10 Tips for Buying Your First Bike
India has one of the largest and most prominent markets in terms of two-wheelers. Besides, owning a two-wheeler brings in a sense of responsibility, specifically when you are a first-time buyer. Therefore, it is essential to secure every ride with the right bike insurance coverage. To guide you in this, here are the significant tips you can follow if buying your bike for the first time.
Guide to Buy Your First Bike
To help you in this, here is a list of 10 tips that you cannot miss to make your deal successful-
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Know Your Requirements
As you know, there is a wide range of choices available for two-wheelers in the market. Firstly, you need to understand the type of two-wheeler you want to buy.
Either you can buy a bike or a scooter. The primary difference between these two modes is the gears.
Generally, the scooters are quite easy to handle, and gears are not present. Also, they offer more storage units as compared to motorbikes. However, bikes are more stable and easy to control.
In India, the majority of people prefer bikes as they are equipped with a powerful engines and let you cover long distances without any worries.
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Understand the Functionality of Your Bike
Another important tip to consider before buying a bike is to know its usability and the area where you reside. Knowing the functionality or usage will help you in deciding the model.
Buying a sports bike or superbike is not a good idea if you reside on a congested city road or if traffic congestion is the major problem in your area. Similarly, you should prefer a cruiser or adventure bike for long road trips.
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Decide the Right Model for Your Bike
As you know, there are several bike models available in the market to choose from. Each model is different and has different purposes to serve. That is why it is important to understand the functionality so that you can make a wiser decision while finding the right fit for yourself.
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Always Consider Your Bike Riding Experience
Even though it is your first bike, you must have learned to ride a two-wheeler using your friend's vehicle. Since this is your first bike, it is better to buy an entry-level vehicle that falls under the category of 100-150 CC so that can be handled easily. Once you gain ample experience through practice, you can upgrade it.
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Know the Budget and Fuel Efficiency
One of the significant tips while buying a bike is knowing your budget. Your spending capacity will decide which will be a perfect fit for you.
Setting a budget helps you to filter and narrow your choices. Moreover, it is advised to think about the fuel efficiency of the bike as the most expensive or higher engine capacity bikes have lower fuel efficiency because they utilize extra fuel to generate power. So, choose a fuel-efficient model to save money.
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Research is Important
Once you have decided on all the above points, it is the right time to do thorough research. You can connect with your friends who have enough knowledge about the same model and take their valuable feedback.
On the other hand, you can research online and look at their mileage, pricing, and service center availability in your city. Other than these points, it is crucial to consider other factors, such as engine power, fuel type, accessories, etc.
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Look for Customer Feedback
Looking for customer feedback online and offline will help you to understand the bike's performance and efficiency before making the deal.
The best way is to look for comments and feedback posted on their social media accounts given by verified customers. It will offer an idea of the engine's performance, on-road pricing, and real issues that are usually faced by experienced riders during the journey.
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Check the Availability of Service Centers
Your vehicle will go on scheduled servicing for maintenance and care after a particular period. Thus, you must check the availability of service centers in your city. Other than this, check the accessibility of bike parts and accessories at the nearest service center. If you miss this tip, there are chances that you might face trouble in finding the right part or accessories for your damaged bike.
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Test Ride is Significant
So, you have decided on the right model for you, now you can visit the nearest showroom and go on a test ride. This will help you in giving a riding experience. It also will help you in finding the pros and cons of the same model.
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The Final Decision is Yours
Here comes the final step toward buying your first bike. Here are some suggestions that you should not miss before you take the final decision-
- Check the balancing and weight of the bike
- Find the right two-wheeler dealership that will offer you discounted deals and a hassle-free procurement process
- Do not miss the right two-wheeler insurance for your precious possession.
You may like to Read: 8 Road Safety Tips for Bike Riders |
Bike Insurance for New Bike
According to the Motor Vehicles Act of 1988, all two-wheeler owners must hold at least third-party bike insurance. Once you have purchased your new bike or scooter, you will need to insure it with an adequate bike insurance policy.
Now the question comes ' is it mandatory to buy insurance from a bike dealer itself?'
If you are intending to buy a two-wheeler anytime soon, then the dealer will provide you with two-wheeler insurance coverage. Depending upon your wish, you may buy the two wheeler insurance online from the dealer, however, there is no such compulsion. You can easily find the best deals on the internet from insurance aggregators like Policybazaar.com.
It is suggested to buy a comprehensive bike insurance policy as it provides coverage against any loss or damage caused to your insured bike from several unforeseen events such as natural calamities, man-made calamities, etc. Besides, it also protects against third-party liabilities. If you do not wish to spend a hefty amount on incurred bills, then be smart and opt for a comprehensive bike insurance policy instead.
You may like to Read: Bike Insurance Inclusions & Exclusions |
Final Words
Now you must be aware of all the steps that you should not skip if you are planning to buy your first bike. Furthermore, you must purchase bike insurance online to insure your two-wheeler against several unforeseen events.
Before that, you must check factors like hassle-free claim settlement process, attractive add-on covers, and affordable premiums offered by your insurer. Do read all the insurance policy inclusions and exclusions carefully.
^The renewal of insurance policy is subject to our operations not being impacted by a system failure or force majeure event or for reasons beyond our control. Actual time for a transaction may vary subject to additional data requirements and operational processes.
^The buying of Insurance policy is subject to our operations not being impacted by a system failure or force majeure event or for reasons beyond our control. Actual time for transaction may vary subject to additional data requirements and operational processes.
#Savings are based on the comparison between highest and the lowest premium for own damage cover (excluding add-on covers) provided by different insurance companies for the same vehicle with the same IDV and same NCB.
*TP price for less than 75 CC two-wheelers. All savings are provided by insurers as per IRDAI-approved insurance plan. Standard T&C apply.
*Rs 538/- per annum is the price for third party motor insurance for two wheelers of not more than 75cc (non-commercial and non-electric)
#Savings are based on the comparison between the highest and the lowest premium for own damage cover (excluding add-on covers) provided by different insurance companies for the same vehicle with the same IDV and same NCB.
*₹ 1.5 is the Comprehensive premium for a 2015 TVS XL Super 70cc, MH02(Mumbai) RTO with an IDV of ₹5,895 and NCB at 50%.
*Rs 457/- per annum is the price for the third-party motor insurance for private electric two-wheelers of not more than 3KW (non-commercial).The list of insurers mentioned are arranged according to the alphabetical order of the names of insurers respectively.Policybazaar does not endorse, rate or recommend any particular insurer or insurance product offered by any insurer. The list of plans listed here comprise of insurance products offered by all the insurance partners of Policybazaar. For complete list of insurers in India refer to the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India website www.irdai.gov.in