Assistance needed with motorcycle purchase & timing | GTAMotorcycle.com

Assistance needed with motorcycle purchase & timing

kurtrules

kurtrules

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Hey,

I completed my M2 course and will get my license upgraded in October, when I complete 2 full months with an M1. I was curious and wanted your opinion on -

1) When would it be a good time to purchase a motorcycle? The year is coming to a close, and to me it doesn't make sense to pay for the bike and insurance, and park it indoors over the winter. Or have I got it wrong? Is insurance negligible for the winters?

2) I am looking to purchase a dual purpose/adv bike and the insurance for the first year varies from 900/year to around 1500/year for - DRZ400, DR650, DL650 Vstrom, Yamaha T7 - Price increasing in that order. I am fond of long distance touring, long sweeping curves, switchbacks, off road, gravel etc - less inclined on long straights on 8 lane highways. Also, where I come from, none of these were available so I did my touring on a CB150 and CBR250 Honda, and I loved them! But I am no longer there, and thus, over here, your recommendations would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance!
 
Prices are better end of season through winter.
If you find the bike that you want, buy it and get it registered 'fit, unplated'. You do not need insurance for that. I would only recommend this if you have somewhere secure to store the bike indoors.
In the spring, put insurance on it and go get your plates. You do have to pay the registration fee again.
I did that and saved a ton on my bike.
 
the drz and dr might not be the best for touring, the v strom and T7 will do what you ask nicely

A good time to purchase would be in the winter,

You arent actually charged for insurance in the winter, just for the summer(most of your premium is weighted for the summer months), but to make it easier for the consumer they spread out the payments over 12 monthly installments, with insurance the earlier you get your history going, the better I suppose
 
Prices fall between now and when temperatures start rising again in the winter. Insurance is technically cheap during the winter, however most people don't feel that way due to how prorating of insurance premium works (i.e. you will only ever really notice this if you terminate a policy before the renewal date).

Late spring is the WORST time to buy a bike.
 
Ok, thanks for your replies. So what you're suggesting is I get a bike (maybe around Dec/Jan) and store it in my garage till April. And then get it plated and insured in April?

Or do I buy the bike in October register and insure it, ride it for a month and then store it? The only issue that I see with that approach is that I will start making insurance payments from October, and since it is prorated and equal instalments throughout the year, I will be paying that insurance, for atleast 6 extra months in comparison to if I were to start payments from April. Is that correct?
 
All great choices, I have a Yamaha T7, don't exclude a Honda CB500X from your list, great tourer and crazy economical. Maintenance is a lot less than the T7 as-well.

If you go the dual sport bike route, call Riders Plus, they give decent rates, I pay less for the T7 than I did for the CB500X because it's a different category, even with extra cc's, I did have to switch brokers though.

Best deals are in October, I bought my first bike in October, and my second bike in March, both off-peak season. I sold both in peak season, and got more than I had paid. With Covid around I find a lot of people are over pricing their stuff, though deals can still be found. If you can't find a deal now and are not impatient to ride, keep looking over the winter, no rush. Though don't wait till spring to buy.
 
If you wait till the winter, not only will you get better prices because of weather, but CERB will be running out
 
Another thing to consider is insurance continuity, the sooner you get insured. Insurance from companies that do spring renewals will cost almost nothing right now, that gets the clock rolling for you - it takes 5 years of continuous insurance to get into the best experience rate category.

As for prices, that's always a crap shoot - deals show up every day, make a list of desirable rides, check insurance rates on those models, refine the list. Then set a price that's acceptable to you - watch for deals and be ready to pounce instantly. I'd never wait for a seasonal 'deal', it's not like you're going to save thousands.
 
agree with the consensus to get the bike this fall and get your insurance going
get a couple of ticket/claims free years under you belt and insurance will start to come down
sooner you get on that treadmill, sooner it becomes more affordable

based on your description of riding preferences
the T7 sounds like it suits you best, Vstrom second

and as mentioned, CB500X is a similar bike and affordable to insure
a little light on HP but it will do everything you need it to do

all 3 of those are popular bikes so if looking at new
I wouldn't expect prices to vary much throughout the year

if you're looking at used
them yeah, will be able to find motivated sellers in the fall
but not likely a T7

and here's an outlier: KTM 390 Adventure
 
kurtrules said:
Hey,

I completed my M2 course and will get my license upgraded in October, when I complete 2 full months with an M1. I was curious and wanted your opinion on -

1) When would it be a good time to purchase a motorcycle? The year is coming to a close, and to me it doesn't make sense to pay for the bike and insurance, and park it indoors over the winter. Or have I got it wrong? Is insurance negligible for the winters?

2) I am looking to purchase a dual purpose/adv bike and the insurance for the first year varies from 900/year to around 1500/year for - DRZ400, DR650, DL650 Vstrom, Yamaha T7 - Price increasing in that order. I am fond of long distance touring, long sweeping curves, switchbacks, off road, gravel etc - less inclined on long straights on 8 lane highways. Also, where I come from, none of these were available so I did my touring on a CB150 and CBR250 Honda, and I loved them! But I am no longer there, and thus, over here, your recommendations would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance!
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The DRs are great bikes, bot you might find them taxing on distance rides -- partially because they will be working hard with you, gear and all day running at 100kmh. As a starter bike I second the inclusion of a CB500x, you won't be first to the finish line, but they are very friendly to ride and inexpensive to own. Pickup a used one and you'll be able to sell it in 2 years for what you paid for it - then you can try bigger ADVs.
 
Insurance policies are for a whole year , regardless of when you start one. Some pay lump sum, some 12mo payments, some you pay just summer months (with full yr coverage) it doesn't matter. Your just picking your renewal date. It doesn't save money to delay insuring. Once you buy a bike insure it.
 
tat2 said:
Insurance policies are for a whole year , regardless of when you start one. Some pay lump sum, some 12mo payments, some you pay just summer months (with full yr coverage) it doesn't matter. Your just picking your renewal date. It doesn't save money to delay insuring. Once you buy a bike insure it.
Click to expand...
Not so, some insurerers renew bike policies in Feb 28, with a prorating based on riding months. My FJR usually costs about $1000 to insure for the riding season, I just insured it with a Feb renewal, cost me $233.
 
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