I am sure there are many members on here who ride on the road with race exhausts, which are non road legal, strictly speaking. The question I have is, how best to approach insurance in this situation. What is disclosed at the time of renewing insurance? How do the insurance companies react to the full disclosure? Are there any companies that will insure such a bike ?
Bennets allow some non stadard parts without disclosure, such as alternate end cans. I would imagine even though they don't require notification they would be unwilling to pay for non legal cans if they were lost or damaged.
I am insured with Bennett’s, and wanted to fit the race system to my diavel v4, they advised that if fitted i would have invalidated the policy by knowingly fitting a part that’s not road legal, hence not insurable with a not for road use part. I have been advised that bemoto may insure apart from the exhaust, but me personally would not take the risk of allowing an insurance company a get out of jail free card, in the event of a claim.
I would love a race system on my diavel but I tried several companies and all refused to cover. Have the standard Akra on my multi and it’s a little quiet, looks like I’m stuck looking for a euro 5 exhaust
That’s the thing…I would be more than happy, if the exhausts themselves were uninsured…provided that the rest of the bike was insured, along with third party etc etc and I was fully legal on the road.
It’s all in the wording in your policy doc, mine states the bike must be road legal, kills any chance of a race system. But that’s Bennett’s, but expect most have this wording somewhere in the policy
I'd put one on if it were me and just say it came like that from the factory. I doubt the insurance would ever know then just find a friendly mot tester
What makes an exhaust illegal for road use? I bought my monster new and it came with the full termi system. I didn’t ask for the termi system. It was an incentive by Ducati Glasgow to get sales moving in December. A free termi system with fuel mapping? Yes, please. The only time it was an issue is when I once forgot to fit the dB killers when it went in for its MOT. I got an advisory because the noise pissed off the mechanic.
The mot tester would not be a problem, trust me. The issue would come about if the worst happened and my insurance was considered null and void, because of the modified exhaust
Me personally really wouldn't worry, I quite happily mod my bikes , all have exhaust systems ,wheels ect ect , insurance never ask so I don't tell um.
Cough, cough...personally I have always removed the "not for road use" or "for race use only" with a small dremel...so there is no easy way to check...
In my opinion if the bike can pass an MOT (with whatever exhaust fitted) then its road legal, and should be accepted by any insurer. I think things can become unstuck when an insurer is not notified about the installation of a 'performance enhancing' part, one that increases the BHP, or mods that increase the bikes value/desirability (theft risk)...
I have a full termi slash cut system and ECU on my 848 evo was fitted from new by the main dealer, far as I can see it has no markings anywhere saying not for road use etc. Im insured with Ducati insurance (Adrian flux) I have declared all mods to them and on my policy it states exhaust modification for both cosmetic and performance, they had no problem with it although that could change if I had to make a claim. Its never been a problem with the MOT and I don't have baffles..
An MOT tester should fail any bike with an exhaust that states not for road use, but they dont. This has been the case for as long as I can remember. I only know due to a friend being a bike MOT tester, but he said they all just ignore. Years ago people used to cover the markings as testers are not allowed to move or remove any stickers, tape etc, as long as its not blocking something being tested. Similar to some bikers sand down the "not for road use". I got in to some bother with a previous bike and a claim as the arse of an assessor was biker and checked the exhaust and found the markings, and was well aware that ducati didnt make a road exhaust for the 1260s diavel. I ended up with drawing the claim to stop them voiding my policy. As others have said, it up to you what risk you want to take, for me on a £20k+ bike, the risk of a voided policy far outweighs fitting a race system.
