Struggling to understand insurance logic

[stuartadair]

Someone explain this to me.

Am just in the process of getting an insurance quote for No1 son, 1992 GS500. He's on a 33bhp restricted licence.

If I dont mention that the bike has a restrictor fitted, and is therefore the full 48bhp (Or whatever it is) then I can get the price down to £18 per month.
Mention the restrictor kit is fitted and it jumps to £84 per month.

So, by reducing the power of the bike he's paying 4 times as much.

[Nexus Icon]

It's a modification and the website goes no deeper than that. Try an insurer like Swinton who neither ask nor care about restricted licences and see what they say. As long as he's riding within his licence why would they care?
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Greetings from Shitsville!

[Charlie]

They are counting it as a modification and therefore increasing the price. Seem to remember it happening with me so I rang and queried it on the phone. The person at the other end decided it was just as easy not to record it and that I'd be fine as the modification was required by law to enable me to ride the bike.

I'd recommend giving them a ring
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Past: Honda x8rs, Honda City fly, Honda Hornet 250, Honda VFR750, Yamaha xt600e.
Current: Honda CBR929RR & Yamaha XT660Z Tenere

[Skudd]

They presume full power is equal to a full license, or it may be that not many people have crashed a full powered bike but loads have done on the restricted bike.

My nephew was quoted £1,300 for a 600 bandit, but only £300 for a 750 Africa Twin. His age group didn't ride ATs and loads of his mates all crashed bandits.
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Famous last words of Humpty Dumpty. " Stop pushing me "
Petty Anarchists look at "1984".............. The Visionary looks at "Animal Farm".

[J.M.]

[stuartadair]

Thanks for the replies. I'm minded just not to mention the restriction. He's on an A2 licence so surely they know that his bike would have to be 33bhp anyway ?

[G]

The obvious one would be that people who ride bikes with a 33hp restricter listed as a modification are much more likely to be involved in an accident?

[Wonko The Sane]

The day after passing my A2 (also restricted license but I'm still on my 125cc so that doesn't matter.

I got my CBT in the summer, passed A2 in November about 6 months later, rang up the insurance company to be told that would be a fee of £150 to update my license on their records to a full license. They then continued to explain that this is because their computer sees me as a new and inexperienced rider (despite taking 3 days of training to do my tests) and that what they normally do is put a note on my policy stating that I have informed them that I have a full license and thus am insured to ride in accordance with my licence (so motorways are allowed) but no pillion entitlement.

annoying but fair with regards motorways and pillions I guess, but overall, stupid.

come renewal time I'll be changing insurance companies.

[P.]

Don't quote for it.

They'll ask for a certificate of some description anyway... never declare that as a mod.

Never buy your son a GS500 either

[mentalboy]

Not sure this is correct. I've just had a quote for the Zed at £183 fully comp or with the 'Blade as well it was £260 - inclusive of all the mods the 'Blade has had (handlebars, can, upjet, datatag, fairing removal, conversion of subframe to single seat set up, respray, etc)

It is more likely, surely, that the insurance companies recognize that you are a restricted driver - therefore little experience on a large machine - and that if you're not on a restricted bike then you're likely to have more than two years on a large machine. Of course this logic falls down for all those who have no experience but the money to do a DAS course.
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Make mine a Corona.

[tbourner]

Insurance is weird. Having my wife with provisional licence added to my car policy always reduces the quote. I'm guessing because any time she's in the car (with someone experienced sitting next to her and telling her to obey speed limits etc) she's very unlikely to crash - certainly not badly anyway. You'd think me having not crashed in 13 years on a full licence would make me a good bet, but obviously not as good as a learner.
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Trev, now a biker?
Looking for first big bike.

[Polarbear]

[st3v3]

My insurance's advisor told me over the phone 'mods are classed as things that increase speed or performance, so if it doesn't, don't declare it'.
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Roger wrote: Women don't get damp for clingy puppies. Get some better happy pills, hit the gym & buy a medallion the size of a dinner plate. Job done

[mentalboy]

[Rogerborg]

Any agent or broker will tell you any old pack of lies to get their commission. What matters is what the underwriter thinks.

Many of them are car insurers who also dabble in bikes. They're the ones who will treat any modification as though it were turbo-nitrous and shag you.

More clued up bike insurers like MCE, Carole Nash and eBike are likely to give saner quotes. eBike in particular let you list everything and add pennies to the quote.

One exception might be the (claimed) largest bike insurer, Bennets, who offer a nice big comprehensive list, and then shaft you anyway if you're daft enough to be honest.

tl;dr version: find an insurer who only distinguishes between "provisional" and "full" licenses, tell them that kiddo has a "full" license (which he does, according to their definitions), don't list the restriction, ride.
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Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike