The downturn of the current economic climate has left many motorists struggling to keep up with their finances.

As ongoing modifications in the prices of road tax, car insurance, maintenance, fuel and other car expenses along with the increase in general living costs take place, more motorists struggle to meet costs as a result.

As an alternative, the number of people viewing bikes as a cheaper option than their current vehicles as well as public transport has increased, according to the Motor Cycle Industry Association (MCIA) in June this year.

Why motorcycles could benefit you

Replacing a car for a motorcycle could make finance problems drop significantly according to Craig Carey-Clinch of the MCIA who stated that they can save time and money as well as being easier to park and can beat congestion.

Owning a motorcycle has many financial advantages. They are cheaper to run than cars as they consume approximately 50 per cent less petrol. They are also more flexible in traffic therefore saves more fuel as well as being easier to repair and maintain.

However, previous research has shown that motorcyclists are now playing almost half as much for fuel today than they were only two years ago. Yet the total expense of motorcycles is still cheaper than the total expense of a car.

Road Safety

However, according to spokesman, Graham Littlechild, of Highways Agency, motorcyclists are 35 times more likely to be seriously injured or even killed than other vehicle drivers.

Approximately 20 per cent of the 1.2 million motorcyclists in the UK are killed or seriously injured on Britain’s roads.

The growing popularity of motorcycles in the UK had raised many concerns of the importance of driver safety according to motorcycledirect.co.uk.

The MCIA has recently revealed that it will work alongside the motorcycle training sector in order to improve road safety.

Insurance Policy: Precautions

Because the risk of serious injuries and even death is higher in motorcyclists than drivers of other vehicles, it is important to be aware of safety precautions before riding a motorcycle.

Furthermore, in the case of an accident, some motorists may find that their insurance may not provide the maximum compensation the rider is entitled to.

Not wearing an appropriate five star helmet could result in less compensation as the insurer may argue that the motorist is partly responsible for any injuries as it could have been prevented.

According to a leading independent helmet testing laboratory, insurers would argue that motorcycle riders who invest in a low-rated helmet may not get as much compensation as someone who invested in a five-star rated helmet even if the accident was not their fault.

The number of cases where the rider did not receive as much compensation due to a low-rated helmet has been growing suggesting that insurers pay more attention to the quality of the helmet.

In September this year, Head of Protection Evaluations, Paul Walker said: “I expect those cases to come along in due course, when certain clever lawyers working on behalf of insurers say you chose a one-star helmet so your claim for half a million can be reduced to £100,000.”