a question from the noob

how long do street bikes engines usually last? to be more specific a 250cc kawasaki ninja..i dont have the bike but thats the one im looking for and was just wondering how reliable they are thanks.

Most bikes (including the Ninja 250 you are primarily interested in) will last "forever" with regular maintenence. It doesn't take much to keep a bike in good shape, but some people don't seem to care. I know a guy who had over 100k miles on his Honda CBR1000F with routine oil changes and the occasional replacement part.

Bikes have different philosophy when it comes longevity. Japanese parts for bikes are usually cheaper than cars, and a bargain if you do the labor yourself. By the time most bikes are near 30K, most owners just sell it or trade for something new or faster. And half the bikes never make it to 30K mileage, because owners wreck them. The engines are bulletproof and would easily last more 100k with usual maintenance. I am sure some guys get 200K, but most seem to go for a rebuid or replace their engine before that. 90% opt for a newer bike altogether.

theres more to service on a bike though.

shocks need to be in good working order as do rear suspension pivots and steering head bearings. most of these are neglected by owners and can have serious problems leading to possible accidents. in a car it doesn't matter as much. bad shocks can lead to accidents and riders tend to have more serious injuries than drivers in comparable accidents.

kawi motors are indestructible.

check it out:

http://cs.kawiforums.com/cs/old_attach.asp?strfile=7445-0-20050125180106

haha....hmmm i wonder how much they want for it now... lol thats cool i wish i had the money to waste like that