Cost of getting started?

dceire

I've wanted a bike for as long as i remember and am thinking of getting one over the summer. I'm looking at getting a Hornet 250 or more likely a Bros 400 which I got quoted €1000 for insurance on last year.

Has anyone got any idea of the cost of getting started with the bike, insurance, helmet, gear, a few lessons etc.

EvilMonkey

dceire wrote: »

I've wanted a bike for as long as i remember and am thinking of getting one over the summer. I'm looking at getting a Hornet 250 or more likely a Bros 400 which I got quoted €1000 for insurance on last year.

Has anyone got any idea of the cost of getting started with the bike, insurance, helmet, gear, a few lessons etc.

Bros400 €1000 - €2500 Hornet will be allot dearer.
Insurance €1000 from your post
helmet €150 - €300 anything more is a waste/luxury IMO
gear €300 - anything don't skimp here get the best you can afford.
lessons don't know probably around €100 a lesson

dceire

Thanks for the feedback, i think it'll be a straight decision between a new car or a bike!

RosieJoe

EvilMonkey wrote: »

Bros400 €1000 - €2500 Hornet will be allot dearer.
Insurance €1000 from your post
helmet €150 - €300 anything more is a waste/luxury IMO
gear €300 - anything don't skimp here get the best you can afford.
lessons don't know probably around €100 a lesson

Gear at €300 is quite little, and as said can go up and up! For rough guide on decent jackets, gloves, trousers and boots you are looking at €700 up!

As for lessons, Here is a link to news on the introduction of Compulsory Basic Training. I think the price quoted to do the full course would be about €800

rgfuller

And don't forget Motor Tax:

- Electrical = €31
- Not over 75cc = €43
- 76cc to 200cc = €58
- 201cc or over = €76

dceire

I'm off to get my Prov Licence application form today. Am I right in thinking that I'll have to do the Theory Test again even though I did it for my B licence already, 4 years ago now?

RosieJoe

dceire wrote: »

I'm off to get my Prov Licence application form today. Am I right in thinking that I'll have to do the Theory Test again even though I did it for my B licence already, 4 years ago now?

Yep, still need to do the test as you are applying for a bike as opposed to the car.

thehomeofDob

Yupp, I did my car theory test and then did my bike theory test six months later. The bike one is different - road positioning is probably the biggest difference, but then also parts of the bike.

As far as cost goes, don't skimp on gear. It litterally is what saves your life in a spill. Proper gear will also keep you comfortable in the elements, being uncomfortable is a distraction and a danger. I think 700 is a good figure for gloves, boots, jacket, and pants. Then 3-500 for a helmet. I was in Crossans in Newry looking for a new lid. You really have to try them on to notice the difference in quality and comfort in the more expensive lids. Best bet for buying a lid is try one in a shop and buy online, or up north where there's no VAT on saftey equimpment.

FiSe

Try one in a shop and buy on-line?

In which shop exactly?
Most of them gone belly up because of this attitude.
Am not arguing the prices, but I believe that you can get a decent gear for decent price even down here in the deep South. Try shop around or get up to North righ away.

dceire

RosieJoe wrote: »

Gear at €300 is quite little, and as said can go up and up! For rough guide on decent jackets, gloves, trousers and boots you are looking at €700 up!

As for lessons, Here is a link to news on the introduction of Compulsory Basic Training. I think the price quoted to do the full course would be about €800

If i apply for the Theory Test now, earliest I can do it is 5th in Portlaoise or 19th in my local Naas centre, & apply for the licence straight after will i avoid the need for CBT?

I'm probably going to get eaten here but while I fully support the introduction of CBT I honestly wont be able to afford the €800 to do it, on top of all other expenses. I had a moped for 2 years a few years back and had a few lessons then, have 4 years full licence experience behind the wheel of a car and while i accept i do need a few hours lessons on a bike I don't think I need the full 16 hours CBT.

RosieJoe

dceire wrote: »

If i apply for the Theory Test now, earliest I can do it is 5th in Portlaoise or 19th in my local Naas centre, & apply for the licence straight after will i avoid the need for CBT?

I'm probably going to get eaten here but while I fully support the introduction of CBT I honestly wont be able to afford the €800 to do it, on top of all other expenses. I had a moped for 2 years a few years back and had a few lessons then, have 4 years full licence experience behind the wheel of a car and while i accept i do need a few hours lessons on a bike I don't think I need the full 16 hours CBT.

Not too sure how you stand with the CBT with a date in March. Probably best to contact the RSA or check their website. Mind you the CBT is only on trial and may not be in full affect across the country.

The 2 years on the moped will stand to you for getting on a bike but forget about the car experience. I had 14 years full license experience in a car and I still did 2 days training anyway. This gives you an idea on controls (which are different to the moped) and road positioning, awareness etc.

The only benefit of the car is you have had exposure of being out on the road and not a complete noob.

dceire

Yea that's where I was coming from with the car experience, I've been on the road pretty much daily for almost 6 years now so I know what to expect.

I've been into bikes for as long as I can remember too and spent days as a teen reading about how to ride bikes, positioning etc and with the moped experience I feel that I have a decent grounding for further training.

Quint

Check out Hein Gericke in newry for gear. Including helmets. Nice big shop with decent changing rooms, quality own brand stuff that's really good value.
Also, check the buy and sell section on www.biker.ie for bikes for sale. A quality firestorm for under €2k has gone up today. probably too big to start out on!

dceire

Yea it sounds like a trip up the North may well be in order at some stage. As for the Firestorm there a nice bike alright but a bit big for me starting out me thinks :rolleyes:

I just signed up to biker.ie there, any idea why I cant access the Buying and Selling forum?

Quint

You can get any bike restricted. But insurance companies don't often recognise them.
Think you either have to make a donation to the site or be a regular poster to get access to buy and sell.
But nice selection of bikes there.

n.catenthusiast

Would recomend doing the Aon/quinn insurance discount course.


As well as being a lesson in and of itself it would (if you comlete the assessment) take a nice chunk off that €1000 you were quoted....

reece

n.catenthusiast wrote: »

Would recomend doing the Aon/quinn insurance discount course.


As well as being a lesson in and of itself it would (if you comlete the assessment) take a nice chunk off that €1000 you were quoted....

I did it and got big discounts. Try popping your details into one of the insurance company's quotation calculators - with and without an AON score - this will show you the discounts you are likely to get. Note, when doing the assessment, go for the aon assessment because Quinn Direct accept it but not the other way round

dceire

Just got quoted €1363 fully comp by Quinn on a Bros 400, aon wouldn't quote me:mad:

a_ominous

If you want a cheap insurance quote, start on something, a 125 bike is about as cheap as you can get to insure.

For gear, you could go to the bike show this weekend: http://www.irishmotorbikeshow.com/ Expecting to get some bargains meself.