It goes without saying that over the past few years, plenty more people within the UK have decided to make the switch to two wheels. However, one key part of making the transition onto two wheels is buying yourself a motorcycle - whether it be brand new or used.

If you’ve spotted the dream two-wheeled addition to your life, before you turn a wheel on the UK roads and start riding, you need to set yourself up with some motorcycle insurance

In this blog, we are going to be running down whether or not you can buy a motorcycle without insurance, as well as considering the risks and potential fines you may face for not following the legal requirements set out by the UK Government.

So without further ado, let’s get into it - shall we?

When it comes to getting your bike home, if you intend to ride it back after purchasing it, your motorbike must be taxed and insured.

Riding a motorcycle without a minimum of third-party insurance is considered illegal in the UK and if you are caught doing so by the police, you can end up picking up a pretty hefty fine and may even have to go to court to plead your case – as well as setting up your future insurance a slightly trickier task. 

If you know the date on which you are picking your motorcycle up, make sure to have your insurance in place well beforehand. As a general rule, most insurance companies will let you set up your policy to start on a selected date in the near future.

However, in some instances there will be a selection of insurers who will start to cover you immediately after setting up the policy, perfect for those going to look at a second-hand motorbike and are unsure whether or not they are purchasing on that day - again this will vary between insurers so it is always worth trying to get everything prepped beforehand!

If you are looking at getting a motorcycle or scooter that’s outside of your licence limit, but you are eager to set it up for the day you pass your test there’s nothing stopping you from buying that bike or scooter. However, without a licence you will not be able to ride it or insure to ride it on the road.

In conclusion, you can buy a motorcycle without insurance in place – but if you do not have valid insurance cover for road use in place at the time of picking your motorcycle up, do not ride it on the road without insurance. Instead, find another alternative way of getting your bike back home.

So there you have it!

Driving a motorcycle without having a valid insurance policy can and will lead to you getting in trouble with the police which means you may face expensive fines or even court time.

Last but not least, if you are picking up your new two-wheeler and are in need of scooter or motorcycle insurance, make sure to get a quote direct with Lexham!