*OFFICIAL* 2013? RFD Group rides, motorcycle discussion & licencing thread

[AzN_RiverdaleCI]

RFD Motorcycle pics, discussion, schools, licensing & group rides thread
*OFFICIAL* RFD Motorcycle thread , discussion, schools, licensing & stuff

Like my thread? subscribe to it! as I post rides sometimes daily or weekly during the riding season!
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Events:

none atm, check recent last pages as I am not as active /w this thread.

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Weekly meets/rides(always weather permitting):

pending.......


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Pictures:
pics from group rides and stuff are randomly scattered throughout this thread, I try to keep this post updated as to where they are located. Latest pics from latest rides are on the furthest page
so far page 7, 10, 11, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21


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For those with motorcycles, who wants to go for a group ride?! just post when and where! that way we can have an official RFD group ride!
I try to post here too when there's a group ride/event!

They took away my ownership of my official G1/G2/G licensing thread, all I have is this one =/
anywho yeahh its motorcycle time! We'll show my ex-thread who's better! rawr!


Motorcycle Schools (review/comments)
I went to RTI, it was great, they have free re-testing, I didn't need to re-test since I got 100% perfecto cause I am AzN_RiverdaleCI!!!!!!!!!!!
I totally recommend it.

Humber: http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/s...8&postcount=78
http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/s...3&postcount=91

Centennial is also great: http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/s...0&postcount=79

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Beginner Motorcycles:
- Honda CBR 125R
- Kawasaki Ninja 250R
- Kawasaki Ninja 500R
- Suzuki GS500F/Suzuki GS500

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good useful posts/reads:
http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/s...1&postcount=98
http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/s...&postcount=114
http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/s...&postcount=115
http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/s...&postcount=194
http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/o...uff-386235/16/
http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/o...uff-386235/17/

===============ORIGINAL POST (below)===============

hi, most of you know me as the person who created the official G1,G2, and G questions thread, I started this thread because I got so impatient waiting for my 8 months to get G2.

Anyways quote the mto website here
it says under m1:
# Level One lasts a minimum of 60 days
# M1 licence is valid for 90 days

So if I see and understand correctly, I can try for my M2 in approx 2 months? IS THIS FOR REAL? cause if it is, thats like a teenagers dream come true. Cause like thats sick, in approx 2 months after you get your M1 (provided you passed M2 right away) you can friken drive on the highway with a passenger with your full-speed motorcycle, that is so cool i cant believe i didnt know that. Here I am waiting 8 months for my G2 just so I can drive by myself without getting yelled at by parents. When all along, I could've got an M1 and drove by myself.

Long story short, my question is, is that true that after I get my M1, approx 2 months later, I can go for my M2, and then drive on the highway and carry a passenger with a full-speed motorcycle?

Also, where can I buy/rent a full-speed motorcycle? cause I have no experience with motorcycles at all. I just plan to use the full-speed motorcycle for the tests so I get the actual M1/M2 license without the L condition. I just want to drive a moped/limited speed motorcycle. But want to use a full-speed motorcycle when I get older.

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[techwiz]

Yes, it is possible to get your M2 in 2 months - I did this back in August.

First, you need to go get your M1 by writing the written test at the Drivetest centre. Then, the easiest way to get your M2 is to do a Motorcycle Training Course (done in two days, usually a weekend). By completing that course, you will receive the paperwork to upgrade your license to M2.

I did my course at RTI. You can also check out GTAMotorcycle.ca for more info.


BTW, you do not need your own bike to do the tests - they are provided in the course. However, you need to bring your own helmet/gear.

[manho]

i don't have a bike (nor did i ride a bike since I got my M2 from RTI), and I need to do my M before it expires (in a year or two - i forgot), is there anyway to do it without owning a bike? I noticed most schools require students having their own bike for the M graduation license

[D-3vil]

So if I see and understand correctly, I can try for my M2 in approx 2 months? IS THIS FOR REAL? cause if it is, thats like a teenagers dream come true.

In fact, you can do the RTI training course (highly recommended, I did it as well a couple of years back) before your 2 months pass, and can bring the papers to an MTO licensing office once your 60 days are up.

Cause like thats sick, in approx 2 months after you get your M1 (provided you passed M2 right away) you can friken drive on the highway with a passenger with your full-speed motorcycle, that is so cool i cant believe i didnt know that.

Spoken like a true teenager. I don't want to rain on your parade, but riding a motorcycle is a much bigger responsibility (to yourself) than driving a car. As for carrying a passenger, you will need time to refine your riding skills before you can handle the added difficulty.

Long story short, my question is, is that true that after I get my M1, approx 2 months later, I can go for my M2, and then drive on the highway and carry a passenger with a full-speed motorcycle?

Please, for your sake and your passenger's, postpone this thought until you've had time to improve your riding skills. How much time is up to you, but it will likely not be faster than waiting for your G2.

Also, where can I buy/rent a full-speed motorcycle? cause I have no experience with motorcycles at all. I just plan to use the full-speed motorcycle for the tests so I get the actual M1/M2 license without the L condition. I just want to drive a moped/limited speed motorcycle. But want to use a full-speed motorcycle when I get older.

Your training course will include a motorcycle at no extra cost. I forgot how much the course is, but it's offered at a few places, including RTI and Humber.

i don't have a bike (nor did i ride a bike since I got my M2 from RTI), and I need to do my M before it expires (in a year or two - i forgot), is there anyway to do it without owning a bike? I noticed most schools require students having their own bike for the M graduation license

I'm almost in the same situation as you, got my M2 2 years ago. However, I'm planning to purchase a bike this coming summer (graduation present to myself, w00t!). If I wasn't, I would almost consider letting the license lapse, as it wouldn't be a big deal to get it all back (probably cheaper that way too, compared to renting a bike and taking the test, then getting all the refresher courses when you do purchase your own bike).

[mrlooneytoon]

Nice advice techwiz and d3vil!

I find that if you have your G2 and have driven around a bit then riding a bike (in terms of rules or road) will be a lot easier.

I assume you both have bikes already or have had at some point?
What bikes did you start with/end up with?

[MadCow]

Rididng a motorcycle is a big responsibility. It's fun, yes, but it's also a risk. The first thing I learnt in the Motorcycle Training Course is the types of dangers associated with riding a motorcycle. The instructors wanted to share this type of information to anyone who thought that this type of hobby was just for going fast and doing crazy isht. If you can accept the risks and the dangers and still want to ride, then welcome to the sport!

Obtaining your M1 is just like obtaining your G1--you take a written test. It's a longer test, because you have to complete the G1 pamphlet AND another pamphlet that is strictly motorcycle questions.

Once you've passed your M1, you receive a paper license (on that temporary license sheet) that expires in 90 days. After 60 days have passed, you are able to obtain your M2; either through taking the test with the Ministry of Transportation, or through one of the Motorcycle Training Courses (MSF) at some colleges. Humber, Sheridan, RTI, and some others offer this program.

Once you obtain your M2, you'll finally get a card license in the mail. If you have any of the G licenses at the same time, this new card will replace that as well. Your licence type will say something like G1M2 or G2M2 or GM2. This license will expire after 5 years. You can take the M2 exit test to obtain your M one year after you've received your M2 (8 months, if you've completed the training course).

i don't have a bike (nor did i ride a bike since I got my M2 from RTI), and I need to do my M before it expires (in a year or two - i forgot), is there anyway to do it without owning a bike? I noticed most schools require students having their own bike for the M graduation license

Some schools that offer the Motorcycle Training Course also do the M2 exit test for your M license. I believe RTI is one of them, but I haven't confirmed it yet.

[D-3vil]

Nice advice techwiz and d3vil!

I find that if you have your G2 and have driven around a bit then riding a bike (in terms of rules or road) will be a lot easier.

I assume you both have bikes already or have had at some point?
What bikes did you start with/end up with?

I've been riding bikes on and off since I was 10 (started with a small 50cc), but I've been on hiatus these past few (or rather, many) years. I'm planning to get back into it this summer, but my choice of a bike is pretty open: BMW 650GS, Honda Shadow 750, SV650

[AzN_RiverdaleCI]

first let me thank techwiz, D-3vil, and MadCow for their useful contributions to this thread and giving it a boost. But i'd especially like to thank D-3vil for his bit

"Spoken like a true teenager. I don't want to rain on your parade, but riding a motorcycle is a much bigger responsibility (to yourself) than driving a car. As for carrying a passenger, you will need time to refine your riding skills before you can handle the added difficulty."

that just made my day, it makes me as a teenager feel welcomed and not hated upon in a forum designed mostly for adults that are pro. Also I like how he quotes bits of my post and nicely seperates them so I can see what I said and his reply.

Quote MadCow "because you have to complete the G1 pamphlet AND another pamphlet that is strictly motorcycle questions."

is the motorcycle questions easy? cause if its not then that makes M1 hard to obtain for me.

Quote MadCow again "You can take the M2 exit test to obtain your M one year after you've received your M2 (8 months, if you've completed the training course)."

I thought i read on the mto site somewhere it said 22 months, 18 months with training course. Did you mix up M2 exit with G2 exit?

Also, not quite clear on this, you do your M1 at a drivetest place, and you can do your M2 at a school in this case. RTI? so you get ur M2 License and stuff at this RTI place?

Quote Techwiz "However, you need to bring your own helmet/gear."

Ok, where can I buy a motorcycle helmet and how much? Also what other gear do you need? I thought all you need is a helmet since motorcycle is provided.

Also, are motorcycles cheaper than cars? also how is their insurance? cause I cant afford insurance on a car myself, so i was thinking of getting a motorcycle.

Could someone please list the price of a decent motorcycle and the monthly insurance costs for it as a teenager. Thanks!

[techwiz]

I assume you both have bikes already or have had at some point?
What bikes did you start with/end up with?

I don't have a bike yet as I just got my M2 in August, but I will consider getting one next year. I will probably get a Ninja.

Quote MadCow "because you have to complete the G1 pamphlet AND another pamphlet that is strictly motorcycle questions."

is the motorcycle questions easy? cause if its not then that makes M1 hard to obtain for me.

I wouldn't say that they are too hard - as long as you go over the Motorcycle handbook, you should be okay. The 20 or so questions covers the things every motorcycle rider should know, so I'd say it's pretty important that you don't do too poorly.


Quote MadCow again "You can take the M2 exit test to obtain your M one year after you've received your M2 (8 months, if you've completed the training course)."

I thought i read on the mto site somewhere it said 22 months, 18 months with training course. Did you mix up M2 exit with G2 exit?

I think he must have mixed up the two, as I'm pretty sure it's longer than 8-12 months.


Also, not quite clear on this, you do your M1 at a drivetest place, and you can do your M2 at a school in this case. RTI? so you get ur M2 License and stuff at this RTI place?

After completing and passing the course, they will give you an envelope to bring to the Drivetest place to upgrade your M1 to an M2. They are basically doing the testing as part of the course.


Quote Techwiz "However, you need to bring your own helmet/gear."

Ok, where can I buy a motorcycle helmet and how much? Also what other gear do you need? I thought all you need is a helmet since motorcycle is provided.

Aside from the helmet, you will also need gloves, boots, jeans, leather/jean jacket. I actually rented my helmet from Parker Brothers for the course - I think it was only $25, and you get a $25 credit towards the purchase of a new helmet upon returning it. Check here for links to stores.


Also, are motorcycles cheaper than cars? also how is their insurance? cause I cant afford insurance on a car myself, so i was thinking of getting a motorcycle.

Could someone please list the price of a decent motorcycle and the monthly insurance costs for it as a teenager. Thanks!

Can't really answer the last part as I haven't reached that stage yet, however, I think it is around the same as a car. A decent used bike can be had for about $5000, and insurance is around $3000/yr. You can get some quotes at Kanetix.ca. You might want to also consider not being able to ride during the winter season when comparing those numbers to driving a car.

[MadCow]

I apologize, I did mix up the number of months you need to wait to obtain your M. You're correct about the 22-month and 18-month interval.

As for insurance, Statefarm seems to be the only company that does not charge a sport bike penalty. However, to insure you motorcycle with Statefarm, you need to also insure a car with them as well. I was once told that you can get insurance with Statefarm if you have both their life insurance and motorcycle insurance, but I'm not too sure on that.

Some bikes that don't carry a sport bike surcharge with insurance companies include:

Suzuki GS500
Suzuki Katana
Suzuki SV650 (I think)
Kawasaki Ninja 250 & 500

The first year you pay for insurance is always going to be fairly high. You can expect a 17 to 24-year old to pay anywhere between $2000+ per year. Many people have said that you get a significant discount in your second year, as long as you did not receive any tickets prior. Of course, the 25-year old discount also applies for motorcycle riders.

Kinetix isn't really a great place to find a quote, because they don't deal with many companies that offer motorcycle insurance. The best way to find out how much you will pay is to call up some insruance companies with a list of bikes you would like to get, or find a broker that can help you out.

[nwmrkt]

good advice guys, the minimum age requirement for M1 is 16 right? During the time you have gotten your M1 you are allowed to practice on the roads as like a G1 right? What restrictions are on the M1? And when you go for your M2 do they provide a Motorcycle for you?

Thanks

[D-3vil]

hehe... small world, I actually rented my helmet from Parker Bros Motorsports as well when I took the RTI course. I think they're the only ones in the Toronto area that will do rentals. Helmet was (almost) new, and I ended up buying a helmet upon returning the rental. I actually recommend you rent first, as that will help you discover what to look for in a helmet.

Aside from the helmet, you'll also need to bring leather gloves and proper riding attire (RTI's website has a pretty good descriptions of everything needed, www.ridertraining.ca)

As far as insurance is concerned, I suggest heading over to www.gtamotorcycle.com, the forum is filled with good info about where to find cheap insurance. While your car insurance company may insure motorcycles as well, chances are they'll do so for pretty high premiums.

One misconception is that it's cheaper to ride a bike than to own a car. I believe it's the other way around. The initial investment is higher for a motorcycle (gotta buy the bike, gear, higher initial insurance etc), but the maintenance costs are likely higher for a car. But when you consider that you can use the car all-year round, it's a more attractive option.

[MadCow]

good advice guys, the minimum age requirement for M1 is 16 right? During the time you have gotten your M1 you are allowed to practice on the roads as like a G1 right? What restrictions are on the M1? And when you go for your M2 do they provide a Motorcycle for you?

Thanks

Restrictions include:

-your blood alcohol level must be zero;
-you must ride only during daylight hours (1/2 hour before sunrise to 1/2 hour after sunset);
-you must not ride on highways with speed limits of more than 80 km/h except highways 11, 17, 61, 69, 71, 101, 102, 144, 655;
-you cannot carry passengers.

Parker Bros is a great place to rent a helmet, as well as purchase your gear from. They have plenty of friendly and knowledgeable staff. The cost of renting a helmet is about $30, and if you decide to buy a helmet from them afterwards, that amount is credited to your purchase.

[AzN_RiverdaleCI]

everyone seems to be saying that Parker Bros is a good place. so I will check that out.

and wow its so much more expensive to insure a motorcycle, i thought it would be cheaper.

Is it cheaper to insure a LSM like the one below:

[CSR]

Psst, try the quote button at the bottom right hand corner..


Btw, check out GTAmotorcycle.com, it's a great resource and people know their stuff there.

first let me thank techwiz, D-3vil, and MadCow for their useful contributions to this thread and giving it a boost. But i'd especially like to thank D-3vil for his bit

"Spoken like a true teenager. I don't want to rain on your parade, but riding a motorcycle is a much bigger responsibility (to yourself) than driving a car. As for carrying a passenger, you will need time to refine your riding skills before you can handle the added difficulty."

that just made my day, it makes me as a teenager feel welcomed and not hated upon in a forum designed mostly for adults that are pro. Also I like how he quotes bits of my post and nicely seperates them so I can see what I said and his reply.

Quote MadCow "because you have to complete the G1 pamphlet AND another pamphlet that is strictly motorcycle questions."

is the motorcycle questions easy? cause if its not then that makes M1 hard to obtain for me.

Quote MadCow again "You can take the M2 exit test to obtain your M one year after you've received your M2 (8 months, if you've completed the training course)."

I thought i read on the mto site somewhere it said 22 months, 18 months with training course. Did you mix up M2 exit with G2 exit?

Also, not quite clear on this, you do your M1 at a drivetest place, and you can do your M2 at a school in this case. RTI? so you get ur M2 License and stuff at this RTI place?

Quote Techwiz "However, you need to bring your own helmet/gear."

Ok, where can I buy a motorcycle helmet and how much? Also what other gear do you need? I thought all you need is a helmet since motorcycle is provided.

Also, are motorcycles cheaper than cars? also how is their insurance? cause I cant afford insurance on a car myself, so i was thinking of getting a motorcycle.

Could someone please list the price of a decent motorcycle and the monthly insurance costs for it as a teenager. Thanks!