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Motorcycling News: General
BIKERS IN NORTH WEST LONDON FIVE TIMES MORE LIKELY TO HAVE MOTORCYCLE STOLEN
Bikers living in North West London are over five times more likely to have their bike stolen compared to the average rider, according to the largest annual survey of motorcycle theft risk. Carole Nash, the UK’s biggest motorcycle insurance specialist, has analysed claims from its 230,000 bike insurance policyholders to pinpoint the nation’s theft hotspots, bringing bad news for Londoners and Liverpudlians.
The Carole Nash Motorcycle Theft Survey found that those living in the North West London (NW) area are at the highest risk when it comes to theft from the 117 main UK postcodes surveyed. Greater London postcodes feature in eight of the top ten highest risk areas, with Liverpool facing the worst record outside of the capital. A biker living in Liverpool’s L postcode is more than twice as likely to have their motorcycle stolen than the average rider.
Motorcycle insurance premiums are also likely to be higher in Preston’s PR postcode, which soared 64 places up the UK league – the highest year-on-year climb. But there was also good news as bikers in Hereford saw the area plummet 64 places - the HR code now props up the table with other low risk areas Galashiels (TD), Perth (PH), Llandrindod Wells (LD), the Isle of Man (IM) and Dumfries & Galloway (DG).
London bikers are easily the ones most likely to make a bike insurance claim for a stolen bike, suffering over six times the risk of the lowest ranked region, Northern Ireland.
“Year in year out our survey finds that Londoners face what is, frankly, an unacceptable theft risk,” said Carole Nash’s operations director, Dave Bowcock. “We might be talking about a bike worth more than a small car, perhaps £10,000, and yet there is still a desperate shortage of secure motorcycle parking places, not just in London but across the UK. Perhaps it’s time that the authorities addressed this rather than pumping out anti-motorcycle rhetoric and incorrect figures on the number of untaxed motorcyclist which only serve to further demonise the biking community. Biking should be being championed as a congestion- busting, environmentally friendly option, not marginalised, or worse, attacked.”
But he added that bikers themselves also needed to make greater effort to protect their machines. “Whilst security features fitted as standard have improved on some models in recent years, the majority still need additional investment in devices such as ground anchors, heavy duty chains and microdot tagging systems. Leaving an unsecured bike on the street is as good as leaving out a big bag of cash.”
Adding and using security features to a motorcycle can lead to notable reductions in motorbike insurance premiums as well as reducing the hassle and inconvenience that theft or vandalism inevitably causes.
The survey also found that, for the second year running, the model most prized by the thieves is Honda’s SCV100 Lead scooter. Almost six times as many motorcycle insurance claims were made for stolen scooters and mopeds as they were for the lowest risk category, the tourer.
To view the full UK bike theft league table and other theft statistics from the survey visit ww.carolenash.com
Carole Nash is the UK’s most used motorbike insurance broker**. Their motorcycle road policies, which span modern, classic, vintage and custom machines, as well as its car schemes, include extensive UK and European breakdown cover, up to £50,000 legal protection cover and a ‘Green Card’ for travel in the EU as standard. Discount must be redeemed by 28th February 2009. Your Ticket to Ride can only be redeemed against the policy you take out first. For example, if you take out bike insurance, then add car insurance later, you’re discount will only apply for your motorbike renewal.
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