Motorcycle ownership is on the up as more older men turn to motorbikes as a way of recapturing their youth. Others see motorbikes as a handy way of beating increasing congestion in major cities.
As a result motorbike accidents are on the up also, meaning that insurance companies have to pay out more and costs rise for everyone.
Inexperienced motorcycle riders are being blamed for this increase in the amount of accidents on the road. More and more inexperienced riders are on the roads which has equated to companies paying out £22m to meet claims from motorcyclists last year, compared with £19m in 2006.
Over 3 million people currently hold a bike licence to ride a motorbike in this country, but less than half of them are believed to ride regularly and could be classed as experienced riders.
If you are involved in a crash while riding a motorbike rather than a car, you are more than four times more likely to be killed or seriously injured according to statistics.
The Association of Chief Police Officers have admitted that motorcyclists being killed or seriously injured on the road is a growing problem.
A spokesman for the Association of Chief Police Officers said that “There is obviously little we can do to stop these people with disposable income from spending it on high-powered motorcycles, but we are doing what we can to stop them from killing themselves.”
Norwich Unions underwriting manger Nigel Bartram identifies older riders as the main at risk groups, saying “we are seeing a big increase in those buying sports bikes for a hobby. They hit their 50s, have a bit of spare cash, had a bike when they were younger, think about buying a sports car and decide to get a fast bike instead.”
He says that in addition commuters are adding to the problem as they opt for bikes as a time and money saving technique when they are really very inexperienced riders who know little about riding a motorbike.
“The other group is commuters, who buy small mopeds for short journeys to work to save on petrol, car tax and parking charges. But again, they get on bikes with no or little experience and can be placing themselves at risk,” he says.
Ian Crowder from the AA agrees that they have seen a rise in the number of middle aged bikers, saying “Our claims experience clearly shows that there are increasing numbers of middle-aged men trying to regain their youth by buying big powerful bikes, which they are unused to riding and unable to handle.”
These two groups, middle aged men and commuters, who are considered to be the highest risk groups are also the biggest buyers of motorbikes. Between them they comprise seventy per cent of all riders.
Bennetts, one of the largest motorbike insurance providers in the country says that 35 per cent of its policies are taken out by middle aged hobby riders with another 35% taken out by commuters.
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