Manitoba Riders (Ideas on how to stop Autopac from stealing from us)

[speedracer]

I agree but for $1000 it is one hoop I am going to have to jump through.

Originally Posted by BOBMUNZ

I heard about this when I bought my KLR, the broker next to the dealership told me that guys often come in and only run their bikes on the weekends, sadly I use my bike nearly every day so thats not a really viable option, and besides we shouldn't have to resort to such measures in an attempt to get our rates down.

[speedracer]

I wish I could do it by phone but sadly you have to go in person to any broker.


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Originally Posted by TLXR

I guess that would mean not having to get a new set of stickers each time you re-insure it since you'd still have the old ones on it with the original expiry date. Oh, and can you change it over to storage by phone or do you need to drop in to the broker?

[RabidRover]

Originally Posted by speedracer

I wish I could do it by phone but sadly you have to go in person to any broker.


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If you are tight with a broker, you can do it via fax machine.

I was advised the best thing to do about the rates is to go through the public utilities board whenever there is a proposed rate increase and ask to see the calculations ... on the scooter front I understand they could not justify the rate increase ... anybody an actuary out there? I am surprised the dealerships are not more proactive in lobbying MPI and the public utilities board ... I am sure there would be more bikes on the road if the rates were reasonable.

[BOBMUNZ]

Originally Posted by John Fry

He told me that you don't get a refund but a credit for the next year.

If you pay monthly it gets credited to your next month, but paying monthly costs an extra $50 per year total, I already pay monthly so it works out for me.

[TLXR]

Originally Posted by John Fry

He told me that you don't get a refund but a credit for the next year.

Next year huh. Well, that's ok. Before the end of summer I'll have 4 vehicles insured under my name, 2 of which will carry fulltime insurance.

[speedracer]

Look at that.....no extra charge of any kind and i'm paying for just storage insurance. Wow!!!!!!!! I feel better allready!!

Now I only have to pay when I ride.

Nice

Originally Posted by TLXR

Next year huh. Well, that's ok. Before the end of summer I'll have 4 vehicles insured under my name, 2 of which will carry fulltime insurance.

[ragged_edge]

Greetings all from Insurance Hell, previously known as Manitoba.

There is a group coalescing among Manitoba riders who intend to face off against the incompetent analysts at Manitoba Public Insurance; my problem is I haven't been able to find them. I've left my cell number at various places to no avail. I will find them; Winnipeg is the largest little town in Canada. When I do I will post the details here.

I agree with all the above comments.

There is a small upside to MPI, though. Since I hadn't ridden in a few years when I bought my Ducati, I was forced to endure the Safety training. Know what? It helped. What's more, it taught my son to ride aware. So MPI is spitting out very well-educated riders; it's a pity they can't do the same with cage-dwellers.

The problem, I think, is not really that MPI analysts are stupid, nor are they assholes; senior management are simply lazy and unimaginative and have found a peripheral group onto which they can foist the bulk of insurance costs while being able to claim the lowest four-wheel insurance rates in Canada.

Also to blame are the dealerships (this is their livelihood, yet they are pathetically uninterested in participating in changing the rules) and even worse are the insurance agents and brokers. When I questioned mine, he merely blushed and whined about the perils of biting the hand that feeds you.

But, like any other greedy corporation, MPI management have over-stepped themselves; they have pushed too far, and rumour has it that nearly a quarter of the 3800 or so motorcyclists in the province have already signed up (which is why I will eventually find them; or they will find me). What we need though, is ALL of those 3800 motorcyclists to step up. Then we'll see change.

So, Manitobans, this time take it personally. Take MPI's inequality to heart and make the fight your own. Look for these people. Join them. If you find them before I do, let me know.

Peace.

[skysailor]

Must wonder if there would be a way for MPI to drop motorcycle insurance from their "product" line altogether, and allow out of Province insurers to insure bikes within Manitoba. Failing that, get an Alberta address.
What are the incidences of insurance frauds in Manitoba regarding motorcycles? Seems to me, if you're paying 1/3 of your bikes value to insure it each year, a "stolen" bike or two, after three years would be pretty fair ball. Buy your bike, and consider you premiums your "payment" for your next bike. You folks live in the "auto theft capital" of the country as it is, might as well make it a "bike theft" capital as well?

Do ANY of your elected officials ride bikes? Do they have ears?

[HighScore]

The best way to beat Autopac at their own game, is to move out of Manitoba.
Leave and never come back.
You'll be glad you did.
All that money to ride maybe two decent months out of the year?

That's why I left 20 years ago.

[KLRTHRASHER]

Originally Posted by skysailor

Pressure the powers that be to allow American Insurance Companies to do business in Canada. Nothing else is going to work, simply because Manitoba doesn't want motorcycles in the Province! There are not enough of you left to make a big enough impact on the MLA for them to give a rat's ass about you.

I've turned down jobs in Manitoba......for that very reason.

Manitoba scooter premiums and licence requirements are disgusting.....when a total noob can jump on a 50cc scooter(insured for 400 a year?) with nothing more than a class 5 and a pair of flip flops!(and a BICYCLE helmet as ive seen numerous times!) I say hammer the scooter communitee with large premium increases AND licence requirements to start with!

[yamalama]

Originally Posted by HighScore

The best way to beat Autopac at their own game, is to move out of Manitoba.
Leave and never come back.
You'll be glad you did.
All that money to ride maybe two decent months out of the year?

That's why I left 20 years ago.

Worked for me!
Wish I had done it earlier.

[BackRoader]

I am curious to see how far this next attempt to reduce insurance rates will go....

Given Auto Pac is one of the largest revenue generators in the Province...just think about it..... " why would they give in " . As long as the motorcycles and snow mobiles bring in outrageous amounts cash, they will contiue on. It's a captive market and there is no need to change it.

It's very simple marketing....it's where Walmart hopes to be some day....the only retailer left standing.

Sorry guy's I hate to paint a bad picture, but can't see any solution in the near future. I wished there could be one as I am about to pick up a third bike and at $4700, per annum for insurance I might have to go back to work.

My plan as of today is to walk over to the neighbourhood broker and transfer my plate...might do it 3 or 4 times a week until, "I get in tight with him" LOL

[BOBMUNZ]

Originally Posted by ragged_edge

Greetings all from Insurance Hell, previously known as Manitoba.

There is a group coalescing among Manitoba riders who intend to face off against the incompetent analysts at Manitoba Public Insurance; my problem is I haven't been able to find them. I've left my cell number at various places to no avail. I will find them; Winnipeg is the largest little town in Canada. When I do I will post the details here.

I agree with all the above comments.

There is a small upside to MPI, though. Since I hadn't ridden in a few years when I bought my Ducati, I was forced to endure the Safety training. Know what? It helped. What's more, it taught my son to ride aware. So MPI is spitting out very well-educated riders; it's a pity they can't do the same with cage-dwellers.

The problem, I think, is not really that MPI analysts are stupid, nor are they assholes; senior management are simply lazy and unimaginative and have found a peripheral group onto which they can foist the bulk of insurance costs while being able to claim the lowest four-wheel insurance rates in Canada.

Also to blame are the dealerships (this is their livelihood, yet they are pathetically uninterested in participating in changing the rules) and even worse are the insurance agents and brokers. When I questioned mine, he merely blushed and whined about the perils of biting the hand that feeds you.

But, like any other greedy corporation, MPI management have over-stepped themselves; they have pushed too far, and rumour has it that nearly a quarter of the 3800 or so motorcyclists in the province have already signed up (which is why I will eventually find them; or they will find me). What we need though, is ALL of those 3800 motorcyclists to step up. Then we'll see change.

So, Manitobans, this time take it personally. Take MPI's inequality to heart and make the fight your own. Look for these people. Join them. If you find them before I do, let me know.

Peace.

The group you are looking for is the CMMG, my boss is a board member.

Currently they are fighting to stop a law that would restrict bikes to 92db at 20 inches and a 45 degree angle from the direction of the exhaust at 6000RPM, the police have already started trying to ticket motorcyclists by setting up check stops and only pulling over bikes, then telling them their bikes are too loud and issuing a ticket.

Now you can still get a ticket for excessive noise if you hang around like the Harley douches and just rev your engine in traffic or in a parking lot because you have little man syndrome, and besides that shit is just annoying and there is no need for it, but if you are just riding down the road they can not ticket you for the sound level of your bike.

The problem with this is it is very very far from being a law, so If you get pulled over and told your bike is too loud, DO NOT pay the ticket as you have no legal obligation to do so, take it to court and plead not guilty.

The CMMG's main argument is that the law would be discriminatory as it would only apply to bikes and not to other vehicles. The second argument is that loud pipes save lives, if the driver can hear you they are more likely to notice you and therefore less likely to hit you.

The biggest road block to the CMMG in fighting MPI on their rates is that MPI does not release crash statistics but if we take other provinces and states crash statistics as average, 70% of motorcycle/cage collisions are the cages fault as they "Did not see" them.

The CMMG's website is http://cmmg.org/ they are trying and currently they are our best chance at fighting the demon that is MPI.

EDIT: By the way, its only $20 per year for membership, so join up and support the war effort!

[Night_Wolf]

Please tell me you don't believe this STUPID saying

Originally Posted by BOBMUNZ

The second argument is that loud pipes save lives, if the driver can hear you they are more likely to notice you and therefore less likely to hit you.

[BOBMUNZ]

Originally Posted by Night_Wolf

Please tell me you don't believe this STUPID saying

Food for thought here.

Emergency vehicles, why do they have sirens? So you can hear them before it is possible for you to see them, same logic applies to a bike that is loud enough to hear from inside a cage. Bikes are small and at times in traffic fit completely in a persons blind spot, so if you can hear a bike you are more likely to notice it. I'm not talking annoyingly loud but perhaps you should see what 92 db sounds like from inside your car at road speed before you try to denounce my comment.

Point of reference, a table saw produces approximately 100db and an electric drill is about 90db.