Very interesting. You know, even if your not getting it ready for an MOT test, that checklist is good for someone who's out to buy a bike. It's a comprehensive list of quick checks you can do and potentially get a bit knocked off the asking price.
Your opinion on maintaining a bike or car or any vehicle above the requirements of passing the MOT is something that I have bored my siblings and children with for years! It is so important that new riders and drivers take this onboard. Great video!
I quite agree about roadworthiness standards. I always take my vehicles to the strictest tester because I'd sooner find faults in the workshop rather than upside down in a ditch at midnight.
I agree with you about most m/c mirrors, but I was tempted to try some bar-end ones, some time back, and they are great - give good vision, undistorted, from a small round lens and fix into the bar ends neatly. They show a view under your elbow and only cost £10 a pair, or thereabouts. I only fit one, to the o/s, as that's all I need and with 2 fitted, you do have a tighter squeeze when filtering.
A great video I have never been present when my bike has been MOT'd (living in Spain for 10.5 years...) last time it got done was 2016 IIRC it has been parked up since then and now resides in my garage minus its carbs, tank and a few other bits...The mice have been playing in it...Anyhoo that's one for the near (ish) future..
We do not have an MOT test for motorbikes in the Netherlands. That will come some day I guess, most likely due to aftermarket exhaust noise… Friend of mine rides a Suzuki dr500s, even older than your bike. One time I tried it and took away his keys afterwards. That thing was a real deadtrap. I would not allow him to ride anymore. I fixed everything on that bike and then gave him back his keys.
Nice one Max. Wheel alignment shows in not wanting to turn in one direction as well as the other! Easy check is with a straight edge (plank of wood is perfect). Hold against the edge of the rear tyre and with the front wheel straight ahead you should see a small gap between the plank and tyre at both points . Check the gap is the same on the other side. This is half the difference between the width of the rear tyre to the front tyre. Adjust any misalignment at the rear wheel. I’ve only ever done it once... on my daughters recently purchased bike as on a test ride it nearly threw me in the ditch!
MOT very stressful when you have a 20 year and 240,000 miles, rusty old Mercedes as your daily driver, I forgot mine and got told off by Mr Plod so 2 hours later with no mental preparation time I was in the waiting room listening to them running it for a really long time as they emissions tested it. 🙄🤣
As a mechanic the number of people that come to wondering why thier car broke or needs parts when it was only motd a few months back 😂😂😂.. an mot is no guarentee of anything for a week. Let alone 12 months😂😂
Those front forks could probably get away with either a heavier weight oil or more of the oil you put in rather than new springs, I had a pre Diversion yamaha xj 600 with soft front forks and I just put a heavier weight oil in, with wheel alignment i think that they mean is the rear wheel straight in the swingarm and is the front wheel evenly spaced in the front forks
In the US testing of vehicles is regulated at state level. In my own state ( Illinois) there is NO required test for cars. In some states the test is only every three years. This explains all the wrecks on the roads here and the poor alignment of headlights. My own main Honda dealer does not have any headlight aligning equipment.
Florida and Tennessee have no requirements either. Ironically, studies found the effect of inspections on traffic accidents was found to be minimal even though the number of structural defects discovered through those inspections was not insignificant. People may tend to drive within the abilities of their vehicles despite defect?
@@blacksquirrel4008 Yes, that and major vehicle components are incredibly reliable, brakes for example will work "well enough" to stop even without any brake material left on them same with tyres and at that point any sane person no matter how vehicle illiterate they may be would be driven mad or worried by the feel or the noises it'd be making. Really it comes down to common sense. Here in Europe there is somewhat a lack of personal responsibility and people will blame the government for not telling them to fix their bald tyres when they spin off the road instead of seeing it as their own problem.
hi max ...in queensland we have one Mot when you first register a new car and then you just pay rego each year...in nsw where i use to live you had a mot every year...im sure your brother would ove mentioned what its like in australia....have you found in england that different mot places have different attitudes towards the test...i mean some check things to within a thousands of an inch and some are more layed back..
Well done, Max. Good solid video. And the pass at the end was the icing on the cake. I'm not a biker but always have a sigh of relief when the car passes. Understanding what they are going to look at certainly helps a lot. All the best, Mart.
Absolute love watching your videos... i think your a very genuine man doing amazing stuff.... id love to see a day in the life of Maximus... keep the sgows coming ... youll be snapped up by the Major channels one day....😊
Hello Maximus, An interesting video... Pleased to hear the bike passed its MOT... I hope you have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year... Cheers Paul,,
Great video! Just what I needed. I'm having a mid life crisis and just bought a Kawasaki GPZ900R (1985) after having not ridden a bike since the 90's! It doesn't have an MOT so this has been a real life saver as to the prep required to get it road worthy. Just taken a quick look at the other stuff you do as well, looks really interesting and will be checking out your other stuff!
It's best to measure the tread depth in a few place around the tyre; they never seems to wear completely evenly and S@d's law will mean you'll measure it at the deepest spot, believe it's okay, and it isn't. I also try not to run tyres down to 1mm tread depth, even though it'll pass an MOT I'd prefer a little more tread depth. Regarding wheel alignment, I had a problem on one bike with the forks not pointing straight ahead, when the bike was going straight ahead. This is a good clue that the alignment is off, and it was caused by slightly bent forks and a top yoke that puzzlingly measured a millimetre narrower than the bottom one.
Nice video. The uneven brake pad wear at the front could indicate that the sliding pins in the caliper aren't moving freely. This would also explain the slight drag you observed on the front wheel.
I've bought one of those cheap scissor tables with wheels. Life changing. In a tiny garage it makes moving around the bike about so much easier than the Mx-type stand I used to use. My bike only weighs 95kg so I'm not sure how it'd work with the xt600 heft. For the wheel bearing and checking rumbling, an MOT tester showed me how to do it. With the wheel of the ground, spin it with one hand touching the axle. You'll feel bearings that are on the way out because they may not have any play.
On wheel alignment- never ridden a motorcycle with it obviouly wrong but have ridden bicycles with the rear wheel out of whack, surprisingly un-noticeable
I find the easiest way to check the wheel alignment is to: using two G cramps pinch two straight pieces of wood/metal, to the rear wheel rim one on each side of the rear wheel as high as you can, parallel to the ground and extending to just passed the front wheel. You can do this with the bike on the side stand and then once they are cramped on to the rear wheel lift the bike off the stand and check at the front wheel that when the front wheel is parallel to the wood it is also in the centre and adjust the rear wheel in the chain tensioners accordingly. PS if the tire protrudes out more than the rim tape two packers to each piece of wood/metal to make up the difference.
Great video, Max, thanks for taking the time to film it in such detail. I'm riding a new bike now, but still have my 21 year old DR 350. Those older bikes definitely need a good looking-over on a regular basis to keep them legal, and safe! Cheers for a very different, and safe 2021!
@J watkins - Although I agree with you, the main issue is that in Germany we have TÜV and they are really picky sometimes, especially on diesel cars. Just to give you an example - an 80's Golf with petrol engine might pass way easier, meanwhile some Merc from 2010 is literally going through process of torture, because it's diesel. The last time some jackass decided to floor it for 3 minutes straight to check the emissions. Meanwhile on a petrol car there isn't flooring process involved at all. Now, thankfully I went with a warmed up engine, but the jackass obviously don't give a f, because it's not his car and if the engine dies - it's not his fault, because he was following the guidelines. I understand that this is his job, but flooring for 3 minutes? Really? Thankfully there is another "brand" for MOT in Germany called Dekra - there isn't any of that BS, basically a second to reach the full RPM and that's it. I know some of you might say that "it is because of the soot", now I really like going on the highway for 30 minutes or so to warm up the engine nicely before going to the MOT. So it's hardly this the reason. On the other hand - I completely agree that the maintenance is the responsibility of the owner of the car. I'm really tired of seeing faulty cars on the road with different malfunctions...
Sounds like your headlight should have been fitted with an HS1 bulb originally, same fitting as an H4 but only draws 35 watts . They are still available.
Head bearing sounds a little "notched" around the straight ahead position. I don't think it's MOT related but maybe something to check. I had that on my last bike.
riding in the rain been only transport we dont really get the option not to this video will be a great help as i always forget checks mines due in for mot next month
i noticed when they do mots they dont sit on them so they dont bump the front with break to feel that click of movement they lift the bike and grab the front at the wheel axle and see if they is any movement reminds me need to do mine but have to take handle bars off to get at the top yoke bolt
forgive me for skipping some of the middle bits - i ve got a mot licence and the bits i watched were spot on, which i new they would be anyway. i pray for a dry winter so you can get on with the outside 4 + 6 wheeled projects. take care + happy christmas
You've got a friend in me You've got a friend in me When the road looks rough ahead And you're miles and miles From your nice warm bed You just remember what your old pal said Boy, you've got a friend in me Yeah, you've got a friend in me.
