HELP!! Trike MOT needed.

[Trikerbiker]

I've got my trike sorted out and ready for MOT but as the DVLA-run MOT centres here in Northern Ireland are on strike I will not get a test date before mid September at the earliest!! :mad:

My neighbour got a phone call from them last week cancelling his test last Thursday and giving him a new date in the last week in August!

The norm here is a six week wait in any event but with this strike going on the backlog is growing. I've spoken to the DVLA central office who advise me that the enforcement officers will take into consideration the fact that a test has been booked if you choose to drive or ride without MOT and Tax, however, you must also get agreement from your insurance company that they will still cover you in case of an accident (yeh right!), and back tax the vehicle to the last tax date. My case was different as the trike has been SORNed since March 2003 (to avoid a fine for not taxing it) so they couldn't advise what view the Police or enforcement officers would take!
It was announced on the news this morning that they are considering issuing exemption certificates to people who have booked an MOT and these may be available from August. :confused:

My options are;
1. Take a chance an ride without Tax and MOT
2. Leave the trike in the garage until I get a date (the Autumn if I'm lucky)
3. Go to Scotland or Wales on the ferry and get an MOT there


Anyhow, does anyone know of a bike/trike friendly MOT centre close to Holyhead as I think I'll book a day trip over on the ferry from Dublin and get my test done so that I can use the trike during the summer. The ferry gets in to Holyhead at about 2:15pm and another one leaves at 8:00pm so I should have plenty of time for a test etc. and it'll be a good run out for me.

Please help if you can.

e-mail: apachedrifter@hotmail.com
mobile: 07711 011129

Regards

Mick

[100%Pat]

W.S. Broad at Summerhill at Wrexham, a bit of a hike from Holyhead I know, but number is 01978 720046 he is also open sat am till 12.00. :o

[badvoc]

right calm down, deep breath, try Coleraine MOT centre they haven't been striking and I tested my Harley a few weeks back and got a date only about 3 weeks after I applied, there also very good at getting you a cancelation at coleraine if you ring up every morning at about 9.00 after you've applied.

[Trikerbiker]

right calm down, deep breath, try Coleraine MOT centre they haven't been striking and I tested my Harley a few weeks back and got a date only about 3 weeks after I applied, there also very good at getting you a cancelation at coleraine if you ring up every morning at about 9.00 after you've applied.

I hear you Badvoc but it's nearly as much of a hike for me to Coleraine (65 miles) as it is to Dublin (80 miles) so a same day cancellation wouldn't be practical. Also the test stations seem to be closing ranks lately, a guy I know tried to book his car in at Cookstown and they wouldn't take it because he didn't come from that area!
The rebel in me says F.u.c.k them and their MOT's besides I can get a ferry from Dublin for about £36 return with a 25 euro discount off my next booking and I fancy a ride out.

regards

Mick

[Trikerbiker]

W.S. Broad at Summerhill at Wrexham, a bit of a hike from Holyhead I know, but number is 01978 720046 he is also open sat am till 12.00. :o

Thanx Pat but I think Wrexham is too far I'm looking for something closer to Holyhead, surely there must be an MOT garage somewhere in that area>

Regards

Mick

[badvoc]

I can remember a few years ago we went over Larne-Scotland, can't remember the name of the place but it was one of the first towns we got to after about 30mins riding, there was a Kawazaki dealership and they done a couple of MOTs for us, durham (near newcastle) is the only other place I've ever got an mot at other than Northern Ireland.

I've found that cancellations aren't normally same day and generally you have about 3 days, but as you say perhaps you're too far away.

[badvoc]

go to www.google.co.uk enter the words Holyhead and Mot and press search... it comes up with a few possible centres but I can't be arsed following the links to see if they're for cars or bikes... sheesh have to do everything for you youngsters :rolleyes:

[Trikerbiker]

go to www.google.co.uk enter the words Holyhead and Mot and press search... it comes up with a few possible centres but I can't be arsed following the links to see if they're for cars or bikes... sheesh have to do everything for you youngsters :rolleyes:

Thanx Badvoc I had thought of doing a search but havn't got round to it yet - I just thought some of the people on here could recommend a good place.

BTW I've also considered going the Scottish Route, but the ferry to Stranraer is £74 return for a Day trip!! Even at full price, Irish Ferrys from Dublin is 81 euros (about £53) in high season. Plus the Welsh roads are brilliant and the pub opposite the ferryport serves lovely grub!

Regards

Mick

[badvoc]

no bother mate, and the mot over there is so easy to pass it's laughable!!! lol not like the horrid old government ran MOT centres we're used to.

[Trikerbiker]

no bother mate, and the mot over there is so easy to pass it's laughable!!! lol not like the horrid old government ran MOT centres we're used to.

Tell me about it! Last time I took the trike, the guy didn't even know what he was looking at! He tried to tell me that the front facing sidelights should be in the headlight (like on a bike) and not on the mudguards. I explained to him that where they were positioned helped other road users to see that it was not a motorbike, but a wider vehicle and he then conceded. I then had to explain to him that it was in fact necessary to have a handbrake on a trike, and that it was OK for this to operate on one wheel only.

A friend of mine took his trike along, and the tester insisted that he put it over the pit!!! - so he dismounted and told him that if he needed it over the pit he'd better ride it over himself.

The tester then relented and carried out the 'test'.

These centres are a farce and the 'testers' try to find (or invent) a failure so that they get more overtime. Our local station operates till 8pm every day including Saturdays, and reputedly has the highest failure rate in Northern Ireland.

They tried to tell my brother in law that they couldn't pass his car because he'd fitted a 'non-genuine Audi part'. This all changed, however, when he pointed out that his car was actually a Volkswagon Passat and therefore didn't require genuine Audi parts.

Rant over.

Regards

Mick