I'm thinking of getting a motorcycle

**Wellyboy** · 31st March 2015, 20:00

Hi guys. I'm a new member here with very limited biking experience (driven a scooter in the countryside that's it)

Just want to get your experience on how much it costs to own (and maintain) a bike. I'm thinking to go for a ~250cc sports bike if I do decide to get into biking. I know rego is usually around $400 but how much is one expected to spend on fuel, insurance, service/maintenance etc? I would most likely use it for daily work commute (~40km) and occasional weekend rides in Wellington.

Cheers guys!

**jellywrestler** · 31st March 2015, 20:02

Originally Posted by Wellyboy

Hi guys. I'm a new member here with very limited biking experience (driven a scooter in the countryside that's it)

Just want to get your experience on how much it costs to own (and maintain) a bike. I'm thinking to go for a ~250cc sports bike if I do decide to get into biking. I know rego is usually around $400 but how much is one expected to spend on fuel, insurance, service/maintenance etc? I would most likely use it for daily work commute (~40km) and occasional weekend rides in Wellington.

Cheers guys!

it's the old question How long is a peice of string??? the answer of course is it depends on the brand of tampon....

**Scubbo** · 31st March 2015, 20:03

more than a car, so if that still sounds good, then go for it

**FJRider** · 31st March 2015, 20:11

Originally Posted by Wellyboy

... but how much is one expected to spend on fuel, insurance, service/maintenance etc? I would most likely use it for daily work commute (~40km) and occasional weekend rides in Wellington.

Cheers guys!

The further you go on your bike ... the more you pay.

Don't forget that tyres wear out ... and the further you go ... and the harder you ride ... the sooner they will.

Sort out what your budget per month will be available for your BIKE. Then ... either ride to suit that budget ... or get a bike to suit that budget.

**Murray** · 31st March 2015, 20:12

theirs plenty of threads on the topic do a search of the forums

**Akzle** · 1st April 2015, 06:15

hi wellyboy and welcome to kiwibiker!

what my esteemed colleagues are trying to tell you is that there are many variables and you can make motorcycle ownership, like anything else, as inexpensive, or conversely as dear as you want you.

Please don't forget the safety gear though, in fact, that should be the first thing you buy!

**Berries** · 1st April 2015, 06:34

April 1st, I get it.

**Akzle** · 1st April 2015, 06:44

Originally Posted by Berries

April 1st, I get it.

o ye of little faith!

No, i would shun such a hateful christian tradition.

**iranana** · 1st April 2015, 12:38

i'm on around the few hundred mark on full cover insurance. full license, but i lost my no claims bonus.

decent helmet, a couple to a few hundred.

good jacket, couple of hundred.

good gloves, another couple of hundred.

i'm a lazy cunt with legs and usually just wear thick jeans and docs. my pipes make for highly effective crash bars anyway. but good pants, another couple of hundred.

chain/sprockets every 10-20k, depending on how lazy you are with cleaning and what you buy, that's another couple of hundred. more if you aren't fitting it yourself.

basically, expect to spend 'a couple of hundred' on just about everything you can, 'a few hundred' on a few things, and 'a hundred or so' on the other things, like carb parts, air filters, oil filters etc. etc.

new tyres, a couple of hundred.

new handlebars, around a hundred.

new pipes, a few hundred.

see the pattern?

**awayatc** · 1st April 2015, 16:19

Yeah I am getting the pattern......

you can't count...

A wee 250 can cost you very little to run...
A sports bike however will cost you more..
but why woulld you want a 250 sportsbike....?

Uncomfortable, cramped, small, no room to carry anything,
and not fast, thus not sporty ...

**Big Dog** · 2nd April 2015, 00:06

Your costs will expand to meet your means unless you set a cap. I have averaged 10k a year for the last 15. About 35,000 would be the average kms, depending on my financial fortunes. Fuel, rego, servicing, gear, and bike.
During times of high kms bike upgrades have been sacrificed to make room for servicing and other such compromises.
TBH. If I earned enough that I had a disposable income I'd still spend the difference on a bike, gear or going places.

Raw numbers alone buying a bike secondary to or instead of a car is no longer financially viable.
I ride because I can't not, I tried once. It is something I have to do because not doing it would make life less worthwhile, less enjoyable and I wouldn't be me.
So given I already have to have a bike ( for me that comes even before food and shelter for myself ) it makes sense to make the hobby self funding by cutting down the kms in the car etc.

If I did not already have to have a bike the way an addict has to have their crack I would public transport, walk or cycle to work.

Stupid phone / Tapatalk, apologies in advance.

**Tazz** · 2nd April 2015, 00:19

Originally Posted by awayatc

but why woulld you want a 250 sportsbike....?

Uncomfortable, cramped, small, no room to carry anything,
and not fast, thus not sporty ...

[

ahem, well north of 100 fully loaded, takes saddle bags easier than a duel sport, fun in the corners and position is only annoying when you start losing traction on gravel, otherwise it's the same as any other sports bike (which isn't that bad unless you're 35+?). That's my experience anyway. I prefer a different bike now for anything but eating highway miles which the little 250 does well, and then slips through rush hour traffic easy as to boot.

Unless you want to GN it I'd budget at least 3k to get a half decent bike and some gear (second hand). 4k - 5k would get you a more than decent bike and gear.

**Swivel** · 13th April 2015, 01:44

Originally Posted by Wellyboy

Hi guys. I'm a new member here with very limited biking experience (driven a scooter in the countryside that's it)

Just want to get your experience on how much it costs to own (and maintain) a bike. I'm thinking to go for a ~250cc sports bike if I do decide to get into biking. I know rego is usually around $400 but how much is one expected to spend on fuel, insurance, service/maintenance etc? I would most likely use it for daily work commute (~40km) and occasional weekend rides in Wellington.

Cheers guys!

Welcome aboard, fuel is the least worries, tyres can cost a packet, do the service yourself, alot easier then a car, unless the farings are in the way of everything. Seem it could be your first purchase I personally wouldnt get anything too expensive,

**Erelyes** · 13th April 2015, 09:28

Originally Posted by Wellyboy

Hi guys. I'm a new member here with very limited biking experience (driven a scooter in the countryside that's it)

Just want to get your experience on how much it costs to own (and maintain) a bike. I'm thinking to go for a ~250cc sports bike if I do decide to get into biking. I know rego is usually around $400 but how much is one expected to spend on fuel, insurance, service/maintenance etc? I would most likely use it for daily work commute (~40km) and occasional weekend rides in Wellington.

Cheers guys!

The way I roughly worked it out - calculate how much you'll save in petrol, and paying for parking (i.e. assume parking is free), and count yourself very lucky if that amount of money covers all your gear, maintenance, mods, etc.

Buy a bike cos you wanna ride, not cos you wanna save money. HTH