daytime mot
 

was not sure of the legalities of the daytime mot but just had me track bike done.
just thought i`d put this up on the board for anyone thinking of doing the same.

no lights required (not even a tail/brake light or indicators)
must have a number plate, electric horn, road legal tyres, baffled can & all the other stuff that a normal bike would need for a standard mot......i might wear something a bit high vis tho when i ride it and carry my doc`s, cause i`m bound to get pulled by plod......
:)

[Edited on 17-3-2006 by uncle porry]

..but in Surrey you also have to comply with construction & use too.....:(

This has been covered several times on here UP, and the upshot is that obtaining an MOT certificate is one thing....but the second you pull off from the testing station you could be done by the Police.

I'm suprised by what you have been told about what is/isn't required. From what I understand most of what you've listed is incorrect.

You DO need a brake light.
You DON'T have to have the numberplate attached
The exhuast can be a full on race pipe, as long as it DOES NOT have 'for race use only' stamped on it. Noise level is not important.

The point often made is that the numberplate is not covered in the MOT, so you could gain a certificate without one even on the bike, but obviously that bike would not be legal to then ride on the road.

Certificate is one thing...100% road legal and Plod happy is quite another.

JMHO

Needs a brake light, number plate and tax and insurance to be road legal. That is with a day time MOT. Your bike in standard guise is the rest that is needed to comply with normal mot speck. If the lights are there they have to work is my understanding, this is also what is needed to satisfy the police should you be stopped.

I watched a traffic cop program a couple of years ago in Avon and Somerset force area. A traffic car stopped a Ducati 996 with a day time MOT on the way back from a track day in summer. He stopped it because it had no lights fitted to the vehicle(it did have a brake light). The officer was unsure if it comformed with the rules. The bike cops were miles away on the other side of the force area and were asked to go and take a look. When they got there they had a look and said yes it is ok for a day time MOT with no indicators or headlights(track fairing) however because it had took them so long to get there it was now nearly dark so the poor chap could not ride on. They just said sorry about that and left him at the side of the road. gits!

We have done this many times before. Traffic cops don't always know the correct law but i'd bet that if you had an accident then the other parties solicitor would know all about it and you'd be in deep trouble!

Re the exhaust, if, in the opinion of the the tester its too loud then he can fail it as he can also do if it has race use only etc stamped on it.

1) You now DO need a number plate for an mot (introduced about a year ago).
2) The only bikes exempt from having a headlight are those first registered before 1930something, or bikes where the primary use is off-road endurance, a 999r with nobblies doesn't count!

A daytime mot will let you get tax and insurance, but won't let you ride on the public highway. No exceptions other than those listed in 2)

:puzzled:

a mate of mine knows a traffic cop, so i emailed him today & got him to ask the copper about the daytime mot.
apparently an mot is to check if a vehicle is safe to be used on the public highway, so, if said vehicle has passed an mot then it is fit to be used on the road. so bugger it, i`ll use the bike and if i get pulled i`ll see what happens.........

Seriously Unc, the Police stopping you won't be the real problem. If you were to have an accident that was your fault and the other party found out that your vehicle didn't comply with construction and use regulations you would be in so much trouble.

Unc

I used to have a daylight use only m.o.t. on my Duc 860 .

You are required by law to display a rear reflector. ( As is a push bike )

After several close shaves of cars almost rear ending me at zebra crossings etc. , I fitted a brake light. I think these are now compulsory on all motor vehicles.

You must have an audible warning device.

You must display a full size number plate when on the public highway and this must be visible from the rear ( You can't keep it in your pocket )

You must inform your insurance company of ANY modifications from the factory specification. Lights,exhaust,indicators,air filters etc. Even if they say it doesn't matter then still fill the details in on your renewal form cos if you run over a 5 year old and you aint told them of the changes they will walk away from the claim.

A safer bet might be to go for the endurance look and bolt a couple of lights on the front which you can unbolt when you get to the track.

I was talking to a traffic cop the other day and he reckoned if he stops you for construction and use and contacts your insurance company to check your cover, then he will ask them about any modifications he can see on the machine. If your insurance company doesn't know about them and says you aren't insured you will then also be done for no insurance.

At the end of the day it's best not to give the cops a reason to stop you in the first place. No lights is an obvious reason for a pull.

Been there years ago and got the convictions to prove it.

Phil