As the old ‘See-Gee’ isn’t exactly too sexy, I was trawling the inter-web to upgrade to a YZF-R125. To get some ideas on insurance I had plugged in a couple of different registration numbers online and this is where I have gone wrong…

About a week later I had to renew my insurance on the See-Gee. I duly filled out the online form, paid my money and thought no more about it. Until I got nicked. For no insurance. To be fair to the copper he let me ride home and gave me a producer.

At this point I realised I had cocked up as the autofill on my computer had dragged in the details of the YZF-R125 I had been looking at and plonked them into the renewal form. Can I get out of this? I did pay insurance for a 125cc motorbike. I wasn’t trying to break the law.

Answer

I am gutted for you. It is an easy mistake to make, but you do not have a defence.

Riding with no insurance is a strict liability offence. In simple terms, you had not insured the motorbike you were riding at the time the copper stopped you.

Whilst accidental, you inserted the wrong registration number; the wrong motorbike; and did not check your paperwork after getting it. You need to brace yourself for a Court summons I suspect.

If this happens, I advise you plead guilty to the offence of riding without insurance, but put forward ‘special reasons’ to try and avoid getting penalty points for or a disqualification (you will still be prosecuted but get no points/disqualification if you make out ‘special reasons’). To make out ‘special reasons’ the
reasons must:

Be a mitigation or extenuating circumstance

Not amount in law to a defence of the charge

Be directly connected with the commission of the offence

Be one which the Court ought properly to take into consideration when imposing sentence.

From what you said, you have a sporting chance of explaining what happened and getting home on all four points.

Andrew Prendergast

More Bikes January 2021