Motorbike Insurance for New Riders
Kevin Harvey
New riders pay more for motorbike insurance than experienced riders. That is a straightforward fact of how the market works rather than anything unfair. Insurers price on risk, and someone who has never ridden on public roads is a higher risk than someone with five years of clean riding history. The gap narrows significantly after your first year, faster if you ride safely. Understanding what drives the cost and what you can do about it makes the whole thing less frustrating.
What the Law Requires Before You Ride
Before a motorcycle or moped can be ridden on public roads, two things must be in place. You need a valid certificate from completing your Compulsory Basic Training (CBT), and the bike must be insured to at least the minimum legal standard.
The CBT is a one-day course covering essential road safety skills. Once completed, it lets you ride a motorcycle up to 125cc (or a moped) on L-plates for up to two years. During that period you cannot carry a pillion passenger or ride on motorways. The CBT must be renewed every two years if you have not passed your full motorcycle test.
Third party only insurance is the legal minimum. It covers damage and injury you cause to other people and their property, but it does not cover damage to your own bike or any injuries you sustain. Third party only is the floor, not the recommendation.
The Three Types of Cover
Motorcycle insurance comes in three levels, and the right choice depends on the age and value of your bike as much as anything else.
Third party only is the minimum legal requirement. It protects other road users if you cause an accident but provides no protection for your own bike or yourself.
Third party, fire and theft adds cover for your bike if it is stolen or damaged by fire. It still does not cover accidental damage to your own machine.
Comprehensive covers damage to your own bike in an accident, regardless of fault, alongside the third party protections. Counterintuitively, comprehensive policies are sometimes cheaper than third party only for new riders, because insurers associate riders who choose only the minimum cover with higher overall risk. For a new bike or any bike with meaningful value, comprehensive is usually the right level of cover.
What Makes Insurance More Expensive for New Riders
Several factors combine to push premiums up for anyone new to riding.
No riding history. Insurers have no track record to assess. The absence of a no-claims history is the single biggest driver of cost for new riders.
Age. Riders under 25, particularly those under 21, pay more. Statistical claims data shows younger riders have a higher likelihood of making a claim.
Bike choice. Engine size, the bike's value, its theft risk rating, and its insurance group all affect the premium significantly. A high-value or high-performance bike will cost more to insure than a modest one.
Location. Urban postcodes attract higher premiums due to greater theft risk and higher accident rates. Where you park the bike overnight matters too.
Annual mileage. Higher mileage means more exposure and a higher premium. If you are only riding occasionally, a lower declared mileage can reduce the cost.
How to Keep the Cost Down
There are practical steps that make a genuine difference to what new riders pay.
Choose the right bike. Starting on a smaller, older, lower-value bike reduces the insurance cost considerably. A modest 125cc with a low insurance group rating will be significantly cheaper to insure than a newer or more powerful machine, and it is a sensible starting point while you build your riding skills and no-claims history.
Consider a telematics policy. Black box or telematics policies fit a device to the bike (or use an app) that monitors your riding. Riders who demonstrate smooth, safe behaviour are rewarded with lower renewals. For new riders who are confident they ride carefully, a telematics policy can produce meaningful savings from the first year.
Invest in security. Garaging the bike or using approved locks, chains, and disc locks reduces theft risk and can bring the premium down. An alarm or immobiliser approved by a body such as Thatcham Research also helps. Insurers ask specifically about overnight storage, and it affects what they quote.
Take your full test promptly. Passing your full motorcycle test removes the CBT two-year restriction, lets you ride more powerful bikes, and signals commitment and competence to insurers. The sooner you do it, the sooner you start building the clean licence history that brings premiums down.
Consider advanced rider training. Courses from organisations such as the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) or the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) are recognised by some insurers and can attract a discount. They also make you a measurably safer rider.
What to Look for When Comparing Policies
Premium is not the only number that matters. A few other policy features are worth checking before you commit.
The excess is the amount you pay towards any claim. A high voluntary excess reduces your premium but means more out of pocket if you do need to make a claim. New riders, who are statistically more likely to need to claim, should be cautious about setting a very high voluntary excess to reduce their upfront cost.
Agreed value versus market value matters if your bike is older or modified. Market value settlements pay out what the bike was worth at the time of the claim, which can be less than you expect for a depreciated bike. Agreed value policies fix the payout in advance, which provides more certainty.
Helmet and leathers cover is worth checking. Some policies include this; others charge extra or exclude it entirely. If you have invested in good protective kit, confirming it is covered makes sense.
Pillion cover, legal expenses cover, and breakdown cover are worth considering depending on how you plan to use the bike. They add to the premium but can provide significant value if you need them.
You can get a motorbike insurance quote to compare what is available for your bike and riding profile.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need insurance before I can take my CBT?
Yes. You cannot legally ride on public roads without insurance in place, including riding to or from your CBT test centre. Many learner riders use a short-term insurance policy for the CBT itself if they do not yet have their own bike. If the training centre provides a bike, your training fee typically includes the cover you need for the duration of the course, but check before you book.
Can I be added to a parent's motorbike insurance as a named rider?
Some insurers allow a learner or new rider to be added as a named rider to an existing policy, though not all will accept this for someone with a CBT rather than a full licence. Where it is available, it can be a way to build some riding history. However, any claim on that policy will affect the main policyholder's no-claims bonus, which is worth discussing before proceeding.
Does my no-claims bonus from car insurance count for a motorbike policy?
Usually not. Most insurers treat car and motorcycle no-claims history separately. A clean car record does not automatically translate into a motorbike discount. A handful of insurers do recognise car no-claims on a motorcycle policy, so it is worth asking when you compare, but it should not be assumed.
Will my premium automatically drop after my first year?
If you ride claim-free through your first year, you will build one year of motorcycle no-claims bonus and your renewal should reflect that. The drop from year one to year two of clean riding is typically the most significant reduction you will see. After that, premiums continue to fall as your history builds, though the annual decrease tends to level off after several years of clean riding.
HowMuch Holdings Ltd. is an Introducer Appointed Representative of Seopa Ltd, FCA FRN 313860. Insurance comparison services are provided by Seopa Ltd.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Always seek independent advice before making financial decisions.
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