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Bikers! Chime in please...

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  • Apr 26th, 2005 8:01 am
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Deal Fanatic
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Jan 25, 2004
7009 posts
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Ottawa
Generally speaking....

...how much is the insurance? My insurance right now on a POS car is $80 a month, 27 years old, clean record.

...how much better/worse is a 250cc on gas?

I have thought off and on over the years about trying it out, but I'm always nervous about hitting.... something... :)
Banned
Mar 21, 2003
3085 posts
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Hey I got the bike bug again.. think I'm going to pick up an SV650S soon as I can find one for CHEAP.

As for insurance prices for bikes, hard to say as they jump across the board.. some people are getting raped, some are getting fair premiums.. and well that's about it, can't say I know anyone getting an awesome deal.

Here's some prices I got quoted from kanetix.ca for Kingsway Insurance, and thats with an affiliate membership (15% off):

1996 Yamaha Virago 250 $653
1991 Suzuki GSF400 $677
2000 Suzuki GS500 $967
2002 Buell Blast $967
1991 GS500E $959
2001 Buell Blast $967
1995 Kawasaki Ninja 500 $988
1991 Kawasaki ZR550 ZEPHYR $1021
2001 Suzuki Katana 600 $1041
1998 BMW F650ST $1054
1999 Yamaha V-Star 650 $1054
2001 Suzuki SV650 $1094
2000 Suzuki Marauder 800 $1328
2004 Suzuki SV1000S $1426
1992 Kawasaki Ninja ZX6R $3023
2003 Buell Firebolt XB9R $4174
2000 Buell X1 Lightning $4692

As for gas.. the smaller the engine, the better the gas mileage (assuming you aren't thereby forced to go full throttle the whole time).. but generally motorcycles are extremely cheap to operate.. so there's little difference between a 250cc bike and a 500cc bike, even though you have twice the cc's.

Go with whatever bike feels the best to you.. right seat height, right sitting position, right arm reach...etc..
Jr. Member
Apr 5, 2005
138 posts
2 upvotes
Is there someplace that you can rent bikes ? I don't have an M2 can I rent on an international license ?
Sr. Member
Nov 21, 2004
761 posts
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ssiwani wrote:Is there someplace that you can rent bikes ? I don't have an M2 can I rent on an international license ?
you can rent bikes from gta exotics
Jr. Member
Mar 23, 2004
129 posts
Toronto
i've had my m2 for 2 seasons now. i'd recommend getting an sv650 vtwin as well. it makes a good starter bike while still giving you some of that sports look that you want. also, if you do drop your bike (it's only a matter of time), it won't break your heart or your wallet like an r1 will.

my bike is an old honda hawk gt650. i think it's an awesome bike and a great way to putt around the city.

safe riding!
Banned
Mar 21, 2003
3085 posts
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Pete00 wrote:you can rent bikes from gta exotics
Holy Moly!

Looking at the Yam R6.. $129/day on the weekend, plus $0.25/km over 150km, plus $44 insurance/day, plus $25 for a helmet.

Renting it Sat+Sun would probably be about $500 after taxes.. That's wild.
Deal Fanatic
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Jul 18, 2003
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Etobicoke
v00d00 wrote:Holy Moly!

Looking at the Yam R6.. $129/day on the weekend, plus $0.25/km over 150km, plus $44 insurance/day, plus $25 for a helmet.

Renting it Sat+Sun would probably be about $500 after taxes.. That's wild.
Not bad considering a set of rubbers for the R6 is about $500 and you can easily go thru a set over a weekend @ Shannonville.
Banned
Mar 21, 2003
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eelfliw wrote:Not bad considering a set of rubbers for the R6 is about $500 and you can easily go thru a set over a weekend @ Shannonville.
Yeah except the guy who rented it the weekend before already wore out the tires..

But seriously, you can rent a bike and go take it to the track? That's not too bad I guess.. I'd rather take someone else's bike to the track than my own.
Deal Fanatic
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Jul 18, 2003
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Etobicoke
v00d00 wrote:But seriously, you can rent a bike and go take it to the track? That's not too bad I guess.. I'd rather take someone else's bike to the track than my own.
Yes. You can rent bikes and take it racing.

Check out Turn 2 --> http://www.turn2.ca/

There was also a riding school that will rent 125GP bikes to its graduates to participate in racing. I don't know if they're still around but they operate out of Shannonville.

Finally, hang around the paddock area during races. Some racers will rent out their bikes in order to recuperate the cost of running the bike.
Deal Addict
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Jul 12, 2001
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Toronto
v00d00 wrote:Can't say I'm aware of any.. tho there probably are some schools out there that do.

But why must you learn to ride a motorcycle on a sport bike?
haha, my friend works at cycleworld and he says every summer, about 10 of the n00bs who bought sportbikes crash even before the leaving the parking lot. (had one just last week, totalled a brande new gixxer600 at 0.0km!! :D )
and LOTS others get towed back all mangled up within a week.

NO training school will even think about using sportbikes in their programs. Imagine a group of 30 n00bs on sportbikes in one parkinglot... you're just begging for fatalities!
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Sr. Member
Nov 21, 2004
761 posts
1 upvote
urameatball wrote:haha, my friend works at cycleworld and he says every summer, about 10 of the n00bs who bought sportbikes crash even before the leaving the parking lot. (had one just last week, totalled a brande new gixxer600 at 0.0km!! :D )
and LOTS others get towed back all mangled up within a week.

NO training school will even think about using sportbikes in their programs. Imagine a group of 30 n00bs on sportbikes in one parkinglot... you're just begging for fatalities!
and increased insurance rates! :cry:

btw did the guy who crashed his new gixxer ever come forth on the local boards? haha
Sr. Member
Dec 15, 2003
691 posts
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i cant wait to get my first real two wheels

maybe in few month if things work out
ridin high, livin free
Deal Addict
Sep 4, 2003
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urameatball wrote: (had one just last week, totalled a brande new gixxer600 at 0.0km!! :D )
Totalled a bike at 0.0km?!?!

In my 18 years of riding, I've seen lots of riders go down, in parking lots, on side streets, and on the track. I've gone down myself at about 75k/m at the track and came no where NEAR totalling my CBR900, all of it was plastic damage, about $3000, it was no where near being totalled.

Exactly HOW did this Gixxer 600 get totalled at 0.0km??

Either this is complete BS, or that insurance adjuster is high on glue.
Member
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Oct 19, 2004
299 posts
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Vancouver
anyone have a link to the motorcycle program in british columbia?

i think its called aktion, or action?

thanks!

-nathan
Banned
Mar 21, 2003
3085 posts
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No wonder insurance is so high on crotch rockets... too many dip$hits have ruined it for (most) everyone.

I really wanted to pick up a '00 SV650S.. but after a second look at funds, I'll probably have to settle for a '00 GS500.. unless I just skip this summer and hold out for a cheap sale end of the season.
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Jul 12, 2001
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Toronto
rc51 wrote:Totalled a bike at 0.0km?!?!

In my 18 years of riding, I've seen lots of riders go down, in parking lots, on side streets, and on the track. I've gone down myself at about 75k/m at the track and came no where NEAR totalling my CBR900, all of it was plastic damage, about $3000, it was no where near being totalled.

Exactly HOW did this Gixxer 600 get totalled at 0.0km??

Either this is complete BS, or that insurance adjuster is high on glue.
as the story goes: n00b pays for the bike, starts it up in the parking lot... rips the throttle and the needle is bouncing off the rev limiter, the mechanic yells out "DON'T RELEASE THE CLUTCH", n00b pops the clutch, burnout, bike runs away, flips, and smashes into something or another. byebye bike.


and lowsides on track do almost no damage. I use to lowside my F4i on track all the time and I've never spent more than $50 in repairs.
Hi5exposure Photography
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Jr. Member
Nov 26, 2003
132 posts
Here's my motorcycle story:

- 28 yr old male, married
- Golden Triangle Area (K/W and Cambridge)
- 11 yrs G licensed, clean driving record
- Daily commute is 10 min ea way down quiet streets
- short guy at 5'5"

I bought a 1982 Honda 450 @22,000k certified/safetied, for $1200. Runs great - 450cc engine with Honda reliability. Traditional "bike" styling, so definitely not a crotch rocket. :razz:

Got my M1 a couple weeks ago (simple written test) which lets me ride during the day (no alcohol, passengers, or over 80khr highways). Signed up for a local course in May, which includes the M2. However, I grew up riding dirtbikes (50cc -> 250cc) so I already had all the principles of riding down pat.

I got minimal insurance on it (its a $1200 bike), under $900 yr, to go down with the course and M2 completion.

I LOVE to ride. Pure and simple. I cruise around on it - I'm not tempted to go out and hug the curves at 160 on a bike like this, so I just enjoy the ride. I wear a full-face good quality helmet (not one of the little cap-like ones), a leather jacket, jeans, ankle-covering boots, and leather+kevlar gloves to ride ANYWHERE, and I ride pretty much everywhere - store, work, home, etc. I don't plan to ride on the highways once I have my M2... just doesn't seem like a safe thing to do, IMHO.

My upgrade plans are that if my current bike dies, I'll look for a used Kawi 250 or 500. Thats all I need! :cheesygri

So far, riding has been nothing but a joy - even if it starts raining or its a cold morning, there is nothing like it. I haven't dropped or layed the bike down yet (knocks on wood), which I mostly attribute to starting on something so sensible and sane.

My younger brother now wants to ride too. He's 24, and is obsessed with a Yamaha 600. Brand new. Blue.

I'm trying to talk him out of that, but so far he's pretty stuck on it...
Deal Addict
Sep 4, 2003
1850 posts
9 upvotes
urameatball wrote:as the story goes: n00b pays for the bike, starts it up in the parking lot... rips the throttle and the needle is bouncing off the rev limiter, the mechanic yells out "DON'T RELEASE THE CLUTCH", n00b pops the clutch, burnout, bike runs away, flips, and smashes into something or another. byebye bike.
Still sounds like a load of crap to me... I've lived in 4 different provinces and shopped at many more different dealerships from Vancouver to Halifax. NO DEALER I know would let some NOOB start/launch a bike in the parking lot where they've got the chance to damage OTHER property. My first bike out in Vancouver, the dealer insisted he deliver it, free of charge, wouldn't let me ride it home.

First of all... why would he/she start the thing while sitting on it... typically you start the bike before gearing up while you're OFF of it.

Secondly, why would the bike be in gear and the clutch in???, in my 15+ years of riding, I don't think I've ever done that... always started in neutral, where you don't have to bother with the clutch.
Deal Addict
Sep 15, 2003
1092 posts
I love bikes but don't own one yet. So how much does an average starter bike cost?
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