hours versus mileage
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Cruiser
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 134
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From: waldwick new jersey
hours versus mileage
Just a question do you think an hour meter would be a good thing to have on your bike? since an hour meter works all the time. For ***** and giggles how long does your engine idle for in one year? an hour meter would help with your service interval. when you think about it there is a lot of wear going on those hot days when you only have a air cooled engine.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: May 2008
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From: WPB, FL
Hobbs meters are standard equipment in airplanes and many boats, where usage is measured in hours running, not miles. It serves as a standardized marker for vehicle service intervals. Service intervals on a bike, car, etc. are measured in miles. It would be sort of redundant.
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Cruiser
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 134
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From: waldwick new jersey
actually my 2006 gmc 3500 dumptruck has a hour meter in it. check your resources. and all my 4cyl have hour meters on them so idle time is measured.
Think about it a police car how many hours does that patrol car idle at, it would be more accurate with a hour meter for service don't you think?
Think about it a police car how many hours does that patrol car idle at, it would be more accurate with a hour meter for service don't you think?
Last edited by ChickinOnaChain; Jan 29, 2014 at 01:28 PM.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2013
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From: Running with the gators
An hour meter, or Hobbs meter, would in fact be a more accurate way of measuring your oil usage. The reason some people refer to the hour meter as a Hobbs, is there is a company that makes such a meter and other type of measuring equipment by the name of Hobbs.
Those of us that fly refer to our hours as Hobbs time or I put 2 hours on the Hobbs today.
I always wondered if you never idle a Harley if you could extend your oil change intervals.
Great topic of discussion though. Almost like an oil thread which I for one love reading.
I use Mobil 1 in both my Harleys and my Cessna.
Those of us that fly refer to our hours as Hobbs time or I put 2 hours on the Hobbs today.
I always wondered if you never idle a Harley if you could extend your oil change intervals.
Great topic of discussion though. Almost like an oil thread which I for one love reading.
I use Mobil 1 in both my Harleys and my Cessna.
Big Kahuna HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2008
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Waste of time on a bike.
Who spends much time at an idle??.....Waiting at traffic lights would be about all. Or an occasional traffic delay.
Anyone who spends any measurable amount of time sitting around idling an air cooled motorcycle needs more help than an hour meter can provide.
Who spends much time at an idle??.....Waiting at traffic lights would be about all. Or an occasional traffic delay.
Anyone who spends any measurable amount of time sitting around idling an air cooled motorcycle needs more help than an hour meter can provide.
Road Master
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 1,100
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From: New York
Yes hours are for boats and planes and other things which don't normally record miles.
As was said a police car may idle all day as would a semi truck so hours are important to know. Now as for a bike, if it's sitting at idle it would be ruined pretty quick, no ?
The only other thing you might learn is if the owner went 20 MPH or 85 all the time,you would find out comparing hours to miles, not really useful.
As was said a police car may idle all day as would a semi truck so hours are important to know. Now as for a bike, if it's sitting at idle it would be ruined pretty quick, no ?
The only other thing you might learn is if the owner went 20 MPH or 85 all the time,you would find out comparing hours to miles, not really useful.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2011
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From: SE Illinois
I think an hour meter would be very useful. When looking at a used bike it would be a another way to tell how the bike has been rode.
Let's create an example....
Let's say two bikes have the exact same miles on them & I'm considering both for purchase.
One has spent it's life riding in city traffic and congestion at slow speeds, while the other one has spent it's life on the highway cruising.
While both bikes have the same miles, the one used in city traffic could theoretically have twice the engine hours on it than the one that cruised the highways & would have a lot more engine wear.
I'm a fan of hour meters on everything.
Same principal applies to any motorized vehicle. For example, the company I used to work for provided me with a work vehicle, which was only driven while I was at work, which involved driving around a petroleum refinery with a 20mph speed limit all day...never left the area or ever driven above 30mph. 20,000 miles on my work truck was about the same wear and tear on a vehicle used normally for 60,000 miles.
Hours, operating time, and how it is used means everything.
Let's create an example....
Let's say two bikes have the exact same miles on them & I'm considering both for purchase.
One has spent it's life riding in city traffic and congestion at slow speeds, while the other one has spent it's life on the highway cruising.
While both bikes have the same miles, the one used in city traffic could theoretically have twice the engine hours on it than the one that cruised the highways & would have a lot more engine wear.
I'm a fan of hour meters on everything.
Same principal applies to any motorized vehicle. For example, the company I used to work for provided me with a work vehicle, which was only driven while I was at work, which involved driving around a petroleum refinery with a 20mph speed limit all day...never left the area or ever driven above 30mph. 20,000 miles on my work truck was about the same wear and tear on a vehicle used normally for 60,000 miles.
Hours, operating time, and how it is used means everything.
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Road Master
Joined: Aug 2011
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From: New York
Yeah but the bike that never went to the city would be a *****.
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From: Republic of Texas
Hour meter on a Harley is a waste of space. They don't sit and idle for hours. Your bike. If I walked by a bike and seen an hour meter I would wonder if you had a speedometer with an odometer. If you told me you had all of them I would wonder just what the hell is really wrong with you. Of all the information I would like also measured on a motorcycle-------time turned on is not at the top of my list.
