mot,

[taylor]

I took my 2000 fazer for a mot last week, he said wow that,s well looked after, he only checked the brakes, and gave my a mot, just said I can see there is no need to check anything else lol, happy days.

[DekF]

The bloke is an idiot. He has done you no favours by not checking essential safety items that you may have overlooked.

[Hedgetrimmer]

I agree - think of an MOT as an opportunity for a relatively cheap check over for any unspotted problems.

[dBfazer600]

Lets face it most of us look after our pride and joy to the point that we get anal. If a blemish appears or we hear an unfamiliar sound it is questioned and investigated. The only bikes I have known to have failed are the ones owned by kids or neglected to the point your looking for the metal other than rust.
 
Daz

[Hedgetrimmer]

Yes, but if we must have MOTs, why turn down the chance of having another practiced eye give your bike a good check over? Sometimes, with our own bikes, we don't see the wood for the trees.

[slimwilly]

Yes !!!! well trained eyes,  i took mine in for a MOT and a new front tyre, later when i got it home i noticed the mechanic had not tightened the pinch bolts that hold the front spindle in, they were almost out


A phone call to them and some apologies


Not good that time.

[Punkstig]

Mines normally parked outside the shop while its 'on the system'
Obviously I'm not going to name the shop.
I can understand your point of a cheap check over, and for those that don't ride that much then this is the correct way of looking at things,
I'm down the place so often asking questions (as I do as much work as possible myself (only so much you can do on the road!)) and getting tyres changed between us we know if there's anything wrong!

[DekF]

Since when has it been possible to identify suspension linkage or wheel bearing wear for example, by sight alone?
A bike that looks well looked after may be an indication but it is not a guarantee of roadworthiness. Any daft foccer can wield a polishing cloth
The original poster is happy that his mot tester shortchanged him by not carrying out a thorough check. PMSL. Honestly, you couldn't make up some of the crap on here lately. And to suggest that a competent home mechanic doesn't need a thorough independant check of his work is a shortsighted view. I do all my own maintenance, it has never been serviced by a garage & is in my opinion in tiptop condition but I value & trust that thorough check of it's roadworthiness at mot time.
Dek

[rustyrider]

I'd spend more time checking a bike over that was all clean and shiny than one that looks used.  I've been to look at cars in the past that look perfect on the outside because the owner has spent every weekend washing and polishing them but done no routine maintenance at all and the mechanics are completely shot.  What is even more worrying is that they don't seem to care when you point out possibly lethal faults.

[Dave48]

The only time I take my bikes to a dealer/workshop is for stuff like alarm/immobiliser work or tyre fitting/wheel balancing. Everything else is done by me at home BUT its nice to know @ MOT time that they check it end to end even though they know me well & I would never inflict a filthy/neglected bike on them. When I am paying for this annual roadworthiness test I expect them as professionals to be thorough but fair-otherwise I might as well "buy one down the pub or wherever"
As regards dealer mechanics forgetting to tighten something  important(that's most things isn't it?)-one advantage of them knowing I know whats what(but always willing to learn something new)-is that they tend to look after ME by looking after MY BIKES. Im not much use as a customer  if im in the A&E or worse   The wisest advice I was given was "Never assume anything!" and I wouldn't go to a garage that gave me a 2 minute MOT!