Motorbike Information

Motorbikes vary remarkably depending on the task for which they are designed for, including navigating congested urban traffic, long distance travel, cruising, or off-road conditions.  Motor bike hire fulfils your desire to hit the open road, off road tracks or urban inner city on two wheels without the cost of having your own motorbike and insurance to worry about.  Motor bike hire is therefore a growing trend with both established riders and newcomers renting bikes beyond their wildest imagination. If you fancy spending an exciting weekend on the open road, gravel tracks or just taking a day out riding classic bikes through the inner city traffic, then you probably might require a motorbike.

Open Road biking, the ultimate biking experience an opinion shared by many bike enthusiasts, not only gives riders the opportunity to tour and explore the country but also gives them a feeling of total freedom as the bikers enjoy the adventure through the scenic landscape.

Furthermore, others hire motorbikes just to have a day out cruising in a classic fully fitted bike and having fun with their motor bike cruising party.

Off road biking is possible in all weather conditions, making it an all year round activity designed for all who want to enjoy their bikes without necessarily speeding. Here, riders can enjoy the pleasure of biking while discovering the hidden beauty of a country.  Motor bikes will generally get you to some of the most idyllic, exotic vicinities with rough tracks or no roads at all only ventured into by extreme thrill seekers, giving you a feeling of utmost freedom, thrill and excitement

Available for hire are motor bikes in various shapes and sizes accessorized with fittings best suited for your preferred activity. You can tailor the selection process to suit your specific requirements and hire either a Harley Davidson a brand well known for classic motor bikes, a Ducati underscored for its speed and reliability with the ease of negotiating congested traffic in the city, a BMW or even a Yamaha.

the Motorbike Insurance Market

Whether it’s the lure of being able to weave through pesky traffic jams, or simply because it’s a more cost-effective option, many people are swapping their cars for motorbikes. But before you get too carried away with donning your leathers, it’s essential to consider getting your bike insured.

Indeed, in addition to the risk of accidents occurring, motorbike theft is a worrying issue. According to UK Government statistics, out of every 1,000 motorbikes registered on the road, around 37 are stolen. This may not seem high, but when compared to car theft – on average 10 cars per 1,000 registered are swiped – it’s a lot!

Motorcycle insurance explained

Generally speaking, there are three different types of motorbike insurance: Fully Comprehensive; Third Party Fire & Theft (TPFT); and Third Party Only (TPO). As with car insurance, TPO is the most basic package you can legally opt for and will protect you financially against any damage or personal injury caused to a third party.

TPFT, on the other hand, will provide coverage for your bike should it be stolen or damaged by fire, as well as including third party protection. It may be also possible to find insurance companies that will protect your motorbike against vandalism or severe weather damage.

In order to be covered against the eventuality that you damage your own bike, or are in an accident that is your fault, you will need to look at taking out Fully Comprehensive insurance. This is the highest level policy you can opt for and will provide you with the most inclusive coverage.

How to get the best deal

To get the best policy for your needs, it’s well worth carrying out a motorbike insurance comparison. Thorough research will not only provide you with a comprehensive overview of the market, but will also allow you to search for the most cost-effective packages.

Trying to compare all the different types of insurance can be very time consuming though. That’s why it can be a good idea to use one of the many motorbike insurance comparison websites out there. On top of presenting you with a detailed view of all the deals available, they can provide you with a quote in minutes.

Motorbike insurance premiums are calculated on a huge number of different factors and one of which that can have a great impact is driving licence endorsements.

A motoring conviction might influence a motorbike insurance underwriter in his or her assessment of the risk and calculation of the final bike insurance premium. Taking penalty points or driving bans into consideration depends on when the conviction occurred, the frequency with which they occurred, if there is more than once offence and the severity of the offence.

Insurers know that there is a connection between the number of speeding convictions a person may have and their likelihood of making an insurance claim, so riders with speeding convictions are likely to face higher premiums until their driving record improves.

Generally insurers categorise motoring convictions into four sections and a speeding endorsement would be seen as a minor conviction. Other such minor convictions can range from not ensuring good maintenance of your motorcycle – a CU30 endorsement would be incurred for using a vehicle with defective tyres, to gaining points for driving without wearing spectacles – a MS70 endorsement would be incurred for driving with uncorrected defective eyesight. Even though these offences are of the minor nature, your motorcycle insurance would still generally increase.

Motoring convictions are material facts that must always be disclosed at the time of a motorbike insurance quotation and relate to a moral hazard. A moral hazard applies to insurance as they relate either to the insurance history of the policyholder or to his personal history or attitude.

Failing to stop and give particulars after an accident, an AC10, driving without due care and attention, a CD10, or using a vehicle which is uninsured, an IN10, are all deemed to be highly rated as a moral hazard but generally would only incur points on a singular basis rather than a ban.

As the severity of the endorsement increases, a driving ban would be awarded and this usually applies to careless driving offences, dangerous driving offences, disqualified driver offences and theft or unauthorised taking offences.

Drink driving convictions are taken very seriously by insurers. Convicted riders returning to the roads may face difficulty in obtaining bike insurance and will certainly have to pay far higher premiums than before their conviction. These higher premiums can well last for a number of years.

Apart from the one off major convictions that will result in an immediate ban, there is also a totting up provision where a rider can be disqualified if he/she accumulates twelve penalty points within a three year period. Ultimately, a rider who accumulates four minor speeding offences over three years will face a similar increased motorbike insurance premium as that of a convicted dangerous or drink driver.

With increasing use of speed cameras and stricter penalties enforced by the courts even careful drivers risk totting up points Under the New Driver Act, if a person has passed their motorcycle or car test on or after 1st June 1997 and incur six or more penalty points within the first two years of passing the first test, their driving licence is automatically revoked. This includes any penalty points you had prior to the test which are still valid. To obtain a new licence, you would have to re sit a test as a learner driver. This type of driving disqualification would also have an impact on your bike insurance premium.

In summary, more than two million motorists’ driving licences will be endorsed with penalty points over the next twelve months. Should it be their first minor offence, Insurers will probably be quite lenient, however as they increase in numbers and severity, the insurers will definitely apply a loading thus ensuring higher motorbike insurance premiums for you.

Avoid all motoring convictions and get cheaper bike insurance.

Nothing could make me laugh more than to hear a young person, newly certified in riding a motorbike saying that they do not need to buy motorbike insurance. A ludicrous notion for one to contemplate purchasing a bike without any insurance cover, however, the sad fact remains that there are people out there who are riding the streets now without having bought insurance. Seems unusual and raises many questions, but many feel they are saving money without buying insurance and feel they are clever enough to avoid any accidents.

Motorbikes are insured for the same reasons as a car would be insured, that is to safeguard the passenger and driver from unforeseeable events covering any extra expenses on damages and medical attention. Without motorbike insurance, you are an accident waiting to happen on the road, which could potentially cause a fatality and cost thousands in court fees. Furthermore, it is a legal requirement to buy insurance – failing to get this will lead to a very heavy fine.

The more people explain the risks of not getting motorbike insurance, the more likely it is that people will have this information drummed into them. Think of it from this point of view. Imagine you have bought the bike of your dreams; you have spent time of buying parts for it and have invested much of your own money on it. Then one day you find yourself unexpectedly involved in an accident, which results in the bike destroyed. Imagine how you would feel never being able to replace it with a new bike, because you cannot afford it?

This is where getting insurance will help you. There are different motorbike categories, which involve having your bike insured for fire and theft. This does not cover for third party injuries and damages to their vehicle. Other types involve third party cover and theft and fire. This will cover the costs of the third party vehicle but not your own. The final insurance policy is fully comprehensive that includes all of the above and cover for your own vehicle. The latter is more expensive, but worth the investment and will make sure that you are fully covered in every aspect should an accident occur.

Getting insurance will prevent you from paying thousands of pounds worth of damage charges and cover you from any legal costs. In addition, motorcycles have a higher risk in theft, accidents, damages and fires. They run faster than normal cars and cyclists are more at risk of causing an accident. Therefore, it is important to make sure that you buy the right kind of policy to cover you at all angles.

Riding a scooter is the perfect way to start your path into riding a motorcycle, however, it is still useful to gain experience alongside someone who has had years of experience riding a motorcycle. The best way of learning is to learn from a proper qualified instructor who can teach you the correct ways of learning as opposed to teaching you bad habits that others may indirectly teach you. Unfortunately when riding a scooter, the same rules apply to you as it does to a motorbike user, and that is purchasing a good comprehensive insurance package.

Scooter insurance can cost as much as a motorbike insurance policy, only the difference is you may have to pay on a motorbike depending on the make. As a first time motorbike user you will naturally have to pay more in insurance, as you are inexperienced and are at more risk of causing an accident. Furthermore, your license will be relatively new and many insurance companies look for licenses that have been obtained at a minimum of two years and are completely clean from any problems.

It is always a good idea to let the insurance companies know what CC scooter you ride, so they can calculate how much scooter insurance you pay based on the power of the scooter. Prior to this it would be a good idea to go online to compare prices, as this will give you a better idea on how much you will need to pay on average, rather than paying more than you should for an insurance policy that may be cheaper elsewhere.

If you cannot decide which company to go for it would then be a good idea to approach an insurance broker, as they will provide you with advice and guidance on the various policies available. It would also be a good idea to approach the insurance companies to select their cheapest insurance policies, they will quote you a price and if you have had enough time to research other companies then you will be able to do some friendly haggling.

If you think one company is quoting you too much, then you can move on to the next one or haggle with them to bring the price down. This is a good way to avoid paying too much and to get the insurance policy that you need. Without prior knowledge of what other companies offer you, there is no way you can make a realistic haggle as this will mean that you will not know what to ask for. Once you get to that level of finding the right insurance policy, make sure that you know what you are entitled to before signing on the dotted line.

Often people do not know the difference between different insurance policies. Always read up in the packages offered and select the one suitable for you. There are three main policies which are third party cover, third party including fire and theft cover, and fully comprehensive. The last of the three is the most expensive policy, however, it covers everything from medical costs to damage repair. Scooter insurance is not as competitive as car insurance; therefore, it is easier for you to get a cheap fully comprehensive cover as you will be riding a smaller vehicle.

Having an accident on your motorbike is never an ideal situation. After the accident, it is easy to get scared and confused about the steps to take next. It is important to remain calm in these circumstances and do the important next step of making the claim. One important piece of advice to keep in mind when making a motorbike claim is to remain honest with the claims representative. Due to fine print, if the insurance company finds out the policyholder was dishonest in any way, the claim and potentially the insurance cover will become void.

The first step in making the insurance claim is to call the insurance company to notify them of the accident. Most insurance providers have emergency claim hot lines, accessible 24 hours a day, where the policyholder can discuss their claim with a representative right away in order to report all the proper information. Usually they will give advice about how to proceed to ensure the process goes quickly.

When making the claim, you will typically need your policy number as well as any information about payment history. As long as the policy is paid in full, there should be no problem proceeding with the claim. What amount the insurance company will cover does depend on what kind of cover the policyholder had in relation to the claim. If the policyholder held third-party only insurance, the insurance company will not cover any damage to their vehicle.

Another major portion of completing the claim is interviewing the policyholder on the details of the accident, including any third-party members who were involved.  It is important to know the date and location, as well as time of the accident when completing an insurance claim. Any witnesses to the accident along with their contact information are important assets to the policyholder’s insurance claim as well. If the motorbike was damaged to the extent that it is unable to be driven home, contact the insurance company right away to make arrangements for relocation.

Usually insurance companies have approved garages for proceeding with claims. These garages work in conjunction with the insurance companies to ensure a speedy estimate and repair of the bike. The policyholder will have to pay the excess amount, determined by their policy, and the insurer will compensate the garage for the remainder when repairs have been completed. In some cases, depending on cover, the policyholder will be granted a hire bike. In most cases, however, the policyholder will opt to use public transit for the duration of the repairs.

Due to certain legal requirements, making the claim right away is integral to ensuring coverage for all matters relating to the accident. Certain delays, especially those regarding physical injuries, can result in higher costs for treatment. This, in the event of an extreme delay, can cause insurance companies to deny coverage for injuries incurred in the accident.

Even if there is no bodily injury, it is important to report the claim right away as to assure an accurate portrayal of events surrounding the accident. Being forthcoming with the insurance companies is in the best interest of the policyholder. It will result in the efficient progress of your claim and proper payment where due.

It is important when researching insurance companies, to look into how the claims process is completed. Looking at the process requirements will tell the potential policyholder a lot about how well the insurance company will care for them during the event of an accident.

Motorbike insurance is an absolute must and there are many options available on the internet to help you find the best rates with the best coverage. There are a great many sites offering cheap motorcycle insurance coverage but keep in mind that the most suitable choice. This option isn’t necessarily the most suitable option. You will need to research and analyze the coverage offered and at what cost. By comparing the offers from multiple carriers you will be capable of finding the best worth not only the cheapest provider.

Click for FREE online online bike insurance quote

There are multiple factors that go in to determining the price of your motorbike insurance and different companies’ rates will change depending on these differences. Other things include : the brand of the motorbike, the age and location of the rider, the experience level of the rider, what the point of the motorbike is ( commuting or pleasure) and how many miles you ride.

Now that you have found low cost motorbike insurance with the best coverage you wish to make sure that your rates continue to remain low. Here are some tips to make sure that you continue to get the best rates.

* Remain accident free and ticket free.

* Maintain a strong credit rating.

* Store your motorbike in a garage whenever possible, this can help duck burglary and will also help maintain your motorcycles "health" so it is less sure to break down and need repairs.

There are many advantages for getting multiple motorcycle insurance quotes.

Click for FREE online online bike insurance quote

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Motorbikes are becoming a more and more popular method of commuting in cities throughout the UK as roads become grid-locked with cars, trucks, buses and roadworks! Yet motorbikes still manage to weave their way through traffic and reach their destination on time – highlighting another benefit that biking has in comparison to driving a car. Not only can a motorbike traverse spaces that would be impossible in a car, motorbikes are also cheaper to maintain, have better fuel economy and it is much easier to find parking spaces in busy areas. In 2006 there were over 1.1million motorbikes registered in the UK, a figure which has gradually grown as popularity for biking rises.

In the UK, it is a legal requirement to be insured when driving on public roads. So, whether you’re a commuter who uses a motorbike to squeeze past gridlocked cars to get to your work on time, or a recreational rider exploring the UK’s country roads at the weekends, you’ll need adequate insurance cover to keep yourself and others protected while on the road.

However, it’s not only when driving a motorbike that you need motorbike insurance. Due to the design and size of motorbikes, they can be stolen and removed by thieves far more easily than a car, and as a result most general insurance companies deem insuring motorbikes as a high risk. However some companies specialise in motorbike insurance and appreciate that this is not necessarily the case. In fact, providing the owner implements some basic security measures a motorbike can be as low risk to own as a car.

For example, motorbikes should be parked in well lit areas and the frame should be secured to a fixed object with a sturdy security chain. To further deter would-be thieves, fit an approved immobiliser to prevent the engine being started without the key, and install a Thatcham approved alarm. You could also have a tracking device fitted to help the Police track your motorbike in the event it should it be taken.

Owners should also buy an ultraviolet pen to mark their motorbike with personal details and keep a copy of the serial number of their motorbike, so that if their motorbike is stolen it can be traced back to the theives by the authorities. By taking precautions such as these, you can reduce your motorbike insurance premium.

The most common type of insurance chosen by owners is a comprehensive policy. This level of cover ensures that in the event of an accident the policy holder will be fully insured for the market value of their motorbike, as well as the repair cost of any damage caused to a third party by the policy holder. Some policies even cover policy holders for personal claims against them, which in today’s litigious climate is certainly a comforting safeguard. This ensures that if you are unfortunate enough to have an accident, you won’t have to cope with a huge financial burden too.

It shouldn’t come as a lesson to anybody that, when you look after your possessions, most of them will last longer. However, judging from the volume of motorcycle riders who neglect to look after their bikes properly, you might think that nobody had given them this piece of advice. The number of bike enthusiasts not caring for their much-loved vehicles is high and, unfortunately, these people could find themselves missing out on years of life their bike could have offered had it not been for poor care.

If you’re a novice when it comes to motorbikes, it probably makes a lot of sense that if you keep your machine well-oiled, the more smoothly it will run. That’s why vehicles have to be taken for MOTs to ensure they’re in good working condition – because not only could they break down on us, but, if such an incident happens at an inopportune moment, an accident involving both you and others could occur.

If you look after your bike, your bike will look after you. That means keeping it clean by polishing and rubbing down all of the exterior bits and pieces – especially those that could rust if left wet. One of the cardinal rules of keeping a motorbike is not to leave it uncovered in the street. Particularly in countries with changeable weather, you never know when your bike could end up getting soaked and, although the mechanics and paint job should be built to withstand this, if you consistently allow your vehicle to get wet and do not dry it off properly, you could end up with rust, leading to damaged components and clunky handling.

When riding on your motorbike, simple things like avoiding unnecessary revs, utilising your petrol reserve efficiently and avoiding riding over pot holes and similar hazards can all go towards increasing the lifespan of your motorbike. Anything that jolts your bike unnecessarily could potentially be damaging – both to the bike and to you. Finally, getting good motorbike insurance is a very important must, which can provide you and your bike with cover should you get into an accident.

The harsh winter is now thankfully behind us and for leisure riders it’s close to the date to get your trusty motorbike out of mothballs and back on the road for a fantastic summer of motorbike riding. Now is the time to rediscover how to ride your two-wheeled pride and joy; the anticipation of being able to ride the open road is bound to soon prove overwhelming, as the days get lighter and the weather improves dramatically.

So, as spring starts to get into full swing it’s the ideal time to clean off the accumulated dirt and dust of winter storage and start the procedure towards getting back on the road. Whether your motorbike is a recently purchased expensive manufacturer, a faithful old runabout or something in between it is important to ensure that everything is mechanically safe and sound before setting out on the open road again.

First, start with a thorough wash and polish to restore the bike to its former glory. There’s no safety benefit to be gained from doing that, but it will put you back in touch with your beautiful machine. Check your tyres and if necessary inflate them to the recommended pressure; not only will your ride be safer it will also be more fuel efficient with correctly inflated tyres.

Next, perform a quick check for any oil leaks. Before moving off ensure that all lights are operating correctly; headlight, brake lights and indicators are essential for safety and if any bulbs are faulty, replace them immediately.

Also, before taking to the public roads don’t forget to ensure that your motorbike insurance is in order and that you haven’t overlooked your insurance renewal during the winter months. Then it’s time to set off for a test ride to make sure that everything feels fine and operates according to the owner’s manual. Take it easy at first and get used to being back in the saddle before really opening the throttle. Certainly ensure that your brakes are operating correctly at the very least!

But, it’s not just your motorbike that should be checked before summer biking begins. The open road can be a dangerous place even for the most experienced biker and therefore protecting oneself is of paramount importance.

Make sure that your motorcycle helmet is still up to the job, is comfortable and offers full vision. For example, any badly scraped or damaged visor or faceguard should be replaced with a new one. What’s more, ensuring that you have full body protection is also vital. A spill at any speed can cause significant injury if not wearing appropriate riding leathers and hard-wearing biker’s boots. So, as well as preparing your bike, prepare yourself and be ready to have a great biking summer!