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HID & MOT
Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2012 8:25 am
by Mike B
Has anyone who has HID lighting fitted to their bikes ever had a problem with the MOT test?
Especially this year 2012?
Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2012 8:43 am
by Phil K
No issues. Been through four MOTs now with HID dip - mind you the tester is a biker

Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2012 8:54 am
by Dai wiskers
I was talking to a car mot tester he said they are not a definate fail if he went by the book they would be but if the beam pattern is right for the dip he will pass them
The R1100S has a projector reflector fitted for the dip and the pattern is fine
Hope this helps Dai
Re: HID & MOT
Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2012 9:02 am
by slparry
Mike B wrote:Has anyone who has HID lighting fitted to their bikes ever had a problem with the MOT test?
Especially this year 2012?
Factory option fitment on my K12GT, never had a problem MOT wise yet

Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2012 9:17 am
by Dai wiskers
The only problem i have had with MOT tests was the tester saying "the front forks don't work" when i told him that they are not forks as such but more of a swinging arm and won't move if the brake is applied he just shook his head so i pointed out the front shoc he said "thats for the back" then i pointed out the rear shoc he passed it but with an advisory on front suspension PR1CK
Now as my bike is a recorded write off that will stay on the computer
Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2012 1:31 pm
by Bikerhoss
No prob, got my MOT Back in June (ish) a week after fitting an HID kit from vilguy, R1100S 1999.
Did have to raise the beam aim a bit, but that was it

Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2012 1:37 pm
by tripe
I had a fail on the HID five years ago. Screen for the alignment check was so old it was cream. 5000k beam(not brilliant white) he failed saying it was blue! Got more arsey when I told him it was his screen. Had to buy a bulb and fit it and he then passed it with the giblets of the HID hanging down the side of the fairing.
He then mumbled on that loads of carts were going to fail their first MOT with their new fangled HIDs.
Said charming tester was at the Motorcycle Service Centre, Harrow Road
Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2012 3:26 pm
by Cliff
No problem with mine... had HID fitted to low beam for 4 years or so.
Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2012 6:34 pm
by ned1
Cliff wrote:No problem with mine... had HID fitted to low beam for 4 years or so.
Same but three MOT's

Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2012 10:06 pm
by John Coles
4 mot's; last one Aug 2012 have hi & lo HID never a problem. Though same as Dai first MOT centre ( bikes only centre!) I tried told me the failure was due to a 'notchy' head bearing gave up trying to explain the BMW front end to him. Took it to another centre and never an issue. Always go back there now.
Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2012 12:21 am
by Bikerhoss
John Coles wrote:told me the failure was due to a 'notchy' head bearing gave up trying to explain the BMW front end to him.
BMW front end or no dude, If you're head bearings are gone, they're gone
PS Don't wish to teach egg sucking if that's not what you meant?
Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2012 3:12 pm
by John Coles
So bikerhos enlighten me if the bearings have not gone where are they actually? - the other tester has passed it four times and not mentioned it.
Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2012 5:55 pm
by simon
... it has no bearings (well bearing races).. just two ball joints.
Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2012 7:22 pm
by number8
howdy
just a quick link to the official MOT testers guide book , bit of a hard read but its all there
http://www.transportoffice.gov.uk/crt/d ... guides.htm
Only real mention is in section 1.2 right in the middle , the head lamp must emit a white or yellow lamp , so lots of hid's are blue anything over 4300K are getting blue and 6K to 8K are blue moving into purple
but loads of mot stations are ok with this
Only note is in the MOT magazine (you get it as a mot tester and yes its a really riveting read

) has been making mention that vosa making any HID with out an auto leveling system an instant fail with an exemption to any factory fit bikes that never had it ,some gold wings, K1200LT , K12/1300 GT's are the only ones to come with factory fit hid's without auto leveling systems
oh and that applies to cars , but there have never been any cars with hid's that do not have auto leveling systems .
but there is a really easy way to pass anything an MOT tester cannot remove anything from the bike (there are a few exceptions) to check stuff and if it cannot be tested it cannot be failed so just tape up everything with masking tape , the lights , the switches , the lot , cant test it so cant fail it .
the bare minimum u need for an mot is good tyres , good bearings and bushes ,working and legal brakes and a number plate and a rear reflector oh and a speedo of some sort although it cant be tested , just have to look like its working .
Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2012 10:56 pm
by Dai wiskers
number8 wrote:howdy
just a quick link to the official MOT testers guide book , bit of a hard read but its all there
http://www.transportoffice.gov.uk/crt/d ... guides.htm
Only real mention is in section 1.2 right in the middle , the head lamp must emit a white or yellow lamp , so lots of hid's are blue anything over 4300K are getting blue and 6K to 8K are blue moving into purple
but loads of mot stations are ok with this
Only note is in the MOT magazine (you get it as a mot tester and yes its a really riveting read

) has been making mention that vosa making any HID with out an auto leveling system an instant fail with an exemption to any factory fit bikes that never had it ,some gold wings, K1200LT , K12/1300 GT's are the only ones to come with factory fit hid's without auto leveling systems
oh and that applies to cars , but there have never been any cars with hid's that do not have auto leveling systems .
but there is a really easy way to pass anything an MOT tester cannot remove anything from the bike (there are a few exceptions) to check stuff and if it cannot be tested it cannot be failed so just tape up everything with masking tape , the lights , the switches , the lot , cant test it so cant fail it .
the bare minimum u need for an mot is good tyres , good bearings and bushes ,working and legal brakes and a number plate and a rear reflector oh and a speedo of some sort although it cant be tested , just have to look like its working .
The only problem with doing this is you will only get a daylight MOT