N+1

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Matty D

Well-known member
Hey everyone. New guy here, glad to be part of the group.

Wondering if everyone here has heard of the N+1 rule and if it applies to you?

The N+1 rule states that the correct number of motorcycles is N+1, with N being the number you currently have. :laughing

I am definitely a victim of the rule.

A separate question is, how many of you are happy with just one bike?
 
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NoTraffic

Well-known member
It's been about 7 yrs since i've always had 2 or more bikes. My rule is you need at least 2 operational bikes, in case one goes down for maintenance or an issue. A third is nice for project or garage queen. I just sold one of my three bikes and the temptation is killing me.

Party on :party
 
ctwo

ctwo

Merely Rhetorical
I totally regret selling my "second" bike after buying a new one. I probably would have ridden it another couple hundred miles since. Of course, that kind of regret is a lot easier to come by when you don't have to pay for it.
 
Frame Maker

Frame Maker

Well-known member
Matty D said:
A separate question is, how many of you are happy with just one bike?
Click to expand...

Thats a funny question :rofl I haven't had just one bike since I bought my first street bike (RD250) back in 1978. It was hardly a month or two later that I had bikes #2 (R5), #3 (RD350), followed by many more RDs, R5s, DS7s, RZs. I still have the RZ250R that I bought as a parts bike (then fixed) in 1986.
 
Colorado Mike

Colorado Mike

I wrote that ------>
Currently at 3. I have my hooligan weekend bike, a commuter bike with some carrying shit ability, and a dedicated track bike.

Still need a dirt bike, it's been a few years since I've been on the dirt!
 
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davidji

bike curious
I try to limit my number of motorcycles to 2. n+1 would lead to my back yard or garage being filled with motorcycles, and I wouldn't have time to go places on all of them.

Two bikes means one can be down for service, and I still have one running.

I'd love to have more bikes, but I don't like to be in the position where I'm starting or riding a motorcycle just to keep it from sitting. If I had unlimited time, space and budget, more bikes would be more appealing.
 
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unobtanium

FOG
I have 1 bike and am very happy with it. I change it up every 3-5 years as my needs and whims dictate. Been doing that for 43 years now.
 
dravnx

dravnx

Well-known member
I have my commuter and my sport touring. I need either a combination commuter/canyon carver or a third dedicated canyon carver.
 
thedub

thedub

Octane Socks
The problem is that's a big, wide world of motorcycling out there with lots of different disciplines to dabble in, and they all require different bikes.
There's no way I could be happy with just one bike. I need AT LEAST a road race bike, a street bike, and a dirt bike.

Right now I have 5 bikes. I feel like that's about my max, from a maintenance time/expense standpoint. It just seems like at least one bike always needs something. Could be major service, routine maintenance, just a tire, or just a quick safety check, but it seems like I'm always working on bikes. I think 4 is my sweet spot.

If I didn't have to spend the time/money to maintain them, I might have more bikes, but then that begs the question of how many bikes can you actually ride? I ride all 5 of my bikes pretty regularly. gixxerjeff says he has 11, does he ride them all? I have a few buddies that have upwards of a dozen+ bikes, most of them just sit in their parking spot 99% of the time, wasting away. Could I actually put significant miles on more than 5 bikes? There are only so many weekend in a year.
 
Rabbtsfoot

Rabbtsfoot

Well-known member
I am at the negotiated quantity of 4 right now. I had 8 when I got married, the truce stipulates that I will have no more than 4 bikes and she will have no more than 200 pairs of shoes (50 per bike). That said, I have not done a shoe count in a while so I might be able to renegotiate for number 5!!

I think the real question for me is: N+? = the point of diminishing return in the riding to maintenance ratio
 
doc4216

doc4216

Coastie who high fives
I move every couple of years so I always only have 1. That also means I buy and sell a lot. Not as much as some but I’m on my 9th bike in 10 years. Some I’ve had for 2-2.5 years, some I’ve had for 2 months.
 
Gary856

Gary856

Are we having fun yet?
I’m down to 5 from a high of 7, and it’s still too many. With a Multistrada, the Superduke can go. I hardly use the dirtibke so it should go too.

I think many people have more bikes than they really want since it’s hard to sell and get a reasonable price for used bikes.
 
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