Puzzled by insurance

Gonebiking · L Plate Warrior Joined: 10 Jul 2011 Karma :

I have had a Yamaha 600 for several years but now I am past 60 years old with arthritis in my hands I decided to downsize to a 125, I went on a few compare websites and the insurance on a 125 is about £30 - £40 more than my most recent policy on the 600.
I can understand a higher policy on 125 for a learner or fairly inexperienced rider, but charging extra for a rider with 43 years experience and having never made a claim on my insurance is a bit puzzling, I think I'll stick with a larger bike with cheaper insurance.
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Andy_Pagin · World Chat Champion Joined: 08 Nov 2010 Karma :

It's all worked out by a computer using god knows how many variables. It could be as simple as a huge number of 125s getting stolen round your manor but very few 600s going walkabout.

Have you ridden a 125 lately? Personally I don't think I could (mentally) handle that sort of downsize.
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Baffler186 · World Chat Champion Joined: 31 May 2013 Karma :

125s are involved in more accidents in built-up areas and at junctions, so carry more risk. This might be because more 125s are ridden by younger people without a full license.

I can't find any data on theft but I'd assume more 125s are stolen because a) they're lighter and easier to nick, and b) tend not to be wrapped up in chains in the owners garage like bigger bikes tend to be.

I pay £96 a year for my 650, and I was paying about £120 for my 125 (with L plates). When I did quotes for my 125 with full license, it only came down to about £100.

Think about cars: I pay 3 times more to insure my Fiesta than I do my SV650. Because there are so many more cars on the road than bikes, far more numbers of cars are crashed or stolen. Even though my Fiesta is a snail compared it the SV. It's all about the statistics.
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Polarbear · Super Spammer Joined: 24 Feb 2007 Karma :

As others have said, it's all about statistics.

The fact you are an experienced rider is only 1 statistic of many in the algorithm.

And a 125 after a 600? just no. Too restricted.
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pepperami · Super Spammer Joined: 17 Jan 2010 Karma :

I have my 600 of lovelyness.
I wanted a smaller bike, but a 125 was just to little for a lump like me.
I went for a 250, happy days Thumbs Up

winner winner Thumbs Up

.

I get to keep my license Wink

better economy, lower tax, and reasonable insurance.
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doggone · World Chat Champion Joined: 20 May 2004 Karma :

weasley · World Chat Champion Joined: 16 Oct 2010 Karma :

For a 600 the Thundercat is pretty insurance-friendly anyway, so you are starting from a pretty good place. As said, 125s are associated with accidents and theft and insurance risks are based on probabilities.
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Ste · Not Work Safe Joined: 01 Sep 2002 Karma :

The big table of statistics tells them who cost them what.

The 125 insurance quotes are £30 - £40 more than your most recent policy on the 600, how much does insurance for the 600 cost you?

- · Super Spammer Joined: 22 Oct 2013 Karma :

Yep, 125's will statistically stand more chance of crashing or getting nicked. It's not just the rider who carries all the risk. Local scrotes will go after 125's more than a 600.

I'd be looking at something a little bit bigger than a 14bhp 125 though. For bad wrists, something like a WR250F Yam will offer a nice upright, wide bar position and weighing around 115KG wet, will be as light as most 125's, but with 30+ bhp to keep up with traffic.
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Copycat73 · World Chat Champion Joined: 11 Jan 2013 Karma :

the insurance on my DRZ400 was cheaper than the DT125R .. by £100 .. never figured out why exactly.
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Ste · Not Work Safe Joined: 01 Sep 2002 Karma :

Gonebiking · L Plate Warrior Joined: 10 Jul 2011 Karma :

going for a 250 or 400 instead, just for the winter months, then back on my Thundercat from next April weather permitting.
I am getting some good quotes online for insuring a 250/400 and there are some fair examples on Ebay.
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suburban myth · Spanner Monkey Joined: 13 Feb 2013 Karma :

- · Super Spammer Joined: 22 Oct 2013 Karma :

thx1138 · World Chat Champion Joined: 06 Oct 2005 Karma :

yeah I went from a 650 to a 125 and insurance went up

ThunderGuts · World Chat Champion Joined: 13 Nov 2018 Karma :

Insurance is just algorithms of risk factors; type of machine and their tendency to be crashed/stolen etc. is one of them and a significant one, so even if your risk factors based on age/location/licence are low, your premium is going to be affected by the machine too.

The trick is to find a 125 that nobody rides, e.g. one that was used in the 60s or something, so any remaining ones are probably pootling about with caring owners on sunny dry days, then you might find the premiums are lower.
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