M2 | Age 28 | Ottawa Residence | First Bike advise

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jony9999 said:
Kawasaki Z400
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Welcome.

This one. In theory shouldn't be much different as far as insurance vs a 300. I also started on a 400 as my first bike. Will have a bit of extra juice for the highway. Enough power to have a bit of fun, not enough power to have too much fun (if you're a smart/reasonable person). More upright/comfortable ergonomics compared to the other "sport bike" style models you had listed.
 
Welcome to the forum! All great advise here when it comes to picking up your first bike. Your M2 test (assuming you're taking a safety course from an institute) should allow you to try on multiple bikes. So, if you prefer one style over the other you'll know.

I would definitely recommend checking the insurance rates as well, and it will be only marginally different since you're looking at 300/400s, but do it anyway.

I'm envious of you. Ottawa has many nice roads around.

All the best :)
 
Welcome; I will give you my take,

If you are considering a 125. Be sure to pick one that looks a tad bigger. For an example, the 2011 CBR125R is particularly good because it looks a lot like the R3, whereas a 2008 model, will look much smaller, even to the point of looking silly with a full grown man on it.

I owned the 2011 CBR125R and I loved it for the small period of time I had it.

The CBR125R is a perfect bike if your staying within Ottawa. It can do highway speeds but smaller bikes like that will not give you a lot of confidence. A 4 hour trip to the GTA will feel like your fighting the wind while riding highway speeds all the time.

My only real advise, is buy used. You will save so much money, and its near impossible that you will keep your first bike, or not drop it once or twice. So get something used, sell it late for almost what you paid for it, if not more.

The R3 and MT03 are awesome options. I love Yamaha so I am biased. I would say each and every option you have listed is outstanding. I would avoid the Rebel however. The only reason is that having a sport bike as your first bike will give you a frame of reference going foreword, and help you figure out what type of rider you want to be, or what you want out of riding. Getting a cruiser for a first bike, then never trying the other types of bikes, you will miss out a bit on knowing what else is out there, thats just how I feel about it.
 
jony9999 said:
Hello Everyone,

I am new to this group and also a new motorcycle rider :)
I will get my M2 in March 2023. My primary use of a motorcycle is to have some small trips within Ottawa and 1 or 2 trips per year to GTA.
I have shortlisted a few used motorcycles based on reading previous posts:

Ninja 400 or 300
Yamaha R3
Rebel 300 or 500
Kawasaki Z400
Yamaha MT-03

I am OK picking either the sports version or cruiser or naked. However, I am not interested in dirt bike models.

My main question is, based on your experience, what motorcycle will have the cheapest insurance out of the above options? I would be glad if you have other opinions/models that I am missing out on.

P.S: I have contacted the companies/brokers but they are reluctant in giving me a quote because I do not owe a license currently.

Please advise :)
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How are you going to manage to get an M2 in March? I don't think any of the test sites will be open yet.
 
otwo_91 said:
Getting a cruiser for a first bike, then never trying the other types of bikes, you will miss out a bit on knowing what else is out there, thats just how I feel about it.
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I guess once you go cruiser you don't go back? Not that I'm a rebel fan (though I've never ridden one either to be fair) but why can't someone ride different bikes after after learning on a Rebel?
 
woot said:
I guess once you go cruiser you don't go back? Not that I'm a rebel fan (though I've never ridden one either to be fair) but why can't someone ride different bikes after after learning on a Rebel?
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They could, but its a race against time. If you try sports bikes first, you may stick to them longer. if you get something more comfortable first, you will have a hard time putting up with sports bike aggressive styling. Having said all that, I would no do a super sport like a 600 or a litre bike. I would so an R3, R7 or something similar with slightly less aggressive riding position.
 
mimico_polak said:
Welcome and congrats!

All those bikes should be fairly similar in pricing as a lot of insurance companies basically charge by the engine size in that class.

Give them a call once you get your M2 and expect to pay 2-3k/year depending on your current record.

I started on a 125 for $650/year and now my CB500XA costs $750/year.

Consider the other 500cc variants from Honda. Not overly exciting, but very good for new and experienced riders.
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Dam I wish I was paying that much in insurance.... :( mine is double that...
 
Few things to mention:

1. I have around 10 years of riding experience in south Asian countries. I am pretty sure nobody cares about my previous experience (including driving test centers and insurance companies in Canada). I do not want to criticize any specific person/entity but sometimes I feel that a lot of rules and regulation here in Canada does not make any sense.

2. Something that I hate the most is the premium. Insurance companies are pretty strict here. It's hard to believe, I used to pay $20/year for my motorcycle insurance for 150cc and around $50/year for 500cc in south Asian countries. Just because insurance companies do not count international experience, I am restricted to choosing a motorcycle on the basis of how much premium I will give.

To conclude, I am first calculating the insurance premium of some motorcycles that can fit my budget in the long run, and on that basis, I will pick a motorcycle.

Thanks to each one for providing your feedback. You guys are amazing! :)
 
jony9999 said:
Few things to mention:

1. I have around 10 years of riding experience in south Asian countries. I am pretty sure nobody cares about my previous experience (including driving test centers and insurance companies in Canada). I do not want to criticize any specific person/entity but sometimes I feel that a lot of rules and regulation here in Canada does not make any sense.

2. Something that I hate the most is the premium. Insurance companies are pretty strict here. It's hard to believe, I used to pay $20/year for my motorcycle insurance for 150cc and around $50/year for 500cc in south Asian countries. Just because insurance companies do not count international experience, I am restricted to choosing a motorcycle on the basis of how much premium I will give.

To conclude, I am first calculating the insurance premium of some motorcycles that can fit my budget in the long run, and on that basis, I will pick a motorcycle.

Thanks to each one for providing your feedback. You guys are amazing! :)
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We are all on board with you regarding crazy insurance prices here. The cheapest on road policy you will ever see here is at least an order of magnitude higher than you have ever paid.

Recognizing foreign experience for rating is difficult for many reasons. I doubt that will ever happen
 
otwo_91 said:
They could, but its a race against time. If you try sports bikes first, you may stick to them longer. if you get something more comfortable first, you will have a hard time putting up with sports bike aggressive styling. Having said all that, I would no do a super sport like a 600 or a litre bike. I would so an R3, R7 or something similar with slightly less aggressive riding position.
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That's a interesting opinion after owing other bikes a cruiser seems like a choice I would never want. Terrible handling and brakes and uncomfortable no thanks.

Sent from the future
 
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