Insurance vs exhaust

Hi, I live in UK for just couple of months. That is why I am asking possibly obvious question . I am buying SV 650 with M4 full exhaust this saturday. I don't think it is road legal (no stamps/markings). MOT is on the bike, but what about insurance? I know that they bother. What would happen if I just did not tell them? Thanks!

Originally Posted by sabestian

Hi, I live in UK for just couple of months. That is why I am asking possibly obvious question . I am buying SV 650 with M4 full exhaust this saturday. I don't think it is road legal (no stamps/markings). MOT is on the bike, but what about insurance? I know that they bother. What would happen if I just did not tell them? Thanks!

If you do not tell em i would have thought you do not have insurance according to them and should not be on the road. Lie from the beginning and you are ferked up my man!

It depends upon your policy. But providing that it doesn't add any extra power (or they usually say not more than 5%) then it's nothing to worry about. If you had an accident due to your bike going faster because of a power modification (in this case a new exhaust system) then they would have due reason to avoid paying a claim - but if an accident was caused at low speed (for example) and was entirely due to some other factor then they don't really have grounds for non-payment.

However do note that the M4 system is perhaps the one that gives the most extra power, so it's certainly a consideration in this case.

Does the bike also come with the original exhaust?


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[Biker Biggles]

You should be able to get hold of a standard ,legal exhaust very cheap or the bike may have one with it.This will get you the MOT.As for insurance,tell them everything.It may cost a very small extra charge but you will be covered.

[timwilky]

Originally Posted by Biker Biggles

You should be able to get hold of a standard ,legal exhaust very cheap or the bike may have one with it.This will get you the MOT.As for insurance,tell them everything.It may cost a very small extra charge but you will be covered.

Red herring young man.

Sabestian said there is already an MOT, the question is about insurance declaration not MOT. He also said there are no stamps which I take to mean NO and not just the old BS kite or E mark. and therefore the can would pass an MOT as it is not stamped "Not for road use" or similar.

For what it is worth. My first 2 years with the SV were with an undeclared CCC can as my online insurerer would not permit exhaust mods. even though it would have been cheaper for them if it had to be replaced in a claim. My current insurer (eBike) have no such problem. and cheaper and permit include commuting and pillions etc.

Still thinking about changing my can. Typically how much would your average aftermarket exhaust add to the premium?

[northwind]

Originally Posted by TC3

If you do not tell em i would have thought you do not have insurance according to them and should not be on the road. Lie from the beginning and you are ferked up my man!

Not quite that simple. A false declaration doesn't invalidate your third party cover (more on this later), and won't automatically invalidate theft or damage. They'll almost always refuse to pay out on an undeclared mod- if you drop it and destroy your system- and tbh that's fair enough, you haven't paid to insure it.

And if it's stolen and recovered, they have a good claim that you've increased the desirability of the bike for thieves- this will usually lead to a reduced payout, it's very hard for an insurer to completely reject a payout for this unless there's a lot of modifications or they can prove intent to defraud.

(if it's stolen and not recovered, they'll probably never find out)

In the event they pay out on a third party claim (which they have no choice on, see above), they can under some circumstances take legal action against you- but they would have to demonstrate (not just create reasonable belief, but prove) that the modification contributed to the accident. IE, you've got a bobber and you've taken off the front brake, as a result you drove into a car.

Alternatively, they can bring proceedings against you for fraud- expensive and harder to prove. Lastly, in the event the vehicle was unsafe, there's further action they can take due to duty of care laws.

But it's not as clearcut as "false declaration = no insurance". Never has been.

What it really is, is still a very bad idea. It can get you in trouble, in court, or in extremes blacklisted for future insurance! One of the guys on Oldskoolsuzuki was found guilty of insurance fraud a while back and can now only get insured with absolute pirates- and only with a totally standard bike, so no more streetfighters.

Originally Posted by jonboy

Does the bike also come with the original exhaust?
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No it does not, but I think it would not change anything. The only thing is that - if I understand it properly - I cannot ride AND insure the bike with M4 exhaust on it, so either I will not declare it at all, which is not legal, or I will not get the bike
I called a number of insurers and they say that they will not insure the bike with not E or BS marked exhaust AT ALL.

[northwind]

Carole Nash will.... CIA too. Though I don't trust CIA as far as I can throw them.

Yes the Carole Nash IKONS policy does (I think this is with Royal Sun Alliance), as my can is covered, regardless of whether it's road legal or not.

And as Northwind says, you still have 3rd party cover even if they've they won't cover you with an after-market can (which is a legal obligation they have to undertake). Personally I wouldn't worry too much about it, providing you have a certificate of insurance and tax and an MOT you're sorted. It's not as if you've done the cam-swap mod is it? ( )


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