Insurance is too high for young the motorcyclists

Ready Bike ^ | 9-5-12 | Deang

[deang]

High premiums are affecting the young demographic & hurting the sales of motorcycles. One study says that the insurance costs are really high and this is a big problem for the motorcylists who are young.

Jeff Stone, who is a Public Relations and Media Manager for an organization said that the young people need to pay more for the insurance than the bike itself.

[Casie]

The only guy I knew that owned a motorcycle as his only means of transportation died riding it 2 years ago. He had just gotten engaged, and was no older than 26.

[deang]

Oh Thats so sad

[AlaskaErik]

I just paid $149 for a one year policy on my Harley.

[entropy12]

There is a good reason why young motorcycle riders are called “organ donors”.

[calex59]

He should have been more careful. I have been riding them since I was 20, I am 70 now and still haven’t died in a motorcycle accident, neither have any of my friends who still ride after 40 or so years. Yep, people die in motorcycle wrecks but they die in car wrecks also, even with all the extra metal and plastic surrounding them.

[dfwgator]

"The Motorcycle Insurance Premiums are too damn high!'

[Myrddin]

I’ve been riding for 40 years. My insurance is only high because I have 7 bikes. The two small dual sport bikes may be sold as I’m never home to ride them. The Harley may get upgraded to a larger model. I’ve ridden 40,000 miles since August 2009...exclusive of 5 months off for a Winter at home.

[JDoutrider]

Just paid $128 for a years worth of state mandated insurance for our two Harleys... Not bad, then again my wife and I are both in our sixties and clean DMV records...

[F15Eagle]

“Insurance is too high for young the motorcyclists”

Uh, just to help out, should the “the” not be in there?

FWIW (yes, saw it on the link)

[SWAMPSNIPER]

Vehicle insurance is too damned high, period!

[Roccus]

In the mid 60’s I couldn't afford car insurance (NYC) so I got a used 350 Matchless. Showed up for my road test on it (no ‘Operator’ license and MC licenses had not yet been started)) and the testers didn't know what to do with me. After making me wait till all the auto tests were finished (I had been first in line) they huddled up and I heard one say, “I'm NOT getting on the back of that thing”. Ended up going 1/2 block and returning in three directions with three ‘U’ turns to end up back on the same corner. When I got my license in the mail, under ‘Restrictions’ it read, “Limited to two wheel vehicles.” A couple of years later I bought a car and had to take an Operator's test, but the old restricted license grandfathered me into the MC classification.

[Casie]

I am very happy that you guys have not been injured. :) Everyone who drives gets into an accident sooner or later, many times through no fault of their own. The article was about young riders. I was just sharing my story and remembering my friend. I do wish he had bought an old F150 or something instead.

[deang]

Oh thats so costly But for Harley $149 is good. I pay only 20$ per year to insure my bike

[deang]

Thanks for the watch dear......Really appreciated

[Cronos]

I used to ride bikes for nearly 6 years. yes, they are dangerous, you can minimize the risks, but only so far.

[CalvaryJohn]

That has got to be the worst piece of writing since Dreams From My Father.

[Cronos]

I don't think it's fair to say the guy should have been more careful. my best friend (and motocyle touring buddy) died in a freak accident last december. This guy was a careful biker -- we had done bike tours up and down the east coast, from Edinburgh to Berlin, along Oman's coast and down to the southern tip of India and to the Ladakh himalayan range.

No accidents.

And he died just a few miles from home when his bike stalled and he got tossed off and landed badly.

Freak accidents happen.

i was normally near paranoid about car drivers (who dont' really watch out for bikers) -- quite often the other idiot could hit you.

[F15Eagle]

I’m used to going back over things I did on the web. Some of it is really hard to see when it’s your own stuff.

[Venturer]

I started on my on an old Cushman my Dad got because it threw it’s original rider.
My Dad had a bar and the guy came in for a drink right after it threw him, and he left it with Dad.
I was about ten and I couldn’t reach the seat, so I stood in the middle of the thing.
I have been riding ever since and will be 70 in October.

I have owned many different motorcycles and belong to four separate Motorcycle clubs.

The rules for insurance on motorcycles is in general, about the same as automobiles. You buy a Mustang with a big engine and you pay more than you do for a Toyota Camry. You buy a Hayabusa and you pay more than for a Harley Cruiser.

Insurance is predicated on risk, and sport bikes are more risky than Cruisers, and for good reason. Ever drive down the road and see a Harley cruiser pulling a wheelie?
You may not like the straight pipes, but even that sounds better than the scream from a Crotch rocket winding up.

There are two kinds of riders, Those that have been down and those that are going down. Going down at over 100 mph is usually fatal.

Yes : the sport bike riders will disagree with me, but there really is no need for a motorcycle in America that will exceed 180 MPH right out of the box.If it’s there sooner or later some fool will try it.

[harpu]

Saw some young punk riding his rice rocket the other day on I-20 and...he was TEXTING.

Yeah, it's a shame the youngsters have to pay sooooooo much for their insurance.

NOT!

[Sirius Lee]

Ever drive down the road and see a Harley cruiser pulling a wheelie?

No, 'cause they suck.

[Venturer]

Your opinion does not match the thousands of owners of Harley Davidson Motorcycles.

I do not own one, I ride a Yamaha Venture now , but I have owned several Harley’s and they are fine rides.

If you merely want to go from one bar to another on one wheel of course they are not the bike for you.

If you wish to ride a thousand miles to Daytona,Sturgis,or any other rally, you might want to try one, or tow your sport bike down.

[Myrddin]

Funny you mention an F150. That's what I used to tow the Harley and/or Versys to San Diego. I ride the bike in good weather. I take the F150 on bad weather days. The risk of riding on a rain slick street doesn't make sense. It's not just a problem for the bike traction. The drivers of cars/trucks run a risk of spinouts on the rain slick roads.

It is not uncommon for a new rider to overestimate his/her skill as a rider or make the same misjudgment about the equipment or road conditions. Even experienced riders reach a point of complacency and confidence that is sometimes over the line. Eternal vigilance is a necessary complement to enjoying travel on a motorcycle.

[SoldierDad]

My dad was killed on his motorcycle 5 1/2 years ago (2006 Honda Goldwing). For an unknown reason, while riding on a well maintained county road, with no known traffic on the roadway, he got off onto the soft shoulder and was unable to recover back to the road. His bike landed on him, causing extensive trauma.

His best friend of 35+ years, who had ridden with my dad all over the U.S., believes he was most likely attempting to light a cigarette. He told me my dad would often light up while riding, and he had witnessed him wobble many times before.

My dad was 68 at the time of his accident. Today would have been his 73rd birthday. This weekend, to honor my dad, I will take my Goldwing for a ride. Rest in Peace, dad. We miss you.

[SoldierDad]

The young riders who I’ve witnessed doing wheelies in rush hour traffic doesn’t help their complaints against high insurance costs either.

[steve86]

No required liability for motorcycles in Washington State and I wouldn’t purchase it if it was. Had fun the last couple months rebuilding my girl’s (will be when she grows about another inch) Kawasaki KE100. A blast to ride offroad now as it is slimmed down to under 172 pounds. Feels like 122. Rotary-valve two-strokes forever!

[Myrddin]

He told me my dad would often light up while riding, and he had witnessed him wobble many times before.

Smoking is hazardous to your health. I've often wondered if the higher auto insurance rates for smokers are related to the potential for loss of control while "lighting up". Condolences on the loss of your dad. I don't blame the motorcycle. It was a calculated risk. You only get one miscalculation.

[Myrddin]

I have yet to ride a two stroke bike. Mine have always been 4 stroke engines. The smallest was a 175cc twin (Honda CB175). A couple big thumpers (BSA 500cc and Suzuki DR650SE) followed. The Yamaha TW200 and XT250 are the current little thumpers. The bikes that get road time are the Kawasaki Versys (650cc parallel twin), Harley XL1200R (1200cc v-twin) and Yamaha Roadliner (1954cc v-twin).

I would like to upgrade the Harley to either a Fat Bob with 103" engine or Super Glide Custom with 96" engine. The 1200cc is a 74 cu in engine. A windshield and backrest would be added to the base package. I don't want bags on it. The Yamaha has the full package if I want hard bags.

My wife rides a Piaggio BV-500. It has a 460cc fuel injected single cylinder engine. Twist and go. Satisfactory for streets and freeways.

[steve86]

I believe I have seven bikes at the moment also +/- 1, but will be selling a couple in the near future.

[SoldierDad]

I'm guessing there is an increased risk of accident while smoking due to loss of control while lighting up, or when dropping a cigarette/cigar. I use to smoke (been smoke free for 23 years), and had dropped cigarettes in my lap while driving. I never had an accident (lucky, probably). On two wheels there is much less forgiveness.

Thank you for your condolences. I don't blame the motorcycle either. If my dad was trying to light a cigarette, then he errored. Other possibilities include an animal running in front of him (deer and coyotes are abundant where he crashed), or some medical problem he had (heart attack, stroke). Since no autopsy was performed, we'll never know for sure.

[Myrddin]

A pot hole, animal or even a gust of wind are also possibilities. He was doing what made him happy. That's exactly why I ride my bike. It's a mental break from hours of coding and chasing deadlines. My sons are age 25 to 32. No young children left to raise. I want to derive some enjoyment from life while I'm fit enough to do so. Riding my bike is what I have time to include in my schedule. It's mostly the daily commute.

[Myrddin]

I gave my youngest son permission to use my XT250 on condition that he passes his written test at the DMV and takes the Star motorcycle safety class. The XT250 and TW200 haven't been used since shortly after purchase in late summer 2008. The XT250 was purchased used with 640 miles on the odometer. I doubt is has passed 800.

My wife has a Vespa LX150 with 268 miles on the odometer. She outgrew it almost immediately. It has been on consignment since September 2008. Nobody seems to have any money to buy it. I had hoped the high gas prices would make an 80 MPG scooter attractive.

My middle son passed his written and skills test in 2008. His favorite bike is the TW200.

[SoldierDad]

If my dad could have chosen a way to shuffle off these mortal coils, he would have selected going out on his bike. He was indeed doing that which he loved most. Most people can't say that. My youngest is 26. My wife and I are raising a grandchild (age 12), but, if anything happens to me she will be well cared for.

Twenty plus years ago I owned a mid-sized bike. It needed work, and my children were young, so I let it go. I regretted doing that, but that's life. I was presented with an opportunity last September to purchase a used Goldwing (GL 1200) for a price that I could not turn down. The rest is wind in my face. Thus far it's been mostly pleasure riding, with a number of trips involving the PGR thrown in. Next week I'm riding my bike to work - I commute on Monday and Friday, living two hours from my employer. My job requires that I transport a lot of materials - I'm a school psychologist, and most of my work involves administering psychometric tests. I'm now down to the point of the year where I have little testing left for the year. So, I won't need to carry much from now on.

[Myrddin]

Sounds like a good time to shift to a commute on the Goldwing. My facility security officer rides a teal colored Goldwing every day. It's his trademark. Ride safely and enjoy!