WR250X for a youngster

You really think so??

Blackhawk wrote:

You really think so??

Anything that has to do with scheduling appointments with state/federal offices get's marked off of my list really fast. I despise bureaucracy and the (with some exceptions) nitwits they employ to enforce it.

I'll help out with the insurance question.............it depends.

First there are two types. Liability which covers the damage you cause to someone else's property or their bodily injury is number one. This will be the cheaper of the two coverages. There are different limits of liability. For example, 100/300 which is $100,000 per occurance or $300,000 policy limit. 100/300 is middle of the road. You can get up to 500/500 but it probably is not necessary. In some states you are required to carry liability. You will not want to be without liability insurance regardless of the laws of your state.

Next is comprehensive/collision. This covers the cost of repair or replacement of the bike. This will only be a requirement if you finance a bike and it has a lien on it. If you own the bike outright you can choose to do without this but if you total it, there is no insurance to replace it. I carry comprehensive on all my bikes regardless of the presence of a bank lien.

As far as how much it costs, this can vary widely. Some insurance companies rate a bike strictly by engine size. Some rate a bike by type such as cruiser or sport bike. As you might expect, sport bikes can be more expensive and larger engine sizes will mean higher rates. Some insurance companies such as State Farm will only insure a bike if you have your car insured with them. The key here is to shop around. Your age will play a huge factor. The older you get, the cheaper it gets. My suggestion is to buy used and get the liability coverage for sure. Price the comprehensive and depending on the cost decide whether you are willing to gamble with your investment/toy.

There is one other thing to consider and that is insurance on yourself. Most motorcycle policies do not offer any coverage for your own personal injury. Therefore it is imperitive that you have your own health insurance which your parents probably have on you already. Ask and make sure. You should also figure out when you can no longer be on your parents health insurance which will vary depending on where their insurance comes from and whether or not you attend college.

Finally, I think your choice of bikes is a great one. I am 42 and if I had to keep only one bike it would be my WR-250R. I have too much fun trail riding. I have a trials tire on the back and a knobby on the front and it is tons of fun on the twisty pavement as well. Let us know how we can help you further. Most of all, I wish you many years and miles of safe travel on two wheels.

I will pile on with one more thing since you asked whether or not 15 is "too wet behind the ears." That all depends on YOU. If you can get out there and act responsibly then 15/16 is not too young. There are many folks much older than you that are not mature enough to ride. Always ride like everyone else on the road is trying to kill you. Don't let your guard down for even a second. Remember that there may not be any second chances if you are in a serious accident. I also recommend riding with some other adults if you have that option. The one thing that you have going for you that I do not is your reaction time and your senses. At your age, they are close to being at peak levels. You can probably ride a bike better than most adults but don't let that go to your head. Use that ability to your advantage in the name of safety and not to show off.