Putting a track bike on the road - I'll get a Daytime MOT!?
More and more people are starting to ride on-track and looking around the paddock, riders arrive with either the bike in a van or on a trailer. Some vans are kitted out perfectly with everything having its own place for spares, fuel, sleeping, and tools. It’s got to be our next big goal, we need a van... eventually.
Recently we were let down with van hire 15 minutes before collection, and although we got a van in the end, we could have missed the track day through no fault of our own.
That got us thinking of other ways to get to the track…...We either ride the track bikes there, or use full road bikes. But I’m not happy about using my mint road bike - that’s why we have track bikes...
For us to ride to the track requires a support crew though! Which in reality means asking the Mrs to follow us in a fully loaded car. A trailer’s not an option either as my car can’t have one fitted, a result in my view anyway. Also thanks to the car license changes around the year 2000, I’d need to do another test to tow with bikes and kit loaded, and I’m not doing that.
So, I was left with one option, a minefield of an option - well it was according to the internet - A daytime MOT on a road bike converted specifically for the track.
Whilst getting my road bike MOT’ed I asked my local friendly tester, what does my track bike need to get through a daytime only MOT? “There’s no such thing as a daytime MOT” was his response.
Eh, but the internet says there is?
He said “The motorcycle MOT test, is the MOT test, it’s the same for every bike - I asked the VOSA inspector to double check when I was asked about it last week”
This is a summary of what he said:
- An MOT test only is based on what is presented on the test day. You could completely change the bike in a matter of hours after the test, but the certificate is a pass or a fail on what's shown at the station.
- If the bike is presented without lights, indicators, mirrors, or a speedo then it can’t be failed for no working lights, indicators etc. It can be failed though if you turn up with lights fitted that are broken or aren’t disconnected. If it's for the track, just take em’ off.
- But, if a vehicle has no lights and a pass certificate, it shouldn’t be used in low light conditions, at night or in low visibility conditions. Which is common sense...I’m fine with that.
Aftermarket horn installed
The following is the “minimum requirement” for getting a bike through the MOT test, not the imaginary/defunct (whichever way you want to view it) “daytime MOT test”.
- A number plate of legal size
- A working horn,
- A reflector (even though you aren’t using it as night due to no lights)
THAT’S IT! You don’t need a speedo or even need a brake light. For the road though it's HIGHLY recommendable.
So…. after reading what's out there and talking to people, who do you trust? The internet, or a certified MOT inspector who’s been testing for years. You’ll find a lot of people say X, Y and Z, but haven’t actually gone through this. So for me it was an easy answer, the tester! He signs the bike off and has passed VOSA’s checks and standards. It’s his certificate I’ll be presenting if I’m required to show it….I photographed the bike at the station to show how it was presented to, just incase!
My bike passed with no advisories (August 2020), with a track fairing kit showing no front lights (removed), no indicators (removed), no speedo(removed), but on my track phone (where the dash was) that I use for recording track data I installed a speed app so I knew I was within speed limits, no mirrors (removed). I did however fit an LED brake strip to the tail unit which can be turned off at the track. On the road I want people to know I’m braking.
According to a well known insurance companies online help section, they say they will insure you as long as you don’t breach the daylight rules or the VT32 advisory form, given at the time of the test.
Interestingly, whilst the tester was logged into his system I showed him the insurance help section. He searched for “daytime mot”, and a form called a VT32. No results for a daytime MOT, or a VT32….
What’s a VT32? It’s an advisory form issued at the time of an MOT…..apparently. But as I discovered later, this VOSA form is now obsolete, the insurers page is well out of date!
When I spoke to my insurance company on the other hand, they said, if it has an MOT, that’s fine. They’ve been spot on, I’ve used them for years, without issue. It cost me around £40 to add the bike to my multi-bike policy. I insured the bike with all the changes declared and they were accepted without issue (I actually spoke to them again after adding the bike to my policy to double check all was documented)
So is anything else covered in the test? Yes, the normal items will be checked and must be correct to get a certificate, such as:A seat (yes that really is a requirement), straight wheels, road legal tyres, footrests, a smooth throttle, a freely moving clutch, fully working brakes and suspension, exhaust, frame & chain and sprockets.
I’ve got to admit, it's weird riding a track bike on the road and without mirrors the lifesavers are being used more than normal.
So with an MOT certificate, the sun out, proof of insurance and my road tax receipt (just incase) I’m off to the track! If I bin it and can’t get home, I’ll buy a van….