minimum requirement to use road registered trials bike on the road

[crankcase]

Hi,

Can anyone tell me what I need to be able to (briefly) ride my new Montesa 4RT on the road.

It is in the process of being road registered (7 weeks and still no sign of a V5!!!)

When I last done this a long ago you needed a fork leg speedo, rear reflector and bulb horn.

There will be occasions where it would be convenient to be able to ride it rather than push it.

[woody]

Speedo, doesn't have to be fork mounted or cable operated, you can use a bicycle one

Horn, must be continuous tone so again, a bicycle one is fine. Bulb horn only on much older bikes

Rear reflector - not needed.  Unless you have functional lights then you should have one

You need to be just as legal to push it with a dead engine as you are to ride it on a public road/area as you are still in charge of a vehicle,

[trapezeartist]

A bit obvious, but it hasn't been mentioned: a rear number plate.

[cleanorbust]

8 hours ago, woody said:

 

You need to be just as legal to push it with a dead engine as you are to ride it on a public road/area as you are still in charge of a vehicle,

Correct. Well said Woody.

[wright4d]

A speedo is not required

[ChrisCH]

18 minutes ago, wright4d said:

A speedo is not required

Not for the MOT but it is required for road use.

"every motor vehicle shall be fitted with a speedometer which, if the vehicle is first used on or after 1st April 1984, shall be capable of indicating speed in both miles per hour and kilometres per hour,"

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1986/1078/regulation/35/made

[johnnyboxer]

1 hour ago, wright4d said:

A speedo is not required

Not for the MOT, but to satisfy C&U regs, a speedo is needed for road use

[johnnyboxer]

11 hours ago, trapezeartist said:

A bit obvious, but it hasn't been mentioned: a rear number plate.

One that has to comply with the correct spacings for the numbers and letters, be reflective and comply with Bsi kitemark and have the makes address on it too

[crankcase]

how do the scottish six day riders manage it?

No huge number plates there?

I guess I can use the GPS speedo app on my phone if needed.

 

[woody]

48 minutes ago, crankcase said:

how do the scottish six day riders manage it?

No huge number plates there?

I guess I can use the GPS speedo app on my phone if needed.

 

Legally the plate should be full size, police are usually lenient for road use during a trial as they realise a full size plate will probably get damaged or broken off, However, it doesn't mean riders are immune from getting done during an event, it's at your own risk. By law an undersize plate is the same offence as not having one fitted.  If you're using the bike for leisure and in built up areas it would be wise to fit a full size plate

No to your GPS app, your bike must have a speedo fitted and in a place where you can see it

[crankcase]

Thanks,

If it works for fort william it will work for me, seems they set a precedent, I can use that if it needs to go that far.

 

[b40rt]

4 minutes ago, crankcase said:

Thanks,

If it works for fort william it will work for me, seems they set a precedent, I can use that if it needs to go that far.

 

Some ssdt riders have a legal sized plate attached to their backpack.

[rr62]

Surely it depends where you are/context. Riding a road trial where there are loads of similar folk there will def be a bit more slack than banging it down your local high street. My bike came registered from new last year but no horn or plates. Have sorted a small back plate but only ride it about 300 yards to get a newspaper every now & then.

[woody]

2 hours ago, crankcase said:

Thanks,

If it works for fort william it will work for me, seems they set a precedent, I can use that if it needs to go that far.

 

There is no precedent, precedent is set by an outcome of a court case, if a traffic officer stops you for an illegal plate and decides to book you, you're booked which could be £100 fine or just a caution to fit a legal one within 14 days. If you go to court with it the fine can be much bigger plus costs. Using the argument that other riders have done it without penalty is no defense and handing knowledge to authorites that it happens isn't really doing the sport any favours.

Trials involving roadwork are usually in the middle of nowhere and encounters with police are rare. Riding around on main roads and in urban areas is a different matter if that's what you want to do you will very likely be done if seen. If new laws come in it will also mean points on a licence

Putting a full size plate on a rucksack might seem enough to keep within the law but ultimately the vehicle itself is not displaying a legal number and the law is still broken

[ChrisCH]

10 hours ago, woody said:

There is no precedent, precedent is set by an outcome of a court case,..

Correct.  The same applies to loud exhuasts on road bikes.  A lot of riders think some sort of high volume pipes "sound nice".  Maybe to some of us they do, but there is aftermarket BSI stamped kit and there is taking the p***.  A Milwaukee tractor was at the lights near me a few weeks back and I thought it would shatter the windows in the van.  Pretty much a straight through chrome tube.  Its halfwits like that who drive the legislation to stop bikes altogether.  The new anti-tampering laws will go through to stop idiots like that HD rider.

How trials bikes can be road legal if you cannot "tamper" and fit a number plate will be interesting....

Edited May 27, 2022 by ChrisCH