So since I have all this new knowledge, I figured this blog was the best place to share it. Here’s what you need to know about insuring a bobber.

1) Motorcycles are generally expensive to insure. Yes, they cost much less than cars do but they are also involved in a much higher percentage of crashes. For this reason the average motorcycle insurance policy is not much less than that of a traditional car.

2) Bobbers are going to be more expensive to insure than other motorcycles. They get filed under the “Custom Bike” category, which almost always kicks in a rate hike relative to other motorcycles. This is because the things we love about bobbers — second-hand parts, recycled parts, hours of pride spent fixing it up in the garage — are scary to the insurance folks. Oh well, we have more fun.

3) You only need liability coverage. This is what protects you against damages you cause to other people and their belongings, and it is mandatory. Of course you can also opt for collision coverage (which protects your bike, after deductible) and comprehensive coverage (which covers non-accident related costs, like theft) — but that’s only if you want greater protection, and higher costs.

4) Shop around. I know that Geico has a policy for custom bikes, but they don’t always have the best rates. Some carriers have much more favorable rates than others when it comes to quotes for bobbers. You could get 10 insurance quotes for the same bike and none of them will be the same.

So there you have it; bobber insurance isn’t cheap, mostly because motorcycle insurance isn’t cheap. It’s a risky hobby we share, and apparently bobbers are riskier than other types of bikes. Of course, this won’t stop me. All I want to do is ride; the other costs are secondary once get started. I suspect you feel the same way, but I just wanted share the basics first.