Cheating with mileage ?!? - .: XT660.com

Gummybear · # 1 02-03-18, 19:52

Hello,
I would like to buy an XT660Z without ABS and browse the classifieds for many weeks now. Many XT660Z are for sale in a southern country of Europe. I noticed that many of these XTs have a fairly low mileage. Is this not surprising? More sun n the south of Europe, but people drive their bikes less ?!?
That is why my question : should I trust the mileage on the display of the XT660Z ? Or is it relatively easy to cheat and change the mileage /display ?
Thanks.
Regards
Gummybear

Chalk Two · # 2 02-03-18, 20:12

I'd guess it is technically possible with some very expensive software and very clever criminal minds but in reality if nearly all of your viewed bikes are low mileage across the Mediterranean it is likely that they are all genuine speedometer readings or all the owners know the same guy with the flash memory device.

Teneres aren't exactly a high value motorcycle that is worthy of 'clocking' A 9 -year-old with 12,000 kilometres on it might be only worth 300 Euros more than one with 40,000 k. It is just not worth adjusting the mileage.

Wear indicators such as foot rest rubbers and bar grips, rust, paint condition will match actual mileages normally. A bike showing 5000 Km with a worn out left foot rest rubber will be a big clue the bike may have ridden more miles than indicated.

Chalk Two · # 3 03-03-18, 09:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by englishbandit

NEVER TRUST THE MILEAGE It�s very very common in the biking world. To have a second set of clocks (YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE A CRIMINAL MASTER MIND ). They MOT the bike do 100 miles then swop the clocks over ride all year then just before the mot switch them back take it for the MOT bike only done 100 miles that year. Then switch clocks back again. That way all the history backs up the mileage. I would say over 50% of older bikes are clocked this way. Then when they sell the bike they just sell the clocks on for the same money they bought them for best �200 they will spend.I strip cbr 929 and do a good trade in clocks. A good tell tail sign is the first 4 or 5 years, mileage will be about right then when they start hitting say 15000 miles or 3rd or 4rd owner the mileage then drops to 3 or 400 miles a year. 5 times out of ten clocks are changed. As once bikes go�s over 25.000 price starts to go down or harder to sell. It really is so common it�s unreal. CONDITION CONDITION CONDITION. that�s what you want to look at and that still does not mean its not been clocked if someone really looks after there bike you would never know, all you can do is pick the best bike you can find with the least amount of owners you can find. (the xt do tend to have a higher amount of owner than some bikes,as a lot of people buy them and don't like them so can be common to have 6 7 owners in a short time). I buy about 15 cbr 929s a year and would say half are clocked if not more. I have been in the trade over 10 years and been riding 36 years and and see it every day. You can go in any bike shop that sells used bikes, and I can guarantee you more than one of there bikes will be clocked and they know it. It�s rife in the biking world. I never buy a bike for myself just on the paper work or what the clocks say. It�s not hard to spot one if you know what you are looking for. But saying that I would say 10% of bikes maybe more really do hardly no miles a year ( i know a few people that do less that 800 a year). I have 5 bikes and some may only get out once or twice a year but there condition shows this. I have a cbr 929 I bought last year to store away I will ride that once each year just to empty the fuel tank and re fill it on its MOT day. So that will only do 100 miles a year. At a guess I would say 10 to 15% of older bikes (5 year +) with low mileage are right I would then say 35 to 40% are clocked and say the last 45 to 50% will have normal to high�ish mileage are probably honest. I bought a cbr 929 5 weeks ago with 16.000 miles on it with full history yet it had 11 owners lol 16,000 my foot and condition under the fairings was 4 times that. But as I strip them it does not matter to me as long as all the body work is mint. How many adds I see with the words genuine mileage that I know to be bull,is a joke. The reason they get away with it is there is so many people out there that know nothing about bikes at all(not knocking that) They see a shiny tank and fairings and think nice bike. I see it all the time. It�s not fair really that people get ripped off. As a bike gets older or mileage gets higher its more and more common. just look at the MOT history on line. most of the cbr 929s i buy once they hit 25.000 miles ish ,its funny they never seam to do more than 100 or so miles a year, really funny that.Same in the car world I see posh well to do people getting there cars clocked back. as they can only do 10.000 a year on there lease. Remember its not illegal in the UK to adjust your clocks back . but it is illegal not to tell the new owner you have done it. its a loop hole in the law. you can go to the back of any car mag and you will see lots of adds for dash board correction (clocking). Same as you can legally buy all the stuff you need to grow drugs with, even the seeds yet it is against the law to grow them ? then why sell the ****. Its no wonder you can not walk down a road today without smelling the crap, but that's another story.

Woah there. !

Chalk Two · # 4 03-03-18, 09:51

It's NOT as rife in the Tenere world as it is in the above example of the Fireblade world as, particularly 929 Hondas, early R1's etc are regularly stolen in the United Kingdom and sold for cheap track day parts, knowingly by some, in the amateur racing community.

Teneres don't have a particular good race track record for some reason and therefore a high parts demand.

As mentioned by myself earlier and the above check condition.

At some point in a used market you will buy a bike. Which one will you buy because the spectre of a 'clocked' mileage, by some logic, will be there?

It becomes a mere question of probability and likelihood. What are the chances of, say, 12 Teneres spread over the continent which all have low to mid mileages being 'clocked' when the cash resale difference in those low to higher mileage 7 -year-old examples would only be a couple of hundred euros, hardly worth the effort of buying spare digital Tenere clocks .........if you could ever, ever find a set with a low mileage on.

Ask your self, just how many low mileage digital Tenere clocks are in fact on line for sale compared to, let's say, the hundreds of early R1 ones?

You may find 1.

So back to the only other way of 'clocking' which involves a "Clever" mind and some digital technology and the LIKELIHOOD. As mentioned, there is zero incentive to do so as there will be no financial gain.

Also, for peace of mind, check out the other bikes XT660R / X and let's say KLR's KLE's DR's in OLX and you'll find here in the Med bikes don't generally have hi mileages, and little to no rust too.

The Fireblade forum will cover all aspects of Fireblade questions, should you have any.

Gummybear · # 5 03-03-18, 10:41

Thank you fir your explanation. I'm not experienced in the field of buying used bikes, so it will be difficult for me to avoid traps...

Cheers

Gummybear :-)

Chalk Two · # 6 03-03-18, 10:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gummybear

Thank you fir your explanation. I'm not experienced in the field of buying used bikes, so it will be difficult for me to avoid traps...

Cheers

Gummybear :-)

You are very welcome and to be certain, we are ALL still learning.

One thing I would add is try to avoid 2009 Teneres which have a known history of gearbox failure. Only a few but enough to make it a game of Russian Roulette as to whether yours would go bang or not.

Chalk Two · # 7 04-03-18, 08:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by englishbandit

So naive, clocking has nothing to do with stolen bikes or parts or racing lol

If you read my post correctly you'd see I covered that.

Now this is turning slightly sour and off-post so draw a line under it, or if you insist on challenging me further about the reasons, history and tactics of "clocking" then pm me for a personal chat. LOL

nikroc · # 8 04-03-18, 15:14

No need for handbags ladies. Be nice..its not a pissing contest. We're all here to help each other out at the end of the day.

waynovetten · # 9 08-03-18, 10:09

What a fascinating thread trying to apply a UK mentality to European query,i�ve Spent a life time travelling Europe and when it comes to travel on bikes the Southern Europeans just don�t do it,you�ll of heard the expression �Mad Dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun�.

Never a truer a word we�ve ridden down into southern Spain and the across to either Bilbao or Santander and the only bikes you see are tourists it�s why unfaired bikes like Ducati�s Monster are such big sellers for wizzing around local street but travelling more than a couple of hundred miles from home is a rarity.

We had a Spanish national come to stay with us for 2 weeks and stayed two years so we�ve seen quite an insight to their mentality when staying with the saids family,yes in recent years you see more Italians and some Spanish now travelling to the TT but a drop in the ocean compared to Northern Europeans who head south to sweet their knackers off in the heat

bonjo · # 10 11-03-18, 08:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gummybear

Thank you fir your explanation. I'm not experienced in the field of buying used bikes, so it will be difficult for me to avoid traps...

Cheers

Gummybear :-)

I would engage the help of a technician who knows the bike to inspect it (even if you have to pay for the service).
All the comments are good.
Clocking an electronic odometer is a quick & clean job so you need to look for signs of wear & tear not consistant with the mileage including brake discs.

I understand your concern as in general people with this type of bikes tend to use them more frequently

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