Looking for a first bike.

[helix]

First of all hello everybody. My names Matt and i live round boston. im looking to buy myself a crotch rocket. Prolly dont want to spend anything more than $2300.00 right now but im sure i could get a very decent bike for that. Any suggestions on some makes/models/years?

[stock28]

Check the sticky at the top of the page and do a search for biginner bikes. You will find all the info you need. Take the advise of those on the site that have years of experience and you will have many yourself.

[TechTMW]

You should be able to find an excellent Ninja 250 in that price range, or a Ninja500. If you want to spend a little more, a Suzuki gs500f could probably had in that range but since its a newer model may be difficult to find. The gs500e is the same bike, but without the "crotch rocket" plastic fairing, but could probably be found cheaper than the faired bike.

[helix]

well seei guess the deciding factor for this would be how much insurence would be. what can i expect? i have no violations with my jeep and have been on the road with that guy for 1 year. livin in boston.

[TechTMW]

ask your insurance company!!

Try these 3 bikes for a general comparison:

2005 Kawasaki Ninja 250
2005 Suzuki GS500f
2005 Yamaha r6

And ... hope you are sitting down when you call

[helix]

hehe allright thanks. Im able to get this bike 1992 YAMAHA FZR 600 for $2995.00. its a bit more than i wanted to spend but i mean im having trouble finding any of those bikes around here for sale.

oh i just found a 2003 KAWASAKI NINJA 250R for 2600. Maybe ill look into this.

[Ninja Geoff]

I think in MA insurance is based on the cost of the bike new. When i called metlife for a quote for a bike that cost roughly $4500 new, it was only an additional $110 a year on top of my car insurance. And that's at a step 15.

If i remember correctly it was $20/40 injury to others, $8k per personal, 25/60 for dmg by uninsured and $50,000 prop dmg, and somthing low on body injury to others. Almost as much as my car, at a fraction the cost! Damn $1510 a year. Though having glass/towing and some collision makes it worth it i guess

[helix]

wait, so they just add a little to the insurance intstead? so i shouldent be expecting to add another 1-2k/year? thats great news. If you dont mind me asking, what do you pay a year total for your car/bike?

[Sev]

Umm, insurance companies will charge you substantially less for a motorcycle if you already have a car insured with them. Otherwise expect to spend at least a couple hundred for a new bike. More depending on where you might live.

[Ninja Geoff]

$1521 a year. I have decent coverage. One speeding ticket (MA gives new drivers a freebie, didn't touch insurance). A bike that was $4,500 brandy new would bring my total premium up to $1631. I don't know about all insurance people, but MetLife Auto & Home only charges you based on the cost of bike new. But other things (air bags, alarms, other ani-theft and safety equipment) could result in a discount. My insurance would be %25 more if my car didn't have airbags.

My step dad's harley costs him $600 a year, almost full coverage on a bike that cost over $20,000 brandy new. His driving record also sucks and is probably above a step 15, but he also does have a truck on his insurance. FYI (in MA) one step on the safe driver rating is a %7 change in premium. So another ticket (2 points, %14) would bring me to *gulp* $1,733. And that's car only. The best idea is to call up your insurance company and be like "hey, i wanna get a bike, i'm just looking for a quote so i get an idea on how much i'll need to save" and they should be cool with it.