Age 22: What's my max insurance group?

Although I'm just getting the SV all fettled for the summer, I still can't help itching to try another bike at some point. I've had a run briefly on my dad's ST1300 and 1200GS but I'm more sportily inclined at the moment. I've just never had the chance to try one of the 600 sportsbikes and am curious....hence the browsing on MCN and Bike Trader.

Until I can get my whim satisifed by phoning my insurers when they open tomorrow, I was wondering what your opinions are as to what insurance group I could ever hope to afford (most likely 3rd F+T)/even be quoted for by a broker? And do I stand any chance of being allowed to test ride a supersports 600?

I'm prepared for you all to come along and pop my naive wishful-thinking bubble

Oh, license for 5 years and 5 years No Claims as well if that helps.

im 20 n ive got 3.. or may b 4 years riding no claims ive jsut bought a R6 after the SV and the insurance is £350 i think TPFT.. on my 350LC my insurance wanted £500 ha yea right i looked around and the lowest i can get is £318

Originally Posted by MeridiaNx

do I stand any chance of being allowed to test ride a supersports 600?

Depends a lot on the dealer you go to and whether he thinks you are a tyre kicker or someone who he can make a sale to. I have a mate....very rich mind... and he test rides pretty much anything he wants. He is 21., the same as me.

Originally Posted by suzsv650

im 20 n ive got 3.. or may b 4 years riding no claims ive jsut bought a R6 after the SV and the insurance is £350 i think TPFT.. on my 350LC my insurance wanted £500 ha yea right i looked around and the lowest i can get is £318

What company is that with Suz? And what is the age of the R6?

Originally Posted by ASM-Forever

Depends a lot on the dealer you go to and whether he thinks you are a tyre kicker or someone who he can make a sale to. I have a mate....very rich mind... and he test rides pretty much anything he wants. He is 21., the same as me.

Hmmm....a larger dealer might be a better bet then, and I might have more luck turning up on my SV obviously. Problem is I know the South-West better than the North-East atm, so I haven't yet found my Durham/Newcastle equivalent of Bridge. Just off to raid the cupboard for the Yellow Pages

I would say there are 2 ways to get a test ride if you are young and not a millionaire.

1-Turn up 'pimped up' the day before you want to test ride and bull**** it out. Answer a few fake calls(call yourself or make a ringtone noise yourself ) and drop in terms such as 'Dow-jones', 'Nasdaq' and 'The city' frequently. Helps if you have some shiny credit cards....salesman are magpies!

N.B. may not work if you look like you should be in a Clearisil advert or hang around a McDonalds drive thru.

2- Be genuine and demonstrate to the dealer that you are truly interested in purchasing a bike. Helps if you have a few facts and spec questions to ask. Keep the salesman on the back foot.

At the end of the day they work on comission so tantalise him with the prospect of some De-Niro's.

I bought and insured a CBR600 new at the age of 22 (5 years ago now). I paid £1000 Fully Comp (so it depends on your idea of affordable) though that policy turned out to be rather crap as I did need to claim for a right-off (see avatar) (which I'd argue wasn't entirely my fault). I was offered a test ride by a Honda dealer, though I declined as I was too scared (I've not test ridden any of the bikes I've bought).

carrol and nash its a 02 R6 i dont like the new uns

at 22 with 5 years no claims, the same as you i was offered insurance no problem on a cat 16 tl1000r, it was pretty expensive but thats life. Given that both a gsxr-1000 and a busa are both cat 16 i dont see why you wouldnt be able to get insurance on any of the supersport 600's.

As for test rides just show you definately have the money, carrying large lumps of cash and indicating that you will buy that day then and there will get sales people doing anything they can to make the sale, then bugger off and go and get one on the private market where they are affordable. I would say that if you do buy private then take cash with you as piles of notes have a fantastic ability to make people drop there price. Also if you have cash up then i dont see why a private seller wouldnt let you test ride it, but only if your covered to ride other peoples bikes which i know i didnt have when i was only on third party but now on fully comp its fine.

well i'm 21, just walked in to the dealers- no bike kit on - no bike outside - and asked for a ride. Took out an '07 cbr600rr the next day. They want to sell you the bike afterall, they're not doing you a favour. As long as you've had your full licence a year they'll let you no bother. Shop around the net for quotes, i've got only 2 years ncb and insurance on a ss600 still isn't out the question