Bike insurance & track days?

[bugalugs]

Will my bike insurance cover if I use it for track days? I'd hate to wipe it out then they say it's not covered? I've been spending alot of time at the Dragon on my S2R, I think I need some professional instruction to be able to advance my limited riding skills. I managed to burn off the chicken strip on the left side of my rear tire but there's still 1/2" left on the right. I did this without shifting on the seat & feel like I'm getting the bike too far over in comparison to other riders. It looks to me that they use their body & keep more rubber in contact with the road. I don't want to be Rossi but I don't want to bite the dust either.
I met a guy on an Aprillia, he said the best thing I could do is go to track days & learn from the pros, that sounds good to me. I got kind of sidetracked here, sorry, I was asking about insurance. What do the rest of you do? [thumbsup]

[900spg]

I would discuss it with your insurance company to be sure. In some class type situations I think they do cover it but I'lm sure it is different from company to company.

[dcmonster]

If you dump it on the track truck it home...go to a parking lot kick it over and call the insurance company.

"Look what those bastards did to my bike!"

[Hickey]

Check it out. Some insurance covers a track day or track class -- so long as it isn't a timed event or race. Some treat all track stuff the same and don't cover any of it.

[Cal-Sportbike]

What Hickey said...

We've run nearly 100 track days and schools around the west coast since 2001. We've had maybe 10-12 guys claim crashes to their insurance, and so far not one has been denied (although Progressive was actually the biggest pain in the ass of all of them). Here was the criteria that we met to make it smooth sailing, and I assume this would be the same for any track day provider;

1) No racing or competitive riding
2) No timing of laps by the organizer (we don't ban lap timers, we just don't ask, don't tell)
3) Instructors to work on improving riding skills and monitor for safe riding
4) Structured event with segregated groups (they're skittish about "open" events with racers mixed with street riders)
5) Clearly defined policies on safe riding, rules on passing enforced, etc.

And what really helps us is that we hold novice schools at all our 3-group events which is even more formal instructional training.

But again, I think any organizer or school that is close to these criteria would have a bike covered at their events. Several of the insurance companies (State Farm, GMAC, Progressive) have us send them a short incident report. Others just take the claim and pay up.

Todd Robinson
Co-Owner, Ops Manager
Cal-Sportbike Track Days

[Beer_or_2]

Yeah ...
If the track day is called a "school" then it is officially training so your insurance is valid.

[WERA#25]

Speaking of insurance, don't want to damper anyones enthusiasum but it is also important to check your life ins policy too. It can happen, lost two teammates and best friends years ago, Laconia and Pocono, so check your policy, get the ins. rider for it (and then put these thoughts out of your head)
sorry but it is so important had to say something, I have seen the effect on the family afterwards.

[Pdxdane]

Rider training or not my policy expressly excludes riding on a closed track, so be sure to check this before a track day.

[Surfinglbi23]

Yea easiest way to tell is to read your policy or ask your agent!

[WilliamSchiller]

I think there are separate insurance if your bike was intend for racing.