Hi all,

My ancient side car failed it's MOT yesterday, Boo Hoo.
Does anyone know of a garage in Derbyshire who might be able to help? Please, pretty please.

Thanks

A, very gloomy, Emma                                                                                                                                                                             

What's it failed on ?                                                                                                                                                                              

Lights, wheel bearing and suspension... it's passed it's test plenty of times before, with this suspension, but he said it was all wrong?!

just need a second opinion, as the garage I went to were less than helpful.

Aargh!                                                                                                                                                                             

Oh dear Emma, sounds like you have a poorly outfit   What is the sidecar ? and what is it attached to ?   Many OLD sidecars have "adjustable" wheel bearings, which can be tightened up to remove any play or slack Newer sidecar chassis have ball bearing races on the hub, which are easily replaced for a few pounds, so no major scare there Unless the suspension has collapsed totally, there is no obvious reason to fail it I think the tester just doesn't like sidecars or wants to try to make money from you Either way they are just plain "out of order" Lights are a perennial curse with outfits Almost always manifests in bad earths on the wiring   I'd come and sort it if I knew where you were ? I've had the best part of 50 years building outfits and NEVER had one fail the M O T There may be someone nearer who knows outfits but  you can PM me if you need a hand   Had a quick peek at your profile pics and I see the outfit It will have bearings in the hub which may or not be worn, and the suspension is the same type as most lightweight trailers so they rarely fail unless all the rubber in the block disintegrates                                                                                                                                                                             

Was it the same garage as MoT'd it in the past? If not then maybe try a second garage.
I had an old BMW airhead that failed its MoT supposedly on the grounds of having a twisted frame with the wheels out of alignment by 50mm.
 That's a serious fail, but rather than agreeing to the garage's request that they should re-jig the frame and add some strengthening gussets, I took it to an independent and highly-qualified bike engineer who didn't actually do MoTs.
He said that frankly, he didn't know what they were on about. It went to another MoT station, and passed, and stayed passed every year until I sold it.
The BMW incidentally, rode hands-off in a straight line and showed none of the asymmetric tyre were I'd have expected. The tester at the first garage, a franchised dealership long out of business, did say however that all BMWs went like that because 'they had frames made out of liquorice sticks'. Guess he just didn't like BMWs.

                                                                                                                                                                             

Ah thanks guys.

I think he just didn't like side cars.
He failed it on "Side car suspension movement is excessively stiff" ?!
I don't even understand what he means?!

I've just bought it ( and the Yamaha Diversion it's attached to) so was expecting a few teething problems... but he just dismissed it.
It was previously MOT'd in Ipswich ( Aargh )...

It's booked in elsewhere on Thursday, so fingers crossed, just wanted to test the water and see if this was a problem others had encountered too.

Thanks,

Emma                                                                                                                                                                             

Emma, Good luck with the MOT on Thursday.   Wills, I would like to tell that so called bike mechanic to wash his mouth out with soap. "BMW's made out of liqourice sticks", whatever next!                                                                                                                                                                             

Thanks david                                                                                                                                                                             

Emma
I couldn't resist looking at your outfit on your profile. Looks great to me.                                                                                                                                                                              

Thanks David, 

She's a beauty, in my humble opinion (!)

Just need to find a mechanic who agree's !

Emma                                                                                                                                                                             

Awww Emma your Divvy and sidecar look ace!  I hope you get it sorted                                                                                                                                                                              

Good luck with MOT Emma, I'm afraid the motor trade is full of people who think they know what their doing, and some people who do know what their doing!( I'm in the trade, I think I don't know what I'm doing most of the time). Plus I'm afraid to say it. you are a lady customer (£££ signs, blag). I used to have a Vespa and Bambino sidecar, it drew crowds wherever I went, at leasr it made people laugh.

Thanks Karey and Force999,

Fingers crossed for Thursday and hopefully she will be coming to a meet soon!!

Can't wait to show her off!

Emma x                                                                                                                                                                             

All the best to the bike and chair for today                                                                                                                                                                              

Do let us know how the MOT goes   If it fails again we'll have to get the spanners out                                                                                                                                                                              

Thanks Guys... Keep everything crossed!!

Emma x                                                                                                                                                                             

 All my fingers crossed for you Emma .. x                                                                                                                                                                             

Ah thanks lovely lady, xxxx                                                                                                                                                                             

                                         
          Hugs xxxxx                                                                                                                                                                                                       

Well fancy that!

Passed with no work needed!

WTF?!!

Think we need to start a forum for good garages and not so good garages!

Thanks for all your support, help and encouragement and weather permitting, see you all soon,

Emma, Claude, Divvy and Bug x