Correct, good instructors will throw in some elements which transfer to the street to build good habits. My point really is about, we can't spend nearly the time needed to keep them safe out there.
Students with horrible throttle control? They get the Grom. Students who almost tip over because they are vertically challenged? They get the Grom. It has it's merits. One needs to consider your demographic as well. These days i'm largely in Markham...you know...
Probably because of this thread, I now get targeted ads regarding rider training. I understand what canam is trying to do but dont agree with their approach.
Probably because of this thread, I now get targeted ads regarding rider training. I understand what canam is trying to do but dont agree with their approach.
Comprehensive covers theft. Collision is the expensive one that covers if you are at-fault in a crash. I would not be getting collision. If the crash is a not at fault crash, insurance will pay even without collision coverage.
Had 1, who insisted he was mature enough for a CBR600rr as a starter bike. He was early 30’s with a wife and child.
Within 2 weeks of his M2 course he was dead. Way too fast into a turn, ran wide and straight into an oncoming pickup truck.
Grom is a cute little bike, but to me its just a toy. Hard to see, harder to be seen.
If you need a year's experience, look for a used DR200, TW200 or XT 250. Tough as nails, dropping them won't mean a trip to the bank and they are more useful as bikes, might be even cheaper to insure (mine cost $240/yr and I live in a bad place for cheap insurance.)
There are lots of decent 250 and down for less than $3K, you'll get your money back after a year or two.
Not quite accurate.
If you do your test on a trike of any type, you get an MM license - you cannot ride a 2 wheel bike legally. If you get an M license, you can ride a trike.
Had 1, who insisted he was mature enough for a CBR600rr as a starter bike. He was early 30’s with a wife and child.
Within 2 weeks of his M2 course he was dead. Way too fast into a turn, ran wide and straight into an oncoming pickup truck.
As another Niagara rider... you will end up taking the highways more than you may plan on. Trying to cover any kind of distance on back roads/secondary highways takes forever, if only because of the way the roads are laid out, and the water everything has to go around.
Jumping on the QEW or 406, even for a couple of exits needs the ability to accelerate at a reasonable rate - and a Grom (from what I remember from my M1x course, anyways) isn't likely up to the task.
I can't recommend a bike - I did that thing that all the experts say (and rightly so) not to do - I bought a brand new 853cc BMW as my first bike after my M1 course.... It worked out fine, but probably the worst way to do it. A cheaper, smaller, and more forgiving bike would have been a far better intermediate step.
A 20+ year friend, and exGF of mine - ended up in the reverse situation... Her new guy rode; got her into it.
She passed her courses and took all the training - bought a 600cc bike; the day she picked it up - a 19 year old kid blew a stop sign, and that was that.
Thanks for all the comments and suggestions. I just did the course in the rain all weekend and I'm a bit conflicted as others suggested I would be. I rode a KLX 140 all weekend and had a great time. They did have a couple of z125s but they allowed the shortest riders to start on them, they both moved to other bikes and I didn't get the chance to try one out. I am considering something like a TW200 but am not seeing much on the used market currently. I'll keep researching and wait a couple of weeks to redeem my M2 before deciding on anything.
Claire's in Fonthill (I think? it's on 20, anyways) has a few smaller (300-450cc) bikes on their website right now; may be worth going to have a sit on a few of them, to see what you think, and how they feel...
If you plan to get a grom, there's a group called Ontario grom - monkey - z125 (on Facebook) and I believe they do have meet ups in Niagara and all over. Never been able to go to a meet up but they seem like a nice fun group.
Also, if you ever want to practice track riding, these are allowed on some go-kart tracks and you can participate in a couple of minimoto race series (through super sonic and eurorace Canada).
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