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By Bullet Train
#17578
As mentioned, nothing was actually wrong with my steering head bearings. My tester passed it a.o.k. and he's quite hot too. He'd have issued an advisory on anything of note, but this year, no problems. Nothing "ultimately stupid" here when it came to test day mate!
Regards BT. PS And I agree with the editor of Old Bike Mart, I'm sure a lot of people here read it, getting rid of annual testing for pre-1960 bikes/cars is a bad thing.
By Norm
#17579
We have no testing of any vehicle here unless it changes hands so you can have a car/bike in your name for 50 years or more and it won't have an inspection in that time. Obviously if statistics proved that people were dying as a result of badly maintained vehicles inspections would be introduced. I guess no salt on our roads and a drier climate reduce vehicle deterioration
By Alan R
#17582
Hi Guys --------- I tend to broadly agree with BEEZABRYAN, BULLET TRAIN etc re}--cancelling the MoT for pre-1960 machines. ..I think ANY inspection is better than none, so with that in mind maybe an MoT every other year for those machines might be more appropriate, given the relatively lesser mileage they tend to do... My personal beef with the MoT is the relative high charges that motorcyles as a whole pay compared with cars. Incidentally, what category do QUADS' come under for the MoT ?? Technically they are NOT BI-CYCLES (ie 2 wheeled)although they are called Quad Bikes.
By grunda 12
#17585
lets just get this clear last year you got an advisory for notchy steering bearings,you did nothing for a full year then worried weather they would pass the test and they did no problem how strange ,thats the first time i,ve ever heard of something wrong mending itself there must be a god then and that be a miracle,so if its broke don,t fix it ,it will mend itself unless its me who is ultimately stupid!! i,ve been doing it wrong all these years thanks for letting me know!
By Bullet Train
#17589
Your 100% right Grunda. My Goddess, the great Ninkasi, is looking out for me?
Anyhow, I'll take the professional advice anytime, and on this occassion, my tester has given his view. We discussed this topic, and, it's one of those bits, that, like all the important, safety critical bits, will get my attention on my monthly once-over.
Suffice to say, in my umble' amateur opinion, last years "advisory" was almost certainly due to a lack of use. Bit of history: The previous owner covered under 800k's from new, in EIGHT YEARS? On SORN at 6 months old and used with a chair, to lug tools around, on a private country estate in East Sussex. It came to me via my local dealer, who put it through it's first ever M.O.T in Sept. 2008. ( When I bought it, I also started using the same tester). Said dealer had it lying around the workshop as a part-time hack for nearly a year, and in Augst 2009, I bought it. A grand in cash minus £30 due to only one month of that first M.O.T remaining. Mileage then was 1200km. Mile now is 10,900km. I think this motorcycle has really changed in the last two years or so, everything on it seems to have loosened up, especially the engine and box. Might be my amateur imagination, but I'm sure it goe's much better because of the hard, regular riding, riding nearly everyday, like it all needed running in, which it seems to have done so nicely now. That's why, in one of my post's, I said I couldn't believe the bearings were shot at such a low mileage. I know it's an Indian, but on all my old Jap stuff years ago, all bearings seemed to last forever? Good to talk. You sound like a decent chap. Especially as you're into Oil Burners! Got to dash, my Goddess awaits me........BT
By grunda 12
#17590
B T ,thanks for your honest reply,i have no axe to grind,maybe you are correct in saying the bearings were notchy due to lack of use,although advisory notices on mots suggest a need for an inspection at least as its not a large job ,if it had been me i would have investigated,i am also pleased that you check your bike over once a month,some people never check things or don,t know how,the crux of the matter is this ,i had a accident almost 3 years ago which was totally non fault on my part,i was riding my newly restored D14 bantam ,it had, had a full rebuild at no exspence spared,new brakes ,engine rebuild etc etc,the police went through it with a tooth comb trying to find fault so that they could put some blame at my door ,lucky for me there was witnesses who saw the incident and i became a prosecution witness for the police,had my machine turned out to be faulty in any way i,m sure that the car driver could have turned it on its head,so friendly advice is,if your machine has a known problem fix asap do run the risk of what could be around the corner. atb paul
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By JBN
#17593
How about fitting the old pipe to get through the test then put new one back on? Now this advice comes fron a chap who lives in a country with no bike MOT.
By Martin
#17596
Curious at often seeing the
designation SORN mentioned
here and other 'bike sites,
and wondered whether it was
good or bad. ( Also on this
post C.E.M.E came up too)

Out here there is no MOT,
and can't imagine the anquish,
but cars require an annual
Air Care before allowed govt.
insurance and this swept many
vehicles away at one time,

However, if you find a barn
bike, and refurbish it will
require a one time roadworthy
test. If your bike is over
25 years old with all the
original bells and whistles,
you can get 'collectors'
status which means insurance
is only a third of the norm,
but there are obviously some
limitations on usage thereafter.

The machine has to be original
though with graphics etc. thus
my '86 Kawasaki 1000 was quite
OK, but other Brit 'bikes twice
as old were not, simply as they
modified here and there for
expediency, and not original.
By Norm
#17600
We have the best Club reg deal in the world here, anything over 25 years qualifies and it can be in pretty ratty condition as in barn find, but obviously if you plan to ride it often it is in your interest to make it safe. And it costs us $66 for 45 days unlimited use or double that for 90 days. This riding is also unrestricted so you can ride it wherever or whenever you want. It is a hoot.

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