A recent survey by a prominent bike insurance company in the UK has revealed that speed bumps are motorcyclists' biggest irritation.

According to a poll of a 1,000 bike insurance customers, 38% of bikers found low-lying speed bumps to be the greatest annoyance. A further 61% said that they should be removed from the roads.

The poll also found that 11% of motorcyclists had to repair their motorbike following damage caused by speed bumps.

The second highest irritation point was bad/inconsiderate drivers (22%) followed by road works (14%) at third. Tailgaters (11%) was the fourth and the fifth position went to middle lane hoggers (9%).

A top ranking official from the bike insurance company said: "Unfortunately speed bumps are here to stay, and although they are disliked by the motoring population, they still remain an effective speed deterrent."

Bike suspension is more sensitive to speed bumps than car suspension, he added. "So if a speed bump is hit too quickly, then damage is likely to be caused.

"Claiming for these repairs through bike insurance can prove costly in the long run as it will affect a motorist's no claims bonus."

They advised bikers to take extra care when passing over bumps to ensure no permanent damage is caused to their bike.