Motorbikes are now becoming a increasing popular form of transport on the roads of the UK, with new bikes on the market ranging in price from £1,000 to £20,000 according to model and specification, you will find that most motorcycles on the market irrespective of how much they are, do not come fitted with satisfactory security measures. So when buying a bike it is important that you buy the right insurance policy that fits the needs of your motorbike.

Many owners of motorbikes park them in garages during the long winter months. Statistics show that in the UK around 10,000 motorcyclists cancel their bike insurance policies over the winter every year. However even when bikes are locked in a garage bikes still remain a risk, this is because it is common knowledge among thieves that many motorcyclists store their motorbikes in garages over the winter. It is reported that around six hundred motorbikes are stolen every month. So if you were to fall victim to bike theft and you cancelled your policy you cannot make a valid claim. Instead of cancelling your insurance premium over the winter you could reduce your cover, doing this could save you money and still retain cover for fire and theft over the winter.

When it comes to insuring your motorbike there are usually two main types. One policy is Specified rider policy; specified rider policy is a policy where it covers the rider not the actual bike. The advantage of this cover is that that it will allow you to ride any motorcycle.

The other policy available is Specified bike policy, specified bike policy is a policy that will only cover the motorbike and not the rider. The advantage of this policy is that should you wish to insure a number of riders on the same bike, this would be a good policy to have.

Unfortunately for most motorcyclists, especially younger riders, end up having to pay high premiums for their insurance policies which reflect the increased risk of their chosen method of transport. Some of the key factors affecting premiums are: age, this is because they have a large accident rate compared with mature riders and the damage they can cause to themselves is very often costly and long lasting.

Also your occupation can be a factor that can affect your insurance policy, this is because workers who spend many hours on the road travelling going from one location to another will be subject to higher premiums. This is not because of t the quality of driving is worse, but that the more hours that are spent on the road the more likely it is for accidents to occur. Many motorbike accidents are caused by other drivers carelessness but very often it is those same drivers who are under insured making the recovery of costs that much more difficult, if not impossible.

Another factor that can cause high premiums is location, this is because if you live in a criminal hotspot than the risk of you becoming n victim of theft increases which is then reflected in your policy.

In a recent survey conducted on the owners of a 350cc bike were insured against third party fire and theft only. The survey also discovered that a 17 year old was three times more likely and a 21 year old twice as likely to make a claim as a 25 year old owner.

A frustrating feature of motorbike insurance policies is that motor cyclists are not able to get discount bonuses. However you may be able to get some form of discount should you be able to remain claim free for a few years with the same insurance company, but this is usually a rare occurrence.

Most motorbikes depreciate quite rapidly in value and should you ever be a event of a material damage claim, insurance companies will only pay you the current market value of your bike. In these circumstances it may not be worth paying the additional premium for comprehensive cover over you maybe better off with. third party, fire and theft cover.