The Cost of Dirtbiking

[Drop-Bear]

I spend most of my money on after market parts and bling. The rest, I just waste ?

[bg10459]

Someone told me a few years ago, "richest man in the cemetery is still dead.  You can't take it with you".  It opened my eyes.  There is value in those 8+ events (or the ass washing machine) that cannot be measured in $$.  The things that keep you happy, keep you alive.  I don't really care to know how much I spent.  If I can swing it, I enjoy the f out of it.  Grab life while you can.

[Drop-Bear]

7 minutes ago, bg10459 said:

Someone told me a few years ago, "richest man in the cemetery is still dead.  You can't take it with you".  It opened my eyes.  There is value in those 8+ events (or the ass washing machine) that cannot be measured in $$.  The things that keep you happy, keep you alive.  I don't really care to know how much I spent.  If I can swing it, I enjoy the f out of it.  Grab life while you can.

There's a good chance Heaven could be much the same as this, just without the monetary system. Which'd be why It's called Heaven.
Maybe we're already in Hell. Which would explain our monetary system.

If you're lucky, you'll take your memories, so make them the best they can be.

Edited January 11, 2020 by Drop-Bear

[Husa islander]

Doesn't matter what we spend in the year as long as we are enjoying it. This is what I tell my wife when she bitches about me buying a new bike or more parts. I can always go back drinking and smoking either way I will spend my money

[bkoz]

4 hours ago, burntvalves said:

would you drop 1500 on a revalve again?  

 

Probably not.  But in this instant the tuner hit the settings out of the park and it was completely turn key.  My last 4 bikes or so I revalved myself with good results and will probably go that route next time.  But only to be cheap.

Edited January 11, 2020 by bkoz

[bkoz]

2 hours ago, pat22043 said:

Your new KTM is not currently worth zero. Its probably worth $7K to $9K. You should not expense that for this year.

I don't race, I ride trails. I spend maybe $3K yearly out of pocket for gas&oil, wear and tear (usually two rear tires, one front) and stuff like brake pads, chain, gear, etc. This doesn't count the cost of gas and wear/insurance, etc. on my crossover or trailer that I use to take the bike riding. I also wear out clothing, replace googles, etc.

Racing wears out parts, all of them. Serous racers at least buy a new bike every season, and go thru tons of parts, gas and oil.

I find it inexpensive fun.
 

I disagree for this exercise.  If I had bought a new bike outright my cost to ride this year would be ~$20k. 

2 hours ago, Turn,TheScrew said:

Whoa, wait, you included cost of bike in operating cost? Well yea then. I bet it was an expensive year.. I was wondering, because I calculated a year of hair scramble races (17) to about 3k. All cost.

No, I sold 2 bikes and bought 1.  I needed to add $1k on top. 

[Hans Schmid]

4 hours ago, bkoz said:

Last year I created a category in Mint to track my dirtbiking expenses.  All the numbers are in CDN dollars.  I came to a grand total of $10,822.17 for the year.  This surprised the hell out of me.  I didn't think it cost this much to ride. 

This total includes the costs to run 2 bikes.  One bike is a DR650 that I only put about ~1500kms on.  I put a battery in it, rear brakes, one oil change, insurance and fuel.

The other bike is a KTM EXCF which I bought new.  But I did sell 2 Yamaha's and the difference amounted to ~$1100.

The number also included race fees and licenses for 6 local races and 2 dualsport events.  I did include every bike fuel fill up but only included truck fuel for trips over 2 hours.  Another big cost was getting the suspension done on the KTM for ~$1500.  I also did a trip to Moab for ~$1000.

I ended up putting 110hrs and about ~2800kms on the KTM.  I did loose 5-6 weeks during prime riding conditions with being sick so this should have been higher. 

Even if I minus the cost of ~1100 for the bike upgrade (??) and the suspension work I am still sitting at over $8k to go riding.  Ouch.  And I am pretty cheap about things.  I only buy closeout gear and my new KTM ended up with some used and budget parts to get it race ready.  I definitely want to bring the total cost down this year. 

 

Dusty figure around $25-30k is what he spent this year, you're doing alright at $10k

[MattMc]

2 hours ago, Drop-Bear said:

You're a brave man. I don't even want to know what I spend  

I keep thinking I want to put all this in a spreadsheet and keep track of everything. Then I realize it would be on a spreadsheet where my wife could keep track of everything... I'm good ! ?

[bkoz]

36 minutes ago, Hans Schmid said:

Dusty figure around $25-30k is what he spent this year, you're doing alright at $10k

That would have surprised me before running my numbers.  I wonder if he is including the bike cost in that estimate?

[bkoz]

2 hours ago, William1 said:

$100 an hour. Cheap. What kind of hooker can you get for $100 an hour that you want to ride more than a hour?

I spent $54K on a bathroom this year. Had it about six months. Figure an hour a day. 180 hours. That comes to $300 a hour to pee and shower.

You need to calculate real numbers. One year old perfect condition bike, ride for two years, sell it in perfect condition. Add up all parts costs, reasonable labor, cost of miles to riding area and fees. Costing a brand new bike, 35' enclosed trailer, new dually truck and a slew of pit tootsies chowing on lobsters and slamming Dom is not realistic.

You misread my post.  I sold 2 bikes and bought 1.  I needed to add $1k on top to make it work.

Take off the $1k and the new suspension and I am still at $8k to ride.  Taking the bike out of the equation makes the numbers more realistic IMO.  But at the end of the day it took $11k out of pocket to ride my bike last year. 

[Hans Schmid]

16 minutes ago, bkoz said:

That would have surprised me before running my numbers.  I wonder if he is including the bike cost in that estimate?

I don't think so...

30+ tires, mousses, race fees, 4 pairs of boots, gear, fuel to and from... All adds up... 

[bkoz]

Just now, Hans Schmid said:

I don't think so...

30+ tires, mousses, race fees, 4 pairs of boots, gear, fuel to and from... All adds up... 

Yup it does.  How many hours did he put on this year?

[bweighmaster]

Thank god for used bikes.......   I spent about $ 3k on 8 bikes ....      made over  $ 3k pure  profit and still rode the hell out of them ....   Ahhhhh,  variety is truely the spice of life ........

[Hans Schmid]

1 minute ago, bkoz said:

Yup it does.  How many hours did he put on this year?

Between 2 bikes, over 300. One had 170hrs and his current one has something like 140hrs...

[bkoz]

3 minutes ago, Hans Schmid said:

Between 2 bikes, over 300. One had 170hrs and his current one has something like 140hrs...

Lol, so the math has been confirmed.  It cost $10k to ride 100hrs. ?

Edited January 11, 2020 by bkoz

[1.21GW]

I ride for my mental health, I can't put a price on that.

[Red NT]

Yep. Dirt biking expensive..... New bikes expensive.....
My mate spent AUD $10k on cigarettes last year......plenty of habits are expensive.

[nots0much]

I used to spend $6k/yr on RC cars (tires, trucks, batteries, tires, receivers, bodies, paint, tires, connectors, motors, speed controls, tires, tires, tires). I wouldn't be able to recoup 1/3 of that regardless of how nice and upgraded my stuff was. At least with used bikes, you can sell them for almost what you bought them for. It's way more fun and healthier, too. 

[Drop-Bear]

51 minutes ago, sorbales said:

I used to spend $6k/yr on RC cars (tires, trucks, batteries, tires, receivers, bodies, paint, tires, connectors, motors, speed controls, tires, tires, tires). I wouldn't be able to recoup 1/3 of that regardless of how nice and upgraded my stuff was. At least with used bikes, you can sell them for almost what you bought them for. It's way more fun and healthier, too. 

Just hurts more when you crash.

[Hans Schmid]

7 hours ago, bkoz said:

Lol, so the math has been confirmed.  It cost $10k to ride 100hrs. ?

....and he's kinda the extreme end of it too. If the price of the bike isn't included, you are looking at considerably more if you add it in.

Thats what they say, a PN Championship earns you a $10k jacket. Lol, maybe the old $1500 a Honda can prove otherwise...