TOURING BIKE INSURANCE

Shoe1 J Wing motorcycle helmet (Courtesy: Arai) Although not the cheapest or the most agile, tourers are arguably the most comfortable bikes and are perfectly suited to eating up cross-country miles.

Manufacturers have increasingly recognised and addressed the particular demands of long-distance tourers and commuting riders by bringing a number of specific models to market.

In 2005 Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boorman’s adventures in The Long Way Round series certainly boosted interest and sales in the adventure sport touring market.

What Makes a Touring Bike?

Even though most motorcycles can be equipped and used to tour on, touring bikes generally have larger engines and are specifically designed for the demands of long-distance riding. Typical features include a more comfortable seating position for rider and pillion, hard luggage fitted as standard, increased weather protection via larger fairings with a fixed or adjustable screen and large capacity fuel tanks (for more miles between fill-ups).

In addition, the Motorcycle Industry Association (MCIA) states that to qualify as a tourer, the bike generally should:

weigh more than 200kg
have a wheelbase of between 147 and 155cm
have a more upright rider position

Get a Touring Bike Quote

To compare touring bike insurance quotes and buy online just click on the ‘Get a Motorcycle Insurance Quote’ button below.

Alternatively, if you have more specific needs, call one of our friendly motorcycle insurance advisors on 0800 200 369. Lines Open: 8am – 8pm Monday – Friday / 9am – 5pm Saturday.

Our Prices:

Some example touring bike motorcycle insurance premiums

Motorcycle type and value	Comprehensive Motorcycle Insurance	Third Party Fire & Theft Motorcycle Insurance
Honda VFR800 V4 VTEC 2004, valued at £5,675	£103.95	£77.70
Honda NT 650 V Deauville 2006, valued at £5,500	£100.94	£77.70
Kawasaki ZZR 1100 2002, valued at £3,500	£103.95	£77.70
Honda ST 1300 Pan European 2005, valued at £10,000	£116.55	£144.25
BMW K1200 RS 2002, valued at £5,400	£103.95	£77.70

All prices are sample premiums and not personal quotations. Excesses apply. Quotes are based on a 38 year old married biker living in the RH12 postcode area. Biker has Full No Claim Discount and has held a full, clean licence for 10 years. Bike is garaged overnight and has a Cat 1 Alarm & Immobiliser fitted and is not modified. Use is Social, Domestic & Pleasure not exceeding 10,000 miles per year. All prices are correct as at July 2007 and include Insurance Premium Tax where applicable

Go Touring

If this has whet your appetite and you are now itching to get touring abroad, first take time to read our article on ‘What makes a good touring bike?’ written especially for Devitt by Alastair McFarlane of MCi Tours. Then visit our touring holidays links page for some ideas and inspiration.

Don’t forget to also read our practical tips when travelling to Europe article. Plus, take a look at our new World Travel Guide - your guide to touring the world on two wheels, which includes sections on North America, Australasia, South America, Asia, Europe and Africa.

Alternatively, if you want to tour a little closer to home, check out our maps & rideouts section for some ideas for great days out in the UK.

Get into the spirit of touring by reading about Devitt’s sponsorship of BikeHigh - the World Motorcycle Altitude Record. This details how a pair of riders have set a new unassisted motorcycle altitude recorded in the Himalayas.

Finally, take a look at the Spirits of Adventure tour page. Devitt have been proud to sponsor the Newbounds, the Guinness World Endurance Enduro Champions of the World as they criss-cross the globe, so far covering 1,350 days, 122,000 miles and 54 countries.

For specialist touring gear check out M&P Direct, Europe’s largest motorcycle parts & accessories online retailer

Touring Books

The ten best motorcycle travel books of all time, as chosen by Judy Kennedy of www.whitehorsepress.com, specialist motorcycle bookseller and publisher, are:

One Man Caravan, Robert E Fulton Jr
Jupiter’s Travels, Ted Simon
Two Wheels to Adventure, Danny Liska
Ghost Rider: Travels on the Healing Road, Neil Peart
10 Years on 2 Wheels, Helge Pedersen
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, Robert M Pirsig
Around Australia the Hard Way in 1929, Jack L Bowers
MotoRaid, Keith Thye
Riding the Edge, Dave Barr
Long Way Round: Chasing Shadows Across the World, Ewan McGregor & Charley Boorman

The top bike adventure books chosen by Grant Johnson of www.horizonsunlimited.com are:

Adventure Motorcycling Handbook, Chris Scott
Alaska by Motorcycle, Greg Frazier
Blood, Sweat & Gears: Ramblings on Motorcycling and Medicine, Flash Gordon MD
Desert Travels: Motorcycle Journeys in the Sahara and West Africa, Chris Scott
Into Africa, Sam Manicom
Jupiter’s Travels, Ted Simon
Motorcycle Journeys Through the Alps and Corsica, John Hermann
Motorcycle Journeys Through Baja, Clement Salvadori
Obsessions Die Hard: Motorcycling the Pan American Highway’s Jungle Gap, Ed Culberson
One Man Caravan, Robert E. Fulton Jr.
Riding the Edge, Dave Barr and Mike Wourms
Rugged Road, Theresa Wallach
10 Years on 2 Wheels: 77 Countries, 250,000 Miles, Helge Pedersen
Two Wheels to Adventure, Danny Liska

Popular Touring Bikes

There is an extensive range of tourers available. To check whether we cover your particular model, please call one of our friendly advisors on 0800 200 369. Lines Open: 8am – 8pm Monday – Friday / 9am – 5pm Saturday. Calls may be recorded. Examples of more popular touring bikes include: