When to get my M1? | GTAMotorcycle.com

When to get my M1?

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Pikes

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Hi, I'm new to this website (and riding) and I was wondering when would be a good time to go for my M1. I live in Mississauga, Ontario and since winter will be coming in a few months, I was told that I should get my M1 in February/March next year so that I can get my M2 at the start of summer. I was also told by other people that I should get my M1 now before winter comes and then get my M2 immediately after, but don't you need to hold the M1 for 60 days before doing the test to upgrade to M2? By the time the 60 days is over, the weather will be colder and winter will be coming and I doubt the MSF course will be running during that time. Can someone clarify this?

Can I just go ahead and get my M1 now or should I wait until next year?

I already know what bike I want to buy and everything, however the licensing part is slightly confusing to me. Sorry if this might seem like a dumb question. If I can go ahead and get my M1 now, then I'd rather do that. Thanks in advance for the help.
 
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What are you waiting for? Do it now. M1 is just a simple wriiten test and eye exam. Do that then immediately book a rider training course: humber.ca/motorcycle , ridertraining.ca
 
D-J said:
What are you waiting for? Do it now. M1 is just a simple wriiten test and eye exam. Do that then immediately book a rider training course: humber.ca/motorcycle , ridertraining.ca
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Thanks for the response, but then what's the whole 60 days thing about? I don't need to hold the M1 for 60 days before doing the course/before getting my M2? I heard the M1 expires in 90 days but you need to hold it for 60 days before you can do anything with it.
 
You can take the course right away. Then, after 60 days of getting your M1 (and your M2 course approved), you can get upgraded to M2. And you are good to go! You still have to wait 60 days to get the M2.
 
nrivoli said:
You can take the course right away. Then, after 60 days of getting your M1 (and your M2 course approved), you can get upgraded to M2. And you are good to go! You still have to wait 60 days to get the M2.
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That's what I did. Got my m1 in March did my safety course in April picked up my m2 in may.
I would recommend taking the course in Orangeville. There will be less people in the class and more time for instructor student one on one. Only 7 people in my class.
Good luck, ride safe.


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Basically you can get the M1 and do your M2 training course back to back. You just wait the 60 days before going back to the ministry and tell them you past the M2 course. Once you do they will give you your M2 licence.

Now it's up to you if you have time to schedule all this before winter hits. If so why not go do it. You can spend winter ogling over bikes or the bike you want. Which will be great motivation for next season.


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x2 the above, you can get your m1 anytime and then do an approved rider course anytime afterwards - you just won't get the actual M2 upgrade until after that 60 days pass, but even then if you did buy a bike sometime soon many insurance companies will rate you as an M2 rider (even though you only have the M1 technically) if you can prove successfull completion of the rider course.

Rider courses are still running and often will be until late October or November, but get booked soon if you want to make this happen this year as a LOT of people seem to crunch into the courses this time of year.

If you don't have any plans to buy a bike this fall, then yes, waiting until spring makes more sense - time writing your M1 for as close to 60 days before you plan to do the course and then after you complete it you should get the M2 quickly and be on your way. Your skills will also be fresher this way (doing the actual training in the spring) vs doing it this fall but then not actually riding until the spring when you buy a bike.

Riceburner said:
and check insurance BEFORE buying a particular bike.
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This, X1000000.
 
@Pikes curious, what bike do you want to buy?

sent from my Purple LGG4 on the GTAM app
 
Joe Bass said:
@Pikes curious, what bike do you want to buy?

sent from my Purple LGG4 on the GTAM app
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Kawasaki Ninja 300. I wanted to buy a CBR 250 but my local dealership doesn't sell 250's anymore, as they are all being replaced with 300's.
 
Buy used, you'll have no problem finding the bike you want and you won't take a bath on the depreciation when you go to sell it in a few years and realize you're not alone in the market.

If you buy outright vs financing insurance is cheaper as well as you only need liability.
 
PrivatePilot said:
Buy used, you'll have no problem finding the bike you want and you won't take a bath on the depreciation when you go to sell it in a few years and realize you're not alone in the market.

If you buy outright vs financing insurance is cheaper as well as you only need liability.
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So are you saying that I should avoid financing? Because I was thinking of getting it financed. How will this affect insurance?
 
Pikes said:
So are you saying that I should avoid financing? Because I was thinking of getting it financed. How will this affect insurance?
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A financed bike requires full coverage as a condition of the financing. You will pay more as a new rider for full coverage vs basic liability only, assuming you were willing to accept the risk and not carry such.

And as mentioned, the market is often littered with beginner bikes, especially 250's/300's. If you're buying brand new you are going to be significantly upside down on the value of the bike the second it leaves the dealers lot, and even if you buy used you're going to pay in the range of often 20-30% over what you would find in the private market.

Again, it depends on your comfort level with used - some people like the safety net of buying used from a dealer vs private, but again, keep your resale value a few years down the road in the back of your head.
 
Even if you think it makes sense to wait, even if other people say it makes sense to wait, forget all that, it does not make any sense at all. Don't forget there is also an 18 month wait to upgrade to your full M. So it's up to you, you can do it now, make probably one pro-rated insurance payment for the remainder of this year and enjoy the many good riding days that are left(and any random nice days between now and April.), and next spring at your renewal your rate will likely go down, all the while, the winter will have ticked away 1/3 of that 18 month wait without you even noticing.

OR, you can wait until spring, fight the course booking rush, end up at riding school in the freezing cold rain of an April morning, start brand new and wait until June to ride after dark, pay a full year of insurance as a brand new rider, and wait until 2020 to get your full M.

It's up to you. For me the choice would be easy.

Oh sidenote, if you can manage it, buy gently used privately for cash. There are no book values for bikes, and on paper most used bikes sell for a few hundred bucks ;) Very nice tax savings. My older used bike I paid around $50 taxes at transfer. My new Honda from the dealer to which the only added accessory was an exhaust, quickly went from $9,299 retail up to $12k with taxes and fees.
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