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Soon to be rider

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I guess RTI is the way to go then? Do they offer courses in Mississauga?

The cbr500 is one beautiful bike... I just hate the fact that it has a digital speedometer! I like seeing the needle move lol, but thats just me.

I was speaking to one of my buddies a couple of days ago and he was suggesting I wait till I turn 25 to get a bike. I told him I CANNOT wait 2 years to ride a bike, I wanna ride now!! Is it cheaper to get insured when you're 25+? I really dont wanna wait lol. And also, when you're getting quotes do they require you to have an M1? Cause I dont have that atm
 
koma said:
Maybe ride a 125 for the first season, then get what you really want after you turn 25.
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Yep. You've got 3 options IMO

1) Buy a 125
2) Buy a really old bike, which has lower insurance. You might be able to get a 250 or 500 if it's 20+ years old
3) Buy whatever you want, and get another job
 
NotANinja said:
Is 125 enough for the highway? I weigh 190 lbs and 5'10
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A 4 stroke 125 will probably get you to just over 100km/h but that might require full tuck.

You could ride it on the highway, but I wouldn't. It'll take forever to get up to speed and you can count on always having cars piling up behind you.

I wouldn't plan on taking the highway with anything less than a 250. A 250 has plenty for the highway, even with a passenger.
 
RTI has courses in Mississauga/Oakville. I took mine there.

Go for a 250 bike/300 as your first. More forgiving then the 500+ bikes.

Also starter bikes have better resale value.
 
ajromano said:
I guess RTI is the way to go then? Do they offer courses in Mississauga?
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An MSF-style course is always wise for a noob (such as myself :) ) Unfortunately, not all insurance companies offer discounts for having completed one. Regardless, what you learn there in terms of bike control and riding safety in a controlled environment with mentors right there makes such a course a no-brainer.

The cbr500 is one beautiful bike... I just hate the fact that it has a digital speedometer! I like seeing the needle move lol, but thats just me.
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I don't mind the digital speedo on mine but I would have preferred an analog tachometer such as that on the CBR250R.

I was speaking to one of my buddies a couple of days ago and he was suggesting I wait till I turn 25 to get a bike. I told him I CANNOT wait 2 years to ride a bike, I wanna ride now!!
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I don't know why but this worries me. Take a deep breath: You'll be riding before you know it.

Hell dude, I wanted a street bike back in 1983 but school, family, starting a career, buying a house etc etc put delay after delay in place. It took this long -- August of this year ... 31 years -- before all the stars aligned and I bought my first bike.

Patience is a virtue and it will help keep you safe on the street :)

Is it cheaper to get insured when you're 25+? I really dont wanna wait lol. And also, when you're getting quotes do they require you to have an M1? Cause I dont have that atm
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It's usually cheaper after 25 but a lot depends on your driving record overall. If you buy a used bike consider asking for a quote for only liability -- no comprehensive, no collision. You may find the rates come down a bit.

Also consider a CBR250R or similar: The smaller the better as far as insurance companies are concerned.

You don't need an M1 to get a quote.

Keep in mind that with an M1 you have restrictions in place:


  • no riding at night
  • no passengers
  • zero alcohol (always a good idea anyway...)
  • no riding on highways with limits in excess of 80kph (certain exemptions exist)


If you plan to commute to work figure out a way to get there on roads that are 80kph or lower.

If you take an approved "M1X" course all you need is your M1. At the end of the course you'll take a series of riding tests and if you pass, you'll get a sealed envelope you can take to the Drive Test centre to get your M2. Keep in mind that the 60-day M1 limit exists. Suppose you get your M1 on July 1 and take the MSF course and earn your M2 qualification on July 5: You can't walk into the Drive Test centre until after Sept 1 (i.e. 60 days from when you got the M1) to get your M2 for real.
 
spray____ said:
Fair enough. I guess all I can say is show them you're serious about biking and serious about safety. Look into some courses that will make you a better rider. Racer5 and Total Control come to mind. The M1 Exit course taught at all of the colleges is great for getting you up and running, but it doesn't really go beyond the basics. Show them some books and videos about riding. Twist of the Wrist 2 is a great one. The key would be getting them to see this is a passion of yours and you're serious about doing it safely long term. When people hear about young guys getting a bike, they usually think of them on sport bikes wearing wife beaters and blasting wheelies through traffic.

Used bikes at dealerships are priced up to 25% more than the exact same bike sold by owner. I would start with Kijiji, and stay away from the dealerships at least until you're familiar with specs and prices. If you look at enough, you'll be able to judge what things are worth. You can also sign up for Kijiji alerts. Basically you set all the specifications on the left (make, model, year, kms, engine size, price, location) and at the bottom enter your email address. After that, every morning you'll get an email showing you the newly posted ads from the day before. It's a great way to stay on top of what's available without looking through the same ads over and over again.
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*Kijiji motorcycles are priced 50% more than the exact same bike sold by a sane person.
 
Start off small, work your way up IMO.. My brother just moved away to alberta and left me in charge of selling his motorcycle, 2011 CBR 250 with 2500 kms.. if ur interested.
 
Back when I did the M1x course, a guy there invited his family to the last day / test to show them what he learned. Seemed to work to get the approval of his parents.
 
ajromano said:
Just wanted to take a sec and say how helpful/informative/useful this forum is in regards to new riders and riding in general. Some real cool peeps in this community! Wassup!

As the title states, soon to be rider. Im a 23 year old male looking to get into this sport. As of right now, all I have is a G license and a motorcycle handbook!

First step is to find a way to convince my parents that riding is fun (and yes I know, dangerous). How did you guys break it down to your parents/guardians? Were they happy about it? Or did they give you no reason to get a bike at all and pop the question "do you want to die?" like my parents did. Let me know how you guys convinced them!

Second step is to get my M1 and then take the mtohp safety course. Any reviews on this? Their last course is in October I believe.

Once I pass the M1 and safety course I was looking at getting a ninja300 or cbr500. Are these good beginner bikes? Im 5'10/165lbs which one would be best suitable? I will most likely finance brand new but do keep in mind that this will be my first finance ever. Is financing a bike a good idea? And do you suggest purchasing a bike in the spring since the riding season is almost over?

Your input would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks
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Mom used to ride (can't anymore due to health), Dad was a cop. Mom was pro bike, dad was a d*ck about it. Now, he accepts it. It's a huge part of my life. He never minded me dirt biking, but he knows I'm a bit nuts on bikes lol.

Buy used, don't finance a bike... You'll regret it. Buy a used cbr or ninja 250. Are you financially stable? Make decent money? Motorcycling costs me 10 grand a year. 3600 insurance, tires, oil, new gear and bike related accessories. This doesn't include gas. I'm 23, but riding a super sport bike, hence the high insurance cost. Make sure you can afford gear (minimum 1000 dollars for everything), as well as all the maintenance and other things as well.
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