Other than that anybody have any other suggestions?

Thanks again, Matt

[MarkT]

It might take experience to eyeball this, but the appearance of a 5k bike will have much "fresher" chrome than a 105k bike.  That's chrome everywhere on the bike.  Miles put little dings, sand pits, stains on the chrome. The seller can replace a piece here and there but some of it won't be.  If any of the chrome looks aged, that might be what you are seeing.  If the bike has only 5k miles on it, expect it to have fuel problems.  When ridden very little, seals leak, carbs get gummed up.  As also mentioned - with that few miles - the tires are likely original and should have very old dates on them.

[nogrey]

I should think that a bike with 105K would look significantly different than one with only 5K. Things like road rash, undercarriage etc would be pretty difficult to mask without a paint job and the like. It's difficult to maintain a bike to look like new with that many miles on it. One of the things I always look closely at is the rear wheel. It seems to be the least maintained part on valkyries. Folks just don't take the time to get down there and clean and polish like they should. Look on the underside of front and rear fenders, and at the paint on the swingarm in front of the rear wheel. The paint should look barely dirty on a 5K bike. Check the undercarriage and the bottoms of the pipes. Look to the interior of the engine block. There will be signs if the bike has more than 5k. In fact, I would think it would be much more difficult to tell if a bike had 50k vs 105K than one that only has 5k vs 105K. As the other said, check the tires. If they are original, you need to replace them.
Good luck.

[Sorcerer]

Look at the timing belt cover, the front crash bars, chrome radiator side covers and the condition of the Finnish on the forks. At 113,000 miles all those looked hazey. In some states an odomiter statement is required. Check with your states DMV.

[Rio Wil]

Take a look at the brake rotors, they should be pristine at 5K miles.....no grooves or ridges.

[old2soon]

Top of the front of the swing arm should have next to no road asphalt. When I got mine the headers looked like chrome. Now at 117000 miles they have a distinct yellow tint. The lens on the taillight should be smooth and a good clear red. I'm thinkin here that the points on the brake pedal should be pointy-not the least bit worn down. At 5 G miles should be original brake pads and like others have stated zero wear on the rotors. Some of my bike-NOT all of it-but some looks like it has 117000 miles on it. Good luck with the new to you ride. RIDE SAFE.

[Pappy!]

Yep - Brake rotors and pads should be almost new looking at 5K. 

[Rams]

Although not necessarily an indication of miles, yellowed or blued exhaust gives an indication of fuel mixture and could reflect mileage.   Look at the bottom of the crash bars also.    The crash bars don't necessarily indicate mileage but definitely tell you if the bike has been down............

Throttle cable linkage, if there is any play, that cable could be stretched, indicates a lot of usage or twists...... 

[csj]

When at a bike gathering, someone looks at my odo and says 'only 20k kms, that's low'. I say No, it's 220k kms. He says Huh. You see the Tourer only shows 5 digits. The IS, I'm told, has the extra digit. So watch out for that.

[hubcapsc]

If it has been taken care of so well that you can't tell
by looking at some of the tell-tales people have
mentioned here, it probably doesn't matter. Especially
if you plan on riding it.

-Mike

[cookiedough]

AS said,  to me the undercarriage of the engine block should not be all gummed up and gritty or dirty with under 10K miles vs. even say 30-40K miles.  Not many people clean that part of the engine underneath where the oil drain plug is changed and down below further.  Also, as said brake rotors and pads should be near looking new no signs of wear. 

Also,  no paint flaws/chips/dents or scratches unless that person was very careless at only 5K miles.

I think it would be pretty easy to tell 5K vs. 105K if looking at those few things, to me at least? 

[Jess Tolbirt]

when my bike went over 100 thousand, the numbers on the odometer did not line up perfectly like they were before the 100,000 mark..if some numbers are a little up and some down, i would say over 100,000

[Robert]

Another thing to look at along with all that has be quoted here is the bolts in the engine block. They are anodized and will not stay the same bright color as new if any dirt water or any road conditions are left on them. Even if you clean them they will eventually turn colors and you are not going to replace the bolts in the engine. The front lower cover that holds the oil filter these bolts are the first to go. The condition of the front lower forks and the rims are also good tell tale signs. The oil should be very clean even the rear oil should be very clean. The smell of the oil depending on when it was changed should not be gassy at all. Look under the fenders also for dirt and wear there should be none of either to speak of and look for dirt in places not easily cleaned.

[signart]

If it has been taken care of so well that you can't tell
by looking at some of the tell-tales people have
mentioned here, it probably doesn't matter. Especially
if you plan on riding it.

-Mike

This^^^

[Ramie]

I think a lot would depend on how the bike was stored and if the bike was ever down.  Either way low miles on a bike that old shouldn't cost you extra money.

[Art708]

You have to be very careful. A couple of years ago a dealer in Ohio (I think) advertised a'97 Valk with very low miles for sale. Someone posted a pic of it on here and it was my Valk that I'd sold about a year before ....it had over 100,000 on it when I sold it. The dealer was notified and he checked farther and found out it did actually have over 100K. Even the dealer and mechanics there accepted it as a very low mileage bike.

[RainMaker]

I seem to recall that Carfax and other similar services show services done to a vehicle, including inspections and mileage at those inspections.  Maybe try that.

RainMaker

[The emperor has no clothes]

I'm with Hubcap. If it looks nice and you like it. BUY IT. My Standard has 60k, my I/S has 115k. I'm not worried about either. Good Luck in your purchasing.  

[Moonshot_1]

Thanks

The shop put on new metzlers and said they did 1700 dollars of work including new fluids, carb sync, and replaced a lot of rubber (including tires) related to a low mileage 18 year old bike.  Also they mentioned valve plates or something like that.  I will have access to those records tomorrow.

Other than that anybody have any other suggestions?

Thanks again, Matt

You mention that you are looking to buy this from a dealer.
See if you can find out who was the previous owner and give them a call and research some history.

Had a Tourer that I gave to my Daughter and Son in Law when I picked up an Interstate.
Just over 100k. Been in a wreck (not fun at all) so it had a new speedometer. Now showing 63k at 100k miles. Lots of folks can't believe the bike is 17 years old and has 63k on it. I tell'em it is 100k and it was in a wreck and they lose their minds.

Point is that if taken care of these bikes don't age like other bikes do. Even the styling is timeless.

[Steve K (IA)]

Look at the timing belt cover, the front crash bars, chrome radiator side covers and the condition of the Finnish on the forks. At 113,000 miles all those looked hazey. In some states an odomiter statement is required. Check with your states DMV.

 
Yes, these are the things I would look at.  All forward facing surfaces.

[czuch]

Don't sweat it, just get it.
 They don't wear out. They will be the hit of the show at bike night.
You will play 21 questions at the gas stop/ traffic light/ breakfast stop...
My 97 has 88K and looks amazing after a bath. They're not expensive.
I tell everyone in the market to get one.
A friend of mine just bought a new, beautiful Indian.
On our first ride he was impressed, with the Valkyrie. He is happy with his purchase, but I dont have payments, and out ran him all day.
 Then I showed him the nickel trick......

[Psychotic Bovine]

Foot peg and shift lever rubber should show oxidation, but little wear. (assuming they weren't changed out.  The shift lever rubber is rarely changed, I would think.)

There is a brass collet on the clutch lever that should show tarnish, but not wear at 5,000 miles.

I can't think of any other really small details that most people would miss.  Foot pegs, to me, are the big tell tales if they are stock.  

Being a tourer, the black paint around the saddlebag latches should show little wear at 5,000 (same with the lid lift tab underneath).  At, let's say, 105,000 that paint will show wear/dulling/scratches from use, assuming he used the bags regularly. 

 

[Gavin_Sons]

I know of a bike with well over 100k that looks showroom new  if it has been taken care of it wont show all these signs of wear. Just buy it and ride it. We know they can go over 500k,