The REAL cost of owning a motorcycle…

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Hahah... wow. Thanks for the kind words and varying sorts of replies fellas. This is a true snapshot of how friendly the motorcycling community is at large :) I had as great of a time reading all of your posts as I did writing the post... Make no mistake, I fully admit that this list is subject to all sorts of alterations depending on who you are, what you do for a living and on and on and on... If this list is the exact same as someone else's list, please PM your phone number, because I think I've found my soul mate!!

As for the guantlets -- smoking sale at Royal Distributing. I took my time getting gear, and typically bought stuff on sale if the fitment was good and it's something I wanted/needed, or, just had extra $$ to toss around. I'm thrifty if I can be, but, not always.....

I commend dru9 for his affordable way into the realm of motorcycling... I think I'm even a bit envious of this approach at times...

At the end of the day, being a motorcyclist has been a childhood dream, so, I decided to go all-out! (Again, seeing how this is a forum, the term "All-out" can mean any number of things!!!)
 
I don't know if your in a relationship or married, but if you are say married, household things won't get done as quickly either and there is a cost associated with that, I've been there and there now.

If your in the suburbs, neighbors will be doing what suburbinites do on the week ends, fertilizing, painting mowing etc... You won't , and that leads to domestic discussions which can lead to other things, so if you get my drift, the cost can be as much as 50% of whatever.

So as Clemenza once said, " leave the house, and go for a ride"
 
2live&ride said:
I can tell you took your time typing that post. I'm glad to see that you're trying to make improvements on your English.
FINALLY, a post from you that I can understand. :eek:
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Lol there was no anger involved in this post, it was easier to stay within the lines :)
 
That's not the real cost of getting into motorcycling. That's your cost.

Anyone could easily go out and get a bike and have it on the road for two or three grand, pick up a helmet for a couple of hundred and be ready to ride.
 
ah RD 400 -

ed_Rd400f.jpg


many long days and nights and years on mine - much fun tho ruined my hands with drop bars. One of the first bikes without spokes - really stood out and a break through machine.
Did the BRP once and PA runs a few times and even a long loop through Kirkland Lake, Chapleau and over the northern route to Ottawa - ice on my jeans on the way home tho after narrowly dodging a tornado - still recall brushing that ice off and being cold for a good long while.

circa 1968-72

305 Honda Hawk $350 Honda's bulletproof even then. Drove it all winter.....even once had to light a little fire under the crankcase to warm the oil
helmet.....mmmm...no - not required - likely got one later for riding in the cold. DID get a Bell Star for the RD400 and had it for many years but that was later.
Don't even recall insurance but perhaps double digits at best....
Have a drivers licence??....get on and ride.....no M-class until later and was grandfathered in.
Do recall the QEW with roads running across it - some just stop signed, no shirt, just shorts and sunglasses and maybe flipflops - Yammie 250 at 70 mph on the way home to Fort Erie.
Different times.....

It IS expensive to get into now as a beginner especially teens....best is a dirt bike and a season or two at Motopark. No insurance, decent bike can be had for $3k and as many hours as they can take for $300 a year...
Driving to and from and gear adds up but makes for a better rider.

Even a 50cc scooter -
the entry is $330 for course ( get that back on insurance )
$2k for scoot
$100 for used gear
$850 for facility insurance less $300 for taking the course.

grin on kids face - Priceless ;)

Generally the actual capital cost of ownership can be kept down by timing of purchase and a good eye for value.
Killer is a blown motor etc....kid managed two, Yammie 250 YZ and Ninja 250 - I paid the first - HE paid the second ;)

This HST is nasty tho....both on gas, purchase and parts/upgrades.

••••

Good post OP. :thumbup:
 
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evang said:
That's not the real cost of getting into motorcycling. That's your cost.

Anyone could easily go out and get a bike and have it on the road for two or three grand, pick up a helmet for a couple of hundred and be ready to ride.
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Why is it many of you seem to be missing the general message of the post i.e. what it CAN cost to get into this hobby? All the OP is doing is outlining some things that folks may want to add at a later date that perhaps wasn't originally budgeted for.

Yes, we get it, you can go out and buy a beater of a bike and wear a bucket or sand pail on your head for relatively cheap. For the rest of us who like shiny, newer things, the costs listed were reasonably accurate and potentially an eye opener for all the future Rossis, Pedrosas, Stoners, Spies, etc. etc. on this forum.
 
Anyone could easily go out and get a bike and have it on the road for two or three grand, pick up a helmet for a couple of hundred and be ready to ride.
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Yeah THAT is completely off base given insurance in Ontario for rider with no experience.
 
Thanks for the post up!

This list is really eye opening, informative and super helpful to a newbie like me that's still in the market for his first bike. I'm currently saving every dollar I earn and putting it towards my bike fund. :)
 
You forgot the most important, TICKET! Because sometime, its just impossible to follow that speed limit of 80km/h, or some other time, you really need to go fast to pass that dude going 60 in a 80 speed limit...just to feel better after!

4years still no ticket :) (yeah, I don't really do what I said anyway)
Outside of monthly payment and gas, motorcycles cost as much cars.
 
MacDoc said:
It IS expensive to get into now as a beginner especially teens....best is a dirt bike and a season or two at Motopark. No insurance, decent bike can be had for $3k and as many hours as they can take for $300 a year...
Driving to and from and gear adds up but makes for a better rider.
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+1

My stomach turns when my relatives are bragging about how much street riding costs them(practically nothing) over in western Europe. If only the economy wasn't so ****....

I think the difference is people wanting to buy the latest and greatest fuel injected sport bikes, which doesn't help the wallet in any way. There's a lot of <500cc bikes out there that are a blast to ride, and won't get you into trouble fast!

My cbr was a fun experiment but I'm selling it for something comfier, uglier, and slower next season. Cheaper to ride all around and still fun sounds great.
 
evang said:
That's not the real cost of getting into motorcycling. That's your cost.

Anyone could easily go out and get a bike and have it on the road for two or three grand, pick up a helmet for a couple of hundred and be ready to ride.
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Yup, cheap and cheerful. That's how I roll.
 
I've never seen anyone that detailed and anal about bike and bike money except Stubby.Are you and Stubby up to sumpin'?
 
great write up. I wanted to do one of these but was too lazy.

Twice the cost of bike sounds about right. Riding isn't cheap!
 
When I started riding in '06

1986 Yamaha Radian - $2000
Gear - $700
Insurance - $1600
RTI course - $350

so $4650 to get me on the road on a POS bike that kept on breaking down in the one season that I had it

definitely not cheap, but sooo worth it
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