Cost of Motorcycling in Canada...
 

Hi,

Can anyone who currently resides in Canada, particularly BC, please give me an indication of how much it costs to run a bike, say KLR650, in that province please. Please break down into:

1. Insurance (comprehensive)
2. Vehicle excise license/road tax/annual registration or whatever you call it there
3. Any other recurring annual costs
4. MOT/road safety certificate for the bike - do they need these? are new bikes exempt?

In general, is it cheaper or more expensive than car ownership?

Thanks for any input,

Sean

Hey Doc,

Insurance rates in BC depend on a few things like size of bike, etc. but driving record is a big factor. Very roughly, you start with the coverage you want and add all that up.

From there, your driving record determines what discount or premium you get off that cost. For example, every year you drive accident free you gain a step which is about 10% off, up to a maximum of about 40% off. Conversely, if you get an accident, you loose three 'steps' of 10% each for about a 30% premium.

That's why if you are coming from a different country it's important to bring a letter from your old insurer indicating your stellar driving record, it'll save you some money. For info, go the provincial insurer site, ICBC.

Comprehensive is expensive, relative to just the standard covereage. I didn't get comprehensive the last couple of years so can't say how much. Others can provide their actual costs so that might be of more use to you. As one example, basic insurance for a 750 street bike was about $200 for 3 months for me. I have a pretty decent safe driving discount.

Everything is done through ICBC so any annual costs are charged at your one stop shop. Any rego fees are minimal (maybe in the $25-$50 range?) but low enough that they didn't stick with me like they would in a place like Australia where it ranges in the hundreds.

Again, because of the one stop nature of our insurance and registration structure, a lot of BC'ers will lump everything into what they loosely call "insurance", which really covers all costs.

In regards to MOT or road safety, I've never had one done.

You didn't mention if you are buying one over here or importing a bike, if importing then you need to jump through a few more hoops which include mechanical inspection, taxes, etc. It's also straightforward to import a bike from the US, other countries is a much bigger pain.

In general, motorcycle ownership is cheaper than car ownership. You can ride almost year round in Vancouver, but with all the rain in the winter, you may not want to.

Hope that helps.

Thanks Tom,

I really appreciate the advice. I will be buying a bike there - KLR650 if all goes to plan. I see you own one - did you do the doo? Do Burnaby Kawasaki have a good reputation?

Cheers,

Sean

You might want to check out this site
DualSport BC
Some guys also sell thier bike online.
Have fun... a beautiful province.

BC or Alberta?
 

Sean...buying in BC requires you to pay GST 5% AND Provincial Sales Tax 7%. Alberta only has GST.

However, if you are a visitor and you plan to remove a vehicle from BC and have it registered elsewhere, you may be exempt from the tax.

Check the bulletin from the BC Gov here.

Most folks in BC get insurance through ICBC.

Vehicles in the lower Mainland (along the Fraser Valley near Vancouver) also have to meet Air Care inspections. Don't know the cost.

My annual costs for the KLR here in Alberta are about c$50 for the license plate and about c$300 for insurance. There are no other costs except gas -right now about c$0.85/l - BC gas is always higher - and the usual wear items likes tires etc.

New KLR's sell here in Alberta for c$6499 or 4046 Euros.

Hope this is useful to you.

Way cheaper than a car - but lots colder and wetter!

Stephen

Thanks Guys, I really appreciate all the info.
If I bought a new bike in Alberta could I re-register it in BC? Would I then have to pay the BC sales tax?
Reason I ask is that I will shortly be a BC resident but don't want to pay over the odds for the bike...

Best regards,

Sean

The Prov gov will nail you for the PROV SALES tax when you insure the bike in BC , just one of the joys of living here .
A lot of the big dealers in Vancouver will match Alberta [ ie Blackfootmotorsports prices ].
Just haggle with them !

Hey Doc,

The Burnaby Kawasaki guys sell quite a few of them and are pretty good to deal with.

I didn't get around to doing the doohickey, it's a matter of personal preference as I'm sure you know:)

Bikes are a bit cheaper in the US, but you would have to import it, which is a straightforward process but takes a bit of time. You may want to check out the prices in Seattle of the model you are looking for and see if it would be worth the hassle. Probably not on lower priced bikes like a KLR but perhaps worth a look.

Are you moving to Vancouver? There's a pretty good biking scene here and an amazing amount of riding. Are you planning both on and off road riding and hence the KLR?

Hey, Tom,

Thanks again for the info - I'm looking forward to catching up with you all and the biking scene there - yes, I am moving to the area (Sunshine Coast in fact). I'm looking to get a KLR and my thoughts in fact echoed yours - that the hassle and cost of importation from the US aren't worth it on a lower priced bike....

I guess I am aiming to do a mix of riding - mostly road with some light off-road/trails to get to the better scenery. I'll certainly be checking out the rideouts/tech days etc when I get there.

Best regards,

Sean