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What picture does your mind conjure up when you think about motorbike riders? Is it the heady days of the sixties with mods and rockers at seaside resorts going head to head, or maybe you instantly think of Hell’s Angles with ‘hard care’ bikers clad in leather jackets, sporting long beards and ponytails?

Recent surveys show that although many people still consider bikers to be a ‘greasy haired lot’ bent on causing mayhem, the truth is that the average biker is about forty years old, also owns a car, is married and has children. Somewhat deflates the bubble doesn’t it!

Many say that men also go through a mid life style crisis at around forty and decide that before they get too old they are going to get a motorbike and experience the freedom of the road! The problem with this ‘new wave’ of bikers is that often they are unable to handle and ride a large bike as well as they think they can. Which not only puts their lives at risk but that of other road users.

This suggestion is bound to be opposed with many bikers, novice and experienced, saying that it’s the cars and lorries which are the root cause of most accidents not the bikers and whilst this may be true, those who are getting on a powerful machine either for the first time in their lives or after years of driving a car are being encouraged to take approved advanced driving courses to sharpen their riding skills before taking to the roads.

Despite people’s own opinions there are some distinct advantages of older riders. Firstly those who have driven a car for years will soon realise the importance of the DVLA ‘Think Bike’ campaign which has been running for many years on the UK’s commercial television stations, as they will find that unless they ride cautiously drivers are liable to pull out in front of them at junctions.

Secondly age is a great advantage when it comes to finding insurance for a motorbike. Older riders are considered to less of a risk than the younger generation and therefore are offered low premium costs. This age range of riders do tend to be more cautious as they have family to consider and returning home safely is a top priority.

With the recession still affecting many people’s budgets it is estimated than the number of people swapping from car to bike is set to increase over the coming years as the overall running costs of bikes are far less expensive than for the majority of cars. As such this new wave of riders are more likely to be those who work in the congested cities than a ‘tearaway’ youngster.

It’s not just men that are turning to bikes as an effective mode of transport, women bikers have been with us for years and they too are becoming more likely to opt for a bike rather than a car to help reduce motoring costs. Women car drivers are generally offered lower insurance than their male counterparts and the bike insurance companies are offering similar discounts as women are perceived by insurers to ride less recklessly than men!If you’re looking for a quote on bike insurance visit Swinton.