Classic bike insurance

Historically, and similarly to classic car insurance, a motorcycle must have been registered before 1978 to be determined as a classic. However, these days many insurers offer modern-classic policies for bikes built between 1983 and 1998. You can apply to stop paying vehicle tax if it was built before 1978.

If you’re buying a classic motorcycle from abroad, you’ll need to register your bike through the DVLA as an imported bike. More information on imported bikes can be found in our guide.

From Triumphs to Royal Enfields to Harley Davidsons, classic motorcycles often need a different type of insurance in place protecting them. The policies will vary between insurers, but some of the options and extras you might want to consider looking for in a policy include;

• Fully comprehensive cover - This level of cover will be of the most use when it comes to carrying out repairs on your bike after an accident. It offers the highest level of protection, and means an insurer will help arrange and pay for repairs to your classic bike if it is damaged. You can read more about the various levels of cover in our guide.
• Agreed values – Most classic motorcycle insurance policies will allow you to set and agree a value for your bike when the policy starts. Since vintage and classic bike values can vary depending on model, rarity and condition, this is an important figure to agree before the policy starts.
• Limited mileage discount – Many classic bikes are kept on display or as projects for much of the year. If you don’t ride your bike often, you may find some insurers willing to offer discounted premiums. You’ll just need to make sure you don’t exceed any mileage limits you agree to as this may lead to additional charges later on.

Other factors to consider when taking out classic motorcycle insurance include;

• The amount and type of cover you need will vary from bike-to-bike, and rider-to-rider
• To help you understand what will suit you, take a look at our motorcycle insurance related guides, which include information on the different types of bikes, and how your insurance is calculated
• To help you find the right cover, our comparison service lets you quickly compare up to 40 insurers policies and premiums