DOES MOTORCYCLE INSURANCE COVER CUSTOMIZED MOTORCYCLES?

While we can't speak for other major carriers, Harley-Davidson Insurance Services has clear answers about our coverage for damages to aftermarket parts.

The short answer is, yes, adequate coverage for modifications to your motorcycle is a good thing to have outside of the standard legal coverage requirements.

However, choosing the correct coverage amounts will depend on several factors, including:

• the cost of custom parts you select

• your original agreement

• your bike's payment plan

• your risk tolerance threshold

Despite this, affordable motorcycle insurance that includes custom parts isn't out of reach for most riders.

Customizing to add value is very different from personalizing a bike. If you want to customize a bike to add value, make sure your insurance aligns if you have a loss.

Harley-Davidson Insurance Services offers "Optional Equipment Replacement Cost" as an added coverage. This covers the cost to replace the accessories, as long as they are less than five years old.

Without that coverage, the value applied to your loss will consider depreciation and/or general value of the upgrade, which may not be the same as what it cost you to add it to start with.

Save your receipts!

Custom performance parts can strongly impact your insurance rates.

Adding a nitrous kit or similar is not only excluded by many insurance companies (including Harley-Davidson Insurance), but many bike manufacturers will void your warranty with that type of upgrade.

Riding at extreme speeds raises the potential for unplanned incidents, leaving you with potential medical bills, property damage liability that exceeds your policy, and will likely lead to a loss of coverage.

When you purchase comprehensive and collision insurance, we automatically include $1,000 of optional equipment coverage.

This is also sometimes referred to as accessory coverage. If that amount doesn't cover your upgrades, additional coverage for aftermarket parts can be purchased in $1,000 increments up to $30,000.

Adequate coverage is all about risk tolerance. That's why we offer so many increments and additional coverage types. There are a few things to think about when deciding how much optional equipment and accessory coverage you need, but the main objective is to correctly factor in the replacement cost for upgrades.

At Harley-Davidson Insurance, we replace factory parts with genuine H-D® parts in case of an unforeseen motorcycle accident that damages your bike, but if you've added new handlebars, for example, how do you ensure that you have adequate coverage?

Let's say your bike came with handlebars worth $500, but your new custom handlebars are worth $1,000. You don't need $1,000 worth of extra coverage; you only need $500 because the original coverage for stock handlebars is part of our factory standard policy.

These coverages are also often called "Optional Equipment" policies. For Harley-Davidson Insurance Services, optional means options, equipment, or enhancements that were not factory standard on the motorcycle.

So "optional equipment" includes (but is not limited to):

• Equipment added by anyone, including the customer, dealer, or previous owner(s) of the motorcycle or by a company that specializes in retrofitting motorcycles.

• Any electronic equipment, custom alarm, antennas, and other devices used solely to send or receive audio, visual, or data signals, or playback recorded media. Such equipment must be permanently installed on a covered motorcycle using bolts or brackets, including slide-out brackets.

• Sidecars or trailers designed to be towed on public roads by a motorcycle or trike conversion kits

• Custom paint, custom plating, and custom exhaust

If you are unsure which coverage limit you need for your custom component, reach out to a Harley-Davidson Insurance customer service agent for a personalized, competitive quote.

Trailers are a common coverage question subject. Here's a high-level breakdown specific to Harley-Davidson Insurance Services:

• If the trailer hits someone or something, while it's being towed behind the bike, and causes damage, the situation is covered under the basic property damage liability coverage included with your policy.

• Damage to the trailer itself when it's being pulled by the bike is covered under Optional Equipment.

• A trailer designed to carry the bike itself is typically not covered as part of the motorcycle policy. Some carriers may offer an added endorsement for this, but at this time, we do not. The auto insurance for the vehicle pulling this trailer would likely be responsible for the damages

Determining what type of coverage you need can be a little daunting.

That's why we always recommend speaking with an insurance professional that can walk you through any specialized coverage or additional insurance protection your bike might need. If your needs are a little simpler, set up an online quote.

With Harley Davidson Motorcycle Insurance Services, you can rest easy knowing that you have adequate, affordable coverage with continuous protection for all your parts.

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