INSURANCE-What constitutes a 'modification'?

[Linegeist]

I'm not getting any younger, and I seriously enjoy riding my Skorpion ................... but, despite Bill's excellent advice on riding position and balance, I just can't ride for any distance in that racing crouch any more.

So I've modified the bike ....................


Apart from respraying the bike in black, I've fitted 8" raised bars (and played with the fork height to get neutral steering - I'm too old for that twitchy, tucked-in, lightning-quick steering now.....) and I also welded up a set of footrest extensions to bring my feet further forward by about 7" - and the difference is surprising. The bike's lost much of its racing 'feel' and is much more relaxed on the road - bends are now leisurely, sweeping affairs rather than the "set it up and blast through" that the Skorp excels at yet it's still that big single with its bellow and grunt. In a straight line it tracks dead stable, yet can be swung into a bend with just a gentle nudge on those big bars. I'm liking it - and so's my geriatric spine and hips.

For the purists who think I ought to be dragged out and impaled on a rusty kickstart for doing this to a Skorp' - I've designed all the mods so that everything's reversible with nothing more than a socket set.

The question I have is this: Given that none of the mods I've made will affect the bike's performance, do they constitute as "Modifications" for insurance purposes?

The reason I ask is that, in the UK at least, Insurance call centres are usually manned by unimaginative chimps that can only press buttons and read from a script. So, if they ask you, "Is the bike modified?" and you're silly enough to say "Yes!" then, before you can say "But I've only put new footrest rubber on it!", your premium's gone up by 400% and the chimp's marked you down on the database as a serial maniac.

What ISN'T a modification might be another way of looking at it. For example, if I fit a new gearlever from an XT, is this a mod and do I declare it? If I put a different seat on the bike, is this a mod and should I tell my insurance company, knowing that anything even faintly off-piste might cost me ££££?

Where does it start and stop - and what's the best way to avoid getting hammered simply because I want to ride in comfort?

[rodge70]

had simaler problem the other year,bought a second hand mz 125sm,fitted 18/21 rims so basicaly an sx version,£20.00 please said my insurers,,even though in theory the bike would have a slower top end,when i asked why they just said,sorry modification and a charge is liable,so mentioned that my new baghira came with both sets of wheels from dealership to which they said that would be fine as thats how the bike was supplied took a while to convince the guy that the bsm pipe was non performance enhancing along with the trailtech speedo

[angustoyou]

I'm not really sure of the legalities, but I'd bet it depends on the insurance company to a good extent, but at the end of the day, the letter of the law will apply. And I bet your contract says "any" modification should be declared. Does a non OEM part constitute a modification? It might, if it's failure is the cause of a claim.

The point behind the 'modification' question though, is to decide whether the mod affects the likelyhood, or possible expense of a claim. If it may do, then it's got to be declared.

Retro-fitting the own manufacturers ABS system, would be a mod that would seem to reduce the likelyhood of a claim, in the way that fitting an insurance approved alarm would too. But I'm not sure that the insurance company would see it that way, they'd probably see more expense to repair the bike in the event of a claim.

Fitting a titanium racing exhaust would seem to increase the risk. Not only is bling more desireable to thieves, but performance enhancing mods would suggest that you intend to use the performance. Even styling mods, where the sportiness is attenuated might suggest to an insurance company that you think that you're on a racetrack (or should be).

Our UK scare stories about German type approval may be just that, I don't know the German laws, to be honest, but I'd hazard a guess that they are not designed to limit consumer choice, but to minimise inappropriate consumer choice. Personaly, I like to read about the Darwin awards, but hey, there but for the grace of God go I...

I had a 350 YPVS years ago, which I shod with Michelin Hi-Sports prior to visiting the Isle of Man. They were a bit oversize, as they didn't make Hi-Sports to suit my bike, but they were the stickiest thing going at the time, and that's what I wanted for the Island. Quarry bends, to name one set of many corners, saw the bike weaving and wallowing so badly that I had to back off, miles before I would have hit the limit of grip on my old 'non grippy' tyres. But wasn't fitting sticky tyres a safer thing to do? Hmmm...

My bikes are not completely standard, but are they modified? Well, technicaly I guess they are, as they are not as they came out of the factory. Have I tried to 'do them up' or alter their character in any way? Not really, BUT I believe in replacing stuff that breaks or wears out with better stuff, if I can, so I guess maybe I should have kept all the worn out and broken stuff to produce in court someday.

As for your mods, I think you needed to go and buy a Mastiff or a Baghira....

[dave]

I always declare all mods to the insurers cos if I put my bike in a ditch I dont want them to have any reason not to pay out.

I've never had any mods mean an increase my premium either, even on my other bike, a 'tricked-up' Yam TRX850.

You may as well tell them.

I have heard stories of non-oe tyres being classed as undeclared mods !! but that may just be a pile of BS

Dave.

[DAVID THOMPSON]

only problem i had was they did not know what an " MZ" was

[billr]

only problem i had was they did not know what an " MZ" was

Beat me to that one.
And I quote, (deep Southern drawl) "Uh watt??" "How do ya' spell thayett?"
Bill R

[comanche91]

only problem i had was they did not know what an " MZ" was

When I registered my Silver Star at the Alabama DMV last year, the counter drone found no record for MZ or MuZ in the state's database. She knew it was legal as I had the Georgia title in hand and a certificate of insurance. Then she went out and looked at it recorded the VIN just to be sure it was real. They had to call the Big Dog DMV in Birmingham, and I was forced to wait an extra week before I received the plate while they "downloaded" Georgia's MZ database to their computers and entered my model and VIN. So I can safely say I have the only registered MZ/MuZ in Alabama.

[Old Dog]

I try to mention anything very obvious, never bothered with handlebars, footrest mod hmmm??? Like my 301 motor in my 250 frame has resulted in comments like "special" but then these sort are never the best quotes anyway. Frankly they never seem interested unless you have done things to the motor to increase HP. In my experience telling things like "I replaced the brake caliper to make the bike safer" make no difference at all. It seems to me that a lot rests on how you pitch it, after all parts wear out or get broken or are replaced for reasons of safety (brakes) these are not modifications...are they? All you can do is to try to ascertain what they mean by mod and advise accordingly.

At the end of the day, an assessor isn't going to have clue what the bike looked like out of the factory anyway.

Good luck

[wookster]

it all comes down to broker discression. some may class changing to a non oe spark plug! one guy had his claim rejected because he had put some stickers on his bike.unbelivable!its probably best to tell them if you have moded it but it may cost you more. its a trade off between paying extra and hoping you dont have an accident. lifes full of tough choices isnt it?