Question #1 Mudguards in the UK..

[trixynut]

Whats the law? do you need them or not?

Cant find anything on the MOT requirements webshite.

[Kayla]

Whats the law? do you need them or not?

Cant find anything on the MOT requirements webshite.

No.

If the forks are flexible enough to need a mudguard as a brace you need one, otherwise no. They don't even need to be bolted on, mine went through with an R1 mudguard zip-tied in place. As long as it's secure and won't foul anything it'll be fine, and if it's not there they can't test it (like chainguards )

[phuk72]

not quite true

if the tester deems it dangerous - i.e. that something could fly from the wheel into the rider - he can fail. That said, chances are it will pas without a front guard

Chain guard is mandatory

[slow codger]

But dont ride it in the rain or snow!!! You going to turn it into an American street tracker then?

Dave E

[Kayla]

Chain guard is mandatory

No it's not. It is a requirement of Construction & Use though, as is a speedo, but neither are a requirement of the MOT. If they are present, they must work and be safe, if they're not there, they can't be tested.

[slow codger]

Con and use states that if it was fitted to the bike as original equipment then it must be present. You are right about the MOT though.

Dave E

[phuk72]

Chain guard is mandatory

No it's not. It is a requirement of Construction & Use though, as is a speedo, but neither are a requirement of the MOT. If they are present, they must work and be safe, if they're not there, they can't be tested.

I think you'll find that the lack of a chain guard is a mandatory fail (although few will actually fail unless it presents a danger to the rider)

Believe it or not I have seen a bike fail because the rear footpegs were removed

[trixynut]

So Construction and Use say if it was there originally it must be present .... but there is no Con/Use checks of vehicles therefore no fines etc if its been altered or removed?

And MOT is basically "if its there, it needs to work, but if its not, it cant be tested"? subject to certain rules on having a horn, and maybe a chainguard.

Chainguard on a TRX is a bit of flimsy plastic that is neither going to stop a few pounds of broken chain doing 100mph from taking a chunk out my leg nor stop my flares from tangling in the chain.

Ok, seems a bit unclear still. Suppose the option is to take the bike for an MOT with the bare minimum on it (if I go down that route/look that I decide to go for) and get a fail, and then bolt back on the bits its been failed for (mudguards, chainguard etc) and then take it for a free re-test.

[slow codger]

No con and use, depends how much you upset the traffic cop lol!

Dave E