MOT Failure

[Nutsinatin]

Well I feel like I need a good rant after this so here goes...

Booked my bike in for it's MOT (K9 SV650S), the last three times I used CBS Whitton and everything was fine, however now that I work in Reading there is Blade Honda no more than 5 mins walk from where I work, so I booked it where for convenience. I booked it in three weeks in advance and was ready and waiting when they opened, left the bike with them and went off to work. My plan was to pick the bike up at lunch, but at one o'clock it wasn't ready, which wasn't the end of the world, just thought an MOT would be reasonably quick.

Anyway at half three I got a call to say the bike had failed its MOT, which I was pretty surprised at; I look after the bike and gave it a pre MOT check so I was quite worried that I had missed something, however I was amazed at what the 'failures' were.

The first failure was that the left handlebar grip 'was rotating freely' by this they meant that the third of the grip at the bar end side would move when twisted, but not the other two thirds (I had tested this and it seemed fine to me, but I didn't pull just the end of the grip, I pulled the whole thing which stayed put). I can't see how this is severe enough to fail an MOT but it still cost £32.50 for them to re-glue which was the most ridiculous price that I had ever heard, I even offered to glue it myself if they just sold me the glue, but they would not perform a same day retest if I glued it myself, had to be their technician so they knew that the work was up to standard.

The second failure was slightly more reasonable, if you pressed the rear brake lever so that the light just comes on it would flicker, if you pressed it normally it was fine (hence why i didn't notice this when I tested the light worked) but I really thought this was pretty harsh for a failure as the pads were only just engaging at this point and if you used the lever with a normal amount of force it worked just fine. The advice that I was given for this was that they could try to 'strip and clean' the sensor, however they felt this would be unsuccessful and I would be better letting them order a new sensor and fitting that when it arrived in 7 - 10 working days. With the bike being my sole transport I opted for the clean at what I thought was £16.40, which later turned out to be £60.40 when I went to pay. To rub salt into my wounds the 'strip and clean' was to spray it with a Honda brand WD40 substitute and leave it for 10 minutes, and yes they charged labour for those 10 minutes and for the spray!

So by this point I'm feeling pretty stupid as they've fleeced me, home from work without the bike is a 45 minute walk to the train, and hour long train then an hour of walking country roads from the station (repeat this order reversed to get to work in the morning), as the bike had no MOT now and I'm going away on the bike Wednesday I paid up, otherwise I would have pre booked an MOT elsewhere and just gone there, pretty sure the bike would have passed elsewhere, and if not the work would have been much cheaper!

So next year I'm not going here I'm going back to CBS Whitton, seems much more convenient now! And as I'm tied into a 5 year minimum contract I would have gone back to Blade Honda for the next 5 years at least, and they would have made more money than they did today, however I will not be going back so that's their loss.

So what do you think, am I going OTT here or have they taken me for a right ride and really pushed what they're allowed to do here?

[Biker Biggles]

You answer your own question.Go to the place you know and trust.

[Spank86]

You got screwed and the not letting you glue it yourself was utter bull****.

They're an MOT tester, they're not required to verify that any "work" is up to standard beyond the normal MOT process.

[Messie]

Moved, to SV Talk .... as it's talk about an SV

[PyroUK]

Sounds like you got well and truly shafted mate.

My L0 just failed it mot, tyres were done and my rear brake light only came on if you stood on the peddle.

Sorted it with the garage that they did new tyres and they fixed the rear switch by adjusting the spring so it engaged earlier. Prob took em about 10 mins but they did it for free.

At least you have a decent place to take it back to

[Aquila]

Me thinks you got done!!!


Been lucky the last 6yrs,bike has passed everytime.

[andrewsmith]

You've been had!!!

Mine failed for the handlebar thing and the station reglued it and passed it

[Nutsinatin]

I thought so, that'll teach me for not being loyal!

[tonyt]

The ******s have well and truly turned you over ol lad... Name and shame the ****s where ever you can...!!

[Bibio]

take the bike for an MOT a month before its due date.

yes you have been bent over and taken it without lube. you pays your money you takes your chance.

[Ninthbike]

Typical "big company" mentality. Short sighted instant profit and to hell with the long-term loyalty. I would put in a complaint to the General Manager and see if you can get some of your money back.

[Ch00]

or complain to VOSA who are now called DVSA.

[AJC]

Well I had my first ever bike MOT failure today, also having taken it to a different place from my usual. What was on there was fair enough, excessive play in the front wheel bearings (though I later checked shaking the wheel very hard, and to describe this as excessive was, err... excessive?), and a split/unsafe front tyre valve. Would never have noticed this, just one of those weird things but I can see it now.

Anyways the lad also gave advisories for both tyres being worn which I knew. He then offers the bearings if I am going to do them myself, which I was. I did ask if they were likely to have them, the place being a Suzuki joint and my bike being a Honda. He said they could probably would and he would shout the parts dept. Few mins later another lad hands me two bearings, I hand over some cash and get on my merry way.

Straight home, ordered some tyres and whipped both wheels off in order to take them in loose to somewhere for new tyres (and valves!). Then followed an hour and a half of hammering, swearing and nearly broken thumb(s) to free the fecking bearings. One of which to be fair didn't look the good side of pristine. Anyway, I already noticed by this point the dust seals will need replacing which I was slightly annoyed at not thinking of but also thought the mechanic type chap may have mentioned and tried to sell me as well.

But hey ho, might as well get the new bearings in. But oh no, not today, cos they are only the wrong fecking ones aren't they!? (too big)... Soo bearings and dust seals ordered and the wrong uns will be going back with me when I go for the retest in order for me to reclaim some of my hard earned.

So, the moral being, stick with what ya know...

[Sir Trev]

Typical "big company" mentality. Short sighted instant profit and to hell with the long-term loyalty.



This. Took my Focus to the local Ford main dealer as it was just under three years old - I swear they used oil refined from snow leopards as the price was mental. The extras they tried to get me to buy were even worse and they sounded surprised when I laughed and said no.


Back to a local indie for me now the warranty is up!

[PyroUK]

To be fair even under warranty you don't need to go to a main dealer anymore, as long you the indie you are using is reputable as the gov mandated that manufacturers must honour warranties as long as the parts used were equivalent (or something like that anyway)

[thefallenangel]

A certain well known suzuki dealer in south wales of 3 years of servicing and maintenance, Clamped my fuel lines after a service, told me my rear brake required a full rebuild when one sliding pin was sticking, told me my brake bolts weren't suzuki so invalidated the warranty fully on the bike. Oh and didn't stock copper washers M10 on the frigging shelf. Probably alongside brake fluid a standard servicing item. Main dealer = bad, decent independant = good. Main dealer makes money compared to an indy who enjoys maintaining motorcycles.

[Blapper]

You were cynically robbed.

I thought I was done for when I got my bike MOT'd at a local scooter shop as they literally were scooter renovation specialists owned and run by old mods! Turned out they were golden. The guy talked to me about what I had done to it and when, looked it over, rubbed a finger over the brake line joints and checked the headrace bearings then signed it off. If you know what you're doing, that is the place to go. No throttle jockey going off up the road on my pride and joy (probably would have scared him sh**less after riding old Lambrettas). :-)