I bought an 86 a few (5) years back. I had to change the head shortly after because I could not adjust the valves anymore. Only showed 27,000 on the clock then but I am beginning to wonder if it had turned over once.. I contributed it to the early head and soft valves at first.. Now with close to 60,000 showing it is using about a quart to a 1,000. It runs great,fast,great throttle response and such. I only put on about 4-5,000 a year here in ND so the oil usage is more of a nuisance then anything. When a decent used one comes up for sale I will prolly buy it and transfer all my farkles over. That said I have gotten a lot of bang for a $1500 bike and have no regrets thou it sounds like an oil burner is a rare one.

I bought my first '95 Connie new/used with hardly no miles on it in '95. I put 101K on that bike with absolutely no problems with it. I sold it for a '2000 Connie new/used with hardly no miles on it, (in '2001), and I have put 70K on it and I am currently still riding this one. I commute to work everyday to work on my Connie, (Bay Area San Francisco, CA). I have had no issues at all with this bike either. I am rather good at following the recommended maintenance schedules for this bike and I do my own wrenching. I did not replace my J box on the '95, but I think I might on the '2000 C-10. I put some med lock tight on the speedometer cable to keep it from occassionally unscrewing. I have replaced the lights in the dash on both my C-10's. After 30K (both bikes)I have found that my valves are rock solid, (I still check them), but I have not had to adjust them. I replaced the timing chain tensioner on my '95 (no big deal to replace) but not on my '2000 yet. I have had the carbs off both bikes and the idle jets cleaned to correct a "lag" when giving it throttle. The front shock springs, (OEM), have all sorts of preload and I had a "Pro" shorten these OEM springs and set up the '2000 Connie suspension to fit my riding style and habits. This suspension work made the Connie feel like a whole new bike. Watchout for the wheel bearings, they can sneak up on you...I check them every 15K or so. The bike is "bullet proof" and is sooooooo good for what you have to pay for it and the lack of time you have to wrench on it.... the bike never never breaks. Have fun riding the bike.