Being the owner of a motorbike, from time to time you might want to take a family member or friend for a spin. Whether it’s a lift down the road or on a road trip across the country, there are some legal and motorbike insurance requirements you need to meet before you head out. And we’ve delved into the subject, here:

Riding with a passenger

Riding with a passenger, commonly known as riding with a pillion, does require you to comply with certain requirements, which are: 

• Firstly, the rider of the bike must possess a full licence for the class of motorcycle being driven.
• The pillion must wear a suitable helmet that fits correctly 
• The pillion also needs to wear appropriate protective clothing
• The motorbike should have appropriate foot rests and the pillion should be able to reach them 
• Any passenger must be able to sit facing forward on a seat properly fixed to the motorcycle.
• You also need to make sure the weight limit for the motorbike is not exceeded 
• You need to adjust the bike in line with the manufacturers recommendations e.g. increasing tyre pressure

Insurance cover for carrying passengers

Increasingly, motorbike insurance providers aren’t including rider cover unless it is specifically requested.

When signing up for an insurance quote with Carole Nash, one of the questions you’ll be asked is whether you intend to carry passengers. If so, we’ll include this in your policy for you.

If you do have an incident whilst carrying passengers, they have the right to claim in the event of any injury. But, similar to car passengers, motorbike passengers can’t claim for damage to the bike.

All in all, carrying a passenger on your travels can be one of the most enjoyable experiences of owning a motorbike. So make sure you’re correctly covered before you head out there. And if you’d like any further information on carrying passengers on your motorbike, get in touch today.