Buying first motorcycle questions....

Lu[ifer

I'm hoping to buy a motorcycle over the next couple of weeks and I'm feeling a little out of my depth.

A few questions...
1. Where are good places to look for and buy second-hand motorcycles? I've mostly been looking online through buy&sell, autotrader.ie and bikeworld.ie etc.

2. How can i get an idea of the different insurance prices for different bikes? Also, is there somewhere i can see a list of bike catagorised into different insurance groups?

I've been thinking of getting something like an aprilia rs125. on hiberian online quote its quite expensive, around 2K. a honda cbr125 is only 1500.

Also, importantly, if i do buy from buy&sell or similar, what papers etc do i need?

just looking for some good advice on a tight budget (i'd like to get up and running for something like 3-4K).

bbbbb

If you're new to biking, don't forget to set aside budget for gear and lessons. If you do come off the bike, those cheap gloves/leggings/jacket/helmet/boots are all that will be between you and the road.

ven0m

For starter bikes, buy yourself a GN125, or a Yamaha Virago 125, or even a CB125. All are FANTASTIC learner bikes, all of which can be sourced from BikeWorld, who would be the best people to go to for stuff - ask for a woman called 'Helen' - she'll look after you...

As for insurance, ring AON - forget Hibernian ALTOGETHER, & if you buy from BikeWorld, you'll be able to get insured through AON anyways....

As for lessons - Irish SChool Of Motoring up in Mountjoy Square is yer only stop.... they even have their own bikes there to learn on before you go buy your own so you can find out if it is for you or not..., which is probably your best course of action....

Altough, 3-4K will barely cover your insrance & a decent bike that won't cause you problems, however 3-4K will cover you for a 125cc Moped like a Gilera Runner & insure it... in which case, speak to the guys from BikeWorld again.....

BikeWorld.ie has a list of bikes & their insurance rates - I'd suggest you go in & see the guys & have a word with them, because out of all the assclowns that run bike shops in Dublin they know their stuff & the rest talk a pile of biscuits.....

If you've any questions - feel free to PM me......

tk123

Lu[ifer personally i'd get one from a shop cos i'm paranoid - i want my bike to be reliable... - at least you can go back if theres a prob and generally they wont mess u around...if you go along to a shop they'll be able to tell you abt insurance as well and they'll have all the papers - if u are going with buy and sell try to get someone who knows abt bikes to go with you so you dont get messed around....whoever u get it from should have a change of ownership form and a vehicle licence cert - theres no "log book" for a bike...
Can you drive a bike? If not maybe get some lessons first - if you have a full licence your insurance will be cheaper...also insurace is done in age groups - i got my new bike last year a few days after i turned 25 and saved 500 on insurance! - mmmwahahahaaaahaaa

ven0m

I've a Harley Davidson XL883, & my insurance when I get my full license will go from 1400 down to 250..... amazing how these things change..... & that's with Carole-Nash as Hibernian are THIEVES for Harleys.....

tk123

Originally posted by TheSilverSurfer

As for insurance, ring AON - forget Hibernian ALTOGETHER, & if you buy from BikeWorld, you'll be able to get insured through AON anyways....

I dont think AON will quote you unless you go thru a shop?? - maybe i'm wrong - i'm with them myself - hopefully it'll be 3rd time lucky with them -
year 1 - they got my name wrong so tecnically I wasn't insured until they gave me a new cert - couldn't get tax

year 2 - they got the licence num wrong - the right one was called in(i was there when the shop called them) - no tax again(i was a new bike):rolleyes: :rolleyes:

SilverSurfer - will CN only insure u if the bike is locked inside at night...of can u jst LIE!:ninja:

pH

Just to point out that under the current crazy licensing laws you won't be able to take a "full A" motorcycle test on a 125cc bike. So you'll be stuck with an A1 license even after passing the test.

If you don't plan on taking a test then it's not important.

pH.

ven0m

Originally posted by tk123
I dont think AON will quote you unless you go thru a shop?? - maybe i'm wrong - i'm with them myself - hopefully it'll be 3rd time lucky with them -
year 1 - they got my name wrong so tecnically I wasn't insured until they gave me a new cert - couldn't get tax

year 2 - they got the licence num wrong - the right one was called in(i was there when the shop called them) - no tax again(i was a new bike):rolleyes: :rolleyes:

SilverSurfer - will CN only insure u if the bike is locked inside at night...of can u jst LIE!:ninja:

AON bikecare WILL insure you outside a shop - when I rode JapCrap I insured through them all the time & I NEVER bought from a shop. CN will insure you REGARDLESS of indoors or outdoors, esp. if you have an alarm, immobiliser or GPS tracking - all of which are GOOD additions to the trusty lock & chain. Your bike is NOT always kept indoors. If you take it out somewhere, it ain't indoors. I suggest an immobiliser system with alarm, or if you can afford it - a GPS system for tracking, all of which WILL drop your insurance. I'd fit GPS to the Harley except I've customised my wirings & have less than 7 wires in my loom at the mo, & older Harley's don't like new fangled devices installed into them.... mine's a picky bitch.... she starts every time out, but when it comes to electrics, she's CRAZY fickle.....

ven0m

Originally posted by pH
Just to point out that under the current crazy licensing laws you won't be able to take a "full A" motorcycle test on a 125cc bike. So you'll be stuck with an A1 license even after passing the test.

If you don't plan on taking a test then it's not important.

pH.

Not true - I got a FULL provisional A license straight off the bat 2 years ago.... & you can HAVE ANY bike on a provisional A license regardless of CC's as long as the bike has a maximum power output of 33BHP, or 42KW, which means theoretically on a prov. A license you *could* legally & insurably ride a 400CC cruiser like a Steed or a Virago or any other 400CC cruiser that came in at less than or equal to 33BHP. Hell, you could even have a 650 dragstar if you wanted & have it restricted down to 33horses, but it'd ride like a pile of poo........ esp. off the line

A1 licenses are limited to a the same power as most 125CC bikes like the GN125, which I think is <=22BHP - not too sure...

People with mopeds are SUPPOSED to have M class licences, although I know alot of scooter scum who don't even have A license & are insured on their scooters.... well screwed up...


:::: THE SILVER SURFER ::::

Stephen

I just got my renewal for my virago 125 (group2, lucifer) - €560 with a full licence and maximum no claims, age 21.
That's piss cheap compared to car insurance but i still feel robbed paying that much to insure such a slow bike

ven0m

I'm paying €1400 for TPFT with CaroleNash on my Harley Davidson XL883, but when I get my full license it'll go ALLL the way down to €250 next year because I will b e able to avail of their 'Classic Insurance' option as my Harley is a 1988...muhahahahahaha.....


:: THE SILVER SURFER ::

Tree

AON used ot insure bikes in general, now they'll only insure shop sold bikes.

can only get the A licence if you do the test on something bigger than 150cc.



Lucifer, you could always get a second hand bike from the bike shop. try avoid NSR's, their insurance is a bit steep coz all the scum drive (trash) em

cheeky_monkey

Originally posted by TheSilverSurfer
For starter bikes, buy yourself a GN125, or a Yamaha Virago 125, or even a CB125. All are FANTASTIC learner bikes, all of which can be sourced from BikeWorld, who would be the best people to go to for stuff - ask for a woman called 'Helen' - she'll look after you...

As for insurance, ring AON - forget Hibernian ALTOGETHER, & if you buy from BikeWorld, you'll be able to get insured through AON anyways....

3-4K will cover you for a 125cc Moped like a Gilera Runner & insure it... in which case, speak to the guys from BikeWorld again.....

BikeWorld.ie has a list of bikes & their insurance rates - I'd suggest you go in & see the guys & have a word with them, because out of all the assclowns that run bike shops in Dublin they know their stuff & the rest talk a pile of biscuits.....

If you've any questions - feel free to PM me......

lol, spot the salesman.

cheeky_monkey

Actually my brother bought a second hand Honda motorbike from Quality Motorcycles in Dublin. Here's their link if it's any use www.qualitymotorcycles.ie

tk123

Originally posted by Tree
can only get the A licence if you do the test on something bigger than 150cc.

The letter I got for my test(3 weeks away!) says it has to be bigger than 125cc for A...

ven0m

Originally posted by cheeky_monkey
lol, spot the salesman.

Nah - just got ALOT of half-assed advice when I started out, from alot of people & I hate seeing people ill-advised on motorcycles, because like it or not, everytime you put your arse on a motorcycle you put yourself in danger, more so than being in a car..... it's not motorcycle riders themselves (although the way some arseholes ride it astonishes me!) who riders have to worry about, it's everyone else around them & making sure everyone sees them on the road & makes their rpesent felt without getting sent nipple surfing......

:: THE SILVER SURFER ::

Cake Fiend

Watch out for the two-stroke racers (RS, NSR) as they're ins. group 7 due to their high power-to-weight ratio and high rate of crashes. You won't get a cheap second-hand CBR125 as they're only out this year.

You'd possibly be better off buying second-hand through a dealer, as you have a better guarantee of the condition of the bike, and you'll get a warranty of some sort. You'll also more likely be able to insure through AON. If you decide to go the (probably cheaper) private seller route, make sure you bring a bike-savvy mate as previously posted.

Depending on your age, you may be eligible for insuring under Carole Nash, who are far cheaper than Hibernian or AON. I'm not sure what the craic is with CN, AFAIK they usually only insure people with NCBs, but I think they insure older drivers with no NCB. If you're getting quoted €2000 on an RS125, I take it your no sprog (unless you're outside Dublin).

Lu[ifer

ok, first off thanks for all the replies.
just to clarify, i'm 25.

although i quite like the aprilia rs125, should i be looing for something more appropriate? i like that kinda style (would rather not look like a courier, but there you go). also, something that can go around 70mph would be nice.

[insert bike recommendations here]

as for insurance sico mentioned the aprilia is in group 7. is there a site available that explains this? is it based on power-to-weight? bph? cc?

thanks again

Stephen

Yeah, power to weight ratio is pretty much the deciding factor for insurance groups, since this determines how fast you can hurl yourself down the road.

Gmodified

25 years old with A1

on RS125 will have to pay 2425.65

mad

rymus

that's worse than mad...

If I were you I'd forget the group 7 for at least a year or two. Wait until you have a couple years NCB and a full A license, then go for your RS.

Jumping straight onto a group 7 bike will empty your bank account very quickly. Then again if it's something you absolutely have to have right now without delay then get it and prepare to get un-naturally shafted by hibernian for a few years.

a_ominous

Originally posted by tk123
The letter I got for my test(3 weeks away!) says it has to be bigger than 125cc for A...

AOL. I had to have a bike > 150cc for the driving test. Well that's if I wanted an A licence.
You can ride a 125cc bike on a provisional A licence, but you won't get a full A licence if you do your test on the same bike.

For the record, my experience with insurance companies was AON wouldn't quote me coz I didn't get the insurance at the time I got the bike. I don't think the shop was one of their agents. CN would not quote me for fully comprehensive unless the bike was garaged at night. Did quote me for TP (TP only IIRC not TPF&T).

And there appears to have been increases of the order 10-20% in the past 4-6 weeks with CN and Hib.

@Lu[ifer, did you read the
FAQ ? Or do any other searches on boards?

Tree

yeah, some places wont sell TP rob and burn insurance for bikes anymore!

if you drop into a bike shop they usually got pages w/ groups and ages and teh prices listed on em (make sure you pick up the right gender, i love being a girl, make my insurance that lil bit more affordable!)