What does the MOT certificate indicate?
An MOT test certificate confirms that your motorbike was roadworthy at the time of the test and can be ridden for the next year.
Essentially it means that your motorbike met the minimum requirements for a vehicle in terms of environmental and road safety standards set out by law, there may be advisories on there for items that should be repaired or at least kept an eye on before your next test but may not fall into the category of failure.
What doesn’t the MOT certificate indicate?
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You need a seat to pass an MOT (surprise surprise).
Your horn needs to work and it must be the correct type.
Your registration plates, vehicle ID and frame number all need to be legible and on your bike.
Your headlamp, rear lights, indicators and reflectors all need to work properly, be secure and in good condition. Your headlamp must also be the right colour and pointed in the right direction (forwards and down).
Your tyres must be secure and in good condition, as should your wheels. Tyres should also be fitted properly, have the legal tread depth and good valve condition.
Your front and rear wheels must be aligned properly.
Must be present and secure.
Must not be damaged in any way or shortened. It must be easily operated.
Must work properly.
The condition, operation and performance of your brakes will be tested, as well as the controls.
The condition, operation and performance of your steering and suspension will be tested thoroughly. This is one of the longest parts of the test.
Your chain’s tension and condition will be assessed, with the chain guard checked for security. Your sprockets will be checked for wear.
The general condition of your frame will be checked, looking for cracks, damage and corrosion.
Noise and security are checked.
Security is monitored alongside checks for leaks.
If your motorbike has a sidecar there will be an additional assessment of this with checks on the attachment, wheel alignment, suspension, lights and tyres, to name a few.
How many motorbikes fail?
Plenty of motorbikes fail their MOT however many of the faults that cause a fail are avoidable and down to general condition.
The MOT fail rate for motorbikes stands at around 20% and if you’re in that fifth you will be given a failure document that outlines where and why your bike failed.
Your motorbike must be repaired to a standard where the MOT would be passed and it can only be ridden if you are driving to get repairs or for your next MOT test.
You should not be charged for a retest if you return to the same testing facility before the end of the next working day.
FAQs
According to the Department for Transport (DfT), there are 3,000 motorbike MOT facilities in the UK.
To check that they are authorised to carry out MOTs, they must carry the triple blue triangle logo.
All accredited MOT test centres have testers who have passed a training course from the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA).
VOSA is a government agency that sets the standards of MOTs and regularly checks up on MOT testers to ensure they’re meeting the right standards, they can also discipline and prevent MOT test centres from carrying out the tests if they are below standard. VOSA also deals with complaints.
You can disagree with an MOT’s findings and if that’s the case you must complete a VT17 form (available from test stations) or call 0300 123 9000 within 14 days of the fail.
However, this service costs the price of a full MOT test.
If you lose your MOT certificate you can buy a duplicate one for £10.
You will need the test number from your original MOT certificate or your unique number on your vehicle registration document (V5C), as well as your Vehicle Registration Mark.
If you return to the same MOT test centre, your vehicle can be used as proof.
