Loud pipes and the MOT

A

alan29

Scooter
Just got my first Bonnie - used 2005, only 5000 miles. I was 10 when they came out and I fell in love. It has taken 50 years to get one! Now it came with all sorts of extras including the Triumph loud pipes fitted, but with the originals in a box. I guess they will not go through the MOT??? The dealer said it was a simple thing to swop the pipes for the MOT. Is it? And would I have to do anything else - bearing in mind that I have never owned a spanner (isn't it a kind of apple?)
All help/ideas welcome.
 
BlueJ

BlueJ

Blue Haired Freak
Don't worry about it. The Triumph "loud" pipes aren't loud at all, compared to loud pipes.
 
nigel

nigel

Scooter
alan29 said:
Just got my first Bonnie - used 2005, only 5000 miles. I was 10 when they came out and I fell in love. It has taken 50 years to get one! Now it came with all sorts of extras including the Triumph loud pipes fitted, but with the originals in a box. I guess they will not go through the MOT??? The dealer said it was a simple thing to swop the pipes for the MOT. Is it? And would I have to do anything else - bearing in mind that I have never owned a spanner (isn't it a kind of apple?)
All help/ideas welcome.
Click to expand...

Just find a deaf MOT tester.....

There are a few about, where in the UK are you?:up:
 
nigel

nigel

Scooter
alan29 said:
Hi, the Wirral (Liverpool/Chester.)
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Hi Alan,
I'm down in the London / Essex area.
Sorry I dont know your area personaly but you really should'nt have a problem with bonnie pipes.
I would consider going to a "classic motorcycle" type bike shop, they're more likely to be understanding of louder pipes.
Try looking in one of the classic mags.
Alternately ask some local bikers.
Good luck.
Nige
 
M

musicswapshoppe

Rocker
My mate in Hampshire has the Norman Hydes and they are louder. He has never had probs with MOT. Very much doubt you will need to swap them for MOT either.
 
Carnation

Carnation

Street Tracker
There is no threshold per se, but under the regs the pipes must be E marked, and not marked "not for road use" or similar. Bikes prior to a certain age (1981 maybe??) are exempt but can still fail if the pipes are "too loud" which is not tested with a meter. If the pipes are marked "not for road use" or the Triumph equivalent, you can put a piece of tape of the marking, which the MOT tester is not allowed to remove(!)

Many testers "don't notice" as long as the pipes are not obviously obnoxious. My local bike place is a Ducati dealer, so have many loud bikes. They don't tend to consider pipes an issue for MOT purposes.
 
A

alan29

Scooter
Carnation said:
There is no threshold per se, but under the regs the pipes must be E marked, and not marked "not for road use" or similar. Bikes prior to a certain age (1981 maybe??) are exempt but can still fail if the pipes are "too loud" which is not tested with a meter. If the pipes are marked "not for road use" or the Triumph equivalent, you can put a piece of tape of the marking, which the MOT tester is not allowed to remove(!)

Many testers "don't notice" as long as the pipes are not obviously obnoxious. My local bike place is a Ducati dealer, so have many loud bikes. They don't tend to consider pipes an issue for MOT purposes.
Click to expand...

That's amazing. What tape won't leave gunk behind when it is removed later?
 
BlueJ

BlueJ

Blue Haired Freak
alan29 said:
What worries me a bit is that I have the Triumph ones and they have a notice on the side of them that says they are not road-legal.
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They're so quiet nobody will notice. Just take it in, if you fail the test borrow some stockers from someone long enough to take the test again. Takes like 15 minutes to get them off -- possibly less time than removing tape residue. :)
 
B

buckie

Scooter
Couldn't you take the bike to a Harley dealer and have the inspection done there, seems there pipes are always loud.
 
S

sandgrounder

moped
alan29 said:
they have a notice on the side of them that says they are not road-legal.
Click to expand...

Thats the part that could possibly fail the MOT, not the loudness of them.

As others suggest, ask around and find where others go.
Dont fit the stock pipes before the test as it could be a waste of time and effort!
Best to only fit them if you end up being failed because of them.






.
 
nigel

nigel

Scooter
Mayor08 said:
What is the threshold for loud pipes in the UK? And what is looked at during an MOT?
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The UK MOT is an annual road worthy test for vehicles 3 years and older.
The bike is checked at an authorised test station by a qualified mot tester.
Things generaly checked are tyre's, steering,brakes,wheel,swing arm and head bearings, fork seals,all lights and of course exhausts.....
Some testers are more strict than others although they should all follow the same guidelines.
You can even fail an mot test if your number plate is not the correct size!
Its only a "snap shot" of road worthyness ( ? is that a word ?) as things could be easily swaped after getting your pass certificate.
Do you have a similar vehicle test in the USA?
 
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