Test ride/insurance | GTAMotorcycle.com

Test ride/insurance

Rideasy

Member
Hi Everyone. Before anything else, i would like to give some details about myself. I just got my m2 last June (msc at humber college). Been riding motorcycle for almost 3 decades(in other countries) but not so much for the last couple of years. Im taking long vacations for the next couple of years and ride again. Plan to buy my first motorcycle here next year to enjoy the sceneries of this beautiful country. Most of my riding here will mostly be backroads, minimal 400 series highways, minimal to no off road. Riding style* will be on the conservative side .My questions are:

1. Do motorcycle dealerships(japanese brands) offer test rides? From what i understand,* test rides are offered only during events(something like 3 days demo event).

2. I have also read that it is advisable to talk to the insurance first before i purchase a bike, am i correct?

3. Is it safe to say that 750cc and lower displacement bikes have much cheaper rates? Or is this dependent on the insurance company? I will be riding 2up 99% of the time and if insurance cost will not vary too much for 750-1000cc bikes, then i will have more choice of motorcycles. Also, my preferred types are adventure, cruisers or maxi scoots

Thanks in advance
 
Always investigate the cost of insurance coverage for the motorcycle you plan to purchase! and Expect your premiums to increase regularly.
There is no reasonable logic being applied to the insurance rates, so don't even attempt to anticipate the costs. If you are paying for the bike with cash up front then you might have the option to not insure the vehicle against collision damage or theft, but if you are purchasing it on loan the lender will demand your having full replacement coverage. Passengers or not does not affect your coverage cost, even if it is a single passenger motorcycle (pillion pegs removed) we currently do NOT get a discount on our premiums, but your license classification may have restrictions.

Best luck with your new motorcycle purchase and safe journey :cool:
 
You will probably find insurance on a 750 cc cruiser is lower that a similar sized adv bike (likely due to the cruiser being half the power). Sadly, in Ontario insurance is probably one of the most important factors guiding bike purchases.

The good thing about demo days is you can try a bunch of different bikes. For Honda day you should try a 500x and a shadow, both are well reviewed and insurance friendly.
 
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Definitely have quotes in hand before buying. A 650-1000 vstrom or versys won't be bad for insurance, nor will almost any Japanese cruiser 650-1100.
Good luck with your purchase and ride safe.

Sent from my SM-A500W using Tapatalk
 
Some dealers ask to see your own bike insurance before they will let you test ride. Applied to both dealer bikes and demo days when I was checking out Ducati.
 
Welcome. Like I said in your other thread, but you touched on here, yes...insurance quotes are important before buying anything.

The cruiser segment is going to be your cheapest option, and if you're looking to to be 2up most of the time it may be a good choice. When it comes to the cruiser segment the old 750CC mantra doesn't matter as much as it used to, value matters more - so a metric will be a lot cheaper to insure vs a Harley. A 750 will struggle on the 400 series roads with 2up, so you may want to consider something bigger because of such - I know you said you won't be spending much time on the 400's, but it's inevitable you'll spend *some* time on them and a 600-750 2UP is not going to be ideal, and if you can find a 900-1100 cruiser for the same price insurance wise (and not much more purchase-price wise) for the same money, I'd opt for the bit of extra power.

This again assumes we are talking the cruiser segment. For the sport segment insurance is a whole different ball of wax.

Where to buy? Depends on if you're looking to buy new or buy used? Financed, or outright purchase?

Motorcycles are a high depreciation item here which is why I always suggest buying used. Also, if you buy brand new and need to finance you will be required to carry full coverage on the insurance as opposed to just liability, and that'll add cost. Here in the GTA there's no shortage of very gently used bikes out there.

Unfortunately your past riding experience is unlikely to be considered here for insurance purposes so you will be considered a new rider. Since you already have your MSC you're in a better position there.
 
Far as test rides, will be easier in the summer vs now obviously

If your show up to the dealer and he see's your serious about buying he might let you take it out for a spin. Otherwise you wait till demo days.

Far as insurance is concerned they ask 2 things with regards to the bike

1. Is it a supersport?

2. How big is the engine?


A ninja 300 will be cheaper to insure than a vstar 650 because mathematically 300<650.
This notion that just because its a cruiser it will be cheaper to insure is only true if comparing to SS bikes.

for 2 up riding and all day comfort you cant really beat a v strom. or a cruiser for that matter(i suggest avoiding an expensive harley for your "first" bike)

as far as 750cc and over, it still matters, i just bought a new bike if i bought the suzuki with 749cc my isurance would have been MUCH cheaper(they make identical power and are priced the same)
 
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A ninja 300 will be cheaper to insure than a vstar 650 because mathematically 300<650.

Not true.

Risk profiles, horsepower, and bike style play a huge roll.

CC's alone do not tell the tale alone anymore. For example, I pay only about $5/month more on my 1300CC than my wife pays for her 650CC, and her insurance only went up about $5/month when she went from her 250CC beginner bike to the 650.

There are riders we know with smaller CC sportbikes than her Vstar 650 paying more...because sportbike.

I pay ~$500/year for a 1300CC cruiser. By the "CC's matter most" mantra I should be paying in the same vicinity as a Hayabusa owner.
 
Insurance comes in 3 parts: personal liability, collision and comprehensive.
Personal liability covers you if you are involved in an accident that's your fault or if the other person was not insured. $1 million minimum.
Collision covers the cost of repairing the damage of a collision and comprehensive covers you if the vehicle is stolen or vandalized.
Collision and comprehensive should be tied to the estimated cost of the bike.
For example, you pay $20,000. After a few years the bikes replacement value is $15,000 and a few years later it's $10,000.
You should be adjusting your collision and comprehensive to the estimated value as that's the maximum the insurance company will pay out.
There's little point in insuring a bike for $20,000 if the most you will get if its totalled is $8000.
When shopping for insurance inform the agent of your total world experience riding.
Don't tell them your Ontario experience unless they specifically ask.
 
My questions are:

1. Do motorcycle dealerships(japanese brands) offer test rides? From what i understand,* test rides are offered only during events(something like 3 days demo event).

yes, but if you have no MC insurance I'd be careful with this

2. I have also read that it is advisable to talk to the insurance first before i purchase a bike, am i correct?

a must, to avoid a nasty financial surprise

3. Is it safe to say that 750cc and lower displacement bikes have much cheaper rates? Or is this dependent on the insurance company? I will be riding 2up 99% of the time and if insurance cost will not vary too much for 750-1000cc bikes, then i will have more choice of motorcycles. Also, my preferred types are adventure, cruisers or maxi scoots

adventure style 2 up, I'm assuming touring in mind?
600-750 cc is going to be a bit on the light side for that
900-1000 would be better, and there are some bikes in that range that are not crazy to insure


Thanks in advance

answers above...........
 
When shopping for insurance inform the agent of your total world experience riding.
Don't tell them your Ontario experience unless they specifically ask.

But when they inevitably ask for proof or further details (as your M2 licence and lack of history in the electronic systems will scream "newbie" to them) be honest. You can then elaborate on the fact you've ridden elsewhere in the world, but as per my earlier response they are highly unlikely to credit you for that from an experience standpoint unless you can provide proof of 20 years of insurance - you'd require a letter from your previous insurers at that point which may present a problem. Even then depending on where in the world you're talking many insurers may not credit you much or anything for it.

In the end, the gap in riding history (as the OP mentions) may undo much of that anyways as we all know insurance companies like contiguous insurance coverage.
 
Always check insurance cost before the purchase to avoid a nasty surprise. Make a list of bikes on your short list and call a few insurance agents or brokers to get some idea of premiums for the various types of mandatory and optional coverage. The bike, your experience level and where you live have a huge impact on premiums.

I think you're going to find very few dealers willing to let a m2 rider do a demo ride on a new or used bike, regardless of your stated experience elsewhere.
 
FWIW, Rob Davidson at KW Honda in Waterloo allowed me to do some test rides with an M2. They've got a nice looking Triumph Tiger shown in their used inventory that might be worth looking at. Already got a top-box though I think you'd have to purchase the pannier's separately.

https://www.kwhonda.com/2014-triumph-tiger-800-abs-inventory.htm?id=2100152&in-stock=1

If you're a more, uh, "mature" looking individual you may be able to seek a ride. Time for test rides is winding up though with the WX...
 
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GreyGhost The good thing about demo days is you can try a bunch of different bikes. For Honda day you should try a 500x and a shadow said:
When do dealers usually conduct demo days? Is it mid spring? Will try to attend to try out the 500x..as with the shadow, ive ridden one before coz my buddy has one. I find the bike(shadow) comfortable, has enough torque, but no abs tho
 
Definitely have quotes in hand before buying. A 650-1000 vstrom or versys won't be bad for insurance, nor will almost any Japanese cruiser 650-1100.
Good luck with your purchase and ride safe.

Sent from my SM-A500W using Tapatalk

This is music to my ears. The new vstrom 650 is one of my top choice!
 
The cruiser segment is going to be your cheapest option, and if you're looking to to be 2up most of the time it may be a good choice. When it comes to the cruiser segment the old 750CC mantra doesn't matter as much as it used to, value matters more - so a metric will be a lot cheaper to insure vs a Harley. A 750 will struggle on the 400 series roads with 2up, so you may want to consider something bigger because of such - I know you said you won't be spending much time on the 400's, but it's inevitable you'll spend *some* time on them and a 600-750 2UP is not going to be ideal, and if you can find a 900-1100 cruiser for the same price insurance wise (and not much more purchase-price wise) for the same money, I'd opt for the bit of extra power.

This again assumes we are talking the cruiser segment. For the sport segment insurance is a whole different ball of wax.

Where to buy? Depends on if you're looking to buy new or buy used? Financed, or outright purchase?

Motorcycles are a high depreciation item here which is why I always suggest buying used. Also, if you buy brand new and need to finance you will be required to carry full coverage on the insurance as opposed to just liability, and that'll add cost. Here in the GTA there's no shortage of very gently used bikes out there.

Unfortunately your past riding experience is unlikely to be considered here for insurance purposes so you will be considered a new rider. Since you already have your MSC you're in a better position there.

Im keeping my options open re liter size cruisers..though i prefer bikes weighing around 500 lbs for adv bikes, Maybe around 550lbs for cruisers. Abs option is high on my list. Thanks for all the tips!
 
:For example, you pay $20,000. After a few years the bikes replacement value is $15,000 and a few years later it's $10,000.
You should be adjusting your collision and comprehensive to the estimated value as that's the maximum the insurance company will pay out.
There's little point in insuring a bike for $20,000 if the most you will get if its totalled is $8000.
When shopping for insurance inform the agent of your total world experience riding.
Don't tell them your Ontario experience unless they specifically ask.

;);)
 
FWIW, Rob Davidson at KW Honda in Waterloo allowed me to do some test rides with an M2. They've got a nice looking Trimuph Tiger shown in their used inventory that might be worth looking at. Already got a top-box though I think you'd have to purchase the pannier's separately.

https://www.kwhonda.com/2014-triumph-tiger-800-abs-inventory.htm?id=2100152&in-stock=1

If you're a more, uh, "mature" looking individual you may be able to seek a ride. Time for test rides is winding up though with the WX...

Thats a sweet ride! Anyway, i think i look "mature".. but wait till im back on the saddle again...:D:D
 

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