high cost of riding in Ontario

[gumby302ho]

 Like I have mentioned before, Ontario Canada is the corporate whipping boy of north america, we pay the highest prices of almost everything one can think of, cell phones(highest in the world), hydro, building supplies, etc etc and add to the list Motorcycle Insurance. Motorcycle insurance is based on size of motor in said bike for most from what I have learned. It costs me basically 1000 dollars for my 86 ITX, thats a deal breaker for me and can hardly afford it. People that blab on about classic insurance for my 30 yr old bike is a farce, it dont exist, it has to be early 70's to qualify for classic ins and then you can only ride the bike to and from motorcycle shows from what they told me. What can one do? If I lived in Alberta the ins cost would be half or less then what I pay now. I love my FJ but the cost is so high to run the old bike that I am thinking of putting it on ice and drop down to a smaller road machine. So finally the question, If you had to choose an all well rounded motorcycle of 400cc or less what all around bike would you choose that is reliable, ease to work on, good size tank, low vibration, etc??
      Don

[big r]

That really sucks. Here in BC we have collectors plates. that qualifies for lower rates. My 86 costs me about $275 a year for basic and $10 per $1000 for claimed value. I pay about $160 for 6 mos. The collector plate is good for unlimited miles. The only thing I cant do is ride to work. Big R

[aviationfred]

That sucks that the insurance is so high for a 30 year old motorcycle.

As for a 400cc or smaller bike. I don't know what your taste would be or the availability. If I was in your predicament my choices would be the 1989/1990 Honda CB-1 or the Suzuki Bandit 400.


Fred

[FJ_Hooligan]

Move?

[rktmanfj]

As for a 400cc or smaller bike. I don't know what your taste would be or the availability. If I was in your predicament my choices would be the 1989/1990 Honda CB-1 or the Suzuki Bandit 400.


Fred

Fred,

GMTA... this immediately came to mind.

[aviationfred]

As for a 400cc or smaller bike. I don't know what your taste would be or the availability. If I was in your predicament my choices would be the 1989/1990 Honda CB-1 or the Suzuki Bandit 400.


Fred

Fred,

GMTA... this immediately came to mind.

Randy,

There also is a CB-1 current posted for sale on Craigslist in Indianapolis.


Fred

[gumby302ho]

That sucks that the insurance is so high for a 30 year old motorcycle.

As for a 400cc or smaller bike. I don't know what your taste would be or the availability. If I was in your predicament my choices would be the 1989/1990 Honda CB-1 or the Suzuki Bandit 400.


Fred

   That CB-1 seems like a decent little guy, believe me I will try and save my buttons all winter in order to insure my 86 next summer but I feel the powers that be are trying to keep motorcyclist's off the roads here by outrageously high premiums. Also I am forced to pay for the full year and cannot insure for only 6 months. If I moved to BC for cheap motorcycle rates I would be broke from trying to find housing!! Out of province insurance, that would be nice. Thanks for the pics Fred, I just read up on the honda, it like all bikes has pros an cons but its the kind of machine that I would be interested in.

[Harald]

I am in Ontario, I pay $75 a month for my FJ1100. Maybe check some other insurance companies. I go thru my broker and she went with some local mutual insurance place. I dont think you will get anything much cheaper then that no matter what size bike you get,specially if they are newer. And personally I could never go riding a 400 .

[PaulG]

All the companies go by your postal code. So no matter how good your driving record is, if you live in the wrong area like me in Scarborough, you get raped.  I have a buddy from work who lives in Keswick 45 min north, and he pays 1/2 what I do. And he only started riding a few yrs ago.

They scream about cops racial profiling, but insurance companies use it as official policy when determining rates.  Areas of the GTA that have high immigrant populations, like Scarborough, Markham, Brampton, have some of the highest rates in the country. Deservedly so? Maybe, cuz I see their driving habits every day.

But using the least common denominator to set rates for millions of people is just brain dead laziness.  How do they get away with it? Because they can.  When the government forms an advisory group or committee to formulate new legislation, who's front and centre?  Insurance executives of course, or oil executives, or Telecom, etc.  And when the new laws are passed, we go "What the fuck is that?"   

It really doesn't matter which party is in power, they all do it.  Sorry am I ranting again...? 

[Charlie-brm]

Your ranting is on topic though.

When committees need to be formed, organizers get excited to learn "so and so" of some prestigious company is going to lend their time to be on the board or volunteer to chair the committee. Like it's some gift to have their influence and expertise in the group. People at that level don't volunteer for more meetings to go to unless they see something in it for themselves. It only makes sense. They come with a bias and an agenda of their own and can be damn pushy. I've watched these pompous clowns up close in stakeholder and non-profit meetings at lower levels. I can only imagine how things go their way with provincial matters.

FWIW, I live rural between Guelph and Orangeville. I'm paying for the minimum coverage required and it's still over $100 a month. But with a motorcycle over 25 years old (mine's an 1984), I'm afraid to rock the boat. I have no house to sweeten the deal, just an inexpensive new car that costs about the same to insure as the bike. The majority of Ontario insurance companies don't insure motorcycles beyond 25 years, which pissed me off with all the advertising a certain few do about being all about motorcycles. Sure Jevco. They can't even find those models on their lists.

And I have commuted/worked in Guelph, downtown Toronto, Malton/Rexdale, Markham, Sutton/Keswick. Markham (Woodbine Ave. and Steeles Ave. and Hwy 404) drivers are absolutely the worst of those, hands down. Whether they actually live in Markham or not I couldn't tell you but I'm glad I'm done with it.

[jscgdunn]

Ontario is really a mess....."Progressive" left wing leadership has once again spectacularly failed.  The Alberta NDP is bent on following them down the same rathole.  My fj insurance is $165 per year (really only six month riding window).  My boys pay over $300 for the same bike.  Registration now $85...seems to increase every year.  Insurance is private enterprise and pretty competitive.