How much does Imported Bike Insurance cost?
Want to get an idea of the average cost for Imported Bike Insurance in the UK? We've provided some examples here...
Honda Dream 50 50cc Value £3,000.00
Yamaha SDR200 195cc Value £4,000.00
Honda VT1100 Shadow 1099cc Value £5,000.00
Benelli TNT 1130K 1130cc Value £7,000.00
Although British motorcycle manufacturers such as Triumph, BSA and Norton has produced some of the most iconic and successful motorcycles in history, there is no doubt that imported vehicles have made a huge impact on the lives of many local riders.
Brands like Harley-Davidson, Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha, Piaggio, Vespa and Aprilia are all household names that riders revere, and the differences in their style as well as construction gives motorcyclists more choice when it comes to choosing a model that best suits their preference.
Imported two-wheelers have always been around, but if you ask British manufacturers, they would probably say that the critical time period when the presence of foreign models was really felt would be the late 1960s to the 1970s.
This was the time when Japanese heavy industries were going incredibly strong, meaning they were able to produce a massive number of motorcycles to take advantage of economies of scale.
Another key event which occurred around this time was when the US government mandated that all motorcycle imports must have their gearshift and brake pedals in the Japanese configuration.
Up until this point, the US had been a key market for British producers such as Triumph; however, this condition meant expensive retooling of all the motorcycles for US sale which made exporting less profitable.
How do I spot an imported bike?
So, what are the differences you should bear in mind when deciding whether to purchase an imported motorbike or one made in Britain? Here are a few pointers:
- The clock or speedometer on imported bikes maybe in kph rather than mph. You can potentially buy or swap them to get the right metric.
- The headlight beam might point to the right instead of the left.
- Bikes from some countries are limited to 100 bhp so their power outputs can be lower than UK made bikes. Machines sourced from France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and some U.S. states may have been produced to adhere to local restrictions. For example, European regulations stipulate power limits of 100bhp, and US bikes have to follow rules regarding emissions.
There are plenty of styles of to choose from if you are interested in buying imported models. Just to give you an idea, you can go for heavy and large machines like Harley-Davidsons, quick and snappy café racers from Royal Enfield, a light and reliable vehicle from Honda, or a little Italian Vespa for casual urban riding.
The most often cited benefit of buying imported vehicles is that they can provide fantastic value for money. There are also some innovative features that modern British bikes lack.
What are some examples of popular imported bikes in the UK?
Some of the bestselling imported motorcycles in Britain include:
- BMW S1000R Sport
- KTM 1290 Super Duke R
- Ducati 899 Panigale
- Honda CB500F
- Harley-Davidson FXSB Breakout
- Yamaha XV950
- Kawasaki Z1000SX
How do I get an insurance quote for my Imported bike?
All you need to do is provide us with some information about yourself and your super sport bike such as; your annual mileage, driving/riding history, your location and occupation then a member of our friendly insurance team can give you a quote.
Call 0345 872 3614 today, or use our online quote portal.
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