Hitchcocks Forum

I've just renewed the insurance for my Lightning. As normal, they asked about any modifications from standard. I told them that there've been no new mods since last year. They replied that they had no record of any modifications! So, I go through the list. The only mod that catches their attention is the free-flow exhaust and the carb re-jet. There then followed a discussion. It took me a while to convince them that the Lightning won't go any faster, just accelerate harder. They seemed to think that chucking more petrol into the engine will make the bike go faster. Errrr, no. It's still a 28mm carb. I'm still only putting an air/petrol ratio of 14:1 into it. If I didn't up jet the carb to match the exhaust, the engine will run weak. The only thing I've achieved is a higher cruising speed. The upshot is that the mod didn't effect the price, so I'm not all that bothered. Mind you, here's a thing. I tried Moneysupermarket.com for an alternative quote. I typed in the Registration number and it came back as "Invalid". I wonder if it's anything to do with Lightnings not being a UK model?

I think this whole 'modification' business is rather ridiculous! Enfields come in so many guises, particular home market models, let alone Watsonians specials, that it is well nigh impossible to say exactly what a standard Enfield is like!
It's basically a case of any excuse for the insurance companies to try to squeeze more money out of us.

I bought a 97 Bullet in November last year how would I know what modifications have been made it is the same with my 12 year old Triumph.Unless it is an obvious modification that increases power by a lot I can't see what difference it makes.

I see where you went wrong Barry. That exhaust wasn't a modification, it was a pattern replacement hence no need to inform them. Also Carb re-jetting isn't modifying, its maintenance! - Winkie is correct, any excuse to extract more money. The sad thing is that your 'mods' will now be on the data base for all insurers to see in the future, they won't mention it of course unless there's a claim in which case they will look for a reason to not pay out.

Fortunately my 500 is an Indian home market model, and I am not totally sure who imported it. What I do know, however, is that it is obviously a rare Mumbai area variation, built for a limited period in 1999, which contains many differences from standard export models. As such therefore I am sure that it has not been modified in any way --- all 1999 Mumbai area specials were exactly like mine...!!!!!That's my story, anyway!

The thing that irks me most is that a free-flow exhaust and a re-jet is accepted as an 'approved' deviation from standard for Enfields by most Insurance Companies. Even the Company I'm with hasn't charged me any more cash. I'm just gobsmacked that they never made a note of it when it was first declared. It's true that Insurance companies will do everything they can to wriggle out of paying a claim. That why I declared the deviations. What gets my goat is that Insurance Companies don't seem to understand that not all 'modifications' equate to greater speed (which is their primary interest). I even went as far as telling them I use AFT in the primary chaincase and they just weren't interested. But I'll bet you even money that they'll try to wriggle out of paying a claim because of the ATF.