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Deleted member 40275
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I see that this is your first time buying something at a dealer.
Buy now or wait till after safety training?
- Thread starter Daakuryu
- Start date
It isn't just taxes. There are some weird hidden charges. You can get them dropped if you try hard enough on new models, I don't know about used. Private trades are always easier. Got a K8 GSXR750 with a PCIII, full yoshi and other decent mods with 6,000KM for $7500. Something like that is impossible to find at dealers. Just watch Kijiji like a hawk when you're buying.
油井緋色;1975347 said:
They are easier if you have the cash on you.
The point of going to a dealer is I am getting financing for the bike and the gear.
If I do not I can only afford either the bike or the gear right now not both unless I max out my credit card which is 19% interest instead of 10% the dealer is giving me.
The bike I was looking at was a Black 2012 Kawasaki Ninja 250 with 1691km on it, being sold at $4000
Looking at Kijiji I see people asking $2500+ for 2001 and under sold "as is" and potentially not road ready.
Anyway the point is moot since the bike I wanted is already gone.
So the next question would be is there a place you can rent full gear for the course, so far I've only see people renting helmet glove and jacket but no boots or pants/overpants.
I personally wouldn't finance a bike, for sure not gear, not on a credit card. This can be a surprisingly expensive hobby.
Just getting the bike is one thing, maintaining it is another. Tires don't last long, chains stretch.
Will you be forced to make a compromise on safety due to not having the $?
For a first bike, I'd advise keeping the purchase price low, the odds of dropping it are pretty high first few months, why do it to a nice shiny bike? Be patient, the right deal will show up.
As for the course, hiking boots will do, don't really need riding pants. Parking lot M1 Exit speeds don't really put you at peril.
Roomie
Banned
I agree with all you said but I know for rti they want you in full gear for the course. Pants included.
http://www.ridertraining.ca/gear/
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hardk0re
Well-known member
If you buy a bike you will probably get a discount on gear. Maybe ask about that, it may make it worth it to buy now. Rti is not too strict. Helmet , jeans, leather jacket (not fashion but thick leather), work boots and leather gloves. The only motorcycle specific equipment required was a helmet. At least in my experience. You can bring everything to the theory class to confirm, incase you are unsure.
Aznkid2000
Well-known member
they also have gears to lend if you really need it
Wait.
Get through basic first. Then start shopping.
I should add......taking a course in April, you may encounter snow and cold weather (so maybe invest in some gear that you feel good in).........sucks a bit even in a closed parking lot. I was an instructor many moons ago at Conestoga and it sucked even for us trying to teach with snow all over the ground......it's fun to watch the students face though when an Instructor dumps the bike in the slalom because of slick conditions then we ask you to do it on the stopwatch, lol.
Get through basic first. Then start shopping.
I should add......taking a course in April, you may encounter snow and cold weather (so maybe invest in some gear that you feel good in).........sucks a bit even in a closed parking lot. I was an instructor many moons ago at Conestoga and it sucked even for us trying to teach with snow all over the ground......it's fun to watch the students face though when an Instructor dumps the bike in the slalom because of slick conditions then we ask you to do it on the stopwatch, lol.
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Need to read the whole page.
Motorcycle gloves makes sense though, they will fit better and are better suited than gardening gloves.
All the motorcycles have gears yes. People wear gear.
+1 do not finance anything for this hobby/sport/stupidity/whatever you call it.
Here's what you're going to do when you bring your bike home, you're going to drop it. And if you don't, you'll do it within the first week of riding it! There are some rare occurrences where people don't but I justified buying a used bike with a crack on the fairings due to GTAM telling me I would drop it; I dropped it when I got on the drive way. My gf listened to my advice and picked up an 08 250 with a small crack on the fairing, much cheaper than cosmetically perfect ones, and dropped it on her first left turn.
Then there is the issue with the tires. Sport touring tires last around like...1/6th of car tires? And it's around 200 for the back and 170 for the front (stock 250 tires). If you decided to replace your cracked fairings from the drop, OEM prices are around $250 for the side ones. As you go up models, that price dramatically increases. And chances are, if you drop the bike, for some reason it'll be on the left side. 99% sure your shift lever will get bent.
Not trying to scare you, this sport/hobby is really worth the investment...but not worth financing in my opinion.
EDIT: One more piece of advice: try to pick up a stock bike if you have no clue wtf you are looking for. I learned the hard way lol
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To address the original question, I'd buy the bike. I bought my used from Craigslist, from a guy who turned out to be pretty incredible, (trust your instincts, and take a rider with you if you know one), took it to the local school yard and practiced for hours in the rain shifting from 1st to 2nd to 3rd and back again, getting in about a million figure eights for left and right turning.
I didn't do a course for financial reasons, but I've never been a speed freak, and I like myself a bit too much to be psycho. I still may do it, but when I'm riding I'm focused. Like you I came from bicycles, and the best lesson I already knew was 'look where you want to go and not where you don't'. I'm sure you know what I'm talking about.
I doubt you'll hate riding, and even if you don't pass the course you'll still have your M1, and even with a fail you'll still learn stuff. I "put it down" once when I came to a sudden stop and couldn't balance the bike and didn't get my foot under me in time, but otherwise it's been a blast that I wouldn't trade for anything.
Get your bike. You'll sleep better.
I didn't do a course for financial reasons, but I've never been a speed freak, and I like myself a bit too much to be psycho. I still may do it, but when I'm riding I'm focused. Like you I came from bicycles, and the best lesson I already knew was 'look where you want to go and not where you don't'. I'm sure you know what I'm talking about.
I doubt you'll hate riding, and even if you don't pass the course you'll still have your M1, and even with a fail you'll still learn stuff. I "put it down" once when I came to a sudden stop and couldn't balance the bike and didn't get my foot under me in time, but otherwise it's been a blast that I wouldn't trade for anything.
Get your bike. You'll sleep better.
Aznkid2000
Well-known member
also if you fail the first time in learning curves, you get another chance. So no pressure to pass.
Pedagogue
Well-known member
For your first bike, buy used and try to stay away from the financing as you'll probably want to upgrade in a year or two (depending on how much you ride). The 250r's are starter bikes. Take the course first to see whether or not motorcycling is for you. Also, in regards to you buying that particular bike, the Kawasaki 250r is a dime a dozen. Especially now that the Kawasaki 300 is out you should be able to get this bike fairly cheap. Yes we all know that some people on Kijiji are asking too much for their bikes but if you look around, you'll be rewarded because people will want to sell.
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油井緋色;1975481 said:
I'm confused, you're saying I will definitely drop the bike and thus have to pay for repairs, but your suggestion is that instead of getting financing which will mean paying 200 ish a month (+whatever extra I feel like giving to speed up the payments) while keeping my current cash on hand for emergencies or potential repairs and maintenance that I should spend my cash on hand to buy the bike and gear thus not having any cash for potential repairs when I drop the bike.
Does that make sense to you?
If I wait until I have the money to buy everything a bike and all the gear, the season will be half over and I'll have only the course as experience because all the bikes I am seeing by private sellers right now are either over 2000 or they are not road ready and need to go to a mechanic and who knows how much THAT is going to cost, The gear looks like it is going to be between 1500 to 2000 unless I sacrifice protection according to what people on here are telling me. What I have on me right now is $2000
So unless you are able to find me a 250 for $500 that won't need a ton of repairs and won't fall apart in a week I'm kinda hard pressed to see things your way on not financing just because I might drop the bike or need to maintain it.
Understand, I'm not saying I want the newest, top of the line and most pristine bike in the world here, I was looking at that 2012 because compared to what's on the private market right now it was cheap and the financing means I can buy it and the gear now rather than 4-5 months down the line and start gaining experience now.
Now If the fairing cracks will it affect anything other than the cosmetics of the bike?
To be honest, I'd be perfectly fine with a 250 for much longer than 2 years since I have no desire to go at ludicrous speeds; my use is going to be commute, leisure and going to annoy the folks back home once in a while.
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Coming in late here but have you checked your insurance? If you finance you are going to be required to have full collision and comprehensive and if you are as new a driver as it seems you will be destitute.
If you supply your age and driving experience then comments can be more appropriate.
Considering spending $2k on gear and buying a new bike a first time ride is in my view completely ludicrous.
Getting a used late model bike financed might be okay IF you can afford the insurance the dealer will insist you carry.
You simply don't need expensive gear.
Helmet $100 if you insist on new,
jacket - maybe a JR mesh used for $50,
you likely have hiking boots and
if you want to splurge put some motocross knee protectors under jeans for $30
and some armored motocross gloves used or discontinued max $30.
The Ninja 250 is a very decent starter bike if you can afford first year rider insurance.
If not then do what my son and hundreds of others have done, suck it up, buy a 50cc scooter and learn to ride in traffic and all those important judgement skills and maybe take an motocross course at Motopark which will really help your riding skills.
Once you are past the first year then you qualify for lower rates and you've had time to save more money for a used 250.
Apologies if I missed something but I think you are really going about this in an expensive and impractical manner.
In Ontario reality is ruled by the insurance companies for a new rider and you have to play by their rules.
It's cheaper here in Aus but your first three months will only allow you riding WITH another licenced rider or car driver with you on the road. ( you ride yourself but the other vehicle is with you on the road )
The insurance cost is cheap ...about $200 for the registation and liability insurance....but the requirement rule sort of puts a damper on the fun part unless you have a close buddy with a full licence.
TANSTAAFL
If you supply your age and driving experience then comments can be more appropriate.
Considering spending $2k on gear and buying a new bike a first time ride is in my view completely ludicrous.
Getting a used late model bike financed might be okay IF you can afford the insurance the dealer will insist you carry.
You simply don't need expensive gear.
Helmet $100 if you insist on new,
jacket - maybe a JR mesh used for $50,
you likely have hiking boots and
if you want to splurge put some motocross knee protectors under jeans for $30
and some armored motocross gloves used or discontinued max $30.
The Ninja 250 is a very decent starter bike if you can afford first year rider insurance.
If not then do what my son and hundreds of others have done, suck it up, buy a 50cc scooter and learn to ride in traffic and all those important judgement skills and maybe take an motocross course at Motopark which will really help your riding skills.
Once you are past the first year then you qualify for lower rates and you've had time to save more money for a used 250.
Apologies if I missed something but I think you are really going about this in an expensive and impractical manner.
In Ontario reality is ruled by the insurance companies for a new rider and you have to play by their rules.
It's cheaper here in Aus but your first three months will only allow you riding WITH another licenced rider or car driver with you on the road. ( you ride yourself but the other vehicle is with you on the road )
The insurance cost is cheap ...about $200 for the registation and liability insurance....but the requirement rule sort of puts a damper on the fun part unless you have a close buddy with a full licence.
TANSTAAFL
I...AM...NOT...BUYING...A...NEW...BIKE...
I am buying used from a dealer... there is a ****ing difference.
I can afford the financing payments, I can afford the insurance, gas and my bills while still putting money aside for ****, dropping money in my RRSP and eating out every day if I want to. That financing will be paid off in a year, year and a half tops.
I'm not some 18 year old fresh out of diapers, I'm 34, I have a comprehensive budget software that tells me what I can and can't afford, trust me when I say it does a better job than you can; I programmed it my goddamn self.
As for gear, you say buy cheap gear, everyone else says don't skimp out on gear unless you want to get hurt and go leather I'm inclined to trust someone who believes in being safer rather than cheaper.
I am seriously getting annoyed at you folk, the question wasn't should I finance or not; the question was Now or After the training course; since the bike I wanted has been sold and I have to wait until they get another 250 that point is moot, I will be waiting until after the training.
Thread over.
I am buying a used bike, I'm just buying it from gpbikes at what I see as a good value compared to random kijiji dude selling a model 4-10 years older for 500-1000 less than the one I am looking at buying.
I know it's ultimately up to me but still I value the opinion of more experienced riders who have gone through he process before.
My bad, I assumed you were buying new. Doesn't change my advice though as you have to pay sales tax on the full price of the bike at a dealer. It's also rare for me to see a really tempting deal on a used bike from a dealership so you must've come across a gem. Jump on it if you're in love but otherwise wait it out. Like anything, you gain a better understanding of what you want with experience. You might feel differently about your choice of machine after the course. It happens.
[edit] Just read pg 2 of this thread. OP I thought you valued the opinion of more experienced riders? I know it can suck hearing what you don't want to hear but all of these comments were related to your request. Don't get so worked up. GTAM can be a bit of a harsh place sometimes but the people in this thread were genuinely trying to help.
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