Considering selling my bikes.

[Super]

Hi all, excuse the rant regarding Ontario insurance:

Riding and insured on bikes for over 40 yrs (I'm 59), my Insurance Co (Economical thru Brokerlink in Ontario) has just advised me, 19 days before my policy needs to be renewed that my 86 FJ AND my 07 KLR 650 are both of the "class" of M/C's on the Insurance Bureau of Canada and they will no longer insure me.  So, my broker advises that the rate for both bikes from Intact will rise from $285 to $1215 plus taxes for the FJ and from $266 to $762 plus taxes for the KLR.  So, I'm looking at a quadruple increase in cost, no theft, fire etc to ride the relatively short Ottawa riding season.  Economical is happy to keep my house, autos and rv insurance with them however.

I've called and done some online quotes, I'm appalled at the cost, seems I had it pretty good in the past with Economical.  Best I've found online is approximately $1200 plus taxes.

Here is the quoted text:  Unfortunately Economical no longer provides coverage for motorcycles that are Adventure, Dual Purpose, Enduro, Motard/Supermotard, Moped, Off Road, Off Road Motocross, or Off Road Trials class as found in the IBC Vehicle Information Tables

So I'm considering selling both my bikes and buying one "do it all" type bike, but looking at the above text, there isn't a lot of options.

Ok,  I'm done ranting.

Dave

[T Legg]

You need to move to the states .my two 84 fj1100's insurance is $26.00 every six months each,my 71 cb750 is $28.00 every six months.

[Tuned forks]

I seem to recall some other Canadian complaining about motorcycle ins as well.  I suppose you have to take the bad with the good up there.  Your health care cost are way lower than ours.  Those quotes do seem outrageous and it looks like the industry just doesn't want to insure motorcycles.

Joe

[big r]

You need to move to BC I had my FJ insured as a collector and it only cost me $250 a year. Only restriction was you couldn't ride it to work. Bikes are insured by engine size for all others

[Super]

You need to move to BC I had my FJ insured as a collector and it only cost me $250 a year. Only restriction was you couldn't ride it to work. Bikes are insured by engine size for all others

BC is beautiful, hopefully Alberta doesn't turn off the tap and make it too expensive to buy gas....

Thought I'd add to the ridiculousness, Economical won't insure my FJ or my KLR, citing the "class" of both.  Apparently the FJ is a sport bike (arguably correct) and the they won't insure the KLR as there seems to be a huge number of claims from dual sport riders who head off into the bush and injure themselves.....

So I called my broker after seeing a nice older low mileage 1200 Bandit for sale, kitted out with bags etc.  I gave the gal the vin and guess what, apparently the 100+hp Bandit, know as a  "hooligan bike"  is insurable by Economical as it doesn't appear on the Insurance Bureau of Canada "black list'.  No only that, the cost to insure it for the season is a reasonable (for Ontario) $451. 

Never owned a Suzuki but it seems like it may be time to try one....

[yaman]

You need to move to BC I had my FJ insured as a collector and it only cost me $250 a year. Only restriction was you couldn't ride it to work. Bikes are insured by engine size for all others

BC is beautiful, hopefully Alberta doesn't turn off the tap and make it too expensive to buy gas....

Thought I'd add to the ridiculousness, Economical won't insure my FJ or my KLR, citing the "class" of both.  Apparently the FJ is a sport bike (arguably correct) and the they won't insure the KLR as there seems to be a huge number of claims from dual sport riders who head off into the bush and injure themselves.....

So I called my broker after seeing a nice older low mileage 1200 Bandit for sale, kitted out with bags etc.  I gave the gal the vin and guess what, apparently the 100+hp Bandit, know as a  "hooligan bike"  is insurable by Economical as it doesn't appear on the Insurance Bureau of Canada "black list'.  No only that, the cost to insure it for the season is a reasonable (for Ontario) $451. 

Never owned a Suzuki but it seems like it may be time to try one....

that oil cooled zuke motor is nearly as robust as the FJ's

[Paul.1478]

Not sure if this is available in Canada or not but I use Hagerty for my FJ and my RD https://www.hagerty.com.
Super low rates for full coverage. I have read mixed reviews but I have had them for years with no issues.
Good luck.

[Super]

Not sure if this is available in Canada or not but I use Hagerty for my FJ and my RD https://www.hagerty.com.
Super low rates for full coverage. I have read mixed reviews but I have had them for years with no issues.
Good luck.

Thanks, took a look at their Cdn web page and seems they insure everything except motorcycles.

[1tinindian]

Here is the quoted text:  Unfortunately Economical no longer provides coverage for motorcycles that are Adventure, Dual Purpose, Enduro, Motard/Supermotard, Moped, Off Road, Off Road Motocross, or Off Road Trials class as found in the IBC Vehicle Information Tables

Help me out here, just which category do they think the FJ falls in?
My thinking is that it doesn't? You should be fine.

Leon

[Millietant]

I'm with Leon this, the FJ doesn't fit into any of the categories you listed and certainly wouldn't be classed as a Sports bike today. Yamaha sold the FJ 1200 as a sports-tourer at least from the 3CV model - the advertising blurb went on about passenger comfort, long distance capability etc (I still have the original sales brochure for mine) and Yamaha even sold an optional luggage package to demonstrate it "tourer" status. You don't see any pannier options for Fireblades', R1's, GSXR's, or ZX10R's, much less a 916-998 Ducati.

If your insurers want to be picky, perhaps they'd be thinking that a 1969 Honda CB 750 is a Sports bike, or a 1978 Suzuki GS 1000, or even a Kawasaki Z 650 - all were considered either fast or great handling in their day and were arguably the best "sports" bikes of their time, but in today's world, they're about as far from a Sports Bike as you can get.

I'd defo challenge their inclusion of the FJ in any of those categories - the evidence is there to support the challenge. I reckon it's just the insurance company "trying it on" out of greed !

[woodcreekpete]

I'm with Leon this, the FJ doesn't fit into any of the categories you listed and certainly wouldn't be classed as a Sports bike today. Yamaha sold the FJ 1200 as a sports-tourer at least from the 3CV model - the advertising blurb went on about passenger comfort, long distance capability etc (I still have the original sales brochure for mine) and Yamaha even sold an optional luggage package to demonstrate it "tourer" status. You don't see any pannier options for Fireblades', R1's, GSXR's, or ZX10R's, much less a 916-998 Ducati.

If your insurers want to be picky, perhaps they'd be thinking that a 1969 Honda CB 750 is a Sports bike, or a 1978 Suzuki GS 1000, or even a Kawasaki Z 650 - all were considered either fast or great handling in their day and were arguably the best "sports" bikes of their time, but in today's world, they're about as far from a Sports Bike as you can get.


Well, here's my 2 cents worth. Rules and options in other places aren't really applicable anywhere else.
  I bleated about this last year. My insurer decided over the winter that my FJ had moved to the do-not-insure list. To add insult to injury, they closed up their office and left town. My contact with them became a call center in Newfoundland - nice enough guy guy but with all the decision making clout of a wet noodle. Railing at him would have been an exercise in futility. The decision makers are so totally insulated from their paying customers it's ridiculous.
  I finally insured with Riders Plus for around $1100 for the year. Lied to them and said I sold my bike to terminate the policy but it still cost me 50 cents a mile to ride last year. Now, to reinsure, because I don't have continuous coverage for the last 2 years, I'm classed as a new rider. I seem to remember getting my license in 1969 though.
  Can't win!
I'd defo challenge their inclusion of the FJ in any of those categories - the evidence is there to support the challenge. I reckon it's just the insurance company "trying it on" out of greed !

[Motofun]

2 FJ's and a RZ350.  Antique full coverage insurance at $5k apiece costs $153/yr.  Only down side is it's supposed to be less than 2000 miles per year.

[ryanschoebel]

2 FJ's and a RZ350.  Antique full coverage insurance at $5k apiece costs $153/yr.  Only down side is it's supposed to be less than 2000 miles per year.

And what are the repercussions for going over that 2000 mile mark?

[Motofun]

None that I know of.  They really don't have anyway to check, it's more of an honor system.  With a dozen bikes I don't challenge the limit anyways.

[FJmonkey]

Ryan, with insurance companies it will be in the fine print. Possibly a penalty $$$ or a denial of claim for failing to comply with the policy.