The secret to getting the best deal on motorcycle insurance is not really a secret at all. Its just plain common sense. If you think like an insurance company you will quickly master the “secrets” and potentially save yourself a lot of money at the same time.

1. Driver age and experience — your age and driving experience is already set. But be aware that younger and less experienced drivers inevitably pay more for their insurance. Driving experience includes your accident and claims records. Fewer accidents and fewer claims mean lower insurance costs. This is one area you do have control over as time goes on.

Drivers of any age can make a difference in their rates by taking a motorcycle driving safety class. Not all insurance companies, but many will give credit for the successful completion of a certified safety class.

2. Bike age, cost and modifications — Of course the more expensive the bike and more risk to the insurance company and the higher the cost of the insurance. Especially if you make modifications to the bike, insurance costs can skyrocket. That’s because the cost of replacing those modifications is often high.

If you are a younger first-time biker you can significantly reduce your insurance costs by buying an older, lower powered and less expensive bike. Conversely newer model and higher powered or racing bikes naturally have higher replacement and accident risks and therefore higher insurance costs.

3. Bike location and security — where you store your bike and the security devices attached to your bike can make a big difference in your insurance costs for theft. If the bike is stored in a secure garage as opposed to outside or in a high risk neighborhood, insurance companies will favor you with lower rates.

Similarly bike security devices can have a significant impact on insurance rates. Check with your insurance company to see if discounts are provided for bike immobilizer devices. These can be found for $100 or less and they can provide a nice savings on your insurance policy.

4. Safety for drivers and passengers — most if not all states require you to wear helmets these days. If you don’t you can be sure the insurance company will charge you more simply because the risk of a serious accident is much higher. The company may also give rate reductions when you use other safety equipment. Check to find out.

Insuring passengers is expensive but necessary. Make sure they wear the same safety equipment and have the same coverage as you. You may not realize it, but bikers are sued more often by passengers than anyone else. If you typically do not have passengers you should be able to pay less for your insurance.

Once you have bought your bike a number of these factors are pretty much locked in. So it’s worth your while to think about this before you buy and or when you are changing bikes. You can save yourself a lot of money in your insurance bill if you take these factors into consideration.

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