Ninja 250r - newbie question

**Two-Sided** · 08-25-2011, 02:13 PM

Hey everyone,

I am new onto this forum but a long time reader. Glad a community like this exists! I just picked up a used ninja 250 today and got an amazing deal due to the end of the season approx.

Is it worth insuring now and riding for approx 3 months or should i hold off till next season? Also, I got all the nessecary documents from the private seller but dont know how to go about this. When i go to transfer ownership at the ministry, do i have to bring my bike there as well because I dont have insurance? I got a quote for insurance at statefarm and the office is 10 minute drive away, how do i drive the bike there when i dont have insurance. They require it onsite for pictures and so on?

Any advise/comments would be appreciated.

Thanks,

**jukon** · 08-25-2011, 02:21 PM

You should totally insure it now and start riding. Get your insurance and if you have a safety already you can do everything in one trip to the ministry (no you don't have to bring your bike). If you don't have a safety done yet you can get a temp plate but you still need insurance. I recommend Rosey Toes for a cheap safety (40$ if you ride it there).

**Jonnie** · 08-25-2011, 02:29 PM

Insurance is lower in the fall months. It's a good idea to hop on now if you'd like to catch the tail end of the season.

Like Jukon said, your bike doesn't have to be present for ministry or insurance paper work. You can bring in your bike on a later day to take pictures (some insurance companies even allow you to do it yourself). As for the safety, that's something you'll need to figure out. Rosey Toes will do house calls for a small fee.

**djbordie** · 08-25-2011, 02:44 PM

also do you want to risk your new child to theft?

You have a solid 2 months left, if not more. Then the odd freak day in january/feb then the season begins!

get out der!

Also with state farm, they will send you your temp policy slip. Then just ride over for photos after.

**Sundie** · 08-25-2011, 03:16 PM

Originally Posted by Jonnie

Insurance is lower in the fall months. It's a good idea to hop on now if you'd like to catch the tail end of the season.

What? Uhm... It isn't. Ins companies charge you for a full year - same rate regardless. They factor in that you don't ride 3 to 4 months out of the year already. So i don't know how you came to your statement.

Originally Posted by Two-Sided

Hey everyone,
Is it worth insuring now and riding for approx 3 months or should i hold off till next season?

Following the above, for sure. Your ins renewal will be the date you got your ins. It's yearly. There's no such thing as "summer only" insurance, or 6 month, or whatever. (i mean, there *is*, but they only charge you $25 less than for a full year - effectively, there isn't any)

Also, I got all the nessecary documents from the private seller but dont know how to go about this. When i go to transfer ownership at the ministry, do i have to bring my bike there as well because I dont have insurance? I got a quote for insurance at statefarm and the office is 10 minute drive away, how do i drive the bike there when i dont have insurance. They require it onsite for pictures and so on?

To transfer ownership/get plates, you need:
1 - old ownership signed by seller
2 - proof of insurance
3 - safety certificate
4 - UVIP (used vehicle information package), which the seller is *supposed* to provide you, but never does.

Taxes must be paid, based on sale value.

Any advise/comments would be appreciated.

I can certainly advise you with advice.

Originally Posted by djbordie

also do you want to risk your new child to theft?

If it's not new (which it isn't, else the dealership would be taking care of all this for the OP), who the hell insures 250r's for theft?

**Jonnie** · 08-25-2011, 03:31 PM

Originally Posted by Sundie

What? Uhm... It isn't. Ins companies charge you for a full year - same rate regardless. They factor in that you don't ride 3 to 4 months out of the year already. So i don't know how you came to your statement.

Woah, woah, woah, cool your horses cowboy.

You are correct in the statement that you pay the same amount after each "complete" year. I am with state farm and I pay by the month, not a lump sum. You are paying a monthly average, but a difference is subtracted/awarded should you end your contract prematurely. The "actual" cost during the fall months is more in line with your monthly cost.

But I can see I deeply offended you Sundie, and I apologize for that.

**Pedagogue** · 08-25-2011, 05:36 PM

Insure it now and ride it now! You've got a solid 8 weeks minimum of good riding weather left. Ride safe!

**Sundie** · 08-25-2011, 05:50 PM

Your original statement was:

Originally Posted by Jonnie

Insurance is lower in the fall months.

Originally Posted by Jonnie

You are correct in the statement that you pay the same amount after each "complete" year. I am with state farm and I pay by the month, not a lump sum. You are paying a monthly average, but a difference is subtracted/awarded should you end your contract prematurely. The "actual" cost during the fall months is more in line with your monthly cost.

So, you pay monthly, which to work out is your yearly divided by 12, yes? So equal payments. Not cheaper.

Unless you're saying "i kill the insurance off my bike in the winter months", which as far as i know they'll only let you do a couple of times - if you have a pattern of that, they'll typically say "no" the next time you want to turn it on. Unless StateFarm is radically different from other insurance companies.

But I can see I deeply offended you Sundie, and I apologize for that.

No, you deeply offended mathematics.

**Two-Sided** · 08-25-2011, 11:26 PM

thank you!

ill follow up with them tomorrow and see if they can give me something temporary to get to the insurance office for the pictures. And i guess you guys are right, insure now and ride now!!!

**DemonPig** · 08-26-2011, 01:28 AM

Call your agent and ask if they require pics. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. I've been only asked for them once in my life. Although that one time was with SF.

And yeah, you bought the bike to ride, so ride it! Lots of time left. With proper attire you can still enjoy your new bike.

FYI, Jevco gave me a better quote on a 250cc bike when I had one. All depends on your age, history, etc., though. May be worth it to give a call to a broker who deals with Jevco.
And definitely make sure you check around after one year insurance experience. A lot of companies give a nice discount (like ~30%).

Just so you know, MTO doesn't list a wholesale value on bikes. So basically if you bought your bike for $50, that's what you pay taxes on, not on the minimum wholesale listed, as is the case with most older cars.

**jukon** · 08-26-2011, 02:24 PM

Originally Posted by Two-Sided

thank you!

ill follow up with them tomorrow and see if they can give me something temporary to get to the insurance office for the pictures. And i guess you guys are right, insure now and ride now!!!

I'm guessing the pictures are a State Farm thing. I didn't need this with TD. But you won't be able to get on the road without insurance. You can get temp plates if you don't have a safety but no insurance means no driving.

**mks524** · 08-30-2011, 09:41 AM

I'm with State Farm and as a new rider they were by far the cheapest. As for the pics, they let me take them myself and e-mail them to their office.

**kobe** · 08-30-2011, 12:50 PM

I bought the same bike earlier this season. I had the same questions as you. I am with Statefarm and my agent was extremely helpful and accomodating. Since I am a new rider I didn't feel comfortable riding to my agent without first learning near the streets around my house. My agent allowed me to email pics to him of the bike. There are specific pics that he needed, ie the VIN, side, and front shot. In fact my agent has not even seen my bike. I drove there in my car to sign all the paperwork. He emailed me a temp insurance paper to show ministry so I could get plates. Basically I got everything I needed done without having to take my bike anywhere.