Lot of cool relevant new bikes at Intermot (Germany motorcycle show)

[12,000 RPM]

I think you are legally obligated to get full coverage on financed vehicles. It makes sense. Think about it... say you finance a brand new car, and it gets totalled or stolen. Why would you want to be on the hook for that loan AND the replacement cost?

+1 to buying used bikes. I got my bike for $3000 with 250 miles on the clock. There are deals to be had... and there really isn't a ton of difference between 10 year old bikes and bikes of today. I would definitely look at an SV650, can't go wrong with those.

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

I'd never get collision on a bike, though I'm not sure if you can separate comp and collision with bike insurance (I know my insurer doesn't).  Comp protects you from theft, but if the bike spends pretty much every moment you're not riding it parked in a locked garage, the risk of theft is pretty low.  I'm assuming the RC690 is going to be priced similarly to a CBR500 (~$6000).  If you're paying $3000 a year for for insurance, you'll have paid enough in insurance premiums after 2 years to replace it with another of the same vintage if it does get swiped.  The money saved after 3 years would buy you a brand new bike.  Not worth it, IMO.

It boggles my mind that anyone would finance a bike (especially a sportbike) given what full coverage insurance costs.  It's far, far cheaper to save your pennies for a year and pay cash and then just get liability coverage.  Too many short-sighted, month-to-month spenders, I guess...

Full coverage from Gieco on my 2007 Gixxer is only $375 a year. My boys Honda 2002 954 is 5 bucks more. All the other major Insurance companies were around $750 - $900 a year.

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

+1 to buying used bikes. I got my bike for $3000 with 250 miles on the clock. There are deals to be had... and there really isn't a ton of difference between 10 year old bikes and bikes of today. I would definitely look at an SV650, can't go wrong with those.

+2 and they usually have all the little after market parts (frame sliders,slip on,fender eliminater,tinted winscreens) added also..

[MX793]

Full coverage from Gieco on my 2007 Gixxer is only $375 a year. My boys Honda 2002 954 is 5 bucks more. All the other major Insurance companies were around $750 - $900 a year.

At least in NY, GEICO has far and away the highest rates of any of the majors.  They want more for liability than you pay for full coverage.  I'm sure age of bike matters too.  A 7 year old bike is a lot cheaper to replace.

[Cookie Monster]

Full coverage from Gieco on my 2007 Gixxer is only $375 a year. My boys Honda 2002 954 is 5 bucks more. All the other major Insurance companies were around $750 - $900 a year.

Man, I wish I could get those rates. I'm sure your riding experience has a lot to do with it, too, but still, it's a giant difference.

[MX793]

Man, I wish I could get those rates. I'm sure your riding experience has a lot to do with it, too, but still, it's a giant difference.

I'd wager it's location more than experience.  Progressive counted my years of off-road riding in my experience tally (which puts me at over 20 years) and while my liability rate is pretty reasonable, they still wanted like $3K for full coverage with a $1000 deductible.  And like I said, from my experience (and other NYS residents I know), GEICO has among the worst motorcycle insurance rates of the major insurers (but among the best automobile rates), but I've heard others claim they got far and away the best rates with GEICO.  I suspect it's related to how NY's no-fault system works, plus the fact that NYS is in the top 3 states with the highest insurance rates (generally behind only NJ and DC).

[Cookie Monster]

I'd wager it's location more than experience.  Progressive counted my years of off-road riding in my experience tally (which puts me at over 20 years) and while my liability rate is pretty reasonable, they still wanted like $3K for full coverage with a $1000 deductible.  And like I said, from my experience (and other NYS residents I know), GEICO has among the worst motorcycle insurance rates of the major insurers (but among the best automobile rates), but I've heard others claim they got far and away the best rates with GEICO.  I suspect it's related to how NY's no-fault system works, plus the fact that NYS is in the top 3 states with the highest insurance rates (generally behind only NJ and DC).

Not sure why their auto rates are so good then. I have Geico auto insurance since they were by far the cheapest. I pay ~$1k/year for 2 vehicles. The Miata has both comprehensive and collision (4runner can't get either of those due to its age) and I've got uninsured motorist protection and other things. I just don't get how a bike is so much more.

Anyways, I can't find many good bikes used on craigslist here. Most of them are riced out supersports or cruisers.

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

At least in NY, GEICO has far and away the highest rates of any of the majors.  They want more for liability than you pay for full coverage.  I'm sure age of bike matters too.  A 7 year old bike is a lot cheaper to replace.

Sorry fellas! We have State Farm on the bikes! IDK why I typed Geico! They where as high as Progressive!!

[Speed_Racer]

GEICO has insane rates. When I was shopping a Street Triple R, they quoted me $2k/yr collision/liability coverage, which was double anyone else. State Farm was the lowest with about $700.

Third on the buy a used bike bandwagon. I paid cash for my SV used and it's been bulletproof for almost three years, 14k miles. And it's $75/yr on liability insurance. I lock it down at night, but it's less likely to be stolen as it's old and has usual exterior wear/tear. I don't worry about it, which is the best part about owning used.

[12,000 RPM]

I have Progressive and pay about $200/yr for liability

Good thing about bikes like the SV650 and Ninja 650 is that nothing on them swaps over to other bikes which drops their appeal to thieves considerably. GSX-Rs are the worst for this- you can put a Hayabusa engine in a GSX-R600 frame and thieves know this. Best to get popular one offs. Plus the 650 looks and sounds like a Ducati which is never a bad thing (and is no accident).

[Speed_Racer]

I have Progressive and pay about $200/yr for liability

Good thing about bikes like the SV650 and Ninja 650 is that nothing on them swaps over to other bikes which drops their appeal to thieves considerably. GSX-Rs are the worst for this- you can put a Hayabusa engine in a GSX-R600 frame and thieves know this. Best to get popular one offs. Plus the 650 looks and sounds like a Ducati which is never a bad thing (and is no accident).

Another good thing about both 650's is that they're a dime a dozen. If you drop yours, replacement parts are cheap and plentiful.

[Cookie Monster]

The only problem I have with the SV650 is that the fully faired versions are very hard to come by.

[12,000 RPM]

The only problem I have with the SV650 is that the fully faired versions are very hard to come by.

Get the half faired version and buy the bottom panels. They are dirt cheap.

Thread has me thinking about SV1000Ss again

[MX793]

Not sure why their auto rates are so good then. I have Geico auto insurance since they were by far the cheapest. I pay ~$1k/year for 2 vehicles. The Miata has both comprehensive and collision (4runner can't get either of those due to its age) and I've got uninsured motorist protection and other things. I just don't get how a bike is so much more.

Anyways, I can't find many good bikes used on craigslist here. Most of them are riced out supersports or cruisers.

Accident rates for bikes are higher than cars, if I had to guess.  Also, it doesn't take much to cause a fair bit of damage.  I had a low speed tip over that, if I'd replaced everything that had been damaged, would have cost over 2 grand to fix.  It was largely cosmetic damage and replacing the non-cosmetic stuff was only about $100.  I fixed most of the cosmetic items and it cost maybe $750.  An actual crash could cause a lot more damage, especially if you have a bike like mine that wasn't very popular and there aren't any used parts on the market.  Bend the front forks and you are looking at over 2 grand for replacements.  Bend the frame and the insurance company automatically totals the bike.

[Cookie Monster]

I really need to stop looking at bikes. I already have two cars I barely use... What's the point of a bike I'll use once or twice a week?

Still, it's so tempting though.

[12,000 RPM]

Its nice to have options

Im not quite sure what you are doing with the 4 Runner TBH. That should be a bike IMO

[Cookie Monster]

Its nice to have options

Im not quite sure what you are doing with the 4 Runner TBH. That should be a bike IMO

I like having a practical vehicle. It can get frustrating having only a two seat car. Plus, the Miata is way too stiff for Houston roads.