Hi,
VOC member, my 1952 Rapide arrives back to the UK from Australia next week having tracked down and bought the machine my father and I had in the 1970's. Few questions if I may:
1 - MOT
I live in Gerrards Cross, near Slough, Reading - anyone got a contact of a friendly garage that can MOT a Vincent intelligently in the area?
2 - Starting
She hasn't run for a month or so (fully restored engine by Terry Prince) - I haven't yet managed to buy "Know Thy Beast" so can someone help me with starting procedure for a one month layoff. The bike has electric start fitted - I would have guessed that a few gentle revolutions with the kickstarter without firing would have been enough after a relatively short period of time but I have read on the site of recommendations to oil down the plug holes, the rocker covers and prime the oil pump housing. Thoughts?
3 - Insurance
Anyone got a recommendation for insuring the bike - I have a policy for 3 other machines from Carole Nash but they only do a maximum value of £15K so I guess I will need to insure the Vincent seperately.
4 - Registration
I think I have read all the paperwork properly but wondered if anyone has done this before.
I think I get it MOT'd, Insured, get some paperwork from the HMRC when it arrives at the docks and then fill in a fistfull of papers and forms then toddle off down to the local DVLA office in Reading with the lot (but not the bike) and get them to help me!!
Looking forward to getting out there on the road and joining the odd rally - I'm going to try and have everything done for the Riders at Brooklands but it may all be too much to get done in that timeline.
Thanks for reading
Stuart Metcalfe
VOC member, my 1952 Rapide arrives back to the UK from Australia next week having tracked down and bought the machine my father and I had in the 1970's. Few questions if I may:
1 - MOT
I live in Gerrards Cross, near Slough, Reading - anyone got a contact of a friendly garage that can MOT a Vincent intelligently in the area?
2 - Starting
She hasn't run for a month or so (fully restored engine by Terry Prince) - I haven't yet managed to buy "Know Thy Beast" so can someone help me with starting procedure for a one month layoff. The bike has electric start fitted - I would have guessed that a few gentle revolutions with the kickstarter without firing would have been enough after a relatively short period of time but I have read on the site of recommendations to oil down the plug holes, the rocker covers and prime the oil pump housing. Thoughts?
3 - Insurance
Anyone got a recommendation for insuring the bike - I have a policy for 3 other machines from Carole Nash but they only do a maximum value of £15K so I guess I will need to insure the Vincent seperately.
4 - Registration
I think I have read all the paperwork properly but wondered if anyone has done this before.
I think I get it MOT'd, Insured, get some paperwork from the HMRC when it arrives at the docks and then fill in a fistfull of papers and forms then toddle off down to the local DVLA office in Reading with the lot (but not the bike) and get them to help me!!
Looking forward to getting out there on the road and joining the odd rally - I'm going to try and have everything done for the Riders at Brooklands but it may all be too much to get done in that timeline.
Thanks for reading
Stuart Metcalfe