Date: 19-03-24  Time: 08:16 am

Author Topic: Frame Swap, What's the Legal Way?  (Read 10042 times)

7uckyDog

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Frame Swap, What's the Legal Way?
« on: 11 January 2019, 07:52:12 pm »
Hello fellow Fazer owners,


I had a very 'nice' Christmas present by an idiot driver who knocked me off my bike so I ended up in the back of a stationary van. Long story short the bike was written off as category B because of damage on the frame.


I've put way too much work into transforming the bike so I'm not ready to part with it and there are loads of good bits on the bike which I can't legally sell. But I'm wondering if I can get the bike on the road again by swapping out the frame if I find a good one with plates and a logbook.


My biggest concern is, can I use the engine? What's the legal way to do this? Does the frame have to be HPI clear or can it be up to Category C? How complicated is the registration procedure? Would be great to hear from anyone that has gone through a similar ordeal!


Thanks in advance!




2002 FZS600

Trebus

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Re: Frame Swap, What's the Legal Way?
« Reply #1 on: 11 January 2019, 08:04:21 pm »
Not sure on the 100% legal way but if you get a replacement frame with V5 then who would know anyway? As far as I know the DVLA don’t care about engine numbers, for instance my XJR400 doesn’t have it recorded on the V5.

7uckyDog

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Re: Frame Swap, What's the Legal Way?
« Reply #2 on: 12 January 2019, 12:57:31 pm »
The engine number is recorded in my V5, maybe I can "sell" the bike at a scrapyard and "buy" the engine off them. The question is if they're allowed to sell big parts like that with serial numbers.

BBROWN1664

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Re: Frame Swap, What's the Legal Way?
« Reply #3 on: 13 January 2019, 11:53:56 am »
Its category B not A. With Cat A it must be scrapped. With B, it can be repaired but will require a full VOSA check rather than just an MOT to go back on the road. If the frame is damaged, then look for another frame and transplant all the good parts onto the new frame (which will have its own reg number) then once you've finished, send off the V5 for the original with the box for "scrapped" ticked.
You can re-use all the components from the old bike apart from the frame. Scrap yards sell engines and anything else they can from all the smashed cars.
Another ex-Fazer rider that is a foccer again

7uckyDog

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Re: Frame Swap, What's the Legal Way?
« Reply #4 on: 13 January 2019, 09:21:59 pm »



The company that assessed the damages on the bike mainly put it in category B because it had category C already on it from a previous crash. I think they were trying to scare me by saying I couldn't use any parts of the bike, they also added that could scrap it for free (so generous of them) or I would have to pay £50 if I do it myself later on.


The bike has loads of good parts, like brand new tires, chain, levers, and other bits and they probably felt like they were gonna make easy money out of my bike. They also valued it £500 under market value which I obviously disputed. I know it's in my right to get the bike back so I'm definitely re-framing it!


My only worry is that after all that work some MOT nerd with too much attention to detail will notice that the VIN and Engine Number don't match and I will have a bloody headache.


What's ya think? Do I have to pay a scrappy to pretend to sell the engine back to me after I give him my old frame?

Trebus

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Re: Frame Swap, What's the Legal Way?
« Reply #5 on: 14 January 2019, 06:03:03 am »
Nobody will check the engine number. MOT should confirm frame number, I’ve had tests done where that hasn’t happened! I’d just buy replacement frame with V5 and rebuild.

7uckyDog

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Re: Frame Swap, What's the Legal Way?
« Reply #6 on: 15 January 2019, 09:02:24 pm »
Getting my bike back this Thursday, so happy to know there’s a way to putting it back on the road, thanks for clearing out my paranoia!

Happy to look at donor bikes as I need a radiator and a fuel tank as well!

windyg

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Re: Frame Swap, What's the Legal Way?
« Reply #7 on: 16 January 2019, 03:24:24 pm »
Many years ago I was in the same position with a bike that was written off due to frame being bent. I managed to get a donor bike of the same model with a v5 but a blown engine. Once I had swapped everthing over I sent off the V5 for the right off to the DVLA telling them it had been scrapped and sent them the V5 for the donor bike telling them it had had an engine swop, 2 weeks later I had the new V5 with all the correct details sorted.

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Re: Frame Swap, What's the Legal Way?
« Reply #8 on: 26 January 2019, 08:22:19 pm »
You can scrap your own old frame when your done with it as well. Just fill in the section on the v5 and send that in. Cut the frame number offa d leave the rest for the scrap man