Topic: The Motorcycling Thread

[rrocket]

Ha I've been questioning riding for a couple of years now.

Normal...I question it all the time...whether after an incident (near miss with deer last year), financial reasons (insurance can be bonkers), etc..

How much did you insure your 650 for?

My Silverwing cost me $996 for $1 mil liability, license, and registration through ICBC, and $250 for comprehensive and collision coverage from a private insurer.

Was $35 a month.   

Dammit lol. I thought you guys were more expensive sometimes. Wing paid more to insure his CB300F than I did.

My R3 was $31/mo in Alberta, plus something like $42 for registration for the year.

Scooters here are cheap.

I think my PCX150 was like $20

[dkaz]

Ha I've been questioning riding for a couple of years now.

Normal...I question it all the time...whether after an incident (near miss with deer last year), financial reasons (insurance can be bonkers), etc..

How much did you insure your 650 for?

My Silverwing cost me $996 for $1 mil liability, license, and registration through ICBC, and $250 for comprehensive and collision coverage from a private insurer.

Was $35 a month.   

Dammit lol. I thought you guys were more expensive sometimes. Wing paid more to insure his CB300F than I did.

My R3 was $31/mo in Alberta, plus something like $42 for registration for the year.

Scooters here are cheap.

I think my PCX150 was like $20

I wonder what my scooter would've been like in Alberta?

Guys on 600s and litre bikes weren't paying a whole lot more than what I paid for my R3.

In BC, I was trying to get a 400 for the cheaper insurance but you reminded me that I didn't want a bike without ABS again so Silverwing it was. A 111-400 would've been $480 for the year for $1 mil liability and registration, plus $225 for the optional stuff.

[PJungnitsch]

My TW200 is $110 for the year for PL/PD in Alberta, so likely a scooter wouldn't be much either

[dkaz]

My TW200 is $110 for the year for PL/PD in Alberta, so likely a scooter wouldn't be much either

Liability only I assume?

I got a quote from TD for $147 $1 mil liability only. Collision and comprehensive is not an option.

Going forward next year, I may not put collision on my bike and just have comprehensive which is $100 a year.

[dkaz]

I want to add, for people who are unable to wrench, the intervals and costs are expensive compared to a car.

Oil change service? $150-250 on a motorcycle vs. $50-100 in a car.
Tire change? $50-120 for a single motorcycle tire vs. $20-25 for a single car tire

I got a quote for 25,600km service for my scooter, $1100! Thankfully I can do a bit of wrenching and can do everything in that service except check valve clearance. Most people here seem to think if the engine sounds fine, don't even bother. The drive belt has to be replaced at 25,600km, it's a $225 part and I can do it myself but I'm guessing would be an hour labour otherwise. Some people stretch it to 30,000km (no pun intended).

My scooter overall is probably cheaper than the R3. I had a shop do my motorcycle chain for me because I'm clueless with motorcycle chains, that set me back $340 supply install tax included. Tires are cheaper, 25% less on the low end and half the price on the high end. But motorcycle and scooter tires last a fraction of what car tires last. No, I won't dark side.

[Arthur Dent]

The tire costs are definitely crazy. I just replaced my rear tire. $75 for the tire. $140 for the shop to put it on. 

[ktm525]

Mr. Dent who can put anything back on the road paying for someone to spoon a tire on? Has the world gone mad?

[Arthur Dent]

The tire I bought is apparently a to get on. And with this COVID nonsense I have barely had a second free to myself in two months.

[blur911]

I don't think anyone other than me has ever worked on my bikes.
It was always a part of motorcycling to fix your own junk if possible.


Correction, I bring in tubeless tires to get changed, so far...

[bridgecity]

A shop in Stoon charges $30 to change a dirt bike tire.  Seems fair. Anything over $50 to change a tire seems outrageous to me.

[Triple Bob]

The tire costs are definitely crazy. I just replaced my rear tire. $75 for the tire. $140 for the shop to put it on. 

There's no way it should be that expensive to change a tire when you just take the wheel in..?

[Triple Bob]

I want to add, for people who are unable to wrench, the intervals and costs are expensive compared to a car.

Oil change service? $150-250 on a motorcycle vs. $50-100 in a car.

Again, a ridiculous cost for an oil change. And TBH, an oil change on a bike is way easier than a car, so simple. No reason not to do it yourself even if you have to watch a youtube video...

[Arthur Dent]

It is crazy - only really one shop open right now. 

I took the whole bike in since I don't have a centre stand and I didn't want the family knocking the bike over as they needed a few days to get it done (busy season). I should have been more organized.

The old tire was done. For an added bonus I had to ride home on the new old slick tire in heavy yesterday. 

Oh and additional bonus my left rear signal light does not work anymore. It worked when I took it in. So I guess I have to fix now too!

[dkaz]

The tire costs are definitely crazy. I just replaced my rear tire. $75 for the tire. $140 for the shop to put it on. 

That’s crazy expensive. The Bike Shoppe in Edmonton charged me that much for both tires on bike. Your TU250 has tube tires right?

I want to add, for people who are unable to wrench, the intervals and costs are expensive compared to a car.

Oil change service? $150-250 on a motorcycle vs. $50-100 in a car.

Again, a ridiculous cost for an oil change. And TBH, an oil change on a bike is way easier than a car, so simple. No reason not to do it yourself even if you have to watch a youtube video...

It is and I do. I’m just dealing with a stripped oil drain bolt right now I can’t figure out how to get off. Even my trusty vise grip can’t get it off.

During warranty, what I did to save money was did the oil change myself and got the shop to do the inspection stuff for me. They charged me $65 or something which I thought was reasonable. 

A shop in Stoon charges $30 to change a dirt bike tire.  Seems fair. Anything over $50 to change a tire seems outrageous to me.

I think tubeless tires take a bit more effort.

When I had my old Vino 125, I did my own tires as the rear tire only lasted me 5,000 km. That was a pain in the ass. Bead seating is the part I dread the most. I wonder if I could get the tire on and pay the shop to seat the bead for me.

[bridgecity]

It is and I do. I’m just dealing with a stripped oil drain bolt right now I can’t figure out how to get off. Even my trusty vise grip can’t get it off.

The head just rounded?  Go to C-tire, Princess Auto etc and get a set of sockets that bite onto a rounded head.  They're not expensive.   If that doesn't work drill it and use an EZ out.

[Arthur Dent]

New tire is tubeless

[blur911]

It is and I do. I’m just dealing with a stripped oil drain bolt right now I can’t figure out how to get off. Even my trusty vise grip can’t get it off.

The head just rounded?  Go to C-tire, Princess Auto etc and get a set of sockets that bite onto a rounded head.  They're not expensive.   If that doesn't work drill it and use an EZ out.

Do those socket devices work?   I've never used one.

Also, last resort before drilling, try a pipewrench on whatever you can grip.

[bridgecity]

It is and I do. I’m just dealing with a stripped oil drain bolt right now I can’t figure out how to get off. Even my trusty vise grip can’t get it off.

The head just rounded?  Go to C-tire, Princess Auto etc and get a set of sockets that bite onto a rounded head.  They're not expensive.   If that doesn't work drill it and use an EZ out.

Do those socket devices work?   I've never used one.

Also, last resort before drilling, try a pipewrench on whatever you can grip.

Ya they work if you've got enough head left.  EZ out may not work as well if the head is still on as the torque on the threads will still be there.  My kid broke the head off the drain bolt on his previous bike.  Came out easy with an EZ out.  Threads are nice and lubed in that case.

[PJungnitsch]

That is a lot, but some shops always did charge an arm and a leg.

When I lived in Lethbridge I would get tires for my Vstrom done at a little shop in Coaldale.

Very Harley type place, complete with a giant Great Dane sleeping in the middle of the floor

[PJungnitsch]

My TW200 is $110 for the year for PL/PD in Alberta, so likely a scooter wouldn't be much either

Liability only I assume?

I got a quote from TD for $147 $1 mil liability only. Collision and comprehensive is not an option.

Going forward next year, I may not put collision on my bike and just have comprehensive which is $100 a year.

Yeah, just liability. My T-dub is not worth anything. Collision did pay for itself when I wrecked the Vstrom though