MOT might be on its way out for old bikes

[vincenttwin]

The UK Govt is currently considering changing the MOT rules so that pre 1960 vehicles are exempt, part of the campaign to reduce the cost of government. Did you know that EU directives do not require it!

The Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs is conducting a survey to get a view from the movement so that it can represent us in consultaions. There is not time for the usual paper process so they are asking us to complete an on line survey - UK residents only, go to http://www.fbhvc.co.uk

The closing date for input to the survey is 10th January. The more individuals that respond the better our chance of getting something acceptable to us. If you know other historic vehicle owners with web access please pass this informatiom on.


Pass along to every body and all car and bike clubs BMF??

everybody should do this. I filled it out and I live in the states but own a couple of bikes in the UK
cheers
Peter Allen

 

[vincenttwin]

http://www.dft.gov.uk/consultations/dft-2011-27


MORE DETAILS AND A QUESTION AND ANSWER SECTION

 

[david bowen]

In South Australia your historic club selects a qualified member to check your machine his report is sent to the registration dept they then give you your rego disc

 

[roy the mechanic]

I, for 1 ,reckon the mot test to be a reasonable test of a machines ability to provide "dependable" transportation. There's too many amater built bikes with dodgy alterations that otherwise would slip through the net. In England the actual pass level is really low,if the tester actually follows the guide lines, so if it "fails"maybe you should not be riding this peice of junk for your own+others safety!

 

[Albervin]

I agree with Roy to a point. There are many of us (me included) who tend to ignore swing arm bushes/bearings as well as other bits that do not require regular maintenance/checking. Here in the colonies we have various schemes in different states that allow older vehicles to be inspected by approved members of approved motorcycle or car clubs. There are restrictions placed on the use of these vehicles which mean they cannot be used for day to day use. If you want to have the vehicle on "full" registration the costs can be enormous ($55 compared to $500+) especially when you have more than 12 vehicles. I take the view that any machine I am riding or driving is a potential killer and I spend a lot of time, effort and money in minimising the potential. At times I need outside help but I am sure there are people out there who have done very little preventative maintenance and are blithely riding/driving to a messy end.

 

[Peter Holmes]

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

 

[Howard]

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

Peter, I was thinking the same thing when I saw your post. Fortunately for me, my Egli is 12 months too young for free road tax, so I'm sure the government will do all it can to keep me on the road and paying taxes, MoTs etc.

H

 

[bmetcalf]

Here in the US, many states have no inspection at all for cars or bikes. I have only lived in Illinois and Minnesota, so I don't know if the states that do require inspection for cars also require it for bikes.

 

[vincenttwin]

Here in Colorado ,no MOT for bikes ,yes a few folks are on wore out junk bikes , but think of it as thinning of the bad gene pool . most Vincent's should not pass the MOT as they can go too fast for the brakes anyway. yes there are some with modern brakes or the bigger drums that help .

 

[chstorm]

In Norway we have not had MOT for motorcycles for a long time, and cars built in 1950 or earlier are also exempt. It is a well known fact that only a very few accidents are caused by technical faults on the vehicles involved. Most accidents are caused by distracted drivers, drivers under the influence of alcohol, narcotics or medicines. Very young, inexperienced drivers and very old drivers are also often involved.
The official view of Norwegian authorities is that owners of historic vehicles generally take very good care of their vehicles and use them carefully and responsibly in traffic. Historic vehicles are very seldom involved in accidents, and in the few cases we know about, the other party as a rule is responsible. This is reflected in the very low premiums paid for fully comprehensive insurance - less than £30 per vehicle per year through the Norwegian Historic Vehicle Federation insurance scheme.
It seems very sensible to drop the MOT for pre-1960 vehicles. Altogether too much money and energy is spent on the present MOT regime in the UK. If traffic safety is the important reason behind the MOT, money and energy is much better spent in other areas.

I seize the opportunity to wish all VOC members a merry Christmas and a happy, prosperous and challenging new year.

Carl