Does self-start decrease the mileage of a motorcycle.?

Question

Does self-start decrease the mileage of a motorcycle.?

Answer 1

Self start?  

I wouldn't imagine so.

I have a friend who restores motorcycles.  He showed me a crankcase from a motorcycle that hasn't run in 50 years.  When he separated it, there was oil on the bearing shells.

It's a myth that all the oil runs off when you shut an engine off.  There's enough to lubricate the bearings and sleeves until the oil pump starts picking up & delivering.

It's dirty oil that sounds the death knell for any engine.

Back in the day of total loss oilers, they used to pour in the oil that came out of their car's oil change and those bikes still lasted forever.

It takes alot of abuse to s***w up an engine, but people manage it.

Answer 2

By itself, self start does not decrease the mileage of a motorcycle.  Whether by kick starting or using a starter motor, a certain amount of gas must be present/injected into the cylinder(s) and fired by an electric spark. It's true that the addition of a starter motor does increase the weight of the motorcycle, but the effect of this "extra" weight is negligible. What will decrease your mileage is idling. Every minute your bike runs while standing still is gas you are burning without going anywhere.