9 Ways to ensure you never fail an MoT

Your bike’s MoT test doesn’t have to be worse than a trip to the dentist

1. Is the chassis sweet?

Inspect your bike’s chassis well in advance of the MoT date. Check for clunks, creaks, loose parts and wobbles. Notchy bearings, loose bushes are easy to check for and you’ll feel them when you ride – if they’re shot, or on their way out, your MoT tester will find them, so don’t bank on getting away with it for another year. Better to get them fixed now than to have to rush the job to meet an MoT re-test.

2. Chains, sprockets and belts

If these advice pages haven’t beaten you in to taking proper care of your chain, now’s definitely the time. Degrease, clean and inspect. Stiff links, tight spots, insecure joining links will get picked up – if it’s at the end of adjustment or can be pulled off the sprocket, it’ll get failed. Check sprockets are secure and not worn out with hooked or missing teeth. Drive belt? Inspect for damage or degrading rubber.

3. Got enough tread?

Failing an MoT for defective tyres is plain embarrassing. The legal minimum tyre tread depth is 1mm, though most tyres are past their best way before that anyway. Inspect the tyre for cuts, cracks or foreign objects puncturing it. Valves must be secure, in good condition and suitable for bikes – long rubber types are meant for cars and pose a danger if they make it on to your bike.

4. Lighting

There’s nothing more frustrating than getting a fail on a small problem, such as non-functioning lights. So check they’re all working as they should. High and low beam are easy – check the tail light bulbs are working too. Indicators should flash amber, and the dash tell-tale needs to work too. Check the brake lights work on front and rear brake application – if the rear isn’t working, you may need to adjust the switch to suit the lever travel. Examine the security of connections to avoid intermittent faults. The headlight needs to be aimed correctly – a friendly tester might let you make tweaks if you can’t set it up at home. Be warned: aftermarket HID conversions are an instant fail too.

5. Making too much noise?

Testers often interpret exhaust regulations differently, but anything that says ‘not for road use’ or ‘track use only’ is a definite fail. Prepare for disappointment with anything blatantly loud too – if you can, turn up with a stamped, road legal silencer (which is why getting the original exhaust makes sense when buying used). Sort any blowing joins or damage beforehand, and the whole thing needs to be secure too.

6. Sitting pretty?

If you have a pillion seat, it must be secure and matched with either a grab handle or footrests, though for obvious reasons footrests are the preferred option. All the levers, throttle and footrests need to be secure, unhindered and functioning properly. Check the cables are routed correctly. Lock stops must be intact and preventing anything from clashing.

7. Clean and secure

Any loose components are a problem. Missing fasteners or brackets will be a fail. Why clean it? Your tester isn’t put in a grumpy mood by having to work with a filthy bike, they’re more likely to allow you to make minor tweaks, or go home with an advisory to sort.

8. Numberplate

Must be split over two lines, on a reflective yellow background. Letters must be 64mm x 34mm, spaced 10mm apart and the letters should be 10mm thick too. The margins at the top, bottom and side of the plate must be at least 11mm.

9. Stopping power

If you have any sort of braking pulsing or judder, the machine will pick it up, and it’ll be a fail for you. Check discs are above minimum thickness, and that they’re free from cracks or damage. Excess slop on floating buttons (or missing fixings) is an instant fail.