Hitchcocks Forum

hi all my r-e lightning is almost ready for m.o.t.not had a bike on road for a bout 6 years  can any body recomend a broker to use.is there any that offer discount for limited mileage, owners club member.thank you

ebike is very good, especially if your bike has lots of modifications.  I switched to them after being told by both Carole Nash & Footman James that they wouldn't insure my 612cc Bullet due to the non-legal exhaust (a goldie).  Both of my modern other bikes also have several modifications (1 of these also has a decidely non-legal exhaust).


I must stress that CN & FJ both said they won't insure ANY bike fitted with a non-legal exhaust, which is probably fine for older classics, for which there is no real definition of a 'legal exhaust'.  NB: don't confuse this exhaust legality issue with MOT requirements.  The risk would be an insurance engineer inspecting your damaged bike and then rejecting the entire claim due to a non-legal exhaust - which is what they both told me would happen.


If you have a non-legally-marked silencer fitted to a modern Bullet (or other bike) that's insured with CN or FJ, I advise you to check the situation with them. 

I have tried all of the companies over the years and at various in the past they all took turns at being Best Vaule For Money (cheapest).


Then I discovered Peter James Insurance. It was Peter who co-founded Footman James and then sold the company.


Peter James Insurance operate from the Midlands. You will get to talk to a real person who is friendly, helpful and knows about bikes. They will do agreed value if you need it. Then to top it all they are both friendly and the cheapest. In my case anyway.


I make all the normal disclaimers as I am no more or less than a very satisfied customer. 


 

I always start with a search on Confused.com. 


I returned to biking last year after many years away, no no-claims or anything, and got a great quote through Confused from Just Motorcycle Insurance, which I think might be a branch of Carole Nash.


Admittedly, the bike is standard, but it costs nothing to give Confused a try.


Good luck.

Even though Footman james give a RE Owners club discount, it was still cheaper to go through Bennetts for me this year. 1999 Bullet 500


 

As I said earlier I have trid Footman James, Carol Nash and Bennets etc BUT Peter James has always beaten them all. That is for both my collection of classics and my modern Hinckley Thruxton.


Confused.com, meercats etc etc are fine but do not cover everybody remember.

hi mate i changed to "direct choice" they beat everyone else for my bikes. i was quoted nearly £180 for my yamaha dragstar by carole nash and direct choice quoted me £80, they wanted £140 for my electra, direct choice gave me it for £70. shop around mate. wolf.  

you have to shop around and play one company off against another, they really don't like being undercut. That said I'll probably stay with  Bennetts / Zenith for this year even though my premium has gone up exactly 1 penny to £80. 01!

Peter James has my business

What is it with insurance companies. I only paid £85 TPF&T for the Bullet 500.


Just had a quote on a 50cc moped which I wanted for short shopping trips and it is £130 TPF&T.


How does that work out then, maybe they now think I am a spotty oik in need of a chav chariot.