welcome and good luck.
Like almost everyone has said, take a course. look for something mechanically sound old or newer. less plastic and possibly boring(?) insurance might not be as painful.
I get you are eager but consider you say you will be making $2K per month or $24K per year. If you are looking to spend ~ $3k on a bike, expect $3k for insurance (maybe more, I taught a 20yr old girl this past weekend that was quoted $2800 on a CBR125, don't know if this was pre/post course).
...Postal Code plays a big factor in rates you will get.
... Your results may vary
...Add some cash for gear, maintenance and other odds and ends $1K would be low.. Total you will be in for at least $7k or almost 1/3 of your income pre-tax. Not trying to be discouraging but recognize you will pay your dues.
Cost of entry is not small, rewards are great!
I've been looking into courses and I found one that's close to me in Guelph!
And I'm eager, but I'm also willing to wait until I have enough money saved to be financially stable for other things as well. I'm still living with my parents and I'll probably stay here for at least a couple more years until I finish my schooling (which has already been paid for in full due to my parents having started putting money away as soon as they got married).
As of right now, I'm currently residing in the Kitchener/Waterloo area so if anyone could help me out with a general rate or members my age who live in this area that would generally know what they are talking about, that'd be great.
Thanks for the tips! I'm still living with my parents so it's not like I have a ton of bills to worry about, but I would definitely have to pay for own gas/insurance. I'm sure they would be willing to help me out a little bit with the gear, though!
Welcome to the forum and good luck.
Thanks!
Welcome to the forum. As said perhaps a supermoto style bike might not be a bad thing to consider either. They're a ton of fun and possibly even easier on insurance. Nothing wrong with the 250s though. Look around at models and come up with 1 or 2 more that maybe interest you and call the insurance companies and see.
This is quite possibly the best advice I can give you. Amazing course to take. If you come out of it not learning something then you shouldn't be riding.
[url]http://www.ridertraining.ca/ [/URL]
As for gear... don't be afraid to spend money on quality stuff but that said don't impulse buy either. Do some research or ask friends/family/forum if anyone has experience with whatever it is. The difference between good gear and cheap gear can be your life.
In the end find something you'll enjoy, go take a course and have fun while doing it. :thumbup:
Thanks! As I've stated before, both my uncle and aunt ride cruiser style bikes and they have taken the safety course so I'll be sure to ask them anything I need to know next time I'm over at their place.
300 is fuel injected and nah they aren't scary at all, very similar to 250 with more go. 300s are Great bikes other than all the recalls but fun to ride
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Alright, cool! Thank you!
You will get lots of advice on this forum from both sides of the spectrum when it comes to 1) Costs vs. is it worth it 2) size of bike you should start on.
With regard to #2
I started on a 600cc super sports (SS) and did just fine.
Then again, I finished highschool many moons ago and from a cost perspective, the insurance is a lot lower and it won't break the bank.
The Kawi Ninja 250 and Honda CBR 250 are great little bikes to start on. Your insurance rates will drop with experience, and your skill level will increase. They are light and a ton of fun on the turns, but not so much on the highway. In essence, if you are buying the bike for flash and outright speed/pulling power (nothing wrong with that), you may come away disappointed and wanting something more.. If you just want to get out there and ride, the 250 is a great bike. I would personally prefer the CBR250 since its fuel injected - just easier to hop on and go and never have to worry about having the carbs done.
Note - since the Ninja 300 and CBR300 are on the market, the asking prices of the 250's should be more flexible - keep in mind the 250's are highly desirable from a resale standpoint. The kijiji ads are ludicrously high, so watch the ads over time. Maintenance is history is more important than kms.
Before you get ahead of yourself - call around for insurance quotes. Unfortunately that's the deal breaker for 95% of the potential-riders out there.
$3k a year buys you a month long backpacking-adventure some place nice (at a minimum) which you can only really do before responsibilities set in (ughhh).
I'm just going to be using the bike to get from point A to point B in town, so I doubt very much that highway riding will play a huge factor for me when buying the bike, and even if it did I would look extensively for a bike that would suit my needs. I'm mostly buying the bike because a few of my friends and I want to get into the sport and all plan on taking the safety course together. I love most motorcyles (save a few that aren't visually appealing to my personal taste), but I've always had a soft spot for those Ninja 250's because my friend's dad had one when he was first learning to ride and I would see his bike parked in the garage all the time when I was over there. Comparing the Ninja 250 and CBR250, just how much of a difference would they be in terms of being able to jump on and ride? I've never had a bike (dirtbike, motorcycle, etc) before so I'm not entirely sure how much of a difference these little things can make, but I'm very eager to learn.
Thanks for the advice regarding the whole Kijiji situation. If I find a bike that appeals to me, I'm planning on asking them a few questions along the lines of why they are selling it, if there's anything wrong with the bike, a list of things they've done to keep the bike maintained, and I'll probably bring my friend's dad (or my uncle who rides) to help me inspect the bike further.
Are there any insurance companies that would be better for me at my age/experience?
riding in the rain is never fun lol. You should be able to get a ninja for around 3k for a 2008 and up in decent shape. At the end of the season is best time to buy because people sell cheap, due to not wanting to store bike etc. 
