Compare UK motorbike insurance

• Third-party, which covers any injury or damage caused to other people or their property as a result of your actions.
• Third-party, fire and theft. As above, plus the cost of repairing or replacing the bike following theft or damage caused by fire.
• Fully comprehensive. This includes cover for all of the above, but as well as for yourself and your bike should you be injured or the bike damaged following an accident. 
  
  

There are as many as 22 possible insurance groups that your motorbike could fall into, though most bikes in the UK will be classed between groups three and 17. The lower the number, the cheaper your insurance is likely to be, though there’s no hard and fast rule on what group your bike will fall into – different insurers have different criteria and as such will categorise your bike differently. 

That said, the scale normally depends on the performance and engine size of the motorcycle, so 125cc motorbikes will usually be in the lower insurance groups (typically between groups three and six), while high-performance bikes of 700cc and above will generally be in higher-numbered groups (17+). Though the exact placement of your bike will always depend on the individual insurer. 

Gap insurance is a specific type of protection that covers the difference between the amount you paid for your motorbike, and the amount you’d be offered by the insurance company to replace it if it was stolen or written off. It can be useful if you bought your bike brand new, for example, when depreciation means there’s likely to be a dramatic difference between the price you paid and what it could be worth in a few years’ time. It could also be beneficial if you bought your bike on finance, and would therefore still owe the full loan amount even if it was written off. Yet it won’t be essential for everyone, it’s important to carefully consider the options available to ensure you’re getting the best deal.

Read more in our guide to gap insurance.