Saga Group, the over-50s insurance specialist, has launched a new bike insurance policy.

A new study from the insurer reveals that motorcycling is big business amongst the over 50s and an increasing number of them are choosing to ride hard on two wheels.

Twenty-one per cent of all motorcyclists are aged over 50s with almost 700,000 owning a bike and a further one million yearning to be a biker. That's a total of over 1.7 million people with a thirst for the open road.

Eighty-four per cent of older bike riders said they have a motorbike because they love the freedom of being on the open road and 16 per cent stated they enjoy the thrill and danger of riding.

For a quarter - 23 per cent - of financially savvy over 50s, motorbikes offer a cheaper alternative to driving a car, while a further 17 per cent said that they enjoy the liberty of weaving through traffic on the commute to work.

Whilst over half of bikers over the age of 50 said they have always been bikers, almost 40 per cent stated that they have recently returned to biking, probably because they have more spare time and money as they have paid off the mortgage and the children have left home.

Senior riders

Around 42,000 people first get into biking once they have reached 50 - in fact almost 3,000 people over 50 passed their motorbike test in 2006 or 2007 and over 250 of these were women.

Motorbikes for touring are most popular among over 50s, with over a quarter - 26 per cent - owning one of these machines. A fifth of over 50s drive a no-nonsense standard bike, 14 per cent ride a scooter and over one in ten - 11 per cent - speed junkies own a sports bike.

Andrew Goodsell, the executive chairman of Saga Group, said: "With more over 50s than ever before taking to the road, it is a great indication that this age group is really embracing the idea of living life to the full."

This study marks the launch of Saga's new bike insurance product, which covers riders over the age of 50. The policy offers cover enabling bikers to indulge in their passion, safe in the knowledge that should an accident happen, they have an insurance policy tailored to their needs.

Pension biker

In certifying this new trend, an 80-year-old woman has joined a motorbike gang after memories of her younger years brought about her love for speed. Doris Roberts was given the chance to go on a motorbike ride by her nephew Wes Nicholson on her 80th birthday, according to a newspaper report.

Mr Nicholson took his elderly aunt out with him and his dedicated biker friends. Speaking about the gift from her nephew said, Doris Roberts said: "It was a big surprise and I didn't expect it."

She told the newspaper: "I always admire the bikes when they come into the village, although I don't like to stare too much."

Mr Nicholson explained that he had the idea when he spoke to his aunt about visiting a relative who was unwell. As the pair travelled, a group of bikers pulled up behind them riding Harley Davidsons.

Mr Nicholson concluded, saying: "Now, Doris is quite reserved and I just said to her 'fancy having a go on the back of one of those' and she said she used to ride on the back of a motorcycle quite a lot."