Manky Monkey Motors

Hi all,

New to the forum and currently building first trike,very close to finishing however need a few pointers on MOT and also a question about the engine missing

So firstly here are my MOT questions

1) Does my trike need to have a reversing light?
2) Does the trike need to have reflectors and lights on the tins?
3) Does my trike need to have tins at all?
4) Does the brake light have to come on when I pull the front brake or only back brake?
5) Does the speedo have to be mounted on the bars or somewhere 'up top'?mine is currently on the frame next to the main engine bay
6) and here's the big one.....it's a reliant rialto engine and I've checked all of the following however it still will not run smooth and coughs and splutters,it's rideable,but only just!ive checked the spark plugs and put new in,the dizzy is perfect,the carb is getting enough fuel and the float works fine,the fuel pipe is not blocked,the ht leads are brand new,I've tried the carb on loads of different settings and pretty much flooded the engine with fuel and still the same.....any ideas would be very very welcome!
Also apologies if any of the above has been covered already but I need definitive answers ASAP
Thanks all! Will post pics soon also :)!
Danny

Hi Dan. welcome. 1st what trike are you building.

Hi terry
It's already pretty much built,it's was half done when I bought it and have been tinkering for a couple months now,it's a reliant Rialto 850 engine,bobbed frame,standard reliant axle

Ok so it on it original reliant number plate. and not going for an msva test.
don't need revering lights
you need rear reflector and running lights
you don't need tins (mudguards)for an mot. but the police may pull you for construction of use
you need brake lights to work on both
speedo as long as you can see it
as for engine running rough it could be anything. air leak, valve timing. co

Yeah it's on the original plates. Thanks forthe advise on the MOT I'll check valves and for any air leaks but I'm pretty sure it's tight :s

thats ok where abouts are you. you will get a few comments on the registration

Only half done? = MSVA


Hmm good luck with that then!

Oh, Hi n welcome aboard  

Sorry but very new to this what is a msva??

Welcome dude where are, you in the country

have a read here

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/BuyingAndSellingAVehicle/ImportingAndExportingAVehicle/DG_071781

http://www.dft.gov.uk/vosa/repository/MSVA%202010%20.pdf

Thanks for the links and I'm in very north Yorkshire on the border of Cleveland and north yorkshire

1) No it is optional
2) No to reflectors, they should be mounted to the rearmost of the vehicle as much as is practicable. You need front position lamps, these can be mounted at the front or can be mounted on the mudguards facing forward. The lamps need to be a maximum 400mm from the outside edge of the vehicle.
3) Yes, construction and use regulations. No for an mot
4) If you can con your MOT station that it is an old build, pre MSVA regs, then front only is fine. MSVA regulations are not retro fit.
5) I would mount it in the direct field of view. (cos you`ll need an MSVA) but as Terry says, as long is one is fitted is good enough for a mot

we dont like reading all that much, we love to look at PICTURES ;D ;D           oh and welcome to mmm

Hi and welcome to the forum  :)
.
.

i agree with o.a.b. we like PICTURES
and welcome to the site

Hi Poolmandan Im based Middlesbrough So local to you i hang about with 10 other trikers im sure between us we can help you with anything

Heres a pic as promised....I know you guys like pics haha!!
Also, checked the timing and it was a 'little' out, running abit better and is now even rideable!!
But still not quite right, going to check for the dreaded air leak i think....just to rule it out (hopefully!!)

an ebay purchase a few months back ????????

Yes Spanners it was, did you take a peek at the time?

ah yes i saw that one two ..:)

yep ,, i looked at buying it , but,,,, it needs an msva test to make it legal :o :o so i left it alone,

It's got msva now,it had it when we bought it,all dvla docs up to date etc,just need to put it through MOT and tax.
Just ordereded compression switch for front brake to link up to brake lights at the back
Think that's it,apart from re painting the mudguards that is

might be worth making sure its been msva tested as surly it would have a q plate not the original  ???

looks smart by the way ;) ;)

if its on the reliant  reg number then it  hasn,t been through an  msva test and reg proccess,, i seem to remember the ,ebay,, seller,, trying to ,,con,, me  :o :o

I'm confused then as on all docs it states it's a tricycle and it's even had MOT since :s

Almost every reliant is a tricycle, not every trike is a reliant

as mike said im guessing the bloke you had it off told you it doest need sva as it says body type=tricycle and taxation class=tricycle on the log book. i always enquire to ebay adds and always get the same answer, if the chassis has been altered since it left the  factory it needs msva testing.    i hate it when people get knobed off via sellers on ebay, if you buy knowing its not right 'then mot anyway and run risk its your own fault when you get caught up with. but telling buyers its leagle when it clearly isnt just to get rid is a c***s trick

Hi Dan. Welcome to our World.  ;)
Sorry mate, this all sounds a bit negative doesn't it.
As Mr Bandit says, if the Reliant engine, gearbox & back axle have been taken out of their original chassis & re-homed in a new frame, it ain't the same vehicle. Stamping the old chassis number on your new frame is illegal, but still common.
When a Reliant car, (or any other vehicle), is triked, it needs to be re-registered, using the MSVA registration process.
However
don't panic! Looks like a nicely put together trike. Shouldn't be a problem re-registering it & the test ain't nearly as bad as some might tell you. There's several guys here who've already done it & can advise you. Like I said, welcome to our World!  :)

might be worth seeing what comes up on the computer at the mot station  ;) ;)

as i must admit i have a trike on an old tax free reg number that i was very,,,very,,, worried about ,, it turns out that it was triked many , many,, years ago (around 15 to 20) when the law was differant , and well before the msva test when they used something like a points totting up system .
god only knows how many mods it has had since it was first triked  ;) ;)

I think if the worst happens they just tell you to MSVA it don't they? If it is well built and everything working okay it will only be a problem if it gets pulled by VOSA won't it?

The whole modified vehicle area seems a bit grey to me.

I know it isn't right for people to sell these on as correct but there must be lots that were built years ago where the builder just sent off docs as rebodied. I was always a bit concerned because my V5 said Jawa ans a tricycle, Jawa newer did a trike and it doesnt say anything about it being a kit/special just normal V5. I know it has been on the road as a trike for over 15 years though but it doesn't have a Q plate.

What if someone put a bolt on conversion onto a bike, isn't it only a inspection that is a quick look over? If you then decided to change it from being a bolt on to a rigid/IRS whatever, how would any new owners know if it was correct or not, is there something on the log book to say?

Even with a Q plate you can change things and people wouldnt know unless you told them. I don't think anyone can be certain unless they either do it themselves or have full build pictures and documentation with anything they buy.

Welcome to the forum Dan :)

looks tidy, and Im not a fan of car engined trikes

not being too rude but what sort of money did you pay for it?


also as the others have said, double check that V5C etc, tricycle class on there doesnt mean its all good

basically the frame number should start with SABTV in my experience even when converting trikes years back they always issued a new VIN

bung up the Reg number and I see what I can find for you

the worst is if vosa pull you over and impound it,(if its on a rat plate) which they can, the mot is invalid and so is the insurance,
vosa treats em as a rung vehicle,

I thought vosa makes you either msva them or take them off the road ?

they do but if the catch you again it might get taken off you too

Hey guys,
Thanks for all the advise,going to have a hunt around the frame for correct markings to see if been mava'd but very doubtful!
No big deal I suppose just have to get it msva'd and re-reg'd.
Not in the least bit impressed with the seller who said everything was a ok on it
Wonder if I'll bump into him at a rally haha!!
Does anyone know the nearest place to get msva,in Middlesbrough or nearest
Thanks again think i could do with all your help over the next few weeks!
Danny

there is a place at beverley dont know if there is anywhere closer

i saw yours on ebay, i mailed him to ask about the msva, no reply, so he knew

There is an msva at Gosforth but id use Beverly as thy seem more clued up on trikes THAT'S WERE ONE OF MY MATES IS ON THE 28TH WITH HIS FORD BASED TRIKE

Hi again all!
Once again thanks for all the hints and tips regarding MOT,MSVA etc etc.
Just been looking through the paperwork, it was MOT'd as a trike and also taxed as one, does this mean that it doesnt then need MSVA, surely the previous owner coudl'nt have gotten an MOT without MSVA
It a K reg, but not sure which year it was 'triked'
It does have a frame number stamped on the frame, starting SBC I believe (Currently at work so cant quite remember the full thing)
Again any help would be good
I've already printed out MSVA guide and started on working through it though just in case
Another though is, if someone will MOT it and it's tax'd, how am I to know it had to go through MSVA Mr Police Officer, as far as im concerned i bought a trike, mot'd and tax'd, and im insured  ;)..... just a thought
Thanks :D!

well the MOT test doesnt matter what it is, the tester just tests what he is presented with

the woman in the post office just sells you a tax disc based on the info presented to her

the simplest thing to ask is what does the V5C say under the sections manufacturer and model, also bodytype

registered properly it should have had an MSVA and thus the VIN would normally start SABTV, and would have a Q plate

whats the reg number and I will tell you 99% whats the score with it

The V5c says its a Reliant Rialto
Class : Tricycle
Dont know the reg no and am currently at work but will PM to you later on
i still think it will need to be msva'd anyway and want to do the right thing, just going to take a year to read the msva manual let alone the mods i'll need to make lol!

ok so V5 says reliant Rialto

simples question

is it a reliant Rialto?

just print off the relevant MSVA parts, its actually a very very simple test, break it down into parts and work one bit at a time, done 2 now and only thing you should possibly have trouble with is sound level, but with a reliant engine its probably easier, I always done bike engines

the manual is gospel, if it says you can or cant do something then thats it, if its not mentioned then its fine, common sense is all you need.

heres a laugh for you, you can pass the MSVA with bald tyres, and no mudguards, so long as tyres are of the right speed rating

you can pass the MOT with no mudguards

but you cant take it on the road like that as its illegal LOL

MSVA test is £104, add on £55 I think it was for registration, and £40.70 for 6 months tax

but then you got no MOT for 3 years as its classed as a new registered vehicle

Yes the engine is a reliant rialto, as is the gearbox, exhaust system, axle, all off the same vehicle
Harley front end, and just your bog standard trike frame.
I'll have a full skeg over the MSVA manual and just use my bonce abit, thanks for the help once again :D!

the identity remains with the chassis/frame, make any structural alterations and its time to re reg, and I think that throwing it away and building a completely new one from tube counts as a modification LOL

Right....MSVA doc printed (at work ;) ) and checked everything I need.
2 issues at the moment.....one is that the bars / bar ends havent been machined in order to fit mirrors, so thats a job for the toolshop at work again lol! Unless anyone knows where i can get mirrors that dont fit into the bar ends??
Secondly, the radio suppresion? Havent a clue if this is fitted or not, does anyone know how i can check? I am also fully aware I may sound like an absolute newbie when asking these questions and am also aware you may be chuckling a little whilst reading this
Thanks again guys!
Danny

Cant help you with the mirrors mine screw into the switchgear but in my experience the radio suppression was never mentioned if you have modern silicone type ht leads i think they assume they are suppressed  :)

for the mirrors (i made my own bars) i drilled 8.5mm holes where i wanted to mount them then rounded 2xm8 nuts so they didnt have the spanner edge on them and welded them over the 8.5mm holes. you can get mirrors of ebay that have a clamp at the bottom to go around 7/8 or 1" bars may be a simpler quicker route to take just to get through the test,

ebay item number 310389399495 ;)

Thanks again - The HT leads are brand spanking, so no issues there then, and i'll get some of them clamps ordered to get it through test :D! I like it on here I do!! haha!

There are a lot of very experienced builders on here, you wont go wrong if you listen to them, its working for me :)

Yup, lots of clever gits -& me.
As mentioned by Mister Bandit, plenty of clamp-on mirrors available. You could try someone like Custom Fasteners, (they sell chrome nuts & bolts but also do a range of commonly fitted custom/cruiser parts that you might find useful for your build:

https://secure.hosts.co.uk/~custom-fasteners.co.uk/acatalog/Custom_Parts.html

When I put my truck through the SVA test recently it had to have plugs & leads marked "radio suppressed", though I'm not sure they actually checked them. Mine have the words "Radio Suppressed" actually printed along the HT leads & I took along a print-out of the spark plug manufacturer's website page, listing them as suppressed.

More awesomeness from the land of trike building elite - shall check plugs and leads at home later
And ive found a few sites which do some nice mirrors and clamps for decent money too :D

Sharing is caring..

ive got the builders bum and thats it :D 


yes merv ile get some pics

 ;D ;D ;D

My leads have nothing printed on them but maybe the tester i had was not that bothered with that i guess they will all have there thing that they want to check/ make sure is to the letter. To be honest the bloke from VOSA seemed to me like he was there to help you pass rather than to fail you  :)

Same with the guy who did my test. As I said, I'm not sure he actually checked, but you are supposed to be able to prove they're suppressed, so up to you if you want to risk failing for something so minor.