Help!!!! New rider with a couple of questions

[The DJ 27]

Evening all. I'm a new rider, due to do my Direct Access course in the next couple of weeks. I have a deposit down on a very nice 2002 Kwak ZX6-R, but things have hit a snag in the last week or so.

Basically, I've had a crash in my car, which, although not my fault (rear ended whilst stationary), does affect the bike premium. On top of this, I was pulled over last night in my replacement car and given the standard £60 fine and 3 points on my license for exceeding the limit on the Queen's highway. I'm just slightly concerned that, as a 21 year old bloke with both an accident claim and points, I'm not going to be able to insure my new toy. I'm already struggling to get quotes below £850 TPFT.

Is this going to push my premium through the roof or merely jack it up a little bit? And does anyone know any new-rider friendly companies?

Thanks in advance!

[Al_g]

One thing at a time.

If the car crash wasn't your fault then you wont loose your no claims and after it's settled it shouldn't affect your quote. As for getting speeding points, well 3 points isn't so bad. In fact in this day and age with the number of speed cameras etc then it's almost inevitable. 3 points will not dramatically raise your premium, things like bans, drink driving and dangerous driving etc will deffo have a bad effect on your insurability.

Good luck, and welcome to the wonderful world of bikes. FYI I got a good deal off a company called click quote when i passed my test 2 years ago. Best bet is to shop around.

[momentofmadness]

If the bike is going to be purely a pleasure tool (!!!) and is to be kept in a locked garage then go TPO and your premium should tumble (bike theft is rife )

Give www.ebikeinsurance.co.uk and www.insurance2000.co.uk a try

[The DJ 27]

Unfortunately I don't have a garage to put it in, Dad's car lives in there. It's going to have to live outside under a cover, at least during summer. I may come to an arrangement with a mate for it's winter home. I'll get some pics posted when I actually get the bike home. I can't wait, even though I have a nagging feeling that it'll scare me stupid at first. What's everyone's opinion of a Ninja 636 (one of the very first ones) as a first bike?

[hyena]

Agree with above advice but a zx6 as a first bike is perhaps a bit mental. I'm sure you've been told this by plenty of people but something like an sv650 is great fun and really torquey without being totally overwhelming.

Best of luck with your direct access.

[K3T4-mine]

Hi Richard

living in italy I can't give you any advice on insurances, but I saw you already got some useful ones so think you'll be just fine from that point of view
what I can say, is that the Ninja 636 is a good bike: I test rode one in 2004 when I was looking for a bike to buy, and in the end of all tests it was 2nd in my list of preferences. It is also beautiful to look at (at least the 2004 model, much better than the recent ones with exhausts under the tail), so if I was you I would try to find a good deal on a 2003 model. In 2003 in fact it has been completely redone, both esthetically and mechanically, and it's still a very competitive bike from all points of view, IMO. As far as the "is-it-the-right-choice-as-a-first-bike" subject is concerned, I can only speak from my personal experience, for what's worth: I own a GSX-R 600 K4, my first bike, and every time I think about it I'm glad I didn't follow the advices of those telling me to start from something less "radical", and that I was mad buying it as a first experience. I never had problems with her, and I'm absolutely in love I can't make any comparison with older sportbikes, but modern 600 are not at all difficult to ride, nor they cut off your arms when you twist one single millimeter of the throttle so, if you love sportbikes, good handling and fast riding, you made the right choice have funnnnnnnnnnnnnn

[billy h]

hi, youve got a good bike, for insurance go on to biketrader and they get quotes from a range of different insurers. good luck!

[tycho]

You are going to have to pull down your trousers and bend over to insure that bike outside with no experience I'm afraid. Might be a good idea to have a smaller bike for 12 months and then trade up. I started out on a GPz 500 and then traded up to the Triumph. The smaller bike made me concentrate on learning how to ride rather than point and shoot type of riding.

[Andymx5]

ZX6R is a fine choice for a first bike. Especially the older larger model like yours (I'm assuming it's the first 636 A1 on carbs) If it's the tiny fuel injected B1, i'd be a little concerned for you.... the newest 2005/2006 bikes are a lot more friendly again.

[The DJ 27]

Andymx5 said:

ZX6R is a fine choice for a first bike. Especially the older larger model like yours (I'm assuming it's the first 636 A1 on carbs) If it's the tiny fuel injected B1, i'd be a little concerned for you.... the newest 2005/2006 bikes are a lot more friendly again.

It is a 636 A1. I'd have to be a raving loon to get an injected 636, everything I've read about them says they're a little hardcore. I can't wait to get on with riding the thing.

BTW, the biketrader.co.uk insurance finder thingy wasn't working last night, as that was my first port of call. Insurance is coming in at around £1,000, which I can just about afford. Bite the bullet for the first year and all that...

[Andymx5]

I had mine 3rd party fire and theft... Because fully comp the excess was going to be £500 anyway... Spare panels off ebay cost less than this, so you're better repairing it yourself and not claiming!

With 1 year NCB, the premium drops dramatically.

Oh... as you're getting a ninja... I'll drop you an email which may help out.