Classic Motorcycle

Tips For Insuring A Classic Motorcycle

You can insure your Classic Motorcycle through most major insurance companies, but it is often a better investment to shop for coverage with companies which specialize in the type of insurance that you need. These specialty companies know the value of your custom or classic bike, and they will offer you the right type of insurance to cover your machine against damages. Once the correct coverage for your Classic Motorcycle is in place, you will be protected in the event of a total loss, since you will receive the true replacement cost less any deductible amount with no depreciation.

There is one type of add-on to your motorcycle policy that you can get from most regular insurance companies and the specialty shops as well. This coverage is called "Agreed Value Coverage, " and in this particular policy the insurer and insured come to an agreement on what the full collector value may be for your bike. The cost of your coverage will be adjusted to meet the replacement value of your machine accordingly. I learned about this special type of coverage when I had a 1971 MotoGuzz. I learned quite a bit about this process when researching rates for that particular bike.

Of course there are caveats to consider with these special policies, and one of those is that many insurers will demand an appraisal of the classic cycle before any policy will be written. This is handled during the negotiating phase of your insurance policy purchase, and is also the time you need to have your background information in hand so that you are as educated as possible on your insurance options.

There is one thing that is certain; unless you have the classic cycle stored in a museum or showroom and never actually drive it, then you may be able to save quite a bit on your insurance by carrying only the "Agreed Value Coverage." However, if you drive it even just once a season then you would probably still want to insure your motorcycle with liability, comprehensive and uninsured motorist coverage as well. This way you can make a claim in the event anything happens to you motorcycle when you are riding your bike or when it is in storage.

One of the primary benefits of this agreed value policy is that the coverage is not subject to a lesser payout due to depreciation, and in the event of a total loss you will be paid the full amount of what you had agreed upon with your insurance agency. Of course this will be less any deductible amounts that you have written into your policy.

When I had my 1971 MotoGuzzi I found that my regular insurer had the best deal going, since I already had my cars and home insurance with them. Since I was only an occasional rider, they found other discounts that kept my premiums low as well.

So if you have a collectible or Classic Motorcycle, then it would be wise to shop with both regular insurance companies and the specialty companies who deal with classic motorcycles. You may be surprised when you learn which companies offer the best coverage with the lowest rates!

By Michael MrTechnical Hewitt - Technical person with varied interests. Published numerous articles on DeWalt.com, syndicated articles to Scripps Networks, AT&T, Yahoo! News Written over a hundred operation and maintenance manuals, inclu...

Classic motorcycles, come in all shapes and sizes. Which bikes have help define your era or biking life?
Well hopefully there won't be too many closed minds answering this question but I am sure there will be some. Anyway I was reading this article http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/main.jhtml;jsessionid=41FF3JVVJ0NPVQFIQMFSFFOAVCBQ0IV0?xml=/motoring/2008/02/02/mfclassbike102.xml on the Yamaha FS1-E and it brought back so many memories of younger days and I realised just what a bike that was for those of us growing up in Britain at the time. It is a world away from what I ride now and indeed I never owned a Fizzy but I realised just how much that bike meant to so many of us back in those days. Those of us who lusted after one and the ones lucky enough to have the cash as a 16 year old to get one. If you want to say 'Jap Crap' or similar or 'real men ride ......'. That is not what I am asking for. Share with the rest of us the bikes that maybe had an effect on your generation, lest us know where on the planet that was and why it was such an important machine.

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I have 2 classic motorcycles, but can't find any other like models being sold to find out what they are worth.
One is a 1972 BMW R60/5 and the other is a 1976 Honda CB 550. I can't find like models for sale anywhere. Who has a good idea of value?

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Where can I find a book on restoring/fixing my classic motorcycle?
I'm looking for some kind of tear down/rebuild type manual that will assist in me fixing my old motorcycle. Specifically a 1975 Honda CB305T. I had a manual like this when I was fixing my Jeep, but I've yet to find one for motorcycles. Thanks for any info and/or links that you'd be able to provide. ... and I'm not interested in taking it to a dealer or a bike shop to have them restore the bike. This is a project that I want to take on myself. My bad... CB350T (not CB305T)

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Why is it you never see Sport bikes listed in the Classic Motorcycle shows or Mags?
Sport riders seem to always say that the Harley riders are always bashing them Most of the time I see them kicking up all the dust. So what?s the deal? I have never really seen any Classic Sport Bikes.You might see an old Ducati motorcycle But they had the fast 250cc back in the 1960. And they are 90degree tiwn or a L tiwn. Are sport bike not old enough to be called classics or do they just meet the test of time?

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