What Does Dirt Bike Insurance Actually Cover? A Complete Breakdown
By Josh Cotner
The Coverage Most Riders Need (But Do Not Fully Understand)
Dirt bike insurance is straightforward once you break it down, but most riders buy a policy without understanding exactly what they are paying for. That leads to two problems: either overpaying for coverage you do not need, or discovering you are not covered for something you assumed was included.
Here is every major dirt bike insurance coverage type explained in plain language — what it does, when it applies, and whether you actually need it.
Liability Coverage — The One You Probably Need
Liability insurance covers damage you cause to other people. If you crash into another rider on a trail, hit a hiker, or damage someone's property, liability coverage pays for their injuries and damage — not yours.
Liability has two components:
Bodily Injury Liability covers medical expenses, lost wages, and legal damages for people injured because of your riding. If a fellow rider breaks their leg in a collision you caused, bodily injury liability covers their medical bills and any resulting lawsuit.
Property Damage Liability covers damage to other people's property. If you crash into someone's truck at a riding area, or damage a fence on a trail, property damage liability pays for the repairs.
Liability coverage is expressed as three numbers, like 50/100/25:
- $50,000 per person for bodily injury
- $100,000 per incident total for bodily injury
- $25,000 per incident for property damage
What it does not cover: Damage to your own bike, your own medical bills, or intentional damage.
Collision Coverage — Protecting Your Bike From Crashes
Collision coverage pays for damage to your dirt bike when you crash — regardless of fault. You hit a tree, lay it down in a corner, collide with another rider, or drop it off a loading ramp. If the damage is caused by a collision with something, collision coverage handles it.
The payout is based on your bike's actual cash value minus your deductible. If your bike is worth $6,000 and you have a $500 deductible, a total-loss crash pays you $5,500.
Do you need it? It depends on your bike's value and how you ride. If your bike is worth less than $3,000, collision coverage may cost more than it is worth over time. If your bike is worth $5,000 or more, collision is a smart investment — especially if you race motocross or ride aggressively.
What it does not cover: Mechanical breakdown, wear and tear, or damage from non-collision events like theft or fire.
Comprehensive Coverage — Everything Else That Can Happen
Comprehensive coverage is the "everything else" policy. It covers damage to your bike from events other than collisions:
- Theft — the single most common reason riders need comprehensive coverage. Dirt bikes are stolen from garages, truck beds, trailers, and motocross events every day.
- Fire — whether your garage catches fire or your bike catches fire during transport
- Vandalism — someone intentionally damages your bike
- Natural disasters — flooding, wind, hail, falling trees
- Animal damage — a deer runs into your bike on a trail, rodents chew wiring in storage
- Glass breakage — if applicable to your bike's gauges or lights
What it does not cover: Collision damage (that is what collision coverage is for), mechanical breakdown, or normal wear and tear.
Medical Payments Coverage — Your Own Injuries
Medical payments (often called MedPay) covers medical expenses for you and any passenger on your bike, regardless of who caused the accident. This is important because liability only covers the other person's injuries.
Dirt bike injuries are common and expensive. A broken collarbone — one of the most frequent motocross injuries — can cost $5,000 to $15,000 to treat including emergency room visits, imaging, and follow-up care. More serious injuries like broken legs or spinal injuries can easily exceed $100,000.
Do you need it? Yes, if you do not have robust health insurance. Even if you do have health insurance, MedPay covers deductibles, copays, and expenses your health insurance may not cover — like dental work from facial injuries or physical therapy that exceeds your health plan's limits.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage
This covers your injuries if you are hit by another rider who does not have insurance or does not have enough insurance to cover your damages. It is more commonly associated with street motorcycles, but it applies to off-road riding as well.
Consider this scenario: you are riding a marked trail and another rider loses control and collides with you, causing serious injuries. You later discover they have no insurance. Without uninsured motorist coverage, your only option is to sue them personally — and if they do not have assets, you may never recover your medical costs.
Do you need it? Recommended if you ride on shared trails, public riding areas, or anywhere other riders are present. Less critical if you only ride alone on private property.
Custom Parts and Accessories Coverage
If you have modified your dirt bike — aftermarket exhaust, upgraded suspension, custom graphics, larger fuel tank, handguards, lighting kits — standard insurance only covers the stock value of your bike. Your $3,000 in aftermarket parts are not included.
Custom parts coverage (sometimes called accessory coverage or aftermarket parts coverage) extends your policy to cover the additional value of your modifications. You need to provide receipts or documentation of the parts and their value.
Do you need it? If you have more than $500 in aftermarket parts, yes. The coverage is relatively inexpensive — typically $30 to $80 per year — and it ensures you are not out the full cost of your upgrades if the bike is stolen or totaled.
Transport and Trailer Coverage
Your dirt bike insurance covers your bike at home, at the trail, and at the track. But what about while it is being transported? If your truck is rear-ended on the way to a ride and your bike is damaged, or your trailer is stolen from a hotel parking lot at a race weekend, standard bike coverage may or may not apply.
Some policies include transport coverage automatically. Others require a separate endorsement. This is something to clarify when you buy your policy.
Do you need it? If you transport your bike regularly — and most riders do — make sure your policy explicitly covers the bike during transit. Ask your agent to confirm this in writing.
Roadside Assistance and Towing
Breaking down on a trail is not like breaking down on a highway. You cannot call a standard tow truck to come get your bike from the middle of the woods. But roadside assistance coverage can still help with:
- Towing from the trailhead to the nearest repair shop
- Fuel delivery if you run out on a trail
- Battery jump-starts (relevant for electric dirt bikes)
- Flat tire assistance
- Lockout service
What Dirt Bike Insurance Does NOT Cover
Understanding exclusions is just as important as understanding coverage. Here is what standard dirt bike insurance typically does not cover:
Mechanical breakdown and wear and tear. If your engine blows up or your transmission fails, that is a mechanical issue, not an insurance claim. This is why regular maintenance matters.
Racing and competition — sometimes. Some policies exclude coverage during organized racing events. Others require a competition endorsement. If you race motocross, hare scrambles, or enduro events, confirm your policy covers you during competition.
Intentional damage. If you deliberately damage your bike or someone else's property, insurance will not cover it.
Riding under the influence. If you are riding while intoxicated and cause an accident, your liability coverage may be denied.
Unregistered or illegal modifications. If your bike is not legally compliant with your state's off-road vehicle requirements, coverage may be affected.
Lending your bike to someone who crashes it. Most policies include permissive use coverage that extends liability to someone you allow to ride your bike, but this varies by carrier. Confirm the details before handing your keys to a friend.
Get the Right Coverage for How You Ride
The right dirt bike insurance policy matches how you actually ride — not a generic package. Tell us about your bike, where you ride, and what you need protected. We will build a policy that covers your real risks without paying for coverage you do not need.
Fill out our quick quote form or call 844-967-5247. We compare multiple carriers and find the best fit. Licensed in all 50 states.