MOT might be on its way out for old bikes

[Chris Launders]

To a certain degree I agree with roy, however I personally have found I usually know more than most m.o.t. testers and haven't had a failure in the last 30years but how about when someone inexperienced buys a bike,they have no idea what faults it may have,no idea of its history and it really should be inspected by a knowledable third party.All my bikes are either totally built by me or if bought virtually stripped and rebuilt before use but I still think an m.o.t. on a regular basis is a good idea I just hate spending the money.
Chris.

 

[b'knighted]

The survey carries extra questions, one of which asks if the "surveyee" would ever use an MoT test if, although not compulsory, was still available.
Here, I answered that I probably would get a second opinion if re-commissioning a machine which had been unused for an extended period.
The current system of having to attend an MoT on the first time out, without any chance of legal road testing or the opportunity to run the machine up to working temperature for set-up and tuning prior to testing is dis-advantageous to those of us with limited facilities.

 

[Vic Youel]

Hmmm, No road fund licence, no mot, I fear eradication from the roads by stealth, am I paranoid?

Lurking in UK government departments will be ambitious civil servants looking for a promotion, new year honours or a large bonus. What an opportunity for "Humphrey" to propose a new tax for the privileged and categorised owners of a historic vehicle or eventually to restrict use to minor roads perhaps on alternate Sundays.

Once an idea catches on in one country the virus will spread.

A major road accident somewhere in the world involving historic vehicles will trigger such knee jerk reactions from politicians and stimulate their bureaucrats looking to get recognition. Often such issues can be used to divert the public from real long term problems.

Then there is the insurance industry ever on the watch for undefined risks.

Or is the proportion of historic vehicles too small to merit such concerns? Perhaps our administrators really are trying to act in our interests and provide us with a more enjoyable driving environment?

 

[Alan J]

Peter is correct-once you get "exemptions" you are at the mercy of the politicians and so called "civil servants"!!

 

[vibrac]

the latest DVLA move is to drop regional offices god knows the DVLA is a big drain in cost
I can just imagine the fun on line trying to get an age related plate for an old bike when we cant go face to face and say "Oh,and I have it outside on a trailer can you check it now?".
As Maggie tried to do years ago why not drop the whole stupid road tax senario divide the tax into the average mileage and stick it on petrol nothing fairer than that and the tax may even get to the treasury.
Enforce a new MOT everytime a vehicle is sold or driver moves and make the MOT 3" diameter and stick it where the tax disc went and leave the rest to the ANPR cameras (and drone spy planes)

 

[Hugo Myatt]

the latest DVLA move is to drop regional offices god knows the DVLA is a big drain in cost
I can just imagine the fun on line trying to get an age related plate for an old bike when we cant go face to face and say "Oh,and I have it outside on a trailer can you check it now?".
As Maggie tried to do years ago why not drop the whole stupid road tax senario divide the tax into the average mileage and stick it on petrol nothing fairer than that and the tax may even get to the treasury.
Enforce a new MOT everytime a vehicle is sold or driver moves and make the MOT 3" diameter and stick it where the tax disc went and leave the rest to the ANPR cameras (and drone spy planes)

Vibrac is right. I have recently acquired a 1954 machine that is not on the Swansea data base. I am currently refurbishing it for the road. It came complete with original and readable number plates, matching log book (Reg, frame and engine numbers) and the last tax disc for 1972. I had assumed when the great day comes I would be able to take all the relevant docs to the local regional office and get it sorted out. Now I can only envision spending agonising hours on the phone to the ignorant an staff member (none of them knew what a sidecar combination was on a recent enquiry) and probably the expenditure of a lot of money for the services of an approved inspector.