Hanging up the helmet for a couple years | GTAMotorcycle.com

Hanging up the helmet for a couple years

arogal

arogal

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Hey Everyone,
This really isn't my choice, but I don't have any other option at the moment. I'm gonna be hanging up the helmet for a couple years. ZX6R got stolen from underground parking 2 weeks ago (made a post about it) and I don't feel comfortable having a bike down there again. I've been pondering back and fourth in my head what I should do, but I know whenever the bike is down there, I will always have that thought in the back of my head that it's gonna be gone when I wake up in the morning again.
It really is quite a shame as I pack on 15,000km+ a year and it is a passion of mine. Haven't been on 2 wheels in 3 weeks now and it feels like something in my life is just missing.
Wife and I have been renting for a couple years and currently pay a lot lower than the average place due to being there for 3+ years (rent has sky rocketed in the last few years also). Any other place we look at is roughly $700-$800 more a month. Did the math and if we truck it out for a couple more years it'd be roughly $10k a year we can save vs is we were to move. It's a shame that some thief literally ruined something for me that I loved. It was an escape, a way for me to meet new people, have fun with friends on 2, let loose etc. Also is going to suck how I will only have "3 consecutive years" insurance as I am going to cancel my policy. M2 expires in 2 years, but a bunch of my friends said they'd let me use their bike for the test, so that's not an issue.
Has anyone else been in this situation? And if so, how did you handle it?
 
moarmoto said:
How about getting like a small 125cc or 250 cc just to scoot around and commute? They'll be a lot less likely to be stolen plus insurance should be around 300-400 per year in Burlington.
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My R3 would end up being about $40 a month to insure if I still had it. Small bikes are fun, but it really isn't what I'm looking for. Sucks how I'd need to get rid of a SS and downgrade back to a smaller bike jut so I don't fear of it getting stolen..
 
Well. on the upside, saving the amount that you would spend on the bike + insurance will be a big chunk of money over the next few years that could be a big step towards owning a place.
 
Sorry for your loss. I got rid of my bike because I went from 5k/year down to 200km....didn’t make sense to keep it. It sucks but I’ll have another one soon enough.

I’d also recommend getting something small or consider storing off site at a friends house or storage locker / area.

Good luck and look forward to hearing about the new bike you buy in the spring ;)
 
Check out a used FZ6 (non R), will be cheaper to buy used and better on insurance than your SS was and it's still got that high revving motor with decent power
 
I'd suggest going naked, get practically the same street capability of a SS with better usable power. Cheaper insurance and likely not a thief magnet (yet). All you`re going to miss is the plastic, it's something you get over due to the smile twisting the throttle will put on your face.

That being said, sometimes in life you have to hit the reset button on things. Wedding pending next summer has me on the fence about parting ways with the Grom...**** is f'in ridic. expensive. So i might be hanging my helmet up with you for a few years as i want to get another car before a new bike.

Regarding the rental/parking situation. Sad cause/effect of the times we live in. Down the road you may just have to live with the fact that if you want to ride a thief magnet the risk will always be there. I know someone whose had a SS stolen 4x (condo) and after theft x2 he started chaining it to an anchor in his parking spot! He's had a naked for the past year and so far so good.
 
Not a surprise really that some bikes are much more likely to be stolen than others. Super Sports seem to be on the top of the list and, unfortunately, they wouldn't be stealing them if there was not a market for stolen bikes or their parts. I suppose there are no definitive stats out there but I'd like to know where stolen bikes and bike parts are being sold, is much of this internal to Ontario or things being shipped out of the province to other markets?

I have read that many stolen high end cars, trucks and SUV's end up in containers and are sent overseas to the Middle East, Africa and Eastern Europe where there is a big demand for vehicles that can be put back on the road with minimal or phony documentation. Is there a similar market for bikes?
 
Well you could always get your sailplane licence and get your thrills in 3d ...
very close to you SOSA Gliding Club
got my solo licence in about 5 weeks and had 5 years of fun. These days abotu $3k for 40 flights and instruction and club membership.

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There is another gliderport just north as well at Arthur.

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at least pick a nice day with white fluffy clouds and head to one of them before noon and take a demo flight....you will be able to fly the plane and it's a huge bucket list item to check off.
 
ReSTored said:
Not a surprise really that some bikes are much more likely to be stolen than others. Super Sports seem to be on the top of the list and, unfortunately, they wouldn't be stealing them if there was not a market for stolen bikes or their parts. I suppose there are no definitive stats out there but I'd like to know where stolen bikes and bike parts are being sold, is much of this internal to Ontario or things being shipped out of the province to other markets?

I have read that many stolen high end cars, trucks and SUV's end up in containers and are sent overseas to the Middle East, Africa and Eastern Europe where there is a big demand for vehicles that can be put back on the road with minimal or phony documentation. Is there a similar market for bikes?
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I imagine there is. Likely also the 'not insured' market here in GTA.

Some may be shocked just how casual and prevalent that is today. I remember meeting handfuls of people at Toronto meets who ride dirty, i'd say half were mid 20 females much to my surprise. Point is, they mentioned it as casually as admitting you may have forgotten your wallet at the office.
 
MacDoc said:
Well you could always get your sailplane licence and get your thrills in 3d ...
very close to you SOSA Gliding Club
got my solo licence in about 5 weeks and had 5 years of fun. These days abotu $3k for 40 flights and instruction and club membership.

_6440999_orig.jpg


There is another gliderport just north as well at Arthur.

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at least pick a nice day with white fluffy clouds and head to one of them before noon and take a demo flight....you will be able to fly the plane and it's a huge bucket list item to check off.
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Nobody is throwing one of those in the back of a truck and running away with it :)
 
I've left riding on the street a couple of times over the years. Either got bored with it or busy doing other things. With that said I always came back sooner then I would think so you will likely be back sometime next year, I would just buy something cheap now and carry on.
 
I'd drill a metal anchor into the concrete and chain the bike down there. That with a bike that's low on the list for thieves should help. If it's high on the list, it'll likely just make them come back with tools to cut the lock or anchor but what someone suggested about a naked bike would be my suggestion.
 
Nobody is throwing one of those in the back of a truck and running away with it :)
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They are subject to theft as they are stored in trailers but the club takes the risk not you. Eating lunch a mile and half up while watching the jumbos in a landing circuit below you is a thrill you'll never find from motorcycling.

But I was still riding when flying and there is a life long pleasure from riding that is not so weather dependent...as soaring. What about talking to management and see if there is a secure space.
 
Where there is a will there is a way.

Smaller bike if you wanna stay on 2wheels, otherwise make friends with your agent. 20+years and the "continuous coverage" clause is laughable. A great agent will find a way around it.

Get secure parking (not condo parking as that's fishing in a small easy pool - I'm not saying you have to buy a house), then buy a small bike or an ugly one and just ride.

I insured my bikes for years at my sis's residence whenever I lived in a condo/apt. Understanding that the policy stated IT WAS PARKED THERE. If it got ripped off elsewhere (primary residence unsecured)then I would have to fight for coverage.
 
GreyGhost said:
Well. on the upside, saving the amount that you would spend on the bike + insurance will be a big chunk of money over the next few years that could be a big step towards owning a place.
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Even if I was paying $1000/month for a bike and insurance it would take almost 20 years to save up a proper down payment (20%) to buy a house. Not really helping that much IMO but I guess it could make a big difference for some depending on location and the property you want to buy.
 
unL33T said:
Even if I was paying $1000/month for a bike and insurance it would take almost 20 years to save up a proper down payment (20%) to buy a house. Not really helping that much IMO but I guess it could make a big difference for some depending on location and the property you want to buy.
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Don't forget compound interest. The savings from a few years now is a crapton of money in the future.
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