Rider cover or bike cover
Bike (vehicle) cover follows the registration; rider (personal) cover follows you onto any bike or into any car. For a rider with one bike and one car, personal cover is often the cheapest way to cover both. For a bike that several people ride, vehicle cover is simpler.
The exclusions to read first
- Engine size and type. Some policies exclude mopeds under 50cc, some exclude electric bikes, some exclude trikes and sidecar outfits.
- Modified and competition bikes. Track use is never covered; heavily modified road bikes may be.
- Age of the bike. Classic bikes can hit the same 16-year caps as cars.
- Pillion. Confirm the passenger is carried in recovery.
- Luggage and accessories. Rarely covered beyond the bike itself.
Recovery equipment
A bike needs a van with a ramp and proper restraints, or a dedicated motorcycle trailer. Ask the provider what their operators use. A general car recovery truck with a bike lashed to the deck is a common cause of damage complaints.
Home start and winter lay-up
Bikes that sit over winter frequently fail to start in March. Home start covers this; roadside-only does not. If you SORN the bike for winter, check whether cover is suspended — some policies require the vehicle to be taxed at the time of the call-out.
Touring abroad
European cover for motorcycles is available from the main providers and is essential for touring: a bike cannot be left at a foreign garage and collected later in the way a car sometimes can. See our European motorbike cover guide.