MOT rules- Possible exemption

[Dogsbody]

As all (? ) Greeves would qualify not just pre 60, worth voting?

http://www.dft.gov.uk/classic-mot/survey-classic-vehicle-exemption/

Dogsbody

[dave higgins]

I can`t understand why anyone would want to ride or drive a vehicle on the roads, without an official certifaction of road worthiness, as an ex mot inspector, i have tested many vehicles that have been checked over & prepared by the owners.... only to fail miserably.
I`m not saying all, but many peoples imagination, far outways thier technical ability, & reading things up on google is never gonna make you a mechanic, so think about that, the next time your going down the road & an oncoming car starts vearing towards you..... has his steering failed ...or is he just messing about?

[Andy Z]

Reading through all the comments on that website is very worrying, as most seem to be opting for the easy way out, i.e. agreeing with the proposal. I've seen a number of old bikes on vmcc runs which should definitely not be on the road to the point of being dangerous, so agree with Dave's comments above. You wouldn't just go for a ride on someone elses bike without checking the brakes, tyres etc... Plenty of people do with their own bikes. On a recent run, someone's exhaust fell off before even reaching the meeting point!

I can help wondering what the motivation is behind the proposal. What next, vehicles exempt from Mots are only permitted to be used on Sundays? On organised events only?

[John Wakefield]

Reading through all the comments on that website is very worrying, as most seem to be opting for the easy way out, i.e. agreeing with the proposal. I've seen a number of old bikes on vmcc runs which should definitely not be on the road to the point of being dangerous, so agree with Dave's comments above. You wouldn't just go for a ride on someone elses bike without checking the brakes, tyres etc... Plenty of people do with their own bikes. On a recent run, someone's exhaust fell off before even reaching the meeting point!

I can help wondering what the motivation is behind the proposal. What next, vehicles exempt from Mots are only permitted to be used on Sundays? On organised events only?

Good points there Andy, I think the underlying thing is the computer generated programme for testing vehicles. As the test gets tightened up, & more & more aspects are tested, older vehicles wont comply. So by exempting historics VOSA dont get the problem of setting 'lesser tests' for old vehicles. As we all know, older bikes have less aspects to test & the current test set at around 30 mins means that the tester has to wait for that time to elapse before he/she can print off the pass certificate, & get onto the next bike.

[dave higgins]

Vosa set the test time at what they consider to be the time it takes to complete the vehicle inspection correctly, if the tester is having to wait around, then he has not done it properly, & if subject to a unanounced vosa check, that tester will face a ban, or worse.

[Brian Catt]

Dave, I'm not sure what vehicles you have been testing, but just about everything I have had tested in the last 20 or so years has been done within 15 to 20 minutes in the case of 4 wheels or 10 minutes in the case of 2 wheels. When the direct link to VOSA computer came in, I heard universal moans that the process was slowing up the through-put of vehicles being tested and costing the garage revenue. I had one occasion where the tester completed the tests, put the vehicle up on the ramps again and we did a short service on it before the computer caught up!

[Colin Sparrow]

I thought that they were allowing a bit of time for talking old bikes with the tester...

[pluscab]

It's fine to say that all vehicles should be checked by a third party but the problem in the future will be finding someone competent on older vehicles, as so much of the current MOT is plug-in and read-out.

[dave higgins]

I did not give a time brian, but when i was testing class 4, cars & light vans, 45 mins plus 15 for paperwork was the minimum time to complete the test, if i was finished before then, it would have been deemed not to be done correctly.
But then again, how would you know that!, you have`nt got any qualifications in that field...http://mottesting.org.uk/mot-information-faq-help.html

[Dogsbody]

Dave, I'm not sure what vehicles you have been testing, but just about everything I have had tested in the last 20 or so years has been done within 15 to 20 minutes in the case of 4 wheels or 10 minutes in the case of 2 wheels. When the direct link to VOSA computer came in, I heard universal moans that the process was slowing up the through-put of vehicles being tested and costing the garage revenue. I had one occasion where the tester completed the tests, put the vehicle up on the ramps again and we did a short service on it before the computer caught up!

The shop I worked for before retiring gave up doing MOTs as we we lost money on every one. Took 30 mins + and because most were sports bikes without a centre stand it was a two man job to check front and rear ends. At £25 for an MOT test it doesn't cover a mechanics costs when he can be billing at £50 + VAT per hour. Would only have been viable with at least 6 or 8 a day and not the 2 or 3 a week that we did. Dogsbody

[Brian Catt]

Dave, yes, you are correct I have no MOT qualifications, but I must assume that all the testers that tested my various vehicles were so qualified. Maybe my vehicles were prepared to such a good standard that they all realised they weren't going to find a problem!

[dave higgins]

Yeah ok... read my first post again, & you are exactly sort of diy-er that i was refering to.
No testing station on this planet is going to risk the huge outlay they have spent, by cheapskating on vehicle test times
As you know, from when the test starts, its logged into vosa via the computor, all the info of that vehicle is then returned ie vehicle details etc, then the test begins.
After the test, the inspector then puts back in the info results from the test, & vosa monitor all these times, testing stations putting in unrealistic test times may get a very expensive suprise visit.
In the old days, vosa used to come in with a ringer car, acting as a normal customer, then come back in 20 mins to see if it was ready, if it was then, thats it! banged to rights.
Nowadays, with single man testing its a bit different, i cannot comment.

[Brian Catt]

Dave, I am quite happy to have my vehicles tested by a competent tester. I can't see how you have got any other idea about that, Oh and by the way, the testing and certifying I did at work was on units worth millions of pounds, so I do know a little bit about the regime of testing. In our field, we were the equivalent of your VOSA men.

[dave higgins]

Go on then.... i`ll let you have the last word....

[John Wakefield]

Dave, I am quite happy to have my vehicles tested by a competent tester

And one who runs & understands old bikes himself.
I will name & praise Bassingbourn Garage, High Street, Bassingbourn, Royston, Hertfordshire SG8 5NE 01763 243519 where owner John Sole does the testing himself (now 3 days per week as he is semi retired) he has a collection of vintage & classic bikes himself so is sympathetic with his testing. His wife who runs the office always sends out a reminder each year when MoT is due. With a bit of bike chat in between John can just about make the test last the 30 mins required by VOSA.