Imported bike insurance question

[Colin1958]

I have recently been toying with buying a Roadking and have been getting insurance quotes each time I have found a contender, but I'm a bit mystified that the quote for an imported bike is more than double for a younger, more expensive UK bike. Both quotes were from the same insurer:

2004 UK bike£7000 (ish) quote £135 fully comp

2000 import £7000 (ish) £237 fully comp

My ncd is taken up by my other bike, so I still think both quotes are cheap, but is there any sane/logical reason for the difference?

 

[wessie]

I reckon it stems from underwriters' experience in the days of "grey imports" common in the 1990s & 2000s. Many of these bikes were built to US & Japanese spec. where some parts used on those bikes were not available in Europe. Many of the Japanens ones, especially 400cc bikes, were never officially imported to Europe. Hence a bike might be written off rather than repaired due to the lack of parts.

 

[Colin1958]

OK, that makes sense - thanks for that.

I searched for classic insurance and was quoted £135 for the import - so as usual it pays to shop around. . .