Motorcycle Insurance Articles
How To Find A Motorcycle Insurance Quote For Customized Bikes
2010-09-22
Customized bikes are a riders dream in many cases. While stock motorcycles are great and can come with a myriad of options, many riders want to put their own stamp on a bike, either through their own work or through a specialty shop that works exclusively on customized bikes. Due to their open and easy to access nature, almost any part on a bike can be customized - from wheels to chassis to engine. This allows a great variety of options for a rider to make the bike unique and create something that they will be proud to ride for years. Unfortunately, this can mean a much higher motorcycle insurance quote, due to the nature of a customized bike. Insurance companies often have trouble determining the exact value of such a bike, and are hesitant to insure it for what its approximate cost to replace may be. Here are some tips on getting a motorcycle insurance quote for a customized bike.
First, have the work done at a reputable and licensed shop, or be able to show that you had the skill and knowledge to do the work yourself. Next, have the bike inspected by your state's department of transportation and get a certificate issued saying this has been done. Both of these things will lead the insurance company to see your bike as an investment rather than simply a hazard. Next, get an appraiser to value the bike. Extra parts and components can significantly increase the overall replacement value of a bike and showing that you know the exact value of the bike will make it much simpler to insure in the long run. With a certificate of appraisal, you will be able to demonstrate to the insurance company the exact cost of the replacement of your bike, down to the last part.
Next, be prepared for higher premiums. Customized bikes mean custom quotes and they mean paying more per month to make sure your bike is protected. If paying more per month is not an option, another choice may be to increase the amount of your deductible. This will lower overall monthly costs, but means that any accident could be extremely costly before insurance will begin to pay out on a policy. However, this may be a viable option if coverage is needed but a new monthly payment simply cannot be tolerated.
While finding insurance for customized bikes takes work, it is worth it to protect such a large investment. Knowing that a work of art is protected while on the road is often worth a larger cost to riders, as they would be devastated to lose something they have worked so hard on.