Zen and the Art of DIY Motorcycle Maintenance #05 …

New Grips & Twist Grip Throttle Tube …

A 40 year old Classic Honda Motorcycle. No road tax, no MOT, cheap to run, cheap to insure – an answer to the Cost Of Living Crisis?

What follows is a pictorial account with description of the progress of that restoration – Part 5 New Grips …

A word on the ‘legally roadworthy’ bit – The bike is 40 years old so technically eligible for (here in the UK at least) the taxation class ‘Historic Vehicle’. My brother and I were unsure how this all worked so I e-mailed the DVLA to enquire and I’ve posted their reply below …

We appreciate that you have taken the time to contact us in relation to this matter.​
 
It may help if I explain, the taxation class Historic Vehicle is a 40 year rolling exemption and currently applies to vehicles manufactured before 1st January 1983.
If this isn’t recorded on the V5C Registration Certificate but the vehicle was manufactured prior to this date, you will need to produce dating evidence and submit the application to DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1BF.
The following documentation will need to be submitted:
– V5C Registration Certificate
– V62 Application for a registration certificate if you are not in possession of the V5C* (You will need the VIN/Chassis Number to complete the application)
– V10 Tax Application form
– valid MOT Certificate (if applicable) or V112 ‘Exemption from MOT testing’ form
– Dating evidence
*Please note that there is a £25 charge if a V62 is completed. This will need to be included by cheque or postal order.
You should write ‘Historic’ in the change to taxation class field in section (*) of the V5C and sign section 8 (Delete if new V5C).
Acceptable dating evidence can be obtained from:
– an extract from the manufacturer/factory record – these will have the chassis number of the vehicle against the month and year of production*
– an extract from the ‘Glasses guide’ – which is a comprehensive guide on production dates and includes chassis numbers.
– a dating letter that is accompanied by an extract from or references the “Trader Handbook”* An extract from the Trader handbook alone is not acceptable.
*A certified copy of the factory record (with the embedded stamp) will be acceptable only from the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust (BMIHT).
The vehicle will be taxed within 10 working days. This can be checked at: https://www.gov.uk/check-vehicle-tax
Vehicles manufactured more than 40 years ago are exempt from MOT testing.
Please be aware that it is the keeper or driver of the vehicle’s responsibility for ensuring the vehicle is in a road worthy condition and safe to be driven on the road.
If you pay your tax via Direct Debit it will be cancelled automatically and future payments will be stopped when we receive notification that you have changed your vehicle tax class.
Please also note that there is a 10% surcharge on 6 monthly vehicle tax renewals (5% for 6 monthly Direct Debit) that is not refundable.
More information on the Historic vehicle tax class can be found on information leaflet INF34 Taxing Historic Vehicles.
All our services are operating within normal turnaround times as paper applications are being processed within 3 to 4 weeks.
Please allow 4 weeks for your new documents to be sent to you if applying by post. Please do not call us within those 4 weeks as your application will be processing and we will not be able to provide further information.
Information regarding any DVLA services can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/dvla-services-update
Form V62 can be downloaded from www.gov.uk/vehicle-registration-certificate-v5c-log-book or obtained from a Post Office® that deals with vehicle tax.
Form V10 can be downloaded from www.gov.uk/car-tax-disc-vehicle-licence-using-form-v10 or obtained from a Post Office® that deals with vehicle tax.
Form V112 can be downloaded from www.gov.uk/getting-an-mot/vehicles-exempt-from-mot
 
I hope this information is of assistance to you and answers your entire enquiry.

So, it appears that the bike will not actually qualify for free road tax and become MOT exempt until 2024.

Next step is an MOT test which is now booked with The Motorcycle Man a few miles from where I live. Fingers crossed she passes. Then it’s apply for road tax, hopefully just 6 months and from then on road tax exempt.

I will of course update the story in due course.

End of Part 5.

Thank you for reading.

Recap Part 2 Part 1 Part 3 Part 4 Part 6 Part 7

… And if you’ve just joined at Part 5, below is a little background to this story.

Motorcycling is in my blood [ RIP Dad – A Truly Great Father ] and because of motorcycles I’ve literally spilled many pints of blood [ Conscious Throughout ] My Dad passed the DNA and the bug to me in 1976 aged 15. My younger brother then aged 10 also caught the bug and eventually carried on the motorcycling tradition for far longer than myself. I rode on and off from age 15 to 40, all weathers, commuting on various ‘hack bikes’ while pampering and saving the main bike for dry (mainly) runs out for the sheer joy of riding. My brother recently bought a new 2023 Triumph 765 Street Triple R, a two wheeled sculpture if ever there was such a thing. The Street Triple was to join his stable of bikes alongside his classic Triumph Daytona 1200, and another classic, the Honda CB250 RSA you see below. The little Honda was his ‘hack bike’ back in the day, not used since 2010 and carefully stored, dry and covered in our Dad’s old garage. That garage is a shrine to our dear father, not really disturbed since his sad passing in 2016.

So the Street Triple needed room, the garage needs sorting but both my brother and I are dreading the day we have to disturb our Dad’s workshop and birthplace to so much of his woodwork creativity, and so many precious memories. The motorcycling bug never dies, although I myself have not ridden for over 20 years, the pull has always been there and watching the wonderful Allen Millyard‘s YouTube channel has fed my interest in the mean time, and when my brother suggested I take custody of his little classic Honda and get her back on the road I jumped at the chance!

… And Why ‘Zen’?

There’s a stand out section for me in the book Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, and it is the part where the author describes making, or proposing to make makeshift ‘shims’ for his friends John and Sylvia Sutherland’s new and exclusively dealer serviced BMW motorcycle. Pirsig tries to explain how shims made from a discarded Coca-Cola can would be perfectly adequate and functionally identical to those fitted by the BMW Dealer’s mechanics at exorbitant costs. John Sutherland could not see this or be convinced, so programmed was he that only the main dealer has the expertise, equipment and materials to carry out such a task.

“In the book, the narrator describes the “romantic” approach to life of his friend, John Sutherland, who chooses not to learn how to maintain his expensive new motorcycle. John simply hopes for the best with his bike, and when problems do occur he often becomes frustrated and is forced to rely on professional mechanics to repair it. In contrast, the “classical” narrator has an older motorcycle which he is usually able to diagnose and repair himself through the use of rational problem-solving skills.”

Recap Part 2 Part 1 Part 3 Part 4 Part 6 Part 7