Comments on: Start Up Costs

By: Matthew

Matthew — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 15:58:48 +0000

My first year riding in NYC my insurance came to over $1200 for the year. That’s on a 2002 SV650s, so you can imagine what the insurance on some of the sportier or higher end bikes comes to. Granted, my second year it was half that.

By: NYrider

NYrider — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 20:35:07 +0000

hey subaruzi, the Kryptonite NY Noose chain is a good choice for a chain. It has a wide loop at one end, which you can snake the rest of the chain through. It’s convenient, because the design increases the effective length of the chain, so it’s easier to find a structure to chain your bike to.

By: subaruzi

subaruzi — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 15:07:16 +0000

You suggest a chain lock and a disc lock? I am moving from VT to New Orleans and would like to avoid having my bike stolen so I got a Xena Disc lock but now I am thinking I need a chain lock too?

By: Boss Hawg

Boss Hawg — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 17:46:01 +0000

Confederate makes some damn nice bikes. But what happened to a nice bike for the average Joe?

Boss Hawg

By: Leo

Leo — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 14:58:45 +0000

If you like dirt bikes and have a lighter build (under 200 or so), the Ninja 250 is a fun bike too. You can get 3-4 yr old models, never been dropped, for under 2k… Low cost, fun, reliable.

By: Gabe

Gabe — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 09:40:59 +0000

Even at the high end of the scale, its still cheaper than just insurance on even the crappiest beater car according to my high risk age and being a male.
Being quoted about 5 grand for insuring a 91 corolla was not fun, that car is gone and I’m waiting for MSF to confirm my registration, Already have my helmet and gear, and looking at a cheap dirt bike or DS and i’ll be happy there.

By: Leo

Leo — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 20:51:29 +0000

Ha! that’s true! Freebies and a dirt cheap bike (or cheap dirt-bike) can get you started in under 1 thousand… My favorite episode of Entourage is when Vince takes the guys to a Ducati dealership in the Valley and say “we’ll take four of them.”

Although the cost of fixing the bike to keep it running for the year should probably go in with the startup costs… For new riders in NY, where dealerships charge $90/hour for labor, those things can really get you!

By: Zac Hunter

Zac Hunter — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 00:16:07 +0000

Its very conceivable that you can start up for much less. A lot of dealers will throw in helmets if you buy a new bike. You can find great used moto jackets at thrift stores. Tools and maintenace? You might as well put the cost of having a garage then, which I don’t. I just bug my moto buddies to let me work on it at their house. hehe. Most moto addicts want nothing more than to convert their friends, so they will probably offer you their old gloves and help you out in the beginning. Don’t let a big number scare you off. If you aren’t overly concerned with reliability (lol), safety (you ought to be) and image (all bikes look good), you can get rolling on the cheap.

My start up costs:
Permit $12
MSF (CA) $250
Crummy Yamaha XS 650 (first bike) $300
Insurance (cheap) & Registration $150 (work it!)
Helmet & Gloves (Gift) free.
$712.

I rode without a proper jacket on a crummy bike for a few months. I sold that bike to a friend for the same price. He spent less registering it, but bought a helmet putting him at about $800. But we are talking start-up costs right? Of course we both had to dump $ into that heap to keep it running (brakes, electrical, crack heads stealing spark plugs) but it was an economical way to break into riding and see if it was a good fit.

Upon upgrading the bike, I then, of course, bought a proper leather moto jacket, an Arai Quantum, new boots, plenty of bells and whistles (yay neck warmer). The costs can really sky rocket once you catch the bug. Hell, now I have a friggin track suit and two bikes. I’m also poor but so so happy. But it still doesn’t have to cost more than $1000 just to get licensed and on a bike to cut your teeth.