CoverMapWhat riders are paying in 2026
Confused.com publishes the price half of its customers paid or less, known as the median:
- £291 for January to March 2026
- £273 for August to October 2025
These are prices paid by people who bought through one comparison site, so they lean towards riders who shopped around. Your own quote depends on your age, bike, postcode and riding history. Our motorbike insurance guide explains the main price factors in more detail.
1. Compare quotes at every renewal
Confused.com lists comparing quotes as a way to pay less. MoneySuperMarket says it compares quotes from 41 motorbike insurance providers.
2. Declare your real mileage
Insurers price partly on how far you ride. MoneySuperMarket lists lower mileage as a way to save.
Confused.com advises giving an accurate mileage and suggests checking your bike’s MOT history on GOV.UK to work out what you really ride in a year.
3. Choose a higher voluntary excess
The excess is what you pay towards a claim. Devitt says voluntary excess options typically run from £50 to £500 in £50 steps, and a higher amount can lower your premium.
The trade-off: you pay more if you claim. Only pick a figure you could afford to pay at short notice.
4. Pay annually if you can
Confused.com and MoneySuperMarket both suggest paying annually, and Confused.com says monthly instalments typically include interest. Check the total amount payable on any monthly quote, not just the monthly figure.
5. Improve security and where you park
Broker Devitt says some insurers give “up to 15% off the premium” for recognised security devices. Confused.com adds that insurers may only let you select one device on a quote, so extra locks don’t stack discounts. A locked garage or shed can also lower your price.
Check a device is recognised by your insurer before you buy it. Our motorbike theft and security guide explains Sold Secure and Thatcham ratings, garage vs street parking and the lock conditions insurers apply to theft claims.
6. Take an advanced riding course
Advanced training can lower premiums with some insurers, though none of the sources we checked publishes a standard discount. MoneySuperMarket says “some providers will give you a discount”. Quotezone’s guide, last updated in 2023, notes that whether the course cost outweighs the discount “really depends on your insurer, the course you do and how powerful your bike is.”
| Course | What it involves | Published cost |
|---|---|---|
| IAM RoadSmart Advanced Rider | Training over 3–6 months, then an advanced test (Confused.com, 2023) | £148 for the test plus local group membership (IAM RoadSmart, 2026) |
| DVSA Enhanced Rider Scheme | An assessed ride of about 1–2 hours (Confused.com, 2023) | Varies (MoneySuperMarket) |
| BikeSafe | Police-led motorcycle safety workshop, no formal test | £78 (MoneySuperMarket, Sep 2026) |
| RoSPA advanced riding | Advanced riding test | £70.83 for the test (MoneySuperMarket, Sep 2026) |
Source: IAM RoadSmart, MoneySuperMarket (28 September 2026), Quotezone (2023), Confused.com (2023), Bennetts (February 2026). Prices checked October 2026.
There are other incentives. IAM RoadSmart offers BikeSafe graduates 10% off its Advanced Rider course, and Bennetts gives riders who complete a BikeSafe workshop in 2026 a free three-month BikeSocial membership. IAM RoadSmart has said its members have collisions on average every 15,000 miles, against 9,400 miles for other riders (as reported by Confused.com in 2023).
Before you book, ask your insurer which courses it recognises and how much it would take off. That tells you whether the course pays for itself.
7. Think about the bike and any modifications
Confused.com says bikes in lower insurance groups cost less to cover, with 50cc models typically in group 2. MoneySuperMarket lists choosing a smaller, less powerful bike and avoiding modifications as ways to save.
Quotezone’s 2022 analysis of more than 40,000 quotes found modified bikes averaged £554 against £365 for unmodified ones. These are 2022 figures, not current prices, but they show the size of the gap. You must still declare any you make. If you are choosing a first bike, our learner motorbike insurance guide covers licence categories and engine limits.
8. Drop cover you don’t use
Confused.com suggests dropping pillion cover if you always ride alone. MoneySuperMarket also suggests removing add-ons you don’t need.
On cover level, Confused.com says comprehensive is “often the cheaper option” and MoneySuperMarket says it is often the cheapest, so compare all three before assuming the lowest level costs least.
The opposite applies to use. If you deliver food or parcels, you need hire and reward cover. Leaving it off to save money can leave you uninsured. See our delivery rider insurance guide.
9. Insure several bikes on one policy
If you have more than one bike, Devitt says multi-bike insurance “allows you to insure multiple bikes on one policy, reflecting your NCD across them all. It can be a cheaper way to insure more than one bike.” Confused.com also lists multi-bike cover as a way to save.
10. Lay the bike up over winter
If you don’t ride in winter, you have two main options:
- SORN: a Statutory Off Road Notification is free on GOV.UK. Quotezone says you aren’t legally required to insure a SORN bike as long as it stays off the road. You must tell your insurer separately, and cancellation fees may cancel out what you save.
- Laid-up cover: specialist policies cover a stored bike against fire and theft only. Lexham’s version “does not cover your bike on the road”, needs the bike to be SORN and kept in a locked garage or outbuilding, and is sold for 12 months.
Quotezone notes that bikes are checked against the Motor Insurance Database under continuous insurance enforcement. GOV.UK says riding uninsured can mean a £300 fixed penalty and 6 penalty points.
11. Protect your no claims bonus
Every claim-free year builds your discount. In Quotezone’s 2022 data, riders with seven or more years’ no claims bonus averaged £147, compared with £507 for those with none. Confused.com lists protecting your no claims bonus as a way to save. Avoiding small claims means paying for minor damage yourself, so compare the repair cost with your excess and the likely rise in premium.
12. Use temporary cover for occasional rides
If you only ride occasionally, Confused.com suggests temporary cover. Check the bike is SORN or insured in some other way between rides.
Quick summary
| Tip | Trade-off |
|---|---|
| Higher voluntary excess | You pay more if you claim |
| Lower declared mileage | Must be accurate or a claim may be affected |
| Pay annually | Needs the full amount up front |
| Advanced course | Course fee; discount varies by insurer |
| Laid-up cover or SORN | Can’t ride the bike on the road |
| Not claiming for small damage | You pay for repairs yourself |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is motorbike insurance in the UK in 2026?
Half of Confused.com customers paid £291 or less for motorbike insurance between January and March 2026. Your own price depends on your age, bike, postcode and riding history.
Does advanced rider training reduce motorbike insurance?
It can. MoneySuperMarket says some providers give a discount, but none of the sources we checked publishes a standard figure. Ask your insurer which courses it recognises and what it would take off.
Is it cheaper to pay motorbike insurance annually?
Usually. Confused.com says monthly instalments typically include interest, and MoneySuperMarket also suggests paying annually.
Does a higher excess make motorbike insurance cheaper?
A higher voluntary excess can lower your premium. Devitt says options typically run from £50 to £500. You pay more towards any claim you make.
What is laid-up motorbike insurance?
It covers a stored bike against fire and theft while it is off the road. Lexham's laid-up policy requires the bike to be SORN and kept in a locked garage or outbuilding, and does not cover riding.
Is multi-bike insurance cheaper?
It can be. Devitt says multi-bike policies let you insure several bikes on one policy using your no claims discount across them all.
Do I need insurance if my bike is SORN?
Quotezone says you aren't legally required to insure a SORN bike that stays off the road. You must tell your insurer yourself, and cancellation fees may reduce the saving.
Sources
- Confused.com – Motorbike insurance (Sep 2026)
- Confused.com – Tips for cheaper motorbike insurance (Aug 2026)
- MoneySuperMarket – Motorbike insurance (Sep 2026)
- Devitt – Motorcycle insurance FAQs (Apr 2026)
- IAM RoadSmart – Advanced Rider Test and membership
- IAM RoadSmart – BikeSafe partnership
- Bennetts – BikeSafe 2026 partnership (Feb 2026)
- Confused.com – Advanced rider qualifications (2023)
- Quotezone – Can advanced training lower insurance? (2023)
- Quotezone – Bikers missing savings, quote data (May 2022)
- Quotezone – SORN my bike (May 2025)
- Lexham – Laid-up motorcycle insurance
- GOV.UK – Driving without insurance