Canuck On Board

[Bermuda]

Hey all,

New rider from Canada here, representing the Great White North. Although, it's been anything but that where I am, lately. Which is great - the sooner spring comes along, the better.

Just picked up an 08 Ninja 250r, in a beautiful Kawi green. Can't wait to work a few DIY projects and get riding.

[choneofakind]

Originally Posted by Bermuda

Which is great - the sooner spring comes along, the better.

Welcome aboard Bermuda! With an intro like that ^^ I like you already

This is a great community. Glad you could join us

[greenaero]

Bermuda, welcome aboard ! Thinking warm happy thoughts I see.
all the best, GA

[saxnbass]

And for my obligatory:

[ride2rideagain]

Hey there fellow Canadian rider....hope to see u on the streets, look for another all green 08 around Markham and in Toronto as well.

[choneofakind]

@Bermuda ride the crap out of it. Get some experience and learn what it feels like the way it is. Then go about modding it. I know that ride2rideagain knows how to shim , and i bet the two of you can figure out how to desnorkel, so that's 2 free mods right there.

[KJohnson21]

[Snake]

Hello and welcome.

[nickjpass]

to Ninjette!!! !!!

[Firehorse]

Welcome from up the boring long flat road named 401. We have lots of twisties above that though!

Know what you mean about the weird weather, I'm thinking about the green grass - kinda odd. May have to get that two-stroke out before I get my bike out of storage if this goes on. I've already seen a few ninjas here.

I'm hoping we skipped winter this year but I'm afraid of what March will bring so I'll wait just a wee bit longer..

[DaveTheCanuck]

Hah... So I was about to post my own thread to say hi, but then I saw this one and figured I might as well hop in.

I'm also a Canuck, and I'm also from Oakville

Haven't bought my 250R yet though. Just waiting for my licence to hit the one year mark in August that way insurance is a little easier to swallow. And I also need more money.

See you on the roads in the summer!

[nickjpass]

Originally Posted by DaveTheCanuck

Hah... So I was about to post my own thread to say hi, but then I saw this one and figured I might as well hop in.

I'm also a Canuck, and I'm also from Oakville

Haven't bought my 250R yet though. Just waiting for my licence to hit the one year mark in August that way insurance is a little easier to swallow. And I also need more money.

See you on the roads in the summer!

You might as well start your own, but welcome!!

[Bill E Bob]

I just bought my third 250, all new style, and will pick it up April 1. From Ontario, I've been to the west coast twice and to Winnipeg once. Is there a thread on here for trippers or campers? The only mods so far are CrampBusters for my fingers and 15T front sprocket. But the new one is getting a toprack from VisciousCycle.ca and another 15T of course. This "winter" has been great for biking... no snow and almost warm in Kingston, ON.

[Bill E Bob]

Originally Posted by DaveTheCanuck

Hah... So I was about to post my own thread to say hi, but then I saw this one and figured I might as well hop in.

I'm also a Canuck, and I'm also from Oakville

Haven't bought my 250R yet though. Just waiting for my licence to hit the one year mark in August that way insurance is a little easier to swallow. And I also need more money.

See you on the roads in the summer!

Hi Dave: Did you take the MSF course. I didn't start biking til I was 59. Took the MSF before I bought my first 250 in '08. Insurance was a little cheaper the first year for taking the course and for being geriatric...they reclassified it as a power assisted scooter. NOT. bill in kingston,ont

[DaveTheCanuck]

Originally Posted by Bill E Bob

Hi Dave: Did you take the MSF course. I didn't start biking til I was 59. Took the MSF before I bought my first 250 in '08. Insurance was a little cheaper the first year for taking the course and for being geriatric...they reclassified it as a power assisted scooter. NOT. bill in kingston,ont

I did! Unfortunately, it didn't help my case much, as one of the two biggest factors towards my insurance rate is that I'm under 25.

The second being that I've been licensed less than one year. If I were to insure a 250R now, it would cost me $2,251/yr. If I wait until August when my M class is one year old, my rate drops to $1,281/yr.

[Bill E Bob]

Originally Posted by DaveTheCanuck

I did! Unfortunately, it didn't help my case much, as one of the two biggest factors towards my insurance rate is that I'm under 25.

The second being that I've been licensed less than one year. If I were to insure a 250R now, it would cost me $2,251/yr. If I wait until August when my M class is one year old, my rate drops to $1,281/yr.

WoW. That's a lot. But, it'll go down with time. Alberta has cheaper rates than here in Ontario. A lot of factors go into insurance rates.

[Cringer]

Shop around for insurance. I live in NB and get my insurance through Primmum in NS. It saved me about 75%.

[DaveTheCanuck]

Originally Posted by Cringer

Shop around for insurance. I live in NB and get my insurance through Primmum in NS. It saved me about 75%.

The quotes I posted above are actually from Primmum (TD Meloche Monnex). They're the cheapest I could find personally.

It ain't cheap for a newbie, <25yo living in the Greater Toronto Area.

[Cringer]

That sucks man. That's who I'm with. I guess I have a bit of an age advantage being in my 30's I guess. As well as a safety course and being part of a profession that gets a better rate.

[250rr]

Welcome, my friend. Where is Oakville?

[250rr]

Looks like it is close to Toronto.

[DaveTheCanuck]

Originally Posted by 250rr

Looks like it is close to Toronto.

Yep, about a 30 minute or so drive west of Toronto.

[Firehorse]

Originally Posted by Bill E Bob

Hi Dave: Did you take the MSF course. I didn't start biking til I was 59. Took the MSF before I bought my first 250 in '08. Insurance was a little cheaper the first year for taking the course and for being geriatric...they reclassified it as a power assisted scooter. NOT. bill in kingston,ont

Kingston?
Helloooooo!

Are you the '08 Kawi Green and black 250 often at the lights at Montreal St. and John Counter Blvd?
If so, I'm the long face with the quivering lower lip when you ride by. Mine went into storage sometime near the start of Jan.

We have another here from Kingston as well. I'm older, female new rider and ktownNinja is young, male, new rider, nice guy. Both of us are always up for meeting new people and learning. Any kind of bike/person, it's all good.

PM a hello anytime!

[ninjagaiden09]

Welcome aboard Bermuda and Dave

[koenigcitizen]

Welcome!!!

[Bill E Bob]

Originally Posted by Firehorse

Kingston?
Helloooooo!

Are you the '08 Kawi Green and black 250 often at the lights at Montreal St. and John Counter Blvd?
If so, I'm the long face with the quivering lower lip when you ride by. Mine went into storage sometime near the start of Jan.

We have another here from Kingston as well. I'm older, female new rider and ktownNinja is young, male, new rider, nice guy. Both of us are always up for meeting new people and learning. Any kind of bike/person, it's all good.

PM a hello anytime!

Greetings Firehorse: I'm in the west end, Collins Bay. Had my bike available all winter but just rode on sunny, dry-road days. Now I'm waiting for April 1 or the first dry day after that to pick up my new 250. I know what you mean by quivering lip. I can't stand it to see a rider out when I'm stuck in a car.
What do you have for a bike? Mine will be black again. I had a hard time not buying a 650 this time. The yellow one Tony's looks "tough." An ER-6N.
I'm 62 years young and always ride in black gear with a blue backpack... so you will recognize me if you see that particular ninja go by. What is your bike? bEb

[Firehorse]

Originally Posted by Bill E Bob

Greetings Firehorse: I'm in the west end, Collins Bay. Had my bike available all winter but just rode on sunny, dry-road days. Now I'm waiting for April 1 or the first dry day after that to pick up my new 250. I know what you mean by quivering lip. I can't stand it to see a rider out when I'm stuck in a car.
What do you have for a bike? Mine will be black again. I had a hard time not buying a 650 this time. The yellow one Tony's looks "tough." An ER-6N.
I'm 62 years young and always ride in black gear with a blue backpack... so you will recognize me if you see that particular ninja go by. What is your bike? bEb

Hi!
Right at the other end of town, across from the old CN station. I ride mostly after midnight but same deal, rode as long as I could when the streets were dry. Had a few snowflakes here and there, some black ice that I knew was there, heart in throat and remembered all the books, relaxed arms, keep upright, think bullet, no sudden moves and whew!

Biggest trouble is the lights around the city that my bike is too light to activate. Talked to some nice cops about it at a deserted 3 am and they assured me that if they were around and saw me run the red, they would understand what was going on and I could proceed after a sensible wait. They know which lights are problematic.

I put my bike away because I don't have my garage built yet, had some family issues come up - as soon as I can dig, the Kawi Kave will be up!

I can't wait to sit on the ER-6N! Read some reviews in the british editions of Sportsbike. I know it's different from our edition but it looks sweet! My #2 bike will be the BMW gs650f enduro. Unless I fall in love with something else before that. I still have years of experience to go with my ninja and since it fits me like a glove, I may just mod it instead of getting something faster. Don't really need the speed at the moment. Have zero desire to ride the 401 but will have to do it for my M2 Exit license.

Oh what else to say..don't drive a car but I'm in learning to drive mode since I'm being given an Elantra and family is bugging me to learn. Zero desire there too but if I can drive, I can trailer the bike out to Shannonville for a newbie track day. No racing, just want to do it as part of my planned mid-life crisis.

Don't get your bike out on April Fool's Day! I'm not really superstitious but I took my course on April 1st and managed to get through it without the instructors knowing I wasn't using the clutch! Bad luck! haha.
Made for a rather dismal summer not realizing how/when I was supposed to use the clutch! Got that fixed in Bowmanville..

I'm hoping to bring it out late march but we'll see what winter thinks about that. Mine is a Ninja 250 2011, blue as a morpho butterfly and my gear is Kill-Me Black with matte black helmet, most often with blond hair sticking out the back, may be dyed by then but we'll see.

When I put it away, it had a big red bow on the back and reindeer antlers,..yes, it really did. I'm too old to be cool and if someone notices me and starts laughing, hey, they won't be in a bad enough mood to run me off the road. Life is too short to die of boredom.

I'll probably see you riding around so if you see a blond woman with glasses waving at you from a silver Silverado, that's me.
I'll pm you my # so call me when you get your baby, we'll have a coffee and ooh and ahh about it. My Bigger Half will be buying his first bike this spring, zero interest in sport style bikes so it's going to be an amazing spring!

See ya!

[Firehorse]

Oh, this is me.