As with almost anything you buy, you need to remember to budget for operating and upkeep expenses before choose your bike.   And with motorcycles, insurance is often one of the expenses that gets overlooked.

Just in case you're wondering or in case someone has told you different, all motorcycles require insurance.   If it's going to be ridden on the road, you need insurance.   (There are some exceptions in some states for scooters under 50cc's, but those are the only exceptions.)    So let's throw out a ball park figure so we can get on with shopping for a new bike.

On average you will need to pay anywhere from $ 500 to $ 5000 a year for insurance ($45-$425 a month).   The rate you pay is going to be determined by your age, driving record, type bike you ride, whether you have other insurance with the company providing the insurance and where you live.

If you're old and gray, have a great driving record, live in a fairly safe area to drive (not a big city), insure lots of different vehicles and maybe a home with the insurance company you'll be paying $ 500 or so a year.   But if you're a young male, with a rocket for a motorcycle, have several tickets under your belt and live in Los Angeles, look for it to be closer to the $ 5000 mark or maybe more.

Now before you go off licking your wounds remember, if you bought an automobile there would be little difference.   You would still pay more due to your age, driving record, and depending on the car you bought the range for insurance could vary drastically.

But motorcycles use less gas than automobiles.   You will save significant amounts of money on the difference in gas consumed.   At the price gas is these days, you can make a big dent in the cost of insurance in gas savings.

If you are at all handy, you can take care of most of the maintenance on your bike yourself.   Automobiles are a little more tricky.   Once again another savings to be put toward the bike insurance.

You could buy a motorcycle that's a little more sedate.   Yes those rockets do look cool, but they'll cost quite a bit more in insurance.   You could buy a hot sports car but the insurance on it would eat you alive as well.    Sometimes you just have to weigh the cost and say, "looking cool is not all it's cracked up to be."

So rather than looking at those rockets, chose wisely when you shop for your new motorcycle, and get insurance rates before you buy so you won't get an unpleasant surprise after you sign on the dotted line.