Here's a topic that has driven me crazy for several years. My whole life I've loved motorcycles, so when I turned 17 I decided it was time to buy one. I wasn't looking to go racing or showing off, I just wanted a cruiser to go for relaxing, fun, laid back rides on. I bought that first bike, a 2000 Yamaha Vstar (650 classic) and was more excited than I had ever been. I wrote my M1 license and started paying my ridiculously high Insurance premiums.

It wasn't very easy finding a company that would even insure someone my age, but I finally found some luck with Kingsway on the stipulation I completed the motorcycle safety course. I understood that my insurance would be high when I was first starting out but sure wasn't expecting that over $2500 a year for the bare essentials. I was kind of shocked at the price to insure a vehicle that would only be on the road for 6-8 months out of the year (curse you Ontario winters).

I clenched my teeth and paid the money, hoping that the price would drop with more riding experience. During my time at the motorcycle training course I talked with all kinds of people. One that sticks out clearly was a guy in about his 40's with less riding experience than I had. Simply because of his age he was paying more than $1000 less than I was on a much larger and expensive bike.

I figured after a few years of riding my insurance would drop right? Well here I am 4 years later still not getting much of a break. Trying to find a company that is willing to insure a young guy on a bike is like trying to get it to rain bubblegum. I have never been in an accident on the bike or in my car, never gotten any tickets, and have never had any claims with an insurance company. Even the cost for car insurance is crazy for someone my age. It's nice because it's kind of like big companies are saying "let's see you kids try to afford over priced universities or colleges now."

All in all, whatever you are insuring, if you live in Ontario it's going to cost you a lot. For some reason once you cross that Manitoba boarder insurance suddenly becomes much easier to handle. I'm writing this not only out of my own frustration about huge insurance prices, but maybe if enough pressure is put on the Ontario government (and it will take a lot of pressure) we can adopt an insurance policy more like Alberta's.

Anyway I'm done ranting about this, for now. As always take care.

Shane