The Bikeshite Thread

[gtd2000]

Are MCE dogshit for insurance? They are cheaper than any other insurer by at least 20%, no matter what options I go for.

Presume they scrimp on service in order to undercut the competition?

 

Any recommendations of who to check other than the usual comparison sites?

I had a very good quote from one insurance company Footman James or the other one that sounds the same..Peter James?

 

Was £117 for four bikes but when I went to take the policy they asked from my VJMC membership number, which I didn't have and was under the impression brought my policy price down by roughly a tenner, turned out it went up to over £240 without it!

 

I had other quotes in the lower £120 ballpark, so firstly phoned Carole Nash who originally quoted £235..they came down to £127 for 4 bikes, fully comp, breakdown cover (including EU) and unlimited mileage! They even threw in a "DNA" anti theft kit. 

 

Find out what the going rate is and don't be afraid to call up and haggle, it worked out very well for me, was only looking for TPFT and minimal mileage cover.

 

That was for an '86 GSX-R750, '95 Kawasaki Zephyr 550, '15 Lexmoto ZSB 125 (now sold) and a '75 Honda C70.

 

Probably be through the roof next year but I'll just do the same thing again.

[Fat_Pirate]

One of the guys I work with had a lot of grief with MCE over a fully-comp claim, which fits everything I've read about them.  I've been with Hastings Direct and Bennetts, but haven't had to claim so can't say if they'd be any better.  Have you tried MCN Compare?  

[srad34]

@nyphur Insurance costs are very specific to the rider, bike and location. To keep the cost down, dont go crazy on cover (They would write an old bike off at the drop of a hat), agree a higher excess for a lower premium, restrict your miles, tell the its completely standard and you dont ride at peak times.

 

Even if the above is not strictly true and you declare everything, insurance companies will always try and wriggle out of a claim.

My train of thought has always been to get the lowest cost and never make a claim. I only have insurance to keep me legal, nothing more.

[Guest Hooli]

I had a very good quote from one insurance company Footman James or the other one that sounds the same..Peter James?

 

Run by brothers I think.

 

/useless info

 

 

I stick with Carole Nash as you get full euro breakdown (4 calls a year) and they cover both my bikes on one policy which some others struggle to do as they aren't similar bikes.

[Jazoli]

@nyphur Insurance costs are very specific to the rider, bike and location. To keep the cost down, down go crazy on cover (They would write an old bike off at the drop of a hat), agree a higher excess for a lower premium, restrict your miles, tell the its completely standard and you dont ride at peak times.

 

Even if the above is not strictly true and you declare everything, insurance companies will always try and wriggle out of a claim.

My train of thought has always been to get the lowest cost and never make a claim. I only have insurance to keep me legal, nothing more.

 

 

That's all well and good if the bike only owes you a few quid and you can stomach the loss, it's a bit different if you've just lobbed a 10k bike into a field, I go for a silly high excess and then insure that for about £30 a year, it made my premiums significantly cheaper.

 

Also you should be declaring mods, as they will use it to try and wriggle out of paying up, most of the time it makes very little difference to the premium paid.

 

I get what you are trying to say about just doing it to be legal but if your insurance company voids the policy because you've not declared mods or have misrepresented your circumstances then you haven't been legal at all and could end up with an IN10 on your license

[Jazoli]

What sort of premiums are they coming up with?

 

MCN compare is usually pretty good, also try Carole Nash if you haven't already, you may be finding out that sports 600's aren't the easiest or cheapest things to insure when you are a new license holder, there is a reason why folk buy Fazers/Bandits/SV650's and the like

[Dave_Q]

It's a funny old game insurance.

 

Because I'm quite sad like that, when shopping for my latest bike I did a poopload of comparison quotes to see what insurance was like before buying.

 

Here is my list.

Gilera 50 £159Burgman 250 £219

CB500 £223

GS500 £223 £108 TPFT

GPZ500 £223

Burgman 400 £230

Diversion 600 £252

SV650 £262

Bandit £262

GSXF600 £287

Monster 600 £292

Fazer £300

Diversion 900 £301

Hornet £319

GSXF750 £345

Pan European £361

Thundercat £362

ZZR600 £362 £189 TPFT

CBR600 £362

RF600 £368

VFR750 £410

GSXR600 £446

ZZR1100 £446 £224 TPFT

VTR1000 £467

Thunderace £488

RSV1000 £506

ZX6R £227 TPFT

All those prices were fully comp for me unless noted (35, 3 years no claims, bike outdoors in a medium risk postcode)

 

Of note is the fact that it only worked out to be about £70-80 more in insurance to go from 0-60 in never (the 50cc Gilera moped I had before), to a 600 or 650cc with 0-60 in 4ish seconds. Probably because those Gileras are thief magnets.

 

All the unfashionable / "sports touring" 90s 600s are about the same price, with newer or more serious sports kit another 30% or so more.

 

The ZZR1100, once the world's fastest bike, is the same to insure as a GSX-R600 (think that quote was for an SRAD).

 

Your quote doesn't seem terrible for a new rider, if you can keep it shiny side up for a year or 2 you should see prices drop considerably.

[Jazoli]

It certainly gets cheaper after a couple of years if you don't claim, I don't think I have paid more than £200/yr for anything for the last 10 years but I live in a very low risk postcode, have a garage and full NCD, currently paying £127 FC on a new 10k bike

[Dave_Q]

In the end I went TPFT on the SV for £130, naturally they bummed me for another 50 quid or so when I moved house (and started garaging it!) because insurance.

[Guest Hooli]

Out of interest how much worse than the 125 are these quotes?

 

When I passed in 2007 my insurance was exactly the same price on a Suzuki RF600 as it was on the GY125 chinese off roadery thing I had before. A whopping £147 TPFT, parked on the front garden with no security on one of the worst estates in Worthing.

[Guest Hooli]

Ouch, bit of a difference then.

[bangernomics]

Run by brothers I think.

 

/useless info

 

 

I stick with Carole Nash as you get full euro breakdown (4 calls a year) and they cover both my bikes on one policy which some others struggle to do as they aren't similar bikes.

They sent me a written quote calling me 3 different names in the same letter.

[bangernomics]

I paid just under £300 on vfr1200 with 4 years NC garaged but in theftville (Manchester)

 

Hastings admin fee victim though so the t80 cost 19.50 plus £25 to add on gits!

[John F]

Footman James now cover motorbikes over 20 years old on their multicar policy, it cost me practically nothing to add my CBX750F to my multicar policy (and you get cover for other bikes, although they also have to be over 20 years old).

[UltraWomble]

Can I just reiterate once again:

 

I would rather sandpaper my bollock bag smooth than insure my bike with Bennets ever again.

 

Thanks.

[Faker]

Regarding annual mileage....

 

I've my little minter Kawasaki Z250 coming up on 5 years now... in that time I've done 17 miles on it... the day I got it!

 

My Suzuki GSX750 I've got about 2.5 years... in that time it's done 22 miles... again... on the day I got it..

 

I've a Honda C90 cub. Have it 12 years. I've never ridden it...

 

It really is scandalous..

[srad34]

That's all well and good if the bike only owes you a few quid and you can stomach the loss, it's a bit different if you've just lobbed a 10k bike into a field, I go for a silly high excess and then insure that for about £30 a year, it made my premiums significantly cheaper.

 

I am poor and could only dream of owning a 10k bike, dont think my four bikes are even worth anywhere near lol

[Eddie Honda]

Quite a few companies I've called refusing to quote too. I'm 32 so thought I wouldn't have too much bother.

Ah but a rookie.

 

For some crotch rockets, they'll refuse if you less than 3yr NCD regardless of age.

 

Just like car insurance, you'll find that smallest isn't cheapest and some 1100 beast that's unfashionable will cost buttons.

 

That's why I ride a granddad's bike.

 

Another thing, if you're single they'll think you're reckless and irresponsible.

 

...I remember the days of rider policies and not being able to have anything more the TPO until aged 28. #oldcodgerpatter

[Jazoli]

I am poor and could only dream of owning a 10k bike, dont think my four bikes are even worth anywhere near lol

 

I'm poor too, I just don't drink or smoke and don't make frivolous purchases (unless you count motorcycles), I drive a £600 Bora and have holes in my boots, bikes are my weakness, and the salesman was very persuasive, plus the monthlies are less than my mates sky TV package! 

[srad34]

Ah but a rookie.

 

For some crotch rockets, they'll refuse if you less than 3yr NCD regardless of age.

 

Whats a crotch rocket?

[Eddie Honda]

Whats a crotch rocket?

https://www.collinsdictionary.com/us/dictionary/english/crotch-rocket

[Jazoli]

I'm just waiting for him to call car drivers cagers next to get the full house of cliches!

[srad34]

https://www.collinsdictionary.com/us/dictionary/english/crotch-rocket

 

Sorry I just assumed it was a phrase from the olden days!

[Cavcraft]

Hmm, metal bodied Scomadi TT range out now, but no sign (yet) of the 200. Really fancy a silver one and tempted to chop my TL200 against one. 

 

[hairnet]

I'm poor too, I just don't drink or smoke and don't make frivolous purchases (unless you count motorcycles), I drive a £600 Bora and have holes in my boots, bikes are my weakness, and the salesman was very persuasive, plus the monthlies are less than my mates sky TV package! 

poor yes (but i save up see below)

drink smerk nope frivoulous maybe usa twice this year and thai in nov - the old git drives a 800 quid panda i bought her and while i dont have holes in my boots i only have 3 pairs of footwear to my name

 

and have been wearing the same clean clothes for about 15 years

 

bikes travel cake - thats me

[hairnet]

Hmm, metal bodied Scomadi TT range out now, but no sign (yet) of the 200. Really fancy a silver one and tempted to chop my TL200 against one. 

 

i really really dont squeak and i dont like going to the hairdressers

 

is chester handbag city

[hairnet]

oh i dont pay and havent paid more than 100 quid fc for a bike since about 2003

 

iz cos old (have had some rockets but not atm)

[New POD]

Almost 140 miles around the Peak District as a test went well yesterday too, it's more comfy & grippy than the old cover. I'm told 14 is comfy for pillions to as my new squeeze was on the back & enjoyed the Cat n Fiddle.

is it open again. last time I went past it was shut up.

[Ghosty]

Nah, I think the pub is dead to the world.

[Jerzy Woking]

Bike insurance is one of the few problems I have in life. Although old, living in a nice rural area, some of the quotes I get at renewal time are so wildly different I can spend hours shopping around.

 

Can't find a company that will insure more than 4 bikes on one policy, so I have to have seperate policies to keep them on the road (a 4 bike policy with Carol Nash, a 2 bike policy with Bennetts, 2 single bike policies with Bennetts and a single bike policy with MCE), as this is the cheapest way to do it. I recently sold my twenty year old CBR600, so took that off my Carole Nash policy, and replaced it with my Aprilia RS 250 (worth over 6 times as much as the CBR) so can accept the £51 hike in cover costs. But not the £40 administration fee!

 

Been riding and driving (and insured) for the last 44 years, and never had to make a claim on my own car policy, but had to make two claims on the other parties insurance after being knocked off my bike twice (once in 1986, second time in 2003). Don't drink or smoke now - bikes are my only addiction and expense.