Yet another Canadian Motorcycle Newbie

[rbsteve]

Hi Everyone,

I have been browsing your forums for the past week, since I just bought myself a used 2000 GZ 250. I have a few minor repairs to perform, and in my experience with cars, you can't beat a good online forum for all the tips and tricks you need.

So a little about myself. I am new to motorcycling this year. It is something I have always wanted to get into, and now that I am 25, I think I can do it responsibly without killing myself! I really don't like those crotch rocket sports bikes, and I am not in my 40s in the midst of a mid-life crisis, so a harley or bmw is out of the question lol. So that left me with cruisers. As soon as I sat on a gz 250, I was surprised how easy to manage and comfortable it was, especially since I am 6'4". With only a couple of minor adjustments to the pedals and handlebars, it is like sitting on a lazy boy. Also Quebec has ridiculous rules about bikes 400cc and up... just to pay the plates for a year can cost over 1000$. Smaller engine the better up here.

So expect to see a few more posts by me within the coming days as I attempt to change my front brake pads, gear shift lever, foot pegs and brake light switch. They seem like fairly simple jobs, and I have plenty of experience working on cars, but you never know when you can get stuck.

One question I do have, do these bikes take regular gas (87 octane) or super (91-94)? I ask because I don't have the owners manual, and there is no sticker on the tank.

Thanks

-Steve

[Water Warrior 2]

Hi Steve. Always glad to have a new rider join us. Gas is regular unleaded for the bikes diet. Question for you. Plates are that expensive but also include insurance I hope ? Same in B.C. We have the wonderful Guvmint ins. to pay for which is almost criminal. You will have a lot of fun with a GZ and soon realize it is one of the best first bikes for a newbie. Have you taken any riders training ? It is well worth your time and money. Also consider picking up a copy of "Proficient Motorcycling" at a book store, it is well worth the read and just chalk full of information for any rider regardless of experience. Ride safe Steve.

[alantf]

Gas is regular unleaded

Welcome to the forum.

The GZ also seems to enjoy the occasional treat of carb cleaner/fuel additive in the tank. Ask the American guys for recommendations, as we get different stuff over here, so I can't give you first hand information. :2tup:

[Easy Rider]

One question I do have, do these bikes take regular gas (87 octane) or super (91-94)? I ask because I don't have the owners manual, and there is no sticker on the tank.


Regular 87. There is an owners manual available for download right here!

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=27 (http://www.gz250bike.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=27)

Hope you enjoy your little beast.
Do you know how old the tires are ??

[rbsteve]

Thanks for the manual hookup!

My first fill up last week was the super94 and petro-canada. It sounds fine, but I will use regular from now on.

The previous owner changed both tires before he sold it. The tread is nice and deep, and there is no cracking on the side walls. And they have that new tire smell!

Yes the registration costs also includes the minimum insurance required. But for the civil liability, theft and all that stuff, you still need additional insurance. Here in Quebec, they say that since statistically motorcyclists have the most accidents, they should pay more. So where it costs about 200$ to register a car for the year, it costs 340$ a year to register a gz 250. Anything 400cc and up is 550$/year, unless it is a "supersport", then its 1050$ a year. And apparently it is going to increase again next year.

I did follow a driver's ed course for motorcycling, even redoing some of the in class lessons learning about roadsigns again lol. The closed track lessons though were the most useful. The hardest part to riding a motorcycle is all the slow speed maneuvers you need to master. The classes really gave me the correct techniques to use and now I really completely comfortable with them. Classes are also mandatory in Quebec. Aren't they everywhere?

[burkbuilds]

Unfortunately the classes are NOT mandatory everywhere, at least not in the "states" but I don't think you'll find many experienced riders that wouldn't recommend them especially to new riders but even for more experienced riders, we all seem to "forget" things over time.

Welcome to the forum, hope you get a lot out of it!

[Jere]

The classes aren't mandatory in Ontario.

Just for your own curiosity, here are the costs for my 1999 GZ250 (purchased 09-Jun-2009):

Purchase (private sale): $1900
Tax (PST @8%): $120 (based on $1500 value)
Plate: $26
Registration: $20
Safety certificate: $46 or so.
Insurance: $950/year. Will drop to $750 after completion of Gearing Up training course. FYI, I'm a 30 male, married, first time motorcycle insuree.

Other: Gearing Up Motorcycle Training: $425.

(all canadian funds)

[bonehead]

Looks to me that you have to be rich to ride a bike in Canada. Ins. in TX. on mine is 110 a year, 14.50 inspection, and 46.00 for the plate.

[Jere]

Insurance costs in Canada, Ontario particularly, are insane.

[Water Warrior 2]

Jere, the insurance cost is totally out of this world. Yes I know it is the GWN but I think you need to check with another agent. Some one must have made a mistake. B.C. has guvmint insurance and we don't get bent over quite that far on larger displacement bikes.

[rbsteve]

So I didn't want to jinx it by saying anything before... but I got my license today :-) Out of our group of 20, only 6 people passed! I am glad I was one of them!

Technically I can only ride with another rider for 7 months, but that didnt stop me from taking my 250 for a spin around the block earlier this evening. By "around the block" I mean about 30 minutes around my little town lol.

This bike rocks. Small kids all stopped playing to watch me cruise by and waved. Dogs barked, girls looked over there shoulders, guys on foot looked envious... what more can you ask for?!?

[alanmcorcoran]

I must confess that I felt a little joy to know there is a place on Earth that is more bureacratic and expensive to get started with a MC than Southern California! My insurance on a brand new '08 GZ was $300/yr and has gone down since and, I could legally ride mine, solo, as soon as I passed a written permit test, which I took on impulse one day, five minutes after driving over to the DMV. Although I got my license about 6 weeks later, I could have ridden the bike on the permit for a year as long as I stayed off the freeway and parked it after dark.

(Of course, it may be little harder now, what with the state having run out of cash and I suspect the DMV's are on reduced hrs.)

Get yourself a copy of Proficient Motorcycling and read it when you aren't tinkering or riding. (I bet one year from now you will have a bigger bike.)

[Jere]

...guys on foot looked envious... what more can you ask for?!?

I had to laugh at that one. I passed a guy yesterday who was riding an electric bicycle. He looked envious.

[Water Warrior 2]

...guys on foot looked envious... what more can you ask for?!?

I had to laugh at that one. I passed a guy yesterday who was riding an electric bicycle. He looked envious.


Funny. He must have liked being green but not green with envy.