UK Motorcycle regulations - Basics

[cantarauk]

Hi,

Would anyone know what the basic requirements are to get a bike street legal in the UK. Currently the plan is to rebuild the bike but very minimalistic.

Included so far for the build are the basics

- Headlight with high beam
- Brake light (black smoke in colour) connected to front brake only
- Rear indicators
- Speedo
- Killswitch
- license plate no light

- No front or rear mud guard but rear style cafe cowl

What else would be required to legally get this on the road

G 

[Nurse Julie]

A horn springs to mind.

[Trigger]

1) Front mudguards aren't part of the MoT, but they are required by C&U. This also applies for the rear
2) You need a tail/brake light to show red, when on (unless you go for a day time MOT only)
3) You don't need a speedo for MOT
4) If the bike is fitted with a side light or the switch, it must work
5) You need front indicators to go with the rear ones.
6) You will need a rear brake light as well as a front if the bike was built after 1986 (tricky one, seeing you are building it this year)

[Tomb]

Adding to Trigger and Julie's.....   Am I correct in reading you want a rear brake light but mention no rear light,but want a headlight?

If you have a headlight you must have a rear light that works with the headlight, AND if you have lights you must have a license plate illumination light.

Speedo is C+U  too.

[kevski]

A bike without all the above mentioned, is not fit for purpose or fit to ride on todays roads, as an ornament it's great, to my mind if someone wants minimalist get a bicycle, some years ago a friend of mine was crippled by someone riding a daylight MOT bike at night, just my view.

[totty]

Seems a bit harsh to declare all daylight MOT'd bikes not fit for purpose because some idiot road one at night.

I have a bike on daylight MOT that I use frequently, and sensibly.

[MrDavo]

I once had a 750cc Norton Atlas race bike on the road that was on a daylight only MOT, I was like Cinderella trying to get home before dark. To make it even more impractical, it was bump start only and had no tickover, or stand of any kind. The frame was a genuine  Manx one, wish I'd kept that.

One summer night, after I was caught out by the dark (while playing pool in a pub), I followed a bus from Bentham home to Lancaster, the driver must have wondered what the heck that racket was coming from behind, every time he stopped to pick up passengers.



I found a photo, note the bulb horn, also the open clutch - we wore flared jeans then, I used to keep a bicycle clip in my leather jacket. That single seat cost me a very nice girlfriend, who elected to go out with my mate, with a dual seat on his bike, instead. The tax disc proves it was legal(ish) I think Frank Shepherd must've turned a blind eye to the brake light for the MOT, unless the rules were different then, as it had no electrics whatsoever ( magneto ignition). I did get good at hand signals though.

[kevski]

Seems a bit harsh to declare all daylight MOT'd bikes not fit for purpose because some idiot road one at night.

I have a bike on daylight MOT that I use frequently, and sensibly.

Tell that to the bloke in the wheelchair.

[totty]

All vehicles are dangerous in the wrong hands, lets justify it to all victims or ban all vehicles.

I've got bike with no lights that I don't use in the dark, in tunnels or in fog, it's a trials bike with a 2.6L tank. The starter of this post clearly wants lights but is trying to find the easiest way to get an MOT.

Aren't bike forums normally full of people wanting less rules and restrictions?

[Trigger]

Every bike and rider is a different character, that is unless you own and ride a sandcast

[MrDavo]

I bought my first bike without permission from anyone in my family, as I knew they'd say no.

My Grandfather and I had arguments where he conflated the unfortunate fact that, yes, some people have had fatal accidents on motorcycles, to 'all motorcycles are death traps'.

Surely this argument about unlit bikes is the same thing - because one person rides one like a knob doesn't mean they all are.

[Woodside]

I've had a few bikes on daylight mot's...
I only used them in good visibility. ..easy to do if it's just a bomb around the country side not so great if your touring or doing a few long hauls...
Sold them now as to be honest they were a pain in the arse as I work fairly normal hours only evenings and weekend are riding times....and our evenings are not long enough most of the year and I got fed up going home early....usually in a panic that the light would dissappear

[andy120t]

6) You will need a rear brake light as well as a front if the bike was built after 1986 (tricky one, seeing you are building it this year)

I like the little quirks of the MOT regs. My GSXR750 from 1986 only ever had a brake light switch on the rear pedal (not sure if the front had been removed by the owner who crashed/streetfighter'd it or if Suzuki knew they didn't need to fit one). It was ages before I realised this (think young; stupid; first fast bike)  and I was a little surprised  that a bike that quick wouldn't have one on the front brake....always fun to be able to 'train' the MOT tester on the regulations though. It's a nice loophole now though as it's one less bit of wiring to worry about.

[totty]

You don't need brakelights at all if it's not capable of over 25mph. You probably don't need a back wheel either if you try to achieve that through gearing.

[kevski]

As i am not a psychic and unable to predict when that complete knob comes out of the dark and mows someone down or gets wiped out themselves (shame) i will stay with my first opinion because believe it or not it offers everyone the best protection that can be had where motorcycles are concerned, unfortunately those responsible enough to have daylight MOT's and abide by the rules are yet again penalized by the actions of those that would follow another vehicle home in the dark while only having a daylight MOT.