Passing the MOT

When your motorcycle has reached the four-year mark, sooner or later we all have to go through this procedure, which we all approach with a certain amount of doubt. It’s a strange feeling, because even knowing that everything is perfect, that you have no unauthorised modifications and no non-approved parts whatsoever, you always face it with a certain fear of failing over some silly detail you might have overlooked.

The first thing we need to do before leaving the house is:

– Grab the necessary documentation: the vehicle registration document and the technical data sheet.

– Give the bike a quick check: make sure all the lights work, the indicators on both sides, front and rear, the position lights, dipped and main beam headlights, the rear position light and the brake light, whether you operate it with the lever alone or with the brake pedal if it’s a conventional motorcycle. If it’s a scooter, test both levers.

– Check the horn.

– Make sure the chain is taut and more or less lubricated.

– Look at the brake pads and brake discs.

– And of course, check the tyres. Remember that the minimum tread depth is set at 1.6 mm, which is easy to see using the tread wear indicators built into the tyres.

Once all this has been checked, we can go to whichever MOT centre we choose. There, the first step is to show the documentation and, of course, the easiest part of all: paying.

Once this step is done, we move on to the inspection itself. The first thing the technician will do is check the information on the plate on our motorcycle, the frame number and, most importantly, how many decibels (dB) our motorcycle must produce at certain revs. Knowing this, the operator will place a microphone at the exhaust outlet at a set distance and verify that the stated figure is met.

After this step we will carry out some static tests: the operation of the lights and horn will be checked, the tyres and brake discs will be inspected, and the brake pads will also be looked at briefly.

Then we move on to the second part, the “dynamic” tests. We will drive the front wheel between two rollers and be asked to gradually apply the front brake, then the same with the rear brake. Then we go to the scale where, without getting off the bike, the technician will check that it meets the figure stated in the data sheet. Only one test remains, perhaps the most crucial because it is the only one that, with the equipment most people have, cannot be checked at home: the emissions measurement. A probe placed in the exhaust takes a reading at idle to obtain the results.

If everything is correct, we’ve got it: we’ve passed the MOT! We are approved for two years and can ride with everything in order.

Tips for the MOT:

– Bring the motorcycle warm. However, if you’ve come from far away, be careful if it is air-cooled, since we will be putting it through certain “torture” while stationary and it could overheat.

– The chain can be brought freshly lubricated, which gives the impression of a well-maintained motorcycle.

– Bringing it clean is always a good idea.

– Do not bring non-approved parts such as indicators, exhausts, fairings…