September Vs January Purchase

Hi all,

I have a bit of a dilemma on my hands that I hope you guys and gals can help me with.

I'm new to the biking scene (so new I haven't even done a CBT yet...) and am looking for some advice on the best time to purchase a bike, all things considered.

At this point I have my CBT booked for Saturday, my theory for the following Friday and then my direct access provisionally booked for the following Monday to Thursday.

So, let's say the stars align and all things being well, I come out of the whole process by end of March with a full license. At this point I have a decision to make and have three options.

Though this is where I need to point out the fact that I am actually going to be in the USA from mid June to the start of September.

Option 1: Buy bike in April, ride until June, leave bike garaged while im in the USA, then continue to rise when I return in September.

Pro's:
- Get a bike sooner
-won't lose the riding skill I have gained recently

Cons
- Bikes may me more expensive and less available due to upcoming summer
- Bike will be garaged and 3 months of tax and insurance wasted while in USA.

Option 2: Buy bike in September after returning from USA

Pros :
- Bikes potentially cheaper after summer months
- Once taxed and insured, bike will not be put away long term and will get good use.
- I'll be one year older so may help with insurance

Cons:
- Less familiar with bike after being out of training for over 5 months

Option 3: Buy bike at end of January, after most of winter.

Pros:
- Will be 1 year older and will hopefully have 1 more year no claims in car insurance which could help bike insurance
- Bike will not be left garaged long term and so tax and insurance not wasted
- Spring and summer coming up consecutively

Cons:
- Long time between passing tests and then buying /riding a bike.
- Long time to bloody wait!

I'd really appreciate some thoughts and advice on this, and in case it wasn't obvious. I'll be after an SV650, hopefully not spending more than £1500 for a naked first or second gen.

Thanks all!

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

[carelesschucca]

Get the bike fall in love. Then Sorn it while your away.

January is a bad time to be buying a bike. You'll need to tax and insure in the worst month of the year. I stupidly bought my first bike in December and it still hurts to be paying insurance when I know the thing will hardly move for the next few months.

[Red Herring]

How about buy the bike as soon as you can, ride it as often as you can, SORN it when you can't, buy half decent gear and ride when you can right through the winter...... Unless you live at the top of a Scottish mountain and if next winter is even half as mild as this one was that will be most of the time.

Originally Posted by Red Herring

How about buy the bike as soon as you can, ride it as often as you can, SORN it when you can't, buy half decent gear and ride when you can right through the winter...... Unless you live at the top of a Scottish mountain and if next winter is even half as mild as this one was that will be most of the time.

This is my underlying thought so far... Was just waiting for someone to have the same logic.

What does everyone else think?

Also, in terms of insurance. Is it worth going fully comp on a bike that costs £1500 when the combined excesses are nearly £800-1000 anyway?

Thoughts?

[shiftin_gear98]

Yes. Go fully comp if you can afford it.
Having been third party and involved in an accident that wasn't my fault it really isn't worth the headache / timescale involved by not being fully comp. Personally I will never be anything but fully comp again - policy due to lapse next week.


Even with those excesses.

[ophic]

For insurance, I recommend the optional legal protection cover as well. Otherwise you're stuck with no-win no-fee legal help if someone hits you.

[Heorot]

No win, no free sounds as if you don't pay anything. This is not true. If you go this route, the solicitor will force you to buy an insurance policy to cover their actual costs if you lose. If you win, the solicitor takes a hefty chunk out of the settlement to cover their costs. Having said that, solicitors costs are usually awarded to the winning party but if the judge decides that the case is egregious, he can decide that no costs are be awarded and the winner has to pay their legal fees themselves. The insurance policy doesn't usually pay out if you win.

Originally Posted by Heorot

No win, no free sounds as if you don't pay anything. This is not true. If you go this route, the solicitor will force you to buy an insurance policy to cover their actual costs if you lose. If you win, the solicitor takes a hefty chunk out of the settlement to cover their costs. Having said that, solicitors costs are usually awarded to the winning party but if the judge decides that the case is egregious, he can decide that no costs are be awarded and the winner has to pay their legal fees themselves. The insurance policy doesn't usually pay out if you win.

So what is your suggestion?

Fully comp also?

[L3nny]

I wouldn't go fully comp, it's just not worth it. Chances are, if you have an accident in your first year, you'll be the only vehicle involved. You can then just fix it up using ebay parts or flog the wreck and buy something else. If you claim on insurance your policy will go up the next year so not worth it.

I'd buy a bike as soon as you can, there are deals to be had all year round.

I've never bothered with legal protection, it sounds like a rip off to me.

[DarrenSV650S]

Definitely buy as soon as you pass. Good luck!

Fully comp as well as helmet and leathers insurance is really worth having