MOT failure

Hi All,

My ST70 is my only bike and my first at that, so not used to getting them MOT'd etc. When I fisrt got the bike over a year ago I downloaded a checklist online and went through the basics to ensure it was fit for the MOT, took it to my local motorcycle garage and other than an intermitent horn it passed no problem.
A year later, and im my opinion probably in much better condition than it was when I took it for its last MOT, I take it to my new local garage, as I have moved from London to Bristol, and it failed with a list failures bigger than I could possibly imagine.
Do you find that MOT testers vary greatky? Are some more understanding when it comes to an older bike? I appreciate that some of the items on the list are probably fare, but most of them seem very picky to me.
I would be interested on hearing other peoples experiences with regards to this.
Cheers
Ben

Thats not good, personally I would take it elsewhere?

What did it fail on?

The main failure was fair enough, someone knocked my baby over in a car park a while back and ever so slightly bent the front fork stanchion, this throws the wheel alighnment out a touch and it failed on that. Other things however were:

Throttle cable needs re-routing
Speedo cable needs re-routing
Drive chain execcively worn
Stearing head bearing has excessive movement (which only has the tiniest amount of movement)
Headlight too Dim
Horn not loud enough
Hand grip loose. If you really twist it hard the it moves, as you would expect

These are some of the more obvious things I can remember, but the list is much, much bigger.
I am not used to having a bike tested so don't know how to ensure it is road worthy or whether the garage are trying to pull a fast one or just very cautious. Whilst I was in the garage picking my bike up the MOT tester was doing another bike and he was going over it with the finest of tooth combes.

I am going to do the obviouse stuff and get my brother to straighten the fork stanchions and probably take it somewhere else.

I just wanted to see if other people find that it varies much from one garage to another?

I would take it back to the last garage I used for the first MOT, but unfortunately they are too far away now.

Mot testers and Mot testing stations will vary greatly (of course they shouldnt at all!)
All the things you list are genuine possible reasons for failure. Do all the things you can,a lot wont cost you anything but time to fix.
Take it to another test station,they wont pick up on all the same points but may find some new ones !! I wouldnt take it to a big main dealer,better to a small, friendly and long time testing dealer. Good luck.

The main failure was fair enough, someone knocked my baby over in a car park a while back and ever so slightly bent the front fork stanchion, this throws the wheel alighnment out a touch and it failed on that. Other things however were:
Headlight too Dim
Horn not loud enough

Souns like a Johnny Jobsworth to me mate, doing it to the last eighth !!
Obviously if its dangerous, or could cause a accident well thats a fail in my eyes but "headlight to dim" (I take it yours is a 6V then) the guy has probably only worked on "modern" bikes. Did he give it a good rev when he tested it ?
"Horn not loud enough" did it make any sort of noise ? if it did then he should not of failed it on that particular point, jeez you can put a bulb type horn on the bike & it will pass, or a bell off a pushbike.
I know this as my recently departed 6V Vespa had all the same traits, I got all the info off my MOT man, that said you might just of caught your man on a particular bad day ie :bad hangover, didn't get his leg over ! he may be newly qualified, he may of had he arse kicked off the ministry for being too "leinient".
Anyway put it down to experience pal, try & speak to fellow bikers in your area & see where they take theirs.
Good luck
Phil.

This all sounds a bit da ja vue i,ve just read this post on the uk monkey bike forum !!!

rule number one

Don't take it to a motorbike garage for an mot, why is it they always find something wrong, and you have to leave the bike with them, which gives YOU (the customer) the expence and grief of having to arrange lifts etc.

I take mine to a local garage that mots cars, bikes and trucks (as well as the local buses), never have to leave it, as provising you call ahead, you can wait (and watch). and yes its done by a motorcyclist, as they do motorbike repairs, but never seem to be looking for work, they get that anyway from their great reputation. My XV110 could have failed on the front tyre being touch and go, instead the guy uses good old common sence, and tells you "GET IT DONE". In return he gets the business, but at a date and time that suits you best, good honest trust.