Newbie questions

[Charmsen26]

I am new to motorcycles and would like some advice. I was going to go get a Honda CBR600rr but when i called around for insurance they wanted $600 a month!!! Is this normal? I have no accidents or speeding tickets but i am 27, male, single so i imagine they think i have a deathwish and will crash the bike so.... I found a used ( 3000 miles ) 2004 Suzuki GS500 and my insurance for that is only $60 a month. Here is my concern a friend told me that the GS500 may sound like a dirt bike not like a street bike. Can someone who has one tell me if that is true? Also would you recomend this bike for a newbie ( I take the beginner class next month ). Thank you all for your help.

[my00forest]

listen to the sound files on this page and tell me if it sounds like a dirt bike to you.http://www.gstwin.com/vanceandhines.htm
mine sounds very nice and street bikey if you will. at stock level it has a throatyness to it. the only way to find out for sure is to test ride the one you are looking at. oh and btw welcome to the forum and if you are new to motorcycles this is the place to start and a gs is a great bike to learn on

[fat_sac]

I can't think of a better bike for a beginner. I've been riding my whole life [26 now] and I love riding it. It doesn't sound like a dirt bike, it sounds like a twin cylinder bike should. More throaty and deep than a four cylinder. Insurance quote sounds hi though, everyone I know that rides down here in Texas pays about 60 to 100 dollars a year. That's right, a year.

[Roadstergal]

600cc inline twins have silly power, so silly guys buy them and wreck them a lot.  Insurace is much higher on them than on other, more standard street bikes.  They're race bikes; don't worry about getting one unless you plan on track time.

You are well-off with a GS500.  Don't worry about how your first bike sounds.  Worry about if its maintenance is up-to-date, about learning to wrench on it, about taking the beginner class, about having all of your gear from head to toe on at all times, about getting miles under your belt and developing your skills.

[Narcissus]

I'm so glad you didn't get the CBR, they look fantastic but they're definately not for a newbie like you or I. A GS500 is a great bike to start on though it doesn't sound the best, I don't even think many of the aftermarket exhausts sound too good, with a few exceptions (my fav Wileyco) but I seem to be the odd one out in that area, although it'll never sound like a CBR or GSX-R. BTW $60 a month sounds a little steep, I pay $30 Canadian and I'm 16 with less than a month of experience and no car experience to speak of, but I did take the MSF course so that could be a larger factor than I thought it would be.

[Charmsen26]

Thanks for all the great info, The vids helped a lot.    Insurance here tends to run high due to how close we are to the border, very high theft rate. I was just shocked at such a huge difference. Thanks for the advice on priorities, i am definatley going to buy the best equipment i can 2 of my co-workers were killed in motorcycle crashes in the last 6 months, neither had a helmet on :-( Thank you all once again for your help, any more advice please feel free, ill take all i can get. Hopefully in about a month i will be posting about my first time out on my bike

[dyran]

where do you live? and what does being close to the border have to do with insurance?

[Blazinjr]

I have a 2004 and I am married and have a clean record.  I only pay $411 a year for full coverage.  

If 60 a month for full coverage then $720 a year isn't that bad for a single 27 year old.  Cruisers tend to be a lot cheaper on insurance.  

As far as the sound with an aftermarket exhaust around idle and low rpms it does sound like a large cc ATV but as soon as the rpms come up all that changes.  Besides you don't cruise around at idle rpms anyway.

[rritterson]

i bet you looked for insurance at somewhere that specializes in car insurance. try bike-line.com or state farm (SF especially if you also have a car insured with them).

I have complete full coverage on my 04 for ~$150 a month, and I'm only 21.

[Blazinjr]

i bet you looked for insurance at somewhere that specializes in car insurance. try bike-line.com or state farm (SF especially if you also have a car insured with them).

I have complete full coverage on my 04 for ~$150 a month, and I'm only 21.

$150 a month

I'm through Progressive, have them give you a quote.

[scottpA_GS]

IMO The GS does sound like a Quad  :mrgreen:  I used to ride one when I was a kid, and the GS sounds just like it

At higher RPMS it screams like a race bike though  

[Phaedrus]

600cc inline twins have silly power, so silly guys buy them and wreck them a lot.  Insurace is much higher on them than on other, more standard street bikes.  They're race bikes; don't worry about getting one unless you plan on track time.

You are well-off with a GS500.  Don't worry about how your first bike sounds.  Worry about if its maintenance is up-to-date, about learning to wrench on it, about taking the beginner class, about having all of your gear from head to toe on at all times, about getting miles under your belt and developing your skills.

+1.

I don't think it sounds like a dirt bike. I think it sound like a small displacement sport bike. Oh wait, it is...

[scratch]

Welcome!

I've been riding 19 years and you have a great bike to learn on and keep! What does it matter what it sounds like? I don't know of any dirtbikes that are parallel twins, or sound like them. A bike is what a bike is.

[J-Double]

If you're only concerned how the bike "sounds" then you're a poser.  Don't be a poser. Don't get your first bike based on ego. Get your first bike to learn how to ride.

[scratch]

Or, based on someone else's ego.

[aaronstj]

where do you live? and what does being close to the border have to do with insurance?

He mentioned theft.  My guess is bikes get stolen a lot and taken across the border (Mexico, I'm guessing) to be sold.

[RVertigo]

I still think the GS sounds like a giant sewing machine...   :dunno:

[rritterson]

i bet you looked for insurance at somewhere that specializes in car insurance. try bike-line.com or state farm (SF especially if you also have a car insured with them).

I have complete full coverage on my 04 for ~$150 a month, and I'm only 21.

$150 a month

I'm through Progressive, have them give you a quote.

Progressive was $6500 a year for incomplete coverage. That's more than $500 a month. On a $5000 bike.

$150 a month is $50k/$100k liability, $500 deduct comp/collision, $25/$50k under/uninsured motorist. Just liability was only $750/yr.

Oh, and I also had one violation and one at-fault on my record at the time. (both are now more than 36 months, so my new quote for full everything is only $75/month)

[Roadstergal]

I still think the GS sounds like a giant sewing machine...   :dunno:

That's what I think, too.

But that doesn't stop me from having them.  

[RVertigo]

But that doesn't stop me from having them.  

Yeah... Them...    Now, only if you could commit to one. :lol: