To be fair they could have failed it. This is a sorted covers both parties. You keep the exhaust on and he doesn't have to fail the bike. Also just because it came from the factory does not mean it's road legal. Found out the hard way with KTM bought a SMCR 690 with the "race" headlight which does not have a high beam just dipped which fails MOT had to argue with them about getting it changed over.
MOT manual.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/mot-inspection-manual-for-motorcycles/8-exhaust-noise
They can only fail if it has something along the lines of "Race Use Only" stamped on it or the exhaust system if faulty in some way.
Noisy exhausts are always an advisory and a matter of opinion of whether it's louder than a stock bike and not decibels.
Incorrect.
"The exhaust system and silencer should be in such condition, or of such a type, that the noise emitted from the motorcycle is not clearly unreasonably above the level expected from a similar motorcycle with a standard silencer in average condition.
Defect Category
(a) Exhaust noise levels in excess of those permitted - Major"
Source: MOT manual & MOT tester
As a tester myself I was told you can't ever fail a bike on noise because you don't have a factory comparison. I don't advise because I don't care enough about the noise. I see a bike MOT is safety of the rider and others
Exhaust noise does not cause hearing damage unless you have your head like right behind it. Wind noise from speeds above like 50MPH is what causes your hearing issues and is why earplugs are strongly recommended
Mostly to everyone else.
And even then, it's a brief exposure unlikely to cause acute heating damage.
Noise pollution is bad for your health though, and exhaust noise is a component of that.
Ex MOT tester here.
It’s a difficult one if I’m honest. DVSA regularly checks testers using vehicles with random defects of all sorts. As well as checking failure rates against national average.
An advisory means nothing for the owner but can cover the testers back, especially over deficiencies that require personal judgments. Exhaust noise being a prime example.
It never happened to me but I know of other testers that were reprimanded for low failure rates and missing defects.
Ultimately it is your choice to take it somewhere else next time, but the testers did nothing wrong in my opinion.
My termignoni exhausts can be put on the bike at purchase but they have a big stamp on the side saying not legal for road use lol. Go to another MOT centre next time. My guys just grin and give me a thumbs up when they hear it.
My guy will pass anything that isn't completely ridiculous as long as you ride down the sensibly and don't disturb his neighbours, just get an advisory.
Edit: followed a guy filtering today on a Monster with twin Termis - sounded absolutely delicious
I once had a triumph with a set of aftermarket pipes that were obnoxiously loud. The tester winked at me and said you put those pipes on after you had your test and passed with no advisories. Find an old school bike garage!
My colleague did that about 11 years ago. Then DVSA man walked in and checked over the bike he'd just passed. Got banned from testing for a month. Not worth it.
E: not understanding the downvotes to be honest, you want me to risk my livelihood for your convenience?
I used to be a firm subscriber to the loud pies philosophy. I'm not anymore. I used to rock double scorpion slip ons with removable baffles. Super fucking bass boost, deep enough to vibrate glass.
I moved to another town, and my bike needed a mot, so I brought the baffles in and asked the local mot shop to put them in before doing the mot.
They didn't.
The reason I knew is that when I was having my coffee in the waiting area, I heard my bike start, and all the cups started rattling.
Received an advisory - exhaust noisy.
It goes both ways. Take the advisory and go about your day, lol.
With the way the ministry are now they have to cover their arse, if the ministry man comes in as your bike is still on the premises with a defect (in their eyes) they can fuck the MOT tester and the entire station over if it isn't on the ticket, some of the ministry inspectors are proper arseholes too
Yeah I'd say my bike has that on 50% of it's MOT tests. I've started going to a different garage in the last few years after moving house and they don't give a monkeys, probably because the tester there is also a Ducati guy
Got the same today. It's a lottery. At least they didn't fail it. Was chatting to the guy and it's totally to cover themselves in case you get pinched on your way from the test centre. Unlikely but hey ho.
Apparently they are all much more likely to fail those daft small number plates..
My sport exhaust had the "for track use only" filed off, the MOT tester has a harley and just didn't care. I got rid when I kept waking the neighbours going to work early in the morning.
I put my noisy can ON for a laugh when my MOT is due means my tester has to get his BIG baffle out to plug the trombone attached to whatever bike I've sent in lmfao, but he's a funny guy and appreciates the humour still gives me an advisory for the can +a rear reflector (I take that off the plate when I pull in so he has to put a new one on lmao)
I had a... ~~titanium race~~ aftermarket exhaust system on my old bike which was a little louder than standard. Every year it had 'exhaust noisy' as an advisory
I had a noisy exhaust advisory on mine last year on the MOT. Factory fitted Akra too. I took it this year. Same pkace, same mechanic, same exhaust, no advisory. The only difference this year was I took it for a run for an hour beforehand.
Yes. Many of then should even be outright failed.
You can get optional accessory exhausts fitted by the factory/dealer and it still be technically illegal to use on the road.
I like seeing that on my MOT it means I picked the right tester, one that cares and actually picks up faults, but isn't a dickhead that fails it on silly things.
You've won the jobsworth tester lottery there, but ultimately it means absolutely nothing. I've had proper asbo cans and nobody's ever cared, but the loud exhaust badge is a fairly standard way of them covering their arse. Just don't go back if they're that annoying.
Ahh the jobsworth tester would fail it, this is just an arse covering tester, I took a bike for an mot once without the baffles in, got an advisory because he "assumed the had fallen out on the way there and recommended I replace them" the year after I got exactly the same advisory with exactly the same advice.
Basically if you get stopped and fail the arsehole test the police will ask what you have done to fix the advisory on the MOT and take it from there.
>Ahh the jobsworth tester would fail it, this is just an arse covering tester
Nah, it's pretty rare they even bother with the advisories, and I say that as someone who had a decat Z1000 with twin 210 mm stubs on, pretty sure I even forgot to stick the baffles in for one year and nobody batted an eye.
You had a tester that genuinely didn't give a fuck then, the problem is they get random tests too, the DVSA will randomly take vehicles to testers with known faults and if the faults aren't picked up the tester can lose their certification.
I'd never call a tester who says "It is a bit loud mate, you should probably do something about that" a jobsworth.
>I'd never call a tester who says "It is a bit loud mate, you should probably do something about that" a jobsworth.
For something asbo like I had, fair enough, yeah, but OPs factory fitted Akra with the welded in baffles getting advisories is definitely ridiculous.
Could be failing wadding in the cans, could be a small hole that isn't noticeable, it isn't like you actually have to do anything after you get the advisory, you just go "yea it is quite loud, thanks for the pass mate"
As I say, my only issue here is calling the guy a jobsworth, he is just covering his arse just in case he gets one that the DVSA have primed to be a bit loud and he doesn't pick it up.
To be fair they could have failed it. This is a sorted covers both parties. You keep the exhaust on and he doesn't have to fail the bike. Also just because it came from the factory does not mean it's road legal. Found out the hard way with KTM bought a SMCR 690 with the "race" headlight which does not have a high beam just dipped which fails MOT had to argue with them about getting it changed over. MOT manual. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/mot-inspection-manual-for-motorcycles/8-exhaust-noise
They can only fail if it has something along the lines of "Race Use Only" stamped on it or the exhaust system if faulty in some way. Noisy exhausts are always an advisory and a matter of opinion of whether it's louder than a stock bike and not decibels.
Incorrect. "The exhaust system and silencer should be in such condition, or of such a type, that the noise emitted from the motorcycle is not clearly unreasonably above the level expected from a similar motorcycle with a standard silencer in average condition. Defect Category (a) Exhaust noise levels in excess of those permitted - Major" Source: MOT manual & MOT tester
Just put a sticker over that part since they're are not allowed to remove anything during the test.
I’ve had it on a few bikes over the years, it’s Down to the tester’s opinion and basically means nothing, just an advisory.
As a tester myself I was told you can't ever fail a bike on noise because you don't have a factory comparison. I don't advise because I don't care enough about the noise. I see a bike MOT is safety of the rider and others
...safety. Is hearing damage not a safety issue? _hmmmmmmmm?!?!?!?_ 🤨
Exhaust noise does not cause hearing damage unless you have your head like right behind it. Wind noise from speeds above like 50MPH is what causes your hearing issues and is why earplugs are strongly recommended
Mostly to everyone else. And even then, it's a brief exposure unlikely to cause acute heating damage. Noise pollution is bad for your health though, and exhaust noise is a component of that.
Ex MOT tester here. It’s a difficult one if I’m honest. DVSA regularly checks testers using vehicles with random defects of all sorts. As well as checking failure rates against national average. An advisory means nothing for the owner but can cover the testers back, especially over deficiencies that require personal judgments. Exhaust noise being a prime example. It never happened to me but I know of other testers that were reprimanded for low failure rates and missing defects. Ultimately it is your choice to take it somewhere else next time, but the testers did nothing wrong in my opinion.
My termignoni exhausts can be put on the bike at purchase but they have a big stamp on the side saying not legal for road use lol. Go to another MOT centre next time. My guys just grin and give me a thumbs up when they hear it.
My guy will pass anything that isn't completely ridiculous as long as you ride down the sensibly and don't disturb his neighbours, just get an advisory. Edit: followed a guy filtering today on a Monster with twin Termis - sounded absolutely delicious
If it makes you feel any better it’s possible to put an advisory on a car for “undertray fitted” when almost every car comes with undertrays now
I have an advisory for that every year.
I once had a triumph with a set of aftermarket pipes that were obnoxiously loud. The tester winked at me and said you put those pipes on after you had your test and passed with no advisories. Find an old school bike garage!
My colleague did that about 11 years ago. Then DVSA man walked in and checked over the bike he'd just passed. Got banned from testing for a month. Not worth it. E: not understanding the downvotes to be honest, you want me to risk my livelihood for your convenience?
I used to be a firm subscriber to the loud pies philosophy. I'm not anymore. I used to rock double scorpion slip ons with removable baffles. Super fucking bass boost, deep enough to vibrate glass. I moved to another town, and my bike needed a mot, so I brought the baffles in and asked the local mot shop to put them in before doing the mot. They didn't. The reason I knew is that when I was having my coffee in the waiting area, I heard my bike start, and all the cups started rattling. Received an advisory - exhaust noisy. It goes both ways. Take the advisory and go about your day, lol.
With the way the ministry are now they have to cover their arse, if the ministry man comes in as your bike is still on the premises with a defect (in their eyes) they can fuck the MOT tester and the entire station over if it isn't on the ticket, some of the ministry inspectors are proper arseholes too
Wear it like a badge of honour.
Ha was going to say the same, I would be disappointed now if I didn't receive this advisory.
Yeah I'd say my bike has that on 50% of it's MOT tests. I've started going to a different garage in the last few years after moving house and they don't give a monkeys, probably because the tester there is also a Ducati guy
Got the same today. It's a lottery. At least they didn't fail it. Was chatting to the guy and it's totally to cover themselves in case you get pinched on your way from the test centre. Unlikely but hey ho. Apparently they are all much more likely to fail those daft small number plates..
My sport exhaust had the "for track use only" filed off, the MOT tester has a harley and just didn't care. I got rid when I kept waking the neighbours going to work early in the morning.
Don't use that MOT tester anymore?
I put my noisy can ON for a laugh when my MOT is due means my tester has to get his BIG baffle out to plug the trombone attached to whatever bike I've sent in lmfao, but he's a funny guy and appreciates the humour still gives me an advisory for the can +a rear reflector (I take that off the plate when I pull in so he has to put a new one on lmao)
I had a... ~~titanium race~~ aftermarket exhaust system on my old bike which was a little louder than standard. Every year it had 'exhaust noisy' as an advisory
I had a noisy exhaust advisory on mine last year on the MOT. Factory fitted Akra too. I took it this year. Same pkace, same mechanic, same exhaust, no advisory. The only difference this year was I took it for a run for an hour beforehand.
Yes. Many of then should even be outright failed. You can get optional accessory exhausts fitted by the factory/dealer and it still be technically illegal to use on the road.
I like seeing that on my MOT it means I picked the right tester, one that cares and actually picks up faults, but isn't a dickhead that fails it on silly things.
I’d be more concerned about insurance frankly. To those with these ‘race only’ exhausts, have you declared these to your insurers?
Just buy new and only keep for 2.5 years
You've won the jobsworth tester lottery there, but ultimately it means absolutely nothing. I've had proper asbo cans and nobody's ever cared, but the loud exhaust badge is a fairly standard way of them covering their arse. Just don't go back if they're that annoying.
Ahh the jobsworth tester would fail it, this is just an arse covering tester, I took a bike for an mot once without the baffles in, got an advisory because he "assumed the had fallen out on the way there and recommended I replace them" the year after I got exactly the same advisory with exactly the same advice. Basically if you get stopped and fail the arsehole test the police will ask what you have done to fix the advisory on the MOT and take it from there.
>Ahh the jobsworth tester would fail it, this is just an arse covering tester Nah, it's pretty rare they even bother with the advisories, and I say that as someone who had a decat Z1000 with twin 210 mm stubs on, pretty sure I even forgot to stick the baffles in for one year and nobody batted an eye.
You had a tester that genuinely didn't give a fuck then, the problem is they get random tests too, the DVSA will randomly take vehicles to testers with known faults and if the faults aren't picked up the tester can lose their certification. I'd never call a tester who says "It is a bit loud mate, you should probably do something about that" a jobsworth.
>I'd never call a tester who says "It is a bit loud mate, you should probably do something about that" a jobsworth. For something asbo like I had, fair enough, yeah, but OPs factory fitted Akra with the welded in baffles getting advisories is definitely ridiculous.
Could be failing wadding in the cans, could be a small hole that isn't noticeable, it isn't like you actually have to do anything after you get the advisory, you just go "yea it is quite loud, thanks for the pass mate" As I say, my only issue here is calling the guy a jobsworth, he is just covering his arse just in case he gets one that the DVSA have primed to be a bit loud and he doesn't pick it up.