What type of bike are you currently riding?

[Avi Singh]

Categories are not clearly defined. Where would a Bandit 1200 (Suzuki GSF1200S) fit, for example? I think you should not mix displacement with appearance/style.

That is one of the problems with insurance in this country - the insurance company's pencil-pushers (not saying you are one and appreciate your effort) have no idea how to categorize motorcycles. Almost everywhere else in the civilized world it's done by horsepower (better) or displacement (worse, but still much better than our system). We are going to have a flawed insurance categorization system as long as it's based on parameters that cannot be measured ("sport"?, "naked"?, how about a "don't insult my intelligence" or "give me a break" category?) and that are determined by people that don't have a clue how to gauge risk and are just looking for an easy way to surcharge as many riders as possible.

I agree with you Vlad, but I've got to use their categories first and then see what we can do to try and get them to change. With the economy being the way that it is, I think this is a good time to get some of these folks to start thinking outside of the proverbial box, in order to find other ways to drive profits.

[Vlad]

I agree with you Vlad, but I've got to use their categories first and then see what we can do to try and get them to change. With the economy being the way that it is, I think this is a good time to get some of these folks to start thinking outside of the proverbial box, in order to find other ways to drive profits.

It's a worthy task you took on yourself Avi. I appreciate your effort and hope it results in better rates for all of us.

[nebulabob]

I am wondering about my Ninja 650R,its not an SS bike but maybe in this poll it should be classed as a sport bike.

[Skurj]

sv1000s.... not a touring, but not an SS either...

[greg88]

1352cc sportbike

[Avi Singh]

sv1000s.... not a touring, but not an SS either...

Put it into Naked Sport.

[Avi Singh]

1352cc sportbike

Put it into the sportbike category.

[Avi Singh]

I am wondering about my Ninja 650R,its not an SS bike but maybe in this poll it should be classed as a sport bike.

IF it's the EX650 then it's a naked sport. This is part of what I'm trying to get changed. I've seen some company's class CBR125's, SV650's, ZZR250's and EX650's as sports. I doubt I'll ever get them to view ss's any differently, but certainly some of the borderline ones as listed above should be viewed as standard bikes.

[GP_RZ]

I would not count on that!

For lower SS surcharges?

[VifferFun]

I would not count on that!

I would totally be game for proposing a decreased Sport Bike surcharge with my company, but the problem is simply inadequate data. We blacklist most Sport Bikes so we have no claims experience to even analyze. My guess is that the Sport surcharges are too severe, but I have no way of proving this unless State Farm would let me borrow their plentiful Sport Bike data. I doubt they are going to do that any time soon

[Avi Singh]

I would totally be game for proposing a decreased Sport Bike surcharge with my company, but the problem is simply inadequate data. We blacklist most Sport Bikes so we have no claims experience to even analyze. My guess is that the Sport surcharges are too severe, but I have no way of proving this unless State Farm would let me borrow their plentiful Sport Bike data. I doubt they are going to do that any time soon

What we also need is a change in attitude. Is it the bike we're afraid of? Or is it the rider?

as

[VifferFun]

What we also need is a change in attitude. Is it the bike we're afraid of? Or is it the rider?

as

It's all about inadequate data.

In my experience, companies that do not specialize in motorcycles only offer the product so that they don't lose customers who already have a car and/or home with them.

If I had adequate data to do a statistically credible analysis that indicates cheaper rates for Sport riders, then by all means I would implement them and try to take business from other companies.

State Farm offers cheap rates to Sport riders, but Jevco (a Canadian insurance company specializing in motorcycles) surcharges them 325%. I would have more faith in Jevco's data than State Farm, because the Actuarial analyses for State Farm is done in the USA. "Canada" to State Farm actuaries would be even less significant than "Yukon Territory" to us Canadian actuaries. California alone has as many people as the entire population of Canada. I look at Yukon data once every five years if I am lucky (as opposed to every 6 months for Ontario).

I really wish I had the data . . . it would be very interesting, but at the moment, State Farm has it all.

[Nimbus]

Naked sport bike, I would say.

I'm a little confused on this, how exactly is the term "naked" being defined here?

[Vlad]

State Farm offers cheap rates to Sport riders, but Jevco (a Canadian insurance company specializing in motorcycles) surcharges them 325%.

I pay $700 with Jevco while SF won't even insure me. Sorry, but the above sentence is misleading at best. The only thing we can say for sure is that there is no rhyme or reason in what insurance companies charge here.

[VifferFun]

I pay $700 with Jevco while SF won't even insure me. Sorry, but the above sentence is misleading at best. The only thing we can say for sure is that there is no rhyme or reason in what insurance companies charge here.

Simply put, I think State Farm's motorcycle rating is just totally screwed up (much to the benefit of the Sport riders); however, I can't say this for certain unless I had a look at their data, but I don't think they're the data-sharing type

[Freestyle72]

Simply put, I think State Farm's motorcycle rating is just totally screwed up (much to the benefit of the Sport riders); however, I can't say this for certain unless I had a look at their data, but I don't think they're the data-sharing type

Has a request for data actually been made?

I mean there is probably ways for that data to be aquired, but it would e useless as it needs to be legally obtained. LOL. Otherwise I would try my best to help you out man.

[Baggsy]

Sport touring, Adventure touring and a cruiser - I can't vote more than once?!

[VifferFun]

Has a request for data actually been made?

I mean there is probably ways for that data to be aquired, but it would e useless as it needs to be legally obtained. LOL. Otherwise I would try my best to help you out man.

A request for data would be laughable. That would be liking asking KFC for their 11 secret herbs and spices; it's just not something insurance companies share. Data is our most valuable asset.

If anyone can convince State Farm to send me their Motorcycle claims and premium data by Accident Year, I would be more than happy to look at it If their Sport Bike claims experience is a favourable as their premiums suggest, then I would be more than happy to offer similar rates.

[overkill13]

Sport touring, Adventure touring and a cruiser - I can't vote more than once?!

Actually you can. Those are check boxes not a single option. I voted both -599 and sport bike.

[cdngix]

Quite honestly; the companies other than State Farm really don't need the business or should i say headache. Motorcycling in Ontario is a tiny piece of business for ins. companies but comes with big payouts (accident benefits or death benefits). That's the way they look at it in my opinion!! I have no idea how they come up with there rates. I'm 36 licenced for almost 20 years. I pay as much as someone 25 who has his for a couple of years!! A joke!! Then you have guys riding 1200's and because Jevco categorizes there own way; they pay half of what i pay for my ss 600. So; options. There are none. Weigh your options and ask if 1250 a year is really worth it!! I think i already have arrived at that cross road and am weighing my options now!! I won't buy a bike because ins. companies like them but because i like it. I think we are paying for it!!! But in fairness to these ins. companies. You have guys posting up rides for "ramp riding". So let's see here; ramp riding in the city highways!!! You really think they're cruising the ramps at the posted speed limits?? The stat you are looking for is the fact there are way more immature

riders riding sport bikes than riding cruisers or sport touring bikes!!!