It appears more and more older people are taking to the roads on two wheels, as recent figures suggest up to a fifth of UK motorcyclists are made up of ‘born-again’ bikers – those over 50 who haven’t ever owned a motorcycle or haven’t ridden in decades. This shows there is clearly a market for providing cheap motorbike insurance for older riders.

The older generation tend to have more disposable income in recent years, as salaries increase or children leave home. This means they are often free to purchase their dream motorcycle such as a Triumph or Harley Davidson, or spend money on those motorcycle lessons they always wanted.

However when it comes to motorbike insurance, older riders will likely come across the same problems as all other riders, and that is finding a cheap insurance quote. The problem stems from the fact that insurance providers see bikers as a greater insurance risk than other vehicle drivers, and unfortunately traffic accident statistics back this up. While motorcyclists make up just one percent of all UK road traffic, they are involved in almost a fifth of road user deaths.

Older motorcyclists will have one obvious advantage over younger riders in that their age will normally mean greater road experience and less chance of making dangerous decisions than younger riders. This is evidenced by the fact that older riders tend to ride more conservative bikes like touring motorcycles rather than sports bikes, further showing they are less likely to turn into ’speed freaks’.

There are other ways mature motorcyclists can reduce their motorbike insurance premiums. Simple things like keeping the bike in your garage will help reduce insurance costs. If you don’t have a garage, it may still be financially beneficial to rent garage space for your motorbike. Failing that, investing in approved locking and alarm devices to beef up your bike’s security will certainly help. Basically, anything that will reduce the risk of a claim to the insurance provider is likely to reduce the bike insurance premium.

Another way of reducing insurance costs for older riders would be to accept a higher level of voluntary excess. This is the amount of money you would be prepared to pay out of your own pocket towards any potential motorcycle insurance claim. This would show the insurance provider that a claim will cost them less to cover and so would likely reduce the premium you need to pay.

The level of cover required will obviously also play a big part in the amount paid. The usual three options apply – fully comprehensive, third party fire and theft (TPFT), or third party only.

As ever with any motorbike insurance search, make sure to look at as many comparison sites and get as many quotes as possible to ensure you find the best possible deal. With some insurance companies specialising bike insurance for the over 50s, there’s a good chance you will find a great deal out there.