Just bought a used motorcycle

[cirrrocco]

yello there, just bought the bike last night and I had a few questions before I do anything further

1. What type of insurance should I get for the motorcycle. Comprehensive, liability, property damage, underisured /uninsured, passenger etc etc
2. Also the DMV link mentions that I need to have insurance before I register the vehicle. Now when i checked the form it also has a section where the dmv official fills in stuff about the bike. so does that mean I should take the bike to DMV, isnt that illegal taking my bike to dmv when I havent regisitered it.
3. Does the vehicle tag stay on the bike, or will I need to apply for a new tag??. I read somewhere that the vehicle tag stays on the motorcycle and is not transferred.
4. When I bought the bike the buyer mentioned that he hasnt done the 4K service. The mileage now is 4500. Is that a big problem??. Also shoud I take the bike to a private repair shop or the dealer, and how much price should I expect to pay for a service.

I will add more questions once I have some,

 

[Saga]

I'll give you a spot of advice, but I am by no means an expert and may require correction.

1) Insurance I won't be a ton of help with. I always get full coverage because I tend to loan and not buy.
2) You will need proof of insurance to register. You do not need to have the bike present. Just title, proof of insurance, and bill of sale (the blue and white forms if you bought from a dealer).
3) What vehicle tag? Are you referring to the VIN plate on the frame? The VIN always stays with the bike frame, just like a car VIN.
4) Might require an oil change and possibly a tuneup. I don't remember offhand if the '04 500 was FI or had carbs.

 

[rstrohkirch]

1.) Go to progressive.com and fill out their quote page with your information, you can drop and add items to find out what the costs will be.
Full coverage with 500 deductibles along with road assistance, 10k medical payments, 20k uninsured should only run you about 400-500$ a year or about $25-30 a month if you're younger.

2.) Once you sign up for insurance online you can print off temp insurance info that you take to the SoS/DMV

3.) By vehicle tag...you mean license plate..vin..license plate tabs?

4.) Look in your manual and list what it wants for the 4k service checkup so the price can be estimated

Also, having owned that bike my biggest suggestion would be to invest in a nice set of tires as the stock ones are crap. Pirelli Sport Demons in stock sizes are very nice and should only cost about $250 installed if you buy the tires online.

 

[MiataNC]

1. If you own the bike outright (no lien holder) you only need liability. I recommend full coverage, and full coverage insurance on an EX500 is about as cheap as it gets. See if you can get a quote from http://www.psic-onespot.com I found them to be much cheaper than Progressive or Geico.

2. You can order insurance online or over the phone. They can then fax or email you proof of insurance to take to the DMV

3. The plate/tags stay on the bike unless it is a personal plate the original owner wants to keep. In that case you have to fill out a form and apply for a new plate/tags.

4. It's been a few years since I had my EX500, but I believe the 4k service is change oil/filter, check air filter, check/clean chain and safety inspection. I would guess it would run something like $125 at most dealers.

I have a lot of fond memories of my EX500. It's a great bike!!

Keep the rubber side down.

 

[cirrrocco]

Thank you all, and thanks for taking the time to type up your responses. I feel much more enlightened and more aware as to what to do. regards

 

[PlasmaBomb]

:camera:??

Did you knock some money off the asking price since it hasn't been serviced?

 

[cirrrocco]

It was a pretty good deal [I think so], the bike was only driven 4500 miles and he listed it for 3500, and I got it for 3000. Was that a good deal ??
regarding pics, I just moved to the south bay area, and so didnt get all my shit from wisconsin, so I dont have a camera...

 

[MixMasterTang]

Originally posted by: MiataNC
1. If you own the bike outright (no lien holder) you only need liability. I recommend full coverage, and full coverage insurance on an EX500 is about as cheap as it gets. See if you can get a quote from http://www.psic-onespot.com I found them to be much cheaper than Progressive or Geico.

2. You can order insurance online or over the phone. They can then fax or email you proof of insurance to take to the DMV

3. The plate/tags stay on the bike unless it is a personal plate the original owner wants to keep. In that case you have to fill out a form and apply for a new plate/tags.
4. It's been a few years since I had my EX500, but I believe the 4k service is change oil/filter, check air filter, check/clean chain and safety inspection. I would guess it would run something like $125 at most dealers.

I have a lot of fond memories of my EX500. It's a great bike!!

Keep the rubber side down.

That may vary state to state, but in Kansas (where I live) a motorcycle is licensed just like a car, so a new owner would require a new license plate (unless of course we're talking about something else here).