Insuring modified motorcycles

Unlike cars, bikes are far more likely to be modified in some way, so when you compare bike insurance be sure to include any details of modifications to ensure you don’t misinform in anyway and therefore invalidate your insurance.

Mods can be a difficult area for insurance providers to rate the differing risks, because bikes can be made so individual.

When rating the risk for a modified bike, insurers will look at the repair and replacement costs, and also if it is more appealing to thieves. It’s also worth keeping hold of the original parts. If you intend to eventually sell the motorcycle on as original parts are worth far more than aftermarket add-ons.

Do mods mean my insurance will cost me more?

Small modifications, like different indicators, a set of crash bungs or a coloured screen shouldn’t add anything to the cost. But if you have got a custom paint job or an engine tune, even a fuel injection kit like a Power Commander, it may do. Either way you should always declare it, a failure to do so could invalidate the policy.

If the modifications add value to the bike or increases the performance significantly over standard, then the bike insurance companies will compare it to the standard machine, giving it a higher risk rating and therefore meaning you may have to pay an increased premium to cover it.

A £5000 Suzuki Bandit 1250 that has been made into a streetfighter would cost 20% more to insure than a bog-standard £3000 bike. If you are still not sure, it always pays to pick up the phone to your broker.

Cooling off period

Mistakes happen, after all, that’s the supposition for most insurance, and it’s possible that your newly-chosen motorbike insurance doesn’t give you the cover you thought you had.

In that case you have a 14-day cooling off period that allows you to get your premium back by cancelling the insurance for your motorbike, less any time that you were on risk and an “administration charge”.