Cost to get into the "sport" | GTAMotorcycle.com

Cost to get into the "sport"

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SaugaRider

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Heyo~

Came across a post that said it's not "expensive" to get into motorcycles, you just need to be smart about it.
I don't believe this, I want to know how much estimate should one have to save up before going out looking for bikes/insurance at age 20 and what are these "smart" money tactics.

All I know is: have year of m2, having your g may or may not count, only get third party collusion, get a classic bike to get classic insurance, get a 125/250 and assume your insurance will cost more then the bike.


I'm seeing atleast 5k, 3k~ for 250 cbr/ninja, 2k~ for insurance maybe a little extra for plating.
Thoughts?
 
SaugaRider said:
...get a classic bike to get classic insurance, get a 125/250 and assume your insurance will cost more then the bike.

I'm seeing atleast 5k, 3k~ for 250 cbr/ninja, 2k~ for insurance maybe a little extra for plating.
Thoughts?
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For the most part you have the right info, but not classic insurance. Classic vehicle insurance are for vintage show vehicles that go to bike shows or diven very infrequently. If you ride your bike weekly then you are ineligible. There are also clothing, helmet costs to add, but you can build up your gear over time.

You could save $2k by buying an older cruiser, and not insure for collision, fire, and theft. Buy a newer bike, or worse finance, and that will add to your insurance. Now is autumn, so if you really want a bike and you have a place to park it over winter, people will be selling their bikes more cheaply because they do not want to or have no place to store it over the winter. You will pay almost no insurance premium over the winter months. Spring will be the most expensive time to buy.

Insurance is the killer for <25yo riders. Due to the Ontario system it seems to me cheaper to buy a used car until you hit 25. You will gain road experience and have something to drive during the winter. Riding a bike in winter/late autumn/early spring can be very uncomfortable. My cutoff temp is +3C, and I have a windshield and heated grips. Others on here ride throughout the winter.
 
I'd recommend to budget a $5000. one-time capital cost and $3,000 - $4,000. per year ongoing expense. All that for six to seventh months riding. Overall, not bad considering other recreational activites that you may alternatively take up.
 
How much do you have? It can go up to, or exceed that much.

My first bike was $1500 and insurance was $225 for it.

My first gear was a jean jacket, jeans, and old combat boots that I already had, inexpensive gloves and Snell full face helmet from one of the shows.

Then again, I was riding to and from empty parking lots for practice.

I've been upgrading ever since.

I had half decent textile gear, and a better pair of gloves before I hit the streets, riding to work and such.
 
Baggsy said:
...My first bike was $1500 and insurance was $225 for it.

My first gear was a jean jacket, jeans, and old combat boots that I already had, inexpensive gloves and Snell full face helmet from one of the shows...

...I had half decent textile gear, and a better pair of gloves before I hit the streets, riding to work and such.
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$225 for this kid won't even get him 1 month of insurance, unfortunately. Times have changed.
 
Baggsy said:
How much do you have? It can go up to, or exceed that much.

My first bike was $1500 and insurance was $225 for it.

My first gear was a jean jacket, jeans, and old combat boots that I already had, inexpensive gloves and Snell full face helmet from one of the shows.

Then again, I was riding to and from empty parking lots for practice.

I've been upgrading ever since.

I had half decent textile gear, and a better pair of gloves before I hit the streets, riding to work and such.
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$1000 :D Currently in college and don't work during it. Planning to work from when school finishes end of April till September.
Estimating from when I did seasonal retail last christmas I made 3k~ in 2 weeks 2 months doing almost exclusively fri/sat/sun so maybe 5-6k~ conservatively for the summer.
Facing opposition to get a car first, that along with the fact I got my m2 done in late august makes me inclined to believe it will be another long year without jumping on a bike. :(
Gear is a non issue cost wise, its easy to get gear cheap.
 
FLSTC said:
I'd recommend to budget a $5000. one-time capital cost and $3,000 - $4,000. per year ongoing expense. All that for six to seventh months riding. Overall, not bad considering other recreational activites that you may alternatively take up.
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I would agree $5k is about right. Figure $2k for a cheap bike that hasn't been cartwheeled, $2k insurance, $1k gear.
 
Just don't take out an insurance loan along with a bike loan, like I've seen some people do.

If you can't afford it, then don't.
 
Gear you can get for cheap... but would you really trust it when the time comes? Dont discount/cheap out on gear. Also what about maintenance? Its not a sport where you can just spend X and be ok.

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My first and current bike initially cost $800, $140 a month for insurance, then I bought a $150 Icon helmet, $150 Joe Rocket jacket and $30 EVS gloves. Oh and I wore and still wear 10-eye Dr. Martens boots, which are my daily shoes anyway.

So $1270 initial cost.

Then I bought about $5k worth of tools to fix the POS. Wasn't really necessary though.

Ongoing costs are pretty low - $950/yr for insurance this year, about two $20 fill-ups a month, $42 license plate sticker, bi-annual $30 oil change (Rotella dino) w/ one $8 filter.

My main helmet and gloves are getting pretty funky after 2.5 seasons, will need replacing soon.
 
Forgot the inital rear tire change, oil change and "safety" at Rosey Toes ($300 total)
 
Just been thinking, so is it more ideal to buy the bike end of next years season, insure it during "cheap" winter months so you get that one year of insurance faster?
 
SaugaRider said:
Just been thinking, so is it more ideal to buy the bike end of next years season, insure it during "cheap" winter months so you get that one year of insurance faster?
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Bike insurance is "averaged" over the year, so there's no cheap months nor expensive months, there's a policy that would normally charge you twice as much for the summer months that you're actually riding (if you only wanted a 6-7 month policy, for example) that averages out to half as much every month because you're paying for it for the other half of the year (or so) that you're not. Trying to cancel a policy in the fall to save money will put you in a spot in the spring when the same insurer may tell you to go take a hike, and if other bike insurers see a trail of that sort of thing on your insurance record they too may tell you the same thing...so plan on 12 months of insurance terms, no way around that.

As for cost to get in..at age 20? I think the other recommendations aren't far off at "Have $5K at your disposal", honestly. Your age is going to be a killer. When I last rode (before getting back into it recently) I was 19 with a Yamaha Seca 1200 - I was paying nearly $500/month for insurance. Now, at age 41 with a 1300cc cruiser and a freshly minted M1 again (long story, never too my M2 exit test 20 years ago) I'm paying $185/month, but could have halved that by buying a <600cc bike...but you're still going to pay a big premium because of your age no matter what you buy ufortunately, so call around and be prepared.

Gear? I didn't cheap out on my helmet and bought new, but all the rest of my gear is used...easily found on Kijiji. I didn't have to look very far to find a nice hardly used Joe Rocket ballistic jacket *and* a set of winter leather riding gloves for $60 total, I already had suitable boots, and I wear jeans for the time being. There's no need to spend a fortune with gear if you're frugal and don't mind used, or an overwhelming need for "style" doesn't override your budget like it does for some people. Met a guy recently who said he spent 2/3'rds of what I spent for my bike on just gear - crazy, I say.
 
I also think Kijiji or the classifieds here are the way to go with most gear. And if you have a 33" waist, you'll be able to find a boatload of stuff. But when your a xxl (ok, xxxl ) with stumps for legs, it's not as easy, but doable. Got a great xxl Joe Rocket jacket for $70 (thanks @crackberry ) and some icon overpants for $60 (thanks @MacDoc ) . I used to be a little weary of used gear, but I see too many people dropping big $$$ on what they think they need ie. need a rainsuit but then never ride in the rain lol. I bought gauntlet type gloves then realized I like shortys better.

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My experience is long enough ago that it is pretty useless to anyone now (facility insurance used to be a reasonable liability only option!). Everyone has covered most costs, I haven't seen anyone mention rider training yet which I would highly suggest. It used to get you an insurance discount but I don't think it does anymore... you can also consider used boots/gloves/jacket, you can get new decent helmets for amazingly cheap these days.

My *current* annual costs are pretty low (the main reason why I have a GS500 ATM), insurance and maintenance are around $500 combined

Matt Rain said:
My first and current bike initially cost $800, $140 a month for insurance, then I bought a $150 Icon helmet, $150 Joe Rocket jacket and $30 EVS gloves. Oh and I wore and still wear 10-eye Dr. Martens boots, which are my daily shoes anyway.

So $1270 initial cost.

Then I bought about $5k worth of tools to fix the POS. Wasn't really necessary though.

Ongoing costs are pretty low - $950/yr for insurance this year, about two $20 fill-ups a month, $42 license plate sticker, bi-annual $30 oil change (Rotella dino) w/ one $8 filter.

My main helmet and gloves are getting pretty funky after 2.5 seasons, will need replacing soon.
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You bought your FJ for $800? Nice
 
Joe Bass said:
I also think Kijiji or the classifieds here are the way to go with most gear. And if you have a 33" waist, you'll be able to find a boatload of stuff. But when your a xxl (ok, xxxl ) with stumps for legs, it's not as easy, but doable. Got a great xxl Joe Rocket jacket for $70 (thanks @crackberry ) and some icon overpants for $60 (thanks @MacDoc ) . I used to be a little weary of used gear, but I see too many people dropping big $$$ on what they think they need ie. need a rainsuit but then never ride in the rain lol. I bought gauntlet type gloves then realized I like shortys better.

Sent from a Samsung Galaxy far, far away using Tapatalk
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Shorty's are good until you get that first wasp or hornet flying up your sleeve.
 
Baggsy said:
Shorty's are good until you get that first wasp or hornet flying up your sleeve.
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I remember reading a post like that...was it yours? I'm wondering how it got up there? My JR jacket has no give at the cuffs. Fat guy upside, maybe?

Sent from a Samsung Galaxy far, far away using Tapatalk
 
Riders Plus insurance offered me an insurance discount that was (at least in my case) equal to about 50% of the cost of most rider training courses..so the discount still exists with the right carrier.

State Farm said "we don't care" and offered nothing, however.

I went with Riders Plus and have been very pleased with how helpful and easy they were to deal with through the entire signup process.
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