Dusted my Piaggio BV350 off this week and took it for an MOT. I've done a whole 2k miles on it since buying it, it's sat in the garage since last September gathering dust.  Anyway, I've had some issues with intermittent cutting out so played it safe and booked it in with a local place for an MOT that I'd never used before. Took it in and it failed on front wheel bearing & headlight aim too low, plus advised on brake pads, front tyre & rear wheel binding. They offered to quote me for the work, £400 for the pads, bearings and tyre  Told them to bin off the tyre and it come down to just over £300. 

 

So off I trundled home with my unroadworthy scooter a bit ****ed off. Decided to pop into another place near work that came highly recommended, got back to me with a price of £110 all in for the bearing and pads  Thats better, I'm dropping it off to have it MOT'd by him first though to see if it does actually need all the stuff listed on the last test. The front tyre is fine, I dunno about the bearings but its been sat for months so it's a little stiff anyway, everything felt fine when I put it away back in September. Time will tell anyway!

 

One good thing though, forgot how much of a laugh it is launching the thing around town  Quite looking forward to getting it back on the road now! 

Some places use the MOT as a means of ripping off the customers. With the new MOT rules I’ve heard quite a few stories of vehicles been classed as Dangerous to try and force the customer to pay up. I always use an MOT tester who only does tests only,  no repairs. They’ve always been good to deal with and have given me advice on preventive measures to keep the vehicles in good condition. 

Hope you find the new place more honest and if so reward them with your future custom. 

Shock horror, the bike not only passed the MOT but with a totally clean sheet, not a single advisory. Email has been sent to the original garage to ask what their thoughts are on the situation. 

Name and shame

Thought it sounded like the first garage on a field day. 

 

Bearings are usually pretty easy. All he’ll be doing is holding the wheel with one hand, bars with the other and seeing if theres any free play, i should think. 

 

Live and learn. 

 

 

Not specifically motorcycle, but the one and only time I've known anyone fail an MoT on lights it was a burnt-out sealed beam unit, so the garage wanted the owner's permission to change the unit. Most places just adjust a bad aim at no charge.