The goverment no M.O.T.

[Tun up]

Lovely bike Revband

[Revband]

Thanks Tun Up, (edit)  oops sorry and thanks Rex.

[Bomber]

Don't be surprised if what BikerBob says bites us in the arse in future!

[Tun up]

Of course things can be changed over time. Remember the Tories brought in the sliding twenty five year rule for vehicle tax. The first thing Brown did was to make the cut of point static: thus depriving many classic vehicle enthusiasts free tax . I for one am not going to worry about changes that might not be made .

[Rex]

Were there any vehicles from 1987 that have gained any sort of classic status? Don't want to be encouraging smoky old Volvos and crap Peugeot 205s, that's for sure...

[Tun up]

1960 is the cut off point for MOT's  and road tax is 72 or 73. Sorry can't remember exactly which year.

[RichP]

Were there any vehicles from 1987 that have gained any sort of classic status? Don't want to be encouraging smoky old Volvos and crap Peugeot 205s, that's for sure...

They don't have chromed steel bumpers so they can't be classics. In my opinion unit construction motorcycles shouldn't count either.

[wetdog]

    "unit construction" not even my Vincent , some insurance companys say any car or bike over 15 years old is a classic , and theres some right rubbish coverd in that period

[Tun up]

I'm quite happy to call any vehicle over 15 years old a classic. The first CBR 6's are now classic; every era is a classic to someone.
When Titch Allen etc first formed the VMCC they had a strick cut off point; perhaps that date and policy should be reintroduced eh

[Rex]

Yes it should. Who, on a 15 year old Jap sportsbike, would be happy at riding out with a load of pre-war bikes?  I don't see that's enjoyable for anyone, and the VMCC in trying to be all things to all men, have potentially spoilt it. The older bikes won't bother to come as they can't keep up with the 15 year old bikes, and the Jap riders will give it a miss as the older bikes will be too slow. The worst of all worlds for everyone.
If someone had one of those 'orrible 'Onda CBRs there must be better clubs to join or rides to ride, surely?

[Tun up]

I respect all veiwpoints and enjoy all motorcycles from flat tankers to; how did you put it "orrible Onda CBRs"
I don't think the VMCC have spoint any thing; quite the contrary. The bigger the motorcycle lobby the louder the voice.
Demarkation failed in the past. Why should it work with motorcycles now?
Or do you think the anti motorcycle lobby will only legislate motorcycles made after 1929 off the road?
Have you thought of giving up bikes altogether and taking up stamp collecting?

[Rex]

I respect all veiwpoints and enjoy all motorcycles from flat tankers to; how did you put it "orrible Onda CBRs"
I don't think the VMCC have spoint any thing; quite the contrary. The bigger the motorcycle lobby the louder the voice.
Demarkation failed in the past. Why should it work with motorcycles now?

Riders do it naturally; Harley owners don't ride out with the Power Rangers, flat-tankers don't hang out with scooters, etc etc. It's wherever our personal interest lies. However, that's nothing to do with lobby groups and the power they wield, and that's another issue entirely.


Or do you think the anti motorcycle lobby will only legislate motorcycles made after 1929 off the road?
Have you thought of giving up bikes altogether and taking up stamp collecting?


 I'm talking about the various "groupings" within motorcycling not necessarily working well together on runs etc (as would be entirely possible under the 15 year rule) and you're on comments about legislation ?
 Oh well...

[RichP]

My earlier comments were a little tongue in cheek. I think that they are my personal criteria though for even considering a machine to be a 'classic' that appeals to me.

I do indeed think that the VMCC should have stuck with older stuff, even though it would have kept them smaller. I feel that their focus has become diluted and that they should have called a halt at some time in the mid-1950s, perhaps with an exemption for bikes that were already in production.

I certainly didn't rush to join the VMCC when my Commando became 25, it just seemed too modern and too fast to be relevant to the organisation. I did join when I finally got a 1930s bike (which of course wouldn't have been eligible when the VMCC was first founded).

Is the VMCC lobbying in Europe ? I have the impression that the pooling with the old car clubs in the FBHVC is more relevant.

[Don Vosper]

Just applied for a tax disc on-line for my Sunbeam S7 with no MoT.
All seems to work.
Just have to wait for the disc in the post.
don

[statik]

I just got TAX for my 1955 Zundapp Bella which is in bits at the back of the garage and my 1951 Sunbeam S8 which had a first registered date 1979.  One of the reasons this rule was introduced is to sort out all those old log books that have been tucked away for years. 

The classifications on the V5's must be changed from Motorcycle to Historic and have to be sent away for replacement.  That can only be done when you apply for road TAX which means you must have valid insurance.  The Historic class makes the vehicle MOT exempt not just the date, there is already an MOT exempt system in place.  If the DVLA suddenly put a time limit on date exemption and you don't insure and tax your old bikes and cars you could find the log books obsolete unless they have Historic entered in vehicle type already.  If not read paragraph 2 and go round again, it's s a vicious-circle.