"Reliant" trikes versus the law/MSVA

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Kawazuki
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Re: "Reliant" trikes versus the law/MSVA

Post by Kawazuki »

jinjachin wrote:
Herby01 wrote:You can drive a trike on a full bike or car licence
Not any more they changed the law in 2014 i think .I'm sure it's bike licence now I could be wrong on details as I didn't take much notice as it didn't affect me
No so - Jinjachin is correct. As long as you are older than 21 and have either full licence you can ride a trike. They have removed / restricted the provisional entitlements that were being abused by some, whether able bodied or disabled, rightly or wrongly.
jinjachin
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Re: "Reliant" trikes versus the law/MSVA

Post by jinjachin »

I didn't think you could use a car licence after that date but like I said I didn't take much notice as ive got both :respek:
Kawazuki
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Re: "Reliant" trikes versus the law/MSVA

Post by Kawazuki »

Copied from DVLA website.....
Motor tricycles
Provisional category B car licences and provisional category A licences now only cover you to ride motor tricycles
if you have a physical disability. Driving tests for 3-wheeled vehicles are only available for physically disabled drivers.

If you’re not physically disabled and want to ride a motor tricycle you’ll now need to get the right provisional
entitlement and pass CBT.

You can drive a motor tricycle of any power rating if both of the following are true:
you’re over 21 and you have a full car driving licence


You’ll need a full category A1 motorbike licence to ride motor tricycles up to power output 15 Kilowatts (kW), and a full category A motorbike licence to ride trikes with a power output more than 15 kW.

Once you’ve done your CBT you have 2 years to pass your theory and motorcycle tests or you’ll have to do CBT again.
So reading again both of you were right - It was the bike requirement that was confusing me DOH! :bang:
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lepchaun
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Re: "Reliant" trikes versus the law/MSVA

Post by lepchaun »

it changed 13/01/13 to bike licence but if u passed ur test in a car before then ur can still ride them
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rozzyrat
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Re: "Reliant" trikes versus the law/MSVA

Post by rozzyrat »

i find it sad to think that any biker triker would like to see vosa sitting outside a rally waiting for the owners of reliant trikes t have there vehicles taken off them.this scares me to think anyone would want this to happen.most of the owners of said reliant trikes dont the laws regarding reliant built trikes.it is good to advise but to talk about vosa sitting outside rallys is sad even more so coming from other trikers.i go to rallys to escape people who live in mainstream society who are to grass on people because they have nothing better to do than take the mother in law to the garden centre.having said that i am a victim of vosa.i had my reliant trike reported by an mot station 6 years ago i had to go for an inspection at kitts green birmingham were they inspected my trike bearing in mind id owned it for 9 years on the road.they said reliant had never made a vehicle using a motorcycle front end welded on.so they took my trike off the road i lost my registration.at the time id booked a ferry to go to spain on the trike.i lost that aswel alot of money.plus losing the trike was tough times.so to all those out there who are against reliant trikes i get your point.but id never wish what happend to me on anyone.but never the less its a word of warning.
jinjachin
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Re: "Reliant" trikes versus the law/MSVA

Post by jinjachin »

I never had any trouble when I had my reliant and the guy I sold it to wasn't bothered as he already had one he was selling to buy mine . I've talked to loads on the rallys about it they have never had any hassle it stands a chance you might have trouble with insurance in a crash but I have spoken to one bloke who made a claim not problem .where are you from as you had to go to brum . Some folk get a bit excited about it but most of them have left to me it's up to the individual as for waiting outside rallys what a load of crap
Chopper303
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Re: "Reliant" trikes versus the law/MSVA

Post by Chopper303 »

Sorry guys but I fail to see what the problem is. An MSVA test is just a glorified MOT, costs a few quid more and has the added hassle of going for the test. However, once the test is done and passed you have a perfectly legal trike. No hassle with DVLA or any other government bodies. No hassle with insurance companies and no hassle if you want to sell your trike. If it cost thousands to do or you had to go to the other end of the country I could understand there being a bit of a problem for some folk. Other thing is, once the MSVA has been done and passed you can add/remove change anything you want to. Long as things work properly and are not MOT failures you can do pretty much what you want to do. I will be doing a proper MSVA on my trike when it is finished, I simply don't want any hassle when I am out on the road.

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Kawazuki
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Re: "Reliant" trikes versus the law/MSVA

Post by Kawazuki »

You maybe 'new' to this but the main point was converted vehicles retaining their original registrations, hopefully we've moved on from that but the MSVA question often crops up with 'swingarm bike conversions' when people would like to cut the frame etc. But the MSVA isn't a glorified MOT - it's far more in depth and at the end you get your 'Q' plate. This is a problem for most - its an odd plate to wear, some insurance co's won't cover them and those that do can bump premiums, so there are downsides!
Davey the punk
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Re: "Reliant" trikes versus the law/MSVA

Post by Davey the punk »

My mini engine trikes on a q plate never had any problems with my insurance all I had to do was send some good quality photos it was a lot cheaper to insure than my old vw boom
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Chopper303
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Re: "Reliant" trikes versus the law/MSVA

Post by Chopper303 »

Kawazuki wrote: Sat Feb 08, 2020 10:16 am You maybe 'new' to this but the main point was converted vehicles retaining their original registrations, hopefully we've moved on from that but the MSVA question often crops up with 'swingarm bike conversions' when people would like to cut the frame etc. But the MSVA isn't a glorified MOT - it's far more in depth and at the end you get your 'Q' plate. This is a problem for most - its an odd plate to wear, some insurance co's won't cover them and those that do can bump premiums, so there are downsides!
Got to disagree on a few points Kawazuki.
I am not "New to this" as you say. I have built several trikes for various people in the past. I have also built numerous custom bikes and had some featured in magazines. I used to run a drag race team and helped design and build the race bikes. Admit that I haven't done a trike for a few years so have a bit of catching up to do due to Parkinsons Disease memory issues.. However, I know one of the guys that wrote the original MSVA manual. He gave me a copy of it a few years back, I will try and dig it out soon. The MSVA is actually a glorified MOT test. Most of it is common sense things like having a radius on pointed ends such as the front brake and clutch levers. The information is widely available on the internet. Yes the MSVA is a bit more in depth than an MOT but if you have any doubts about what you can and cannot do there are plenty of people that you can contact for information. Trying to hide things from the MSVA testers or trying to get round the legalities is a complete waste of time and money. The testers are not muppets recruited from Kwikfit, they are skilled people that know what they are doing (Mostly). Having a "Q plate" is not a problem nowadays either. The problems arise when you do not declare what the trike is to the insurance company or the trike is not properly registered.

The real downsides to the MSVA test is that those that want to bodge things or try to avoid the test have brought the MSVA down on all of those that are trying to make a decent job of things and be creative while remaining legal and safe. The MSVA has been with us for a number of years, it ain't going away so we might as well all get on and do it right by the ministry. Like I said earlier, once it is done, that's it. You only have to do it once.

Chopper.
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